By IANS
New Delhi : The ministry of human resources development (HRD) has invited applications for the director’s post at Indian Institute of Management-Lucknow (IIM-L). This follows a tussle between the ministry and IIM fraternity earlier this year over the selection of director of IIM-Ahmedabad.
According to a recent advertisement, the ministry has sought applications from all “suitable” candidates and not in particular from the IIM fraternity.
“Applications are invited from suitable candidates for appointment to the post of director in the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, in the pay scale of Rs.25,000 per month (fixed),” the advertisement said.
“The total emoluments would be approximately Rs.50,000 per month. The appointment will be made on contract basis for a period of five years. Persons employed in government departments, autonomous organisations and public sector undertakings should submit their applications through proper channel,” it added.
The ministry says any applicant for IIM-L should be a person of “eminent academic credentials in the field of management. He should also be an able administrator, a good manager with leadership qualities, and should be a visionary”.
IIM-Lucknow director Devi Singh is retiring in the next four or five months.
The ministry initiative to invite applications for the post of IIM-Ahmedabad director earlier this year had evoked protest from the IIM fraternity. The then IIM-A director Bakul Dholakia had said that the ministry should refrain from interfering in the internal matters of the IIMs.
Dholakia had also said that the board of governors and the search committee of the institute should look out for a candidate from the IIM fraternity only. This had led to a tussle between the ministry and the institute.
Finally, Samir K. Barua, a senior professor of IIM-A was appointed successor to Dholakia on Nov 8.
The ministry has directed interested candidates to send their applications with full proof of their eligibility and send them to Kalpana Singh, deputy secretary, department of higher education.
Reacting to the HRD ministry’s latest advertisement asking for applications even from the candidates outside IIM fraternity, a senior official of IIM-L said: “We know the ministry is the highest authority but it should refrain from such activities.
“This practice is a hurdle in the autonomous functioning of IIMs,” he said while requesting anonymity.