IIMs want MiM instead of MBA; Govt says 'No'
29 April 2018 5:19 AM IST
New Delhi: Even though Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has granted autonomy to Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs), the premier management institutes are at loggerheads with the HRD Ministry over issuance of Master in Management (MiM) degrees. According to official sources, some IIMs want to adopt degree pattern of foreign universities and are keen to issue MiM degrees, which is not legally valid in India.
Millennium Post has learnt that the HRD Ministry has asked IIMs to take prior approval from the ministry or University Grants Commission (UGC) before starting any course or degree as it would create problems for students.
"In the name of autonomy, IIMs can't be 'allowed' to re-structure UGC regulations of their own. The Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017 provides autonomy to IIMs. The Act has enabled them to offer degrees and further make substantial changes in their administration. Most of the IIMs have already started issuing MBA degrees," the official sources maintained.
It's been learnt that the issue had come before the HRD Ministry during a recently held meeting with IIM directors. At the meeting, the IIMs had submitted proposals to issue MiM degrees instead of MBA degrees, one-year MBA degree programme; executive programme of three and six months, which was rejected by the ministry.
However, the official sources maintained that the HRD Ministry has no 'objection' to their 'proposals', but they have to get it approved as per the UGC Act failing which the degrees wouldn't be valid in India. The IIMs must make it sure that there should be a universal acceptability of any degree that they want to offer, the sources added.
Sources further said that there are only eight IIMs out of total 20 IIMs that want to issue MiM degrees, while rest others have started issuing MBA degrees.
On the issue, a senior faculty at IIM-Indore said, "The MBA degrees are universally acceptable, while MiM degrees are acceptable only in few countries. The interest of students should be the prime concern while deciding to introduce any new course."
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