IIM bill row: IIM-A warns against erosion of autonomy

The row over the controversial IIM draft bill escalated today with IIM Ahmedabad strongly opposing the measure, saying it will not only curtail autonomy but will reduce the premier B-school to a mere "operating centre" while arming the government with sweeping powers.
"There will be no autonomy left with us if this bill will be implemented," Chairman of IIM-A Board of Governors, A M Naik told reporters in Ahmedabad, adding, "it is like operating here but the control is somewhere else".
The institute has shot off a letter to the HRD Ministry registering its protest on the bill. The Centre had sought their suggestions from IIMs on the proposed bill by June 24.

Naik said the Bill is having provisions which gives majority of powers to the government leaving almost nothing for the institute to decide.
"As per the provisions of the Bill, we need to take prior permission of government in matters related to admissions, courses, fee structure, establishment or maintenance of new building and regulating powers of academic council," he said.
"Further, we will be required to take government's permission if we want to form a new department in the interest of institution, as if expertise for this is available elsewhere rather than with the institute. Thus, nothing much is left for us. It is like operating here but the control is somewhere else," Naik who is also the Executive Chairman of engineering and construction giant Larsen and Tubro said.

"The Bill gives sweeping powers with the government, making the institution only an operation centre, with all the major directions, diktats and approvals happening from Delhi. There will be no autonomy left with us if this bill will be implemented," opined Naik.

His views were also endorsed by IIM-A Director Prof. Ashish Nanda. According to him, the government has proposed some kind of control in almost every decision that the institute takes.
"The draft bill proposes control of government in almost every matter, such as selection of chairman of board of Governors, fee structure, expenses, etc. They have covered almost everything from strategic to operational decisions," said Nanda.

Besides IIM-A, directors of Kolkata, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Indore have opposed the bill while chiefs of some of the new IIMs have supported it.
The draft says the IIMs will be "bound" by government's directions in policy matters.