The Indian Institutes of Management will have to provide reservation for the other backward classes in addition to schedule castes and schedule tribes from the coming academic session, Rajya Sabha was informed Tuesday.

In a reply, Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandeswari said with the coming into force of Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act 2006, all the IIMs have to provide reservation of 27 per cent seats too for the other backward classes in a phased manner in three years, starting 2007-2008.

This will be in addition to 15 per cent existing reservation for the scheduled castes and 7.5 per cent for the scheduled tribes.

As per provisions of the Act, the institutes shall ensure mandatory increase in the number of seats in a branch of study or faculty, over and above its annual permitted strength.

This will be done in a manner that the number of seats, excluding those reserved for the persons belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories, is not less than number of such seats available for the academic session immediately preceding the date of enforcement of this Act.

In another reply, the minister said government has approved the setting up of seventh IIM in Shillong and there is no proposal to set up any other elsewhere in the country.