IIT Alumni Shares 98.5% Story Amid Reservation Debate

A video featuring Milind Chandwani, a former student of IIT and IIM, has gone viral on social media. In the clip, Chandwani recalls a conversation from 2013 when a friend asked, “What did you achieve by bringing 98.5 percent?” The friend had received admission calls from IIM with just 58 percent, while Chandwani’s higher score did not attract the same response.

Both men came from middle‑class families. Chandwani explains that his friend did not need reservation, but leveraged the existing quota system to secure a seat. Observing this advantage sparked a series of questions about the fairness of the reservation policy.

Later, after joining the “Teach For India” initiative and teaching children in government schools, Chandwani says his perspective shifted. He observed that many students who genuinely need reservation are unaware of how to apply for it or benefit from it.

Chandwani stresses that he is not dismissing the legitimate need for affirmative action. He argues that before any removal of the policy, the state must guarantee high‑quality education and equal opportunities for every child from low‑income backgrounds so they can compete on an even footing in job markets and competitive exams.

The video emerged at a time when the “Remove Reservation” movement is gaining traction on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where activists demand reforms to the quota system. The national conversation remains divided, with some calling for change and others insisting that reservation remains essential until social and economic disparities are fully addressed.