IIM Sambalpur beats IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore in gender diversity

In a shocking set of events, it was recorded that IIM Sambalpur beats IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore in gender diversity. Recording an admit of around 98 students out of which 50 were girls, IIM Sambalpur has reported an all-time high number of girl candidates. The director of IIM Sambalpur gave a thumbs up to the said report. He said that with just over 50%, the percentage of female students is the highest.

The number of female candidates enrolled this year have set a standard for the net intake in IIMs. This is still very less. The female intake of IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore generally lies between 27% and 32%.

What is overwhelming is that the stats stated the female intake of IIM Sambalpur to be null in the previous year. Where IIM Sambalpur was ranked last in the previous year for gender diversity, it has topped the ranks this year. This led to the victory turn and IIM Sambalpur beats IIM Ahmedabad and Bangalore

Considering facts, IIM-Indore was the only IIM till date which recorded a female intake as high as 39%. This was in the batch of 2018-20. Whereas, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore in the year 2018-20 had about 26% and 28% of females respectively.

In regard to the major increment in the number of girls, the director of IIM Sambalpur, Mahadeo Jaiswal said that this was the result of a change in policy. They had to bring down the cut off to 90 percentile for girls. For boys, it was set at 95 percentile. Measures were taken to spread the word about their program.

In addition, the director added that this was a consequence of effective communication taking place, about the institute. Other factors were the institution’s growth and better placement records. This had, thus, attracted more female students. With the actual numbers coming as a surprise to most of us, this is a massive achievement for IIM Sambalpur.

Girls are accustomed to gender bias prevailing in the classrooms of IITs and IIMs, the top institutes of the country. The HRD has taken an initiative to increase the female intake. The effect, though, is yet to be seen in IIMs.