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Journalism of Courage
Two months after the IIM autonomy controversy was triggered by a government proposal to slash fees, the Supreme Court today invited the six IIMs to appear on April 16 and give their views on a PIL against the order.
But the IIMs have still not been impleaded as parties. They have only been issued notices on an impleadment application filed by the petitioners.
Though the PIL was revived last month after the Government declined to give an undertaking on maintaining autonomy, the bench headed by Chief Justice V N Khare has kept open the possibility of dismissing the petition without going into its merits.
For, the bench made it a point even at this belated stage to reiterate its doubts about the locus standi of the petitioners. It directed the petitioners—a visiting faculty, a current student and ex-student of IIM Ahmedabad—to address their arguments on this preliminary issue at the next hearing.
The Government’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General Mukul Rohtagi, too insisted on the locus issue being resolved first. ‘‘When five out of the six IIMs have accepted the HRD Ministry’s decision on fee cut, who are these petitioners to question it?’’ he asked. As regards the dissent expressed by IIM Ahmedabad, Rohtagi pointed out that it also talked of discussing the fee cut issue with the Government. ‘‘We will be more than happy to discuss the matter after the election and we are confident that IIM Ahmedabad will also agree with the fee cut,’’ he added.
However, appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Harish Salve questioned the motive of the Government in slashing the fee and said public interest demands that the Government unfold its ‘‘entire gameplan’’—whether it was to dilute the autonomy of these premier institutions or not. The most significant fallout of today’s proceedings is that there may be a fresh controversy on who can represent the IIMs at the next hearing—whether the directors will be allowed to do so or the Government will insist on the Board of Governors of each institute to state their position.
This question assumes importance because of the conflict that has come out in the open between the faculty and the board in the case of two of the three big IIMs, the ones at Kolkata and Bangalore.
ENS adds from Ahmedabad: The IIM Ahmedabad has formed a five-member committee to open discussions with the HRD Ministry on the issue of fee cut and autonomy of the institute. Headed by chairman N R Narayana Murthy, the committee has one member each from the faculty, the board, the society and the alumni.
