The Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore on Thursday night deferred announcement of the names of shortlisted candidates for the academic year 2008-09, following the Supreme Court verdict upholding 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions.

Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict, which excludes the creamy layer from the benefit, IIM-B director Professor Pankaj Chandra said, "We will abide by the verdict and it will be done in a phased manner."

"The increase in student intake will be seven per cent in the first year, followed by 17 per cent and 27 per cent in the second and third years respectively. This would take the total number of students for the academic year 2008-09 to 270 from the present 251, out of which 19 would be from the OBCs," he said.

Giving a detailed break-up, he said, "Of the 270 student strength, 40 would be Scheduled Caste (15 per cent), 20 Scheduled Tribe (7.5 per cent), 19 Other Backward Classes (7 per cent), 8 persons with disabilities PWD (3 per cent) and 183 general".

He said while the present infrastructure would be sufficient to handle the increased student intake in the first year, infrastructure expansion would be needed to accommodate students for the second and third years, for which the institute is looking at government funding.

Chandra said the institute awaited a "clear notification from the Human Resource Development Ministry as to what creamy layer means, the criteria and so forth to implement the decision."

"The IIMs will, however, work together with the HRD ministry to implement the policy," he added.

"If we do not have enough number of OBC students, then we will have to look at the CAT scores and interview relevant students, which might take some time," he said.

To a query on the quality of students, he said that the institute would offer all support to OBC students by way of preparatory programmes and tutorials, so that they were on par with other students.

"A country needs to provide access to the underprivileged and assure that the quality of education is strengthened," he said.