IIT-B to expand student intake to 8,250 by 2014-15

The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), as part of its expansion plans, will enroll 8,250 students by 2014-15 around 66 per of whom would be admitted to post-graduate courses.

"As a result of all-round efforts spanning over two decades, we will achieve our first milestone by 2014-15 when among 8,250 students enrolled, the distribution of under- graduate and PG students would be around 2,700 (33.3 per cent) and 5,500 (66.6 per cent ) respectively," IIT-B director D V Khakhar said at the 47th convocation ceremony of the institute in Mumbai last evening.

The premier institute has been steadily expanding its student intake and as compared to 4,310 students it admitted in 2001-02, the number has increase to 5,865 in 2008-09.

Khakhar said that the academic year 2009-10 saw the institute implement the second phase of the 27 per cent OBC reservation offering admissions to 18 per cent candidates from backward community while keeping the general category admissions unchanged.

Chairman of IIT-B's governing body, Anil Kakodkar said the preparatory programme for SC/STs has produced good results and the body was sure there would be no need for reservations as things improved with time.

He added that once students gained self-confidence, reservation would not be required and already a large number of students from reserved categories are gaining admission on merit under the general quota.