We designed and implemented a new joint seat allocation process for over 500 programs across 80 engineering colleges in India, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Our Deferred Acceptance-based process overcomes a number of challenges. The joint seat allocation process has been successfully running since 2015, with a 70% reduction in vacancies at the IITs. Particular concerns have been (i) allocative efficiency and reducing vacancies due to students accepting a seat but then withdrawing or not reporting for classes, (ii) transparency, integrity and fairness, (iii) logistical simplicity for both candidates and institutes, and (iv) the incentive structure for candidates.
Filmed at 2018 INFORMS Annual Meeting