The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has come out in open to oppose the proposed legislation to bring IIMs under one umbrella body, saying it would curtail its autonomy.
IIM-A Governing Council Chairman A. M. Naik said that proposed legislation to bring IIMs under an umbrella body would slow down the institute’s effort to take it to the next level of globalisation.
The proposed legislation seeks to confer the IIMs the status of institutes of national importance empowering them to award degrees instead of diplomas and establishment of an IIM Council similar to the Council for the IITs and pave way for appointment of more government directors in IIMs boards.
“We demand options for institutes...to all IIMs whether to come under the government umbrella and give a degree...or those who want to remain autonomous as they are and shall not give degrees and continue with what they are giving today (diploma),” Mr. Naik, who is also the Managing Director of Larsen and Toubro, told PTI.
“We have said we can do without a degree because IIM-A brand itself is huge...even with its diploma which is rated to be amongst the best in the world,” he said, adding that we are trying to internationalise IIM-A, which is the only IIM appearing in the global list of first 25.
“I want to have a global board...four members from all around the world...I have brought already Prof. Srikant Datar from Havard University on board...I want to bring more,” he said.
“With majority of government directors on the board there is hardly any room left for international directors to come. Finally what is left is space for two more directors,” Mr. Naik said.
“I am also trying to bring in international faculty. In the middle of all this...to bring more controls and bring it into overall government umbrella will slow down that process,” he said, adding that people come and join when they see freedom and autonomy.
