A total of 7,248 students have dropped out from IITs during the last five years.

A total of 7,248 students have dropped out from IITs during the last five years. Placement offers and better opportunities are few reasons why students leave the course midway, said Minister of Human Resource Development, Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' in the Rajya Sabha on November 28. He was replying to the question asked by GC Chandrasekhar on the number of IIT dropout students during the last five years.

In 2018, a total of 11,279 seats were offered in the IITs for admission to undergraduate courses, which was an increase of 291 seats from 2017. Also in 2018, 800 supernumerary seats were created exclusively for female candidates to bring gender balance the IITs.

To Mr Chandrasekhar's question on the early exit option for the students of IITs/ IIMs, the HRD Minister replied that the proposal for IIT students who are not able to keep pace with the required academic standards came for discussion in the IIT Council meeting held in October. As per the proposal instead of being forced out of the course, students who are unable to keep pace with the prescribed academic standards can opt for B.Sc. (Engineering) degree.

"There is no such proposal in respect of other premier engineering institutions," the minister said on the early exit option which has only been proposed for IIT/ IIM students.

To the question on the steps taken by Government to reduce the dropout rate of students in IITs/ IIMs, Mr Pokhriyal replied that the institutes are conducting regular counseling and monitoring of the academically weak students.

To reduce the dropouts the government is also providing fellowship/ scholarship/ assistantship and tuition fee waiver to students, Mr Pokhriyal said.

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