IIM Bangalore gets to go abroad

The government has decided to allow the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) to set up a campus abroad.

This comes after the institute indicated that it agreed with conditions laid down by the government, including amending its memorandums of association and increasing the student intake.

Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh had earlier said the IIMs, despite their autonomy, could not function like companies and set up brick-and-mortar campuses abroad. The government had also taken a policy stand that the IIMs should first meet domestic demand.

"There is absolutely no conflict between us and the government. The ministry has asked us to go ahead with setting up campuses abroad after amending the MoA," IIM-B Director Prakash Apte told reporters after a meeting between all IIM directors and the HRD minister.

Commenting on this, IIM-Ahmedabad Director Bakul Dholakia said, "For the overseas campus, IIM-A will have to amend its articles of association." He dismissed that there were differences between the IIM- A and the government.

"The perception of difference was misconstrued and the government has been supportive of the IIMs and have helped in the expansion of their activities in the domestic market," he added.

Apte said the process of taking the IIM-B board's approval for amending its memorandums of association would take three to four months. He added that his institution planned to increase its student intake to 280 this year, up from the existing 250, and take it to 300 in 2007.

IIM-Calcutta plans to increase its student intake to 300 from the present level of 270.

"A joint venture proposal to export the 'IIM brand' is on the cards and in a conceptual stage," he added.