It’s noteworthy that India hosts 23 IIT campuses, 56 central universities, and 20 IIMs.
Total Dropout Overall vs SC ST OBC
| Category | OBC | SC | ST | Total |
| IIMs | 163 | 188 | 91 | 442 |
| IITs | 2066 | 1068 | 408 | 3542 |
| Central Univs | 4596 | 2424 | 2622 | 9642 |
IIMs Dropout Overall vs SC ST OBC
| All | 858 | 100% |
| SC ST OBC | 442 | 51.5% |
| Others | 416 | 48.5% |
IITs Dropout Overall vs SC ST OBC
| All | 8139 | 100% |
| SC ST OBC | 3542 | 43.5% |
| Others | 4597 | 56.5% |
Over the past five years, nearly 13,000 students drop out of central universities annually, translating to an average of seven students discontinuing their education daily. This concerning statistic was revealed in a written response by Subhas Sarkar, Union Minister of State for Education, in response to a query raised by BSP representative Ritesh Pandey in the Lok Sabha.
Among the dropouts from Central Universities, 4,596 were from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), 2,424 from the Scheduled Castes (SC), and 2,622 from the Scheduled Tribes (ST). The issue also extends to prestigious institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Over the past five years, 2,066 OBC, 1,068 SC, and 408 ST students dropped out of IITs, while IIMs saw 163 OBC, 188 SC, and 91 ST students leave their courses. India has 23 IITs, 56 central universities, and 20 IIMs.
Sarkar attributed this trend to student migration within higher education, explaining that students often transfer between institutions or courses, sometimes securing seats in their preferred institutions or departments. He emphasized that personal reasons also play a role in these decisions.
To address the issue, the government has introduced several initiatives, including fee reductions, the establishment of more educational institutions, and the provision of national-level scholarships, particularly aimed at supporting students from marginalized communities like OBCs, SCs, and STs.
In total, data presented to the Rajya Sabha in July 2023 revealed that 34,035 students dropped out of various higher education institutions, with central universities accounting for the highest number of dropouts at 17,454 students.
