Believe it or not, beneficiaries of the existing quota system at IIT, Powai are against the government’s decision to increase reservation to 49.5 per cent.
This is because many of them struggle with the pressure of coping with the standard of education at IIT and consequently suffer from depression and low self-esteem.
“Initially, I suffered from an inferiority complex because most of the students of my class had been toppers in school. Peer pressure can lead to suicidal tendencies sometimes,” said Rachana Mane, a fourth year student of mechanical engineering at IIT Powai.
Some did not want to be in IIT at all.
“I sat for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) in order to satisfy my parents. And I entered IIT even after scoring a poor rank. There are many more like me,” said a first year civil engineering student who did not wish to be named. “This is a political gimmick. Is the government even aware of the kind of humiliation we face when we are taunted as students from the reserved category?” he asked.
Citing an instance of a fifth year dual degree student who was expelled because he failed constantly, Mane said: “At 25, he will have to start all over again. The pain of struggling for five years and then being kicked out is immense, which is why we are against reservations.”
{{/usCountry}}Citing an instance of a fifth year dual degree student who was expelled because he failed constantly, Mane said: “At 25, he will have to start all over again. The pain of struggling for five years and then being kicked out is immense, which is why we are against reservations.”
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