SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 30: Opening the gate of the mining engineering course and permission for entry into mines to girls has made the IIT Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad the favourite destination for fair-sex students among newly formed IITs of the country.
ISM Dhanbad got the IIT status in 2016 and in six years, the entry of girl students into the institution has been recorded as the highest among the newly formed IITs in the country.
As per the official record, in the 2021 academic session, 492 girl students got admission to the IIT ISM. Only IIT Kharagpur, IIT Mumbai, IIT Delhi and other old institutions have more girl students than Dhanbad IIT ISM.
“Entry in mines has made mining engineering course of institution an exciting for girl students. So they are showing interest in IIT ISM,” said Prof Rajiv Shekhar, director of IIT ISM, who has made a sea change in the academic environment on the campus in the last two years.
The director said that besides mining engineering, the implementation of 20% additional supernumerary seats for girls has also increased the number of female students in the institution.
He further said that earlier the campus was open but now it has closed premises which instills a sense of safety among the guardians who encourage their wards towards IIT ISM Dhanbad.
“Besides education, we also provide and promote sports, culture and other facilities to students to grow up in all fields,” said the director.
As per the official records, in 2016 when ISM got the status of IIT, a total of 179 girls students took admission. Next year (2017), 182 took admission and 197 in the 2018 academic session. In 2019 girls’ entry increased to 270 and 370 in the 2020 session. In the 2021 academic session institution touched almost 500 marks (492).
At the same time, total admission of girl students in 2021 academic session in other IITs of the country which opened along with IIT Dhanbad including IIT Jammu and Kashmir (102) IIT Palakkad (300), IIT Mandi (481), IIT Gandhinagar (449).
