DMK MP for high-level panel to recruit faculty from marginalised communities

CHENNAI: DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian has urged the Centre to set up a high-level committee to ensure the conduct of a special recruitment drive in IIT and IIM like institutions to recruit faculty members from SC/ST and OBC communities. Raising the issue under rule 377 of the Lok Sabha, Thamizhachi expressed concern over “caste-based discrimination against people from marginalised caste backgrounds” and said that educational institutions in the country were witnessing a rise in such instances. Citing the circular of the Ministry of Education to all institutions like IIT, IIM and NIT and central universities to fill faculty positions by actively recruiting faculty members from SC/ST and OBC communities under the “Mission Mode” by September 2022, Thamizhachi said, “A special high-level committee needs to be set up to ensure that the recruitment drive is carried out in accordance with the Constitutional principles of reservation.” Thamizhachi also insisted that the monthly reports (from institutions) should be made publicly available in order to ensure transparency.