By IANS,
New Delhi: Giving further autonomy to the country’s premier B-schools, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal Friday said a 13-member collegium will appoint institutes’ directors and board members.
“The collegium will suggest names for appointment of the board members and the directors,” Sibal said after a meeting with directors of all IIMs here.
Currently, the IIM director and board members are appointed by the central government.
The minister told reporters that the directors have opposed the setting up of a pan-IIM board as suggested by the R.C. Bhargava committee but have agreed to the collegium-based appointment idea.
Sibal said the collegium will have academics and members from industry.
While each IIM will have its own board, the collegium will suggest names for appointment of director and board members at all seven IIMs.
Reacting to the announcement made by Sibal, IIM-Kozhikode Director Debasis Chatterjee said: “We are happy about the development. The minister has assured us that there will be no interference in our functioning.”
During the meeting the minister assured the directors that he is in favour of greater autonomy to these premier business schools and asked the directors to prepare a vision document for the next five years.
“The directors will submit their vision document keeping in mind both quality and inclusiveness,” Sibal said, adding that it must be done by January 2010.
The idea of the IIMs opening off-shore campuses was also discussed at the meeting.
Earlier, the ministry had rejected a proposal of IIM-Bangalore to open campus(es) abroad.