The future of the 325 IIT aspirants belonging to backward sections of minorities appears to be in limbo in the wake of Andhra Pradesh high court striking down the 4.5% sub-quota to minorities within OBC reservation.
The students,who are in the midst of the counseling process,were expected to be allotted seats by June 14.With about 432 seats reserved for the minority sub-quota,these students were assured of a college and course of their choice but now face the prospect of losing their seat altogether as the court decision will mean they will have to compete for the 27% OBC seats.
Law minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said HRD minister Kapil Sibal had told him that the IIT admission process was not complete yet,thereby implying that quota admissions may have to be scrapped unless the superior court intervened.
Asked about the fate of students,the law minister said,"The selected candidates can go to Supreme Court and seek relief."Sources in HRD ministry said they were evaluating the situation following the HC order even as Khurshid said they would move the apex court against the high court ruling.
But till such time that the government moves a vacation bench of the SC,and is successful in obtaining a stay to the HC order,the future of these candidates appears bleak.
In fact,sources in the IIT Joint Admission Board confirmed that the tech institutes had sought advice from the HRD ministry on the way ahead.Counseling for admission to 15 IITs and IT-BHU and ISM-Dhanbad is currently underway and the process will go on till June 10.The web release of the first seat allotment will be made on June 14.The HRD ministry had asked all institutions to implement the sub-quota from January 2012.The IITs are the first to implement the government's decision.