‘Autonomy is to be understood within a well laid-down framework…IIMs ought to be accountable to Parliament’

You will, however, appreciate that autonomy is to be understood within a well laid-down framework. In case of the IIMs, this framework is provided by their respective Memorandums of Association (MoA). I am a strong advocate of each institution acting in conformity with its own MoA. Kindly recall that as the issue of fee is to be decided by the respective boards of the IIMs, I reversed the decision of the earlier government of fixation of the fees in IIMs by the government. In fact, the IIMs have been raising their fees every year without any interference by my ministry, even though I have my personal views on affordable professional higher education. On the issue of IIM Bangalore’s proposal to set up a campus in Singapore, I had unequivocally stated that they were free to do so if their MoA had permitted them. Since the same was not provided for in the MoA of IIM Bangalore, that institute was advised to amend its MoA in order to set up a campus abroad.

You have in your editorial also commented adversely regarding the imposition of OBC quota by law on the IIMs. You will appreciate that we function under a parliamentary democracy. Parliament had legislated OBC reservation in the central institutions of higher learning and we were only implementing the ‘will’ of the people. However, the hon’ble Supreme Court, so far as it relates to the implementation of quota for OBCs, has stayed the implementation of this legislation, and we have not yet implemented the same.

As I have stated above, autonomy has to be understood within a well-defined framework. It does not mean negation of accountability. Let there not be any doubt that IIMs are public institutions and ought to be accountable to the Parliament of this country. Even though, as clarified in our recent press release, the bill has not yet been drafted, bringing any institution under an act of Parliament will, in no way, compromise its autonomy, contrary to what has been stated in your newspaper. I may point out that legislation does not gag autonomy, rather it promotes the same as has been demonstrated by our IITs which have been excelling under the Institutes of Technology Act for the last 45 years and are undoubtedly recognised as institutions of excellence worldwide.

Your paper also suggests that we are undertaking review of IIMs in order to prepare the groundwork for the above law. The central government is competent to bring in a suitable bill without taking any recourse to the process of review. The reviews of IIMs from time to time by the central government is provided for in the MoAs of all IIMs. It was in the discharge of this responsibility that the central government has ordered the third review of the IIMs. Recently, in a meeting of the Full Planning Commission held under the chairmanship of hon’ble prime minister to finalise the 11th plan proposals of the education sector, the hon’ble prime minister had remarked that the existing IITs and IIMs need to expand the capacity by at least three times. He had advised setting up of a Working Group for the purpose. One of the important terms of reference of the review committee is to examine the expansion plans of IIMs during the next decade and especially the 11th Five Year Plan.