State moves to strengthen IISWBM; Min emphasises reform, coordination
Kolkata: Citing its historical importance as the country’s first management institute founded by Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, state Education minister Bratya Basu on Tuesday said the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM) needed to be reshaped and strengthened, asserting that the state government was committed to supporting the institution through coordinated reform.
“We want to recast and strengthen IISWBM properly. It is a very old and reputed institution, and it needs to be given a new shape so that it can function effectively. Steps are being taken in that direction, and my visit here is part of that extended process,” Basu said while speaking at the institute’s Medal Awarding Ceremony.
He said the institute’s authorities were in touch with the Chief Minister, the state government and the Higher Education Department, and had conveyed their willingness to work in coordination. “They have reached out to the Chief Minister, the government and the Higher Education Department. We are always ready to extend our hand of support,” the minister said.
At the ceremony, IISWBM authorities renewed their long-standing demand for the institute to be granted university status and developed as an autonomous management university. IISWBM Board of Governors president Abhijit Chakrabarti said a verbal proposal seeking autonomous university status had been placed before the Education Minister and that a detailed written proposal would be submitted to the state government and the Higher Education Department.
On the possibility of upgrading IISWBM to a university, Basu said: “If a concrete proposal comes to us from their side, it will be examined in consultation with the chief minister.”
The medal awarding ceremony was held after a gap of several years, with medals presented to 155 students. Those present at the ceremony included Binod Kumar, principal secretary of the Education Department; Ashutosh Ghosh, vice-chancellor of the Calcutta University; and IISWBM director Krishna M Agrawal.
