Section 8 of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-private Partnership) Act, 2017
- (1)Every Institute shall be open to all citizens irrespective of gender, caste, creed, disability, domicile, ethnicity, social or economic background.
- (2)No bequest, donation or transfer of any property shall be accepted by any Institute which in the opinion of the Co-ordination Forum involves conditions or obligations opposed to the spirit and object of this section.
- (3)Admissions to every programme of study in each Institute shall be based on merit assessed through transparent and reasonable criteria disclosed through its prospectus, prior to the commencement of the process of admission by such Institute: Provided that every such Institute shall be a Central Educational Institution for the purposes of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (5 of 2007).
Summary
- The institute must remain open to all citizens regardless of their gender, caste, creed, disability, domicile, ethnicity, or social and economic background.
- Admissions must be based on merit, using transparent and reasonable criteria that are published in the prospectus before the admission process starts.
- The institute functions as a Central Educational Institution, meaning it must follow the reservation rules set out in the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006.
- The institute cannot accept any donation or property transfer if the Co-ordination Forum decides that the gift comes with conditions that violate the principle of being open to everyone.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. Can the institute create special quotas for students from a specific economic background of its own choosing?
The institute must admit students based on merit and follow the specific reservation rules of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, rather than inventing discriminatory quotas.
2. What happens if someone tries to donate a building on the condition that only men can use it?
The donation would be rejected because the Co-ordination Forum would view that condition as opposed to the spirit of the institute being open to all genders.
3. Do students know how they will be evaluated before applying?
Yes, the institute is required to disclose its transparent and reasonable admission criteria in its prospectus before the admission process even begins.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 8 of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-private Partnership) Act, 2017, which external authority has the power to form an opinion that a donation's conditions violate the non-discrimination rule, requiring the institute to reject it?
Q2.Under Section 8 of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-private Partnership) Act, 2017, how must the institute assess merit for admissions to its programmes of study?
Q3.Under Section 8 of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-private Partnership) Act, 2017, which national law governs the reservation of seats for students during the admission process?
Q4.Under Section 8 of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-private Partnership) Act, 2017, which of the following characteristics is explicitly protected from discrimination when a citizen seeks admission?