Mumbai Lack of gender parity in classrooms of the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was the reason behind the introduction of supernumerary seats across the 23 IITs. While a majority of the institutes have managed to achieve the target of 20% female admissions by 2020-21 academic year, the institutes are still working towards increasing the intake of female candidates over the next few years.
Be it conducting outreach programmes in schools around their institute, offering scholarships to admitted female students or inviting parents of female students for special interactive sessions, IITs are including new ways to achieve gender parity across their classes.
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“IIT Delhi has been taking proactive measures to attract more female students to the institute, including women-oriented scholarships that have been instituted in the recent past. The Initiative for Gender Equity and Sensitisation (IGES) under the institute aims to create a safe educational atmosphere for all. IGES also advocates a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment,” said a spokesperson for IIT Delhi. Most institutes, including IIT Delhi and Bombay, have also approved the setting up of new female-only hostels on campus to accommodate the growing female student population.
In 2017, intake of girls in B Tech programmes at IITs was a mere 9.3%. In 2018, the IIT admissions council decided to introduce supernumerary seats for female students with the addition of 800 (14%) seats across 23 IITs in 2018 while the number stood at 946 (17%) female-only seats across IITs in 2019. The aim was to ensure that female enrolment reaches a target of at least 20% of the undergraduate class by 2020.
In 2021, however, the Joint Admission Board (JAB) decided to allow individual IITs to decide the female intake, especially since the 20% target has been achieved. The new rule meant IITs can set their own target of female intake for the 2021-22 academic year, as long as enrolment in each IIT is at least 20%. Most IITs stuck to the 20% target once again this year as well, while some managed to surpass the target.
IIT Bombay has 1,360 seats out of which 156 seats are for female candidates only. At IIT Delhi, the total intake was at 1,221 and female only seats stood at 249 (20%), while at IIT Madras, 20.27% of the seats in BTech and 22.59% seats in dual degree courses for female candidates.
“Special sessions are arranged for interaction with parents of girl applicants at IIT Hyderabad. Female faculty members and Women cell conveners took initiative to explain the prospects and career profiles for various departments. We also plan to invite girls from schools in the region on International Women’s Day to visit IIT and interact with students and faculty to raise their interest to join BTech programs in IITs,” said a spokesperson for IIT Hyderabad, where the female intake ratio stands at 20.77% this year. IIT Mandi gives a full tuition fee waiver to all undergraduate female students. Female students are also provided with a stipend of Rs1000 per month, subject to academic performance, said Rahul Vaish, dean of Academic Affairs, IIT Mandi, where the female intake stands at 20.67% this year.
Some IITs have also started paying special attention to married female candidates who apply for PhD courses. “Institute is increasing the female students’ leadership positions at several levels including various academic and non-academic clubs and activities to create an inclusive and intellectually competitive environment for the female students. For postgraduate studies, married female students are supported with a full-time day-care centre and married students hostel and preferences are given to the female students with children for availing these facilities,” said Prof Bithiah Jagannath, Associate Dean Academic (Student Affairs), IIT Guwahati.
While most IITs have managed to achieve the target over the last few years, some newer IITs still need to match this target. Some of the newer IITs have less than 10% seats filled up by female students, and what makes it worse is their off-beat location attracts fewer female students to the campus.
“I had cleared JEE in 2018, and during seat allotments I was placed in IIT Goa, which I didn’t accept because it was not the course of my choice and the IIT itself is far from city-life, which was a turn-off. I appeared for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) once again in 2019 and managed to get a seat in 2019 in IIT Bombay, which I accepted. It is important to have a life beyond the campus in IITs and that can only be achieved by studying in institutes with city life around,” said a UG BTech student, on condition of anonymity.
