The selection to the B.Tech degree is based on an All India Level Entrance test called the JEE (Joint Entrance Examination), which is held commonly for the 6 IITs.
Discrimination against the Dalits begins at the stage of applying itself. The Dalit students are issued coloured application forms whereas other students are always given white coloured forms. This year the application forms given to Dalit students were pink in color and last year it was green. This is a shocking case of modern day apartheid, and a greater shock is that the answer sheets of Dalit students are also coloured.
This year (2001), 537 students were selected to join B.Tech in IIT Madras. Of these 503 students belong to the general category and only 34 students belong to the Dalit community. Instead of 22.5% reservation eligible to Dalits only 6.3% is being filled up. If reservation is properly implemented there should be 121 Dalit students in B.Tech course.
