FICCI rep on IIM Cal Board speaks up against his chief

Kalra was present at the crucial meeting of the Board of Governors on March 26 that authorised the Chairman to draft a resolution on the fee cut issue. Deveshwar, in turn, circulated the resolution on April 5 accepting the fee cut, saying ‘‘the government order may be implemented in the belief that it is binding on the institute and that it is in the domain of the Ministry of Human Resource Development’’ to frame policies related to subsidy in education.

In his April 19 letter to Deveshwar, Kalra says: ‘‘May I urge you to urgently issue a clear-cut statement to the press stating that IIMC has not agreed to the fee cut and that the matter is still under consideration of the Board.’’ Unless this is done, Kalra warns, ‘‘I must take a principled stand and most reluctantly resign from the Board of this great institution.’’

Kalra has also accused Deveshwar of drafting a resolution that did not reflect the opinion of the Board members. Even during the meeting, Kalra points out, Deveshwar had ‘‘brushed aside’’ the arguments of the industry under ‘‘the umbrella argument of following a conciliatory approach and not getting into a confrontation with the Government’’.

Kalra reminds Deveshwar that he had raised two crucial points at the meeting regarding the constitutional validity of the Government unilaterally forcing a fee cut and the broader principle of IIMC losing its freedom and autonomy in exchange for a mere Rs 6-crore grant from the Government. Kalra, who is overseas, could not be contacted.