Sambalpur: Not a single girl student has enrolled for courses for the fourth batch at the IIM-Sambalpur. Expressing concern over the zero turn-out of girl students, the authorities of the institute have decided to initiate steps to encourage them to take admission in the premier institute.
Director of IIM-Sambalpur Mahadeo Prasad Jaiswal said following cent percent placement of the students, the HRD Ministry has increased the number of seats at the IIM-Sambalpur from 60 to 120 this year.
“A total of 108 students have taken admission this year, while 12 seats reserved for the students of the backward communities are lying vacant. It is grossly unfortunate that not a single girl student has enrolled for courses here. Last year, 11 girl students had taken admission and there were nine girl students in the first batch of the institute,” Jaiswal said.
He said that it has been decided to relax the cut-off marks to allow the girl students take admission in the institute from next year.
According to statistics, the female population of the country is 48.5 per cent and of this 45 per cent are girl students, who have passed Class XII. While 28 per cent of the girl students are pursuing engineering degrees in government and private engineering colleges in the country, only 8-10 per cent has enrolled for B.Tech in IITs.
About the performance of the IIM-Sambalpur, Jaiswal said the institute is much ahead of its counterparts. “Out of the three best students of the IIM-Sambalpur, two were girls. On the basis of the institute’s performance, the HRD Ministry has doubled the number of seats from 60 to 120 this year,” he pointed out.
Explaining the zero turn-out of girl students in IIM-Sambalpur, Jaiswal said of the total number of students taking admission in IIMs, most are boys from engineering background, while the girls are from the non-engineering background. Most of them are either graduates or post-graduates. “Since it is relatively easier for the engineering boys to crack the entrance test, it is obvious that their number is much more than the girls,” he observed.
PNN