TEDx speaker exposes IISc admission criteria favouring rank 4000 over 76, igniting reservation controversy

Anuradha Tiwari, a TEDx speaker and Founder-CEO of a content marketing company, has recently shed light on the admission criteria at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc), reigniting the long-standing debate over India's reservation system. Her revelations have sparked widespread discussion, questioning the balance between merit and inclusivity in one of the country's top research institutions.

Tiwari highlights a stark disparity in IISc's admission criteria: a General Category student with a rank of 76 can be rejected, while an ST category student with a rank of 4000 can secure a spot.

Rank- 76
Result- Rejected

Rank- 4000
Result- Selected

Yes, 4000. No mistake in number of zeros.

This is admission criteria for Indian Institute of Science (IISc), one of best Research focused institute.

Who will do better Research? Someone with 76 rank or 4000? pic.twitter.com/4RLfo2IP4F

¡ª Anuradha Tiwari (@talk2anuradha) September 30, 2024

"Yes, 4000. No mistake in the number of zeros," Tiwari emphasised.

She then raises a critical question: "Who will do better Research? Someone with 76 rank or 4000?"

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is a premier public research university known for higher education and cutting-edge research in science, engineering, design, and management.

Based in Bangalore, IISc is widely recognised as one of India's leading institutions, contributing significantly to scientific and technological advancements globally.

How did people respond?

Credit: LinkedIn

Her post has gone viral, sparking widespread debate over the reservation and admission system.

One commenter expressed frustration, saying, "The system is continuously crushing merit and expects this country to become developed will be a dream. Nothing can change the fate of this country if this persists."

Another highlighted the consequences, remarking: "Rank -76 will shift to USA or other countries."

However, some defended the reservation policy.

One person pointed out, "Rank 76 was achieved by a candidate who had every possible advantage: access to the best schools, top teachers, private coaching, &state of art learning facilities, and a supportive learning environment at home, complete with nutritious food, study resources, and continuous guidance from an educated, affluent family. On the other hand, Rank 4000 was achieved by a candidate from a Scheduled Tribe (ST), who faced immense societal and systemic challenges."

Another added, "Maybe, just maybe, those with a rank of 4000 had to overcome mountains that the 76-ranker didn¡¯t even know existed. But sure, keep pretending the world is a perfect meritocracy."

The debate over reservations is one that has persisted for ages. While the intention is to level the playing field for students from diverse backgrounds, the question lingers: is India losing it's deserving candidates to reservation?

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.