(1) Each Institute shall be open to all persons irrespective of gender, race, creed, caste or class, and no test or condition shall be imposed as to religious belief or profession in admitting or appointing members, students, teachers, officers, employees or workers or in any other connection whatsoever.
(2) No bequest, donation or transfer of any property shall be accepted by any Institute, which in the opinion of the Council involves conditions or obligations opposed to the spirit and object of this section.
(3) The admission to every academic course or programme of study in each Institute shall be based on merit, assessed through transparent and reasonable criteria disclosed through its prospectus, prior to the commencement of the process of admission by such Institute:
Provided that nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent the Institute from making special provisions for the employment or admission of women, persons with disabilities or for persons belonging to any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and, in particular, for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes:
Provided further that each such Institute shall be a Central Educational Institution for the purposes of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (5 of 2007).