IIT Guwahati has a zero tolerance approach towards discrimination and violation of dignity of fellow students or other members of IIT Guwahati community on the basis of caste, language, religion, region, disability, gender, sexual orientation and race. IIT Guwahati cares for its students and takes appropriate measures to ensure their security and safety. The Institute has all forms of support services, administrative mechanisms, and rules and regulations to make the safety and security systems work for the wellbeing/welfare of students. As responsible and mature adults of the society, the students are expected to behave in a manner that ensures their safety and security and to uphold the dignity of IIT Guwahati.

Establishment and Location of the Equal Opportunity-cum-Special Reservation Cell

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati plays a proactive role in facilitating education of students in general but also from different disadvantaged backgrounds. Initiation of Equal Opportunity Cells (EOC) across the institutions of higher learning is a significant step of Ministry of Education towards addressing problems and concerns of students representing different disadvantaged groups of the society including scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, women, minorities, and differently-abled (DA) persons/ Persons With Disabilities (PWD).

The Indian society is characterized by social divisions and these inequalities are barriers to access to educational resources to the disadvantaged sections of the society. The disadvantaged sections of the society include SC, ST and differently abled persons.

The Equal Opportunity-Cum-Special Reservation Cell is to sensitize IITG community/mainstream sections of the society about the problems of the marginalized /disadvantaged sections of the society so that they are able to improve their performance not only in the education but also in other spheres of life.

The universal declaration of "Human Rights" affirms that every person is equally entitled not only to life, but to a life of dignity. People with disabilities have the same rights as all other people. However, for a number of reasons they often face social, legal, and practical barriers in claiming their human rights on an equal basis with others.

IIT Guwahati has an Equal Opportunity- Cum-Special Reservation Cell (EO –Cum-SRC), set up, in December 2015 to aid and advise the students belonging to marginalized sections including the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes & persons with disabilities, etc. pursuing various programs of studies at IIT Guwahati. This office is located in the 1^st, floor, North Wing of the Administrative Building. 

The major objectives for the establishment of Equal  Opportunity-Cum-Special Reservation Cell, is to ensure effective implementation of policies and programmes designed by the Ministry of Education for the welfare of the students in the disadvantaged and marginalized sections who are pursuing higher studies. The Cell also meant to monitor the various schemes/ policies of the GoI/ state Govt. relating to marginalized/disadvantaged sections and become an effective tool for gender sensitization and ensure participation in all socially relevant activities of IITG. Following are the major areas/issues and philosophy of activities of this Cell.

Constitutionals Safeguards and Legislation for  SCs/STs / OBCs

Constitutional Safeguards

According to the Constitution of India, the Right to Equality is a Fundamental Right that includes the right to equality before law; prohibition of discrimination (Article 15); and equality of opportunities in matters of public employment (Article 16). The Constitution further specifies that this will not prevent the state from making special provisions for women, children, SCs and STs. Article 17 declares abolition of untouchability, forbidding its practice in any form.

The Directive Principles of State Policy of the Constitution include promotion of educational and economic interests of SCs, STs and other weaker sections (Article 46). The Hindu religious institutions of public character are thrown open to all classes and  sections of Hindus (Article 25b). Any disability, liability, restriction of conditions with  regard to access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment  or use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of state funds or dedicated to the use of the general public are removed according to Articles15(2). Article 16 and 355 permit the states to make reservation for backward classes in public services in case of inadequate representation.

Tribal advisory councils and separate departments are set up in states to promote the welfare and safeguard the interests of the tribals (Article 164 and 338 and Fifth Schedule).  Article 244 and Fifth and Sixth Schedules make special provision for administration and control of scheduled and tribal areas.

The Reservation Policy is a Constitutional device in the creation of society of equals. It is an exception to the principle of equality, as the principle of equality operates within equals and to equate equals with unequals is to perpetuate inequality. Reservation for SCs and STs is founded upon the ideology of compensatory justice for their sufferings for ages for no fault of theirs. The quota of reservation has been decided by the Constitution in accordance with the percentage of the population of SCs and STs, being 15% and 7.5%, respectively; 27% for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer only), 4% for PWD (supernumerary quota).

Legislation

The Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 (earlier Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955), which has been in force since 1976, provides for penalties for preventing any person on  grounds of untouchability, from enjoying the rights accruing on account of abolition of untouchability.

The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 specifies the offences which are considered as atrocities and provides for deterrent punishments of commission of the same. Comprehensive Rules prepared under this Act provide for relief and rehabilitation of the affected persons and envisage preventive measures.

By virtue of the Constitution (65th Amendment) Act of 1990, the Special Post under  Article 338 of the Constitution has been substituted by the National Commission for  Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, mainly to investigate and monitor all matters  relating to the safeguards to SCs/STs under the Constitution and laws.

Reservation Status

At present, there are two lists of castes/tribes/other backward classes (OBCs) issued by the Central Government and respective State Governments known as Central List  and State List. Although the IITG adheres to the rules and regulations of the Central Government, it follows both the Central List and State List of OBCs with respect to reservation norms, as made applicable by the GoI from time to time. The Central List can be accessed on the following websites:

http://www.socialjustice.nic.in (for Scheduled Castes [SCs])

http:// www.tribal.gov.in (for Scheduled Tribes [STs])

http:// www.ncbc.nic.in (for Other Backward Classes [OBCs])

 Members of the Equal Opportunity cum Special Reservation Cell

Equal Opportunity cum Special Reservation Cell of the Institute is constituted with the following members:

 The members are to ensure the effective implementation of the policies and programmes of the GoI/ State Governments with regard to SCs, STs and the physically challenged.

Exemption of Tuition Fees

http://shilloi.iitg.ernet.in/~acad/intranet/index.php#