SC / ST & OBC STUDENTS DOING BADLY IN ENGINEERING

SC/ST &  OBC STUDENTS DOING BADLY IN ENGINEERING

Merit category students perform much better :study

Thiruvananthapuram:  If any proof was necessary that  caste-based reservations have largely failed their original intent in Kerala, then a recent study by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) has damning evidence. An alarming majority of students belonging to SC/ST and OBC categories, who get into engineering colleges on the basis of reservations, fail to complete their courses and obtain a degree.

FIGURE THIS

PASS RATE:

SC / ST : 17.7%

OBC: 41%

GENERAL : 68.4%

The study conducted by Prof. K. Pushpangadan, analysing pass/ failure rate figures of 2004-2008 batches across all engineering colleges in the state, rewards that only 17.7% of SC/ST students pass their final exams while it’s a shade above 40% for OBC students. The import of these numbers becomes evident when compared to the pass percentage among engineering students belonging to the general merit category which stands ata healthier 68.4%. Healthy for that particular category of students but a decidedly dangerous diagnosis for the idea of creating a level playing field.