IITs worried as reserved seats remain unfilled

[Ashutosh]

Even as the process for applying to the Joint Entrance Examination
(JEE) 2010 of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has begun,
figures from JEE 2009 reveal that 137 seats meant for candidates with
physical disabilities (PD), got wasted. The reason is that not enough
disabled candidates qualify, and these seats cannot be converted into
general seats.

“Unless the rules are changed and the IITs are allowed to transfer the
vacant PD seats to general or non-PD seats within the category, we
will not be able to stop this loss,” said Anil Kumar, JEE 2010
chairman, IIT Bombay.

As per a judgment passed by the chief commissioner for persons with
disabilities, IITs were directed to treat disabled candidates on a par
with scheduled caste (SC)/scheduled tribe (ST) candidates and give
them similar relaxation from 2009, including admission for preparatory
courses.

Currently, 3% seats in each category [general category, SC, ST and
other backward classes (OBC)] are reserved for disabled students in
each IIT. While the total number of PD seats in 2009 across all IITs
was 251, only 138 candidates could qualify at the JEE, despite 12%
more disabled candidates taking the exam as compared to 2008.