Letters: Managing costs

This refers to Ajit Balakrishnan’s article “Rise of the post-Fordist university” (November 4). Even as the author has raised valid concerns, his view that faculty involved in running specialised programmes do not get to implement their vision is flawed. At IIM Lucknow, the management development programme (MDP) is a broad-based programme developed with industry participation and incorporating inputs from alums.

This makes it a self-sustaining model with little need for any great administrative hijinks. In such a scenario, faculty members merely act as titular heads of the programmes, and are not expected to devote much time to this activity. Most often, they are only called on to grant approvals and other such routine administrative work. It is cost cutting at its most effective and, therefore, worth appreciating.

Vikram Johari, Lucknow