Increases Representation of Underprivileged Students in IIM Ahmedabad's PhD Program

IIM Ahmedabad's Historic Move: Reservations for SC, ST, OBC, and Disabled Candidates in PhD Program

IIM Ahmedabad will follow the government’s reservation intake under its new reservation policy for academic session 2025 for PhD admissions. Candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and those with disabilities will henceforth be given preference for seats in the esteemed B-school's PhD program.

The decision came into action due to a Public Interest Litigation filed by The Global IIM Alumni Network in the Gujarat High Court demanding  PhD programs at IIM Ahmedabad be subject to reservations. Since its founding in 1971, IIM Ahmedabad has not provided any reservations for underrepresented communities in its PhD program for more than 60 years. The PIL argued that the lack of reservations in the program was against the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act (CERA), and the constitution.

Responding to the matter of PIL the institute promised to the Gujarat High Court that it would start adopting reservations for candidates who are SC, ST, OBC, or disabled in 2025. The CERA Act compels central educational institutions to reserve 15 percent of seats for SC candidates, 7.5 percent for ST candidates, and 27 percent for OBC candidates. For admission to the PhD program at IIM Ahmedabad, candidates must sit the Common Admission Test (CAT) or a comparable standardized exam.

Editor's Note: 

IIM Ahmedabad is taking a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity and diversity within its academic community by implementing a reservation policy for its PhD admissions, starting in 2025. In IIM Ahmedabad for the last 60 years, as there was no reservation policy for underrepresented communities in higher education, this new decision came into action due to a Public Interest Litigation, to address these long-standing concerns. 
IIM Ahmedabad aligned itself with the government guidelines and recognized the importance of equitable access to education. 

Skoobuzz commends IIM's initiative, which not only reflects a commitment to social justice but also enhances the academic environment for underprivileged students.