In an amazing situation, not a single girl student has taken admission in the IIM, Sambalpur (IIM-S) in the current academic year. The IIM authorities are also unable to find any suitable reason except presuming something.
looking at the demand from the students and their overall performances in the national level, the HRD Ministry increased the number of seats from 60 to 120 this year. So far 108 students have taken admission.
“But the number of girl students is nil,” said IIM-S Director Mahadev Jaiswal. At the same time, there are hardly one or two students from Odisha in the current year.
Talking about the reason behind girls not preferring IIM-S, Jaiswal said: “Non availability of air connectivity may be the major reason behind girls not opting for Sambalpur. While boys can suffer a long train journey, normally girls don’t.” Further, most of the students of outside Odisha don’t like even the location, he added.
It needs mention that nine girls in first batch and 11 in second had taken admission in IIM-S. But all including the boys were highly disgusted with the old campus in a deserted place in a private engineering college.
“However, after sifting of the institute to Sambalpur University campus in April 2108, there has been some improvement in the situation,” he added.
It was then alleged that the campus selection in a private engineering college was made to bring financial benefit to a particular BJP worker of Sambalpur. Jaiswal further said that this year the cut off mark was very high at 95 per cent.
This may be also one of the reasons for girls qualifying for IIM all over the country in very less numbers.
And those girls who qualify securing 95 per cent prefer major cities and the old ones instead of the new Sambalpur although its academic performances and placement rates are very high, Jaiswal said.
“However, we plan to reduce the cut off mark for girls to enable more girls entering IIM not only in Sambalpur but all over the country,” he opined. But this is just a suggestion, he made clear.
The Director further informed that out of the total 12 reserved seats, none has taken admission so far.