Joshi raps Arjun, defends fee-cut

He ridiculed the loan-facility idea, saying it had been there for a long time. 8216;8216;How many students have benefited from it,8217;8217; he asked.

Contesting Arjun Singh8217;s claim that he had failed to consult the IIMs before slashing fees, Joshi claimed the issue of fee structure at IIMs and other management schools was on the agenda of the IIM directors8217; meeting on June 19, 2000. The issue of rationalising fees in IIMs was discussed again on January 23, 2002, April 16, 2003, and on October 30, 2003, with all the directors by the education secretary and other Ministry officials. He said an analysis of the balance sheet of various IIMs by the Shunglu Committee clearly brought out that these institutes were inflating their expenditure and understating their income for more government grants.

Asked if the Centre could not spend its money better by doling it out for primary education than professional, Joshi said there was no dearth of money for primary education.