IIM Ahmedabad has decided to implement reservation in PhD admissions from 2025, conceding to a long-standing demand by the Global IIM Alumni Network and scholars.

The elite B-school had so far resisted the implementation of reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the research programme.

According to the Central Educational Institution (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, a central government institution has to reserve 15 per cent seats for SCs, 7.5 per cent for STs and 27 per cent for OBCs. The government has implemented a 10 per cent quota in admission and jobs in central educational institutions for the EWS through a separate law.

The latest IIM Ahmedabad advertisement for PhD admissions says: “Candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of their performance in the CAT or the standard test in lieu of the CAT, academic background, experience, etc. IIMA may conduct online or face-to-face interviews depending upon the health advisory issued by the authorities at that time. The admission interviews are expected to be held during March-April 2025. Government of India guidelines for reservation are followed during admissions.”

The network has moved Gujarat High Court against IIM Ahmedabad for not following the reservation policy in PhD and faculty recruitment. The case is being heard.

In March 2023, The Telegraph had filed an RTI application to understand the prevailing practices in the IIMs. IIM Ahmedabad replied: “There is no annual prescribed intake specified for the PhD programme at IIMA and therefore reservation cannot be specified. The institute admits students based on their passing the admission criteria.”

Anil Wagde, one of the founding members of the network, said all other IIMs have implemented reservation except Ahmedabad. The reason cited by IIMA is not justified, he said, adding that the fight will continue till IIMA implements reservation in faculty recruitment.

“Our fight is against IIM Ahmedabad’s refusal to implement reservation in PhD admission and faculty recruitment. IIM Ahmedabad is yet to implement reservation in faculty recruitment. Our fight will continue,” Wagde said.

He said that the network and scholars took up the issue with IIM Ahmedabad director Bharat Bhasker and urged him to implement reservation.

“IIM Ahmedabad was the last man standing when it came to implementing reservation in PhD courses. Lack of reservation in PhD courses results in a lack of qualified candidates for faculty in IIMs, resulting in abysmal representation in IIM faculty,” Wagde said. He added that there was hardly any SC, ST or OBC faculty at IIM Ahmedabad.