MHRD’s New Bill may enable IIMs to set up Campuses Abroad

Union HRD Minister, Prakash Javadekar introduced the IIM Bill 2017 in Lok Sabha on Thursday, February 9, 2017. The 2017 bill proposes to grant statutory status and autonomy to the premier business schools in India.

The bill also proposes that the institutes must be allowed to establish campuses abroad. These overseas campuses will be established according to the guidelines laid down by the central government of India and the country where the other campus will be started.

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The Bill further suggests that the 20 existing IIMs must be declared ‘Institutes of National Importance’ and should be given independent status. As per the new bill, the records and accounts of the IIMs will be examined by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Reservations in admissions will be decided according to the Central Educational Institutions Act 2006.

The IIM are currently registered as societies, therefore, they cannot award degrees to their students. The Bill highlighted the issue with the Fellow Programme in Management and said that even though the programme is equivalent to Ph.D., it has not been able to attract students as it lacks a formal degree nomenclature.

Having said that the IIMs are institutions of global repute, the bill added that they must be authorized to award degrees to their students facilitated by an act of Parliament.

The Bill also suggested that the Directors for all the IIM should be appointed by the Board of Governors. This board will comprise a chairperson, one member to represent the SC/ ST community, a member nominated by Central Government and one member nominated by state along with two faculty members.

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The board will also comprise four individuals from the field of education, social service, commerce and public administration. These numbers will also include women representatives.