HRD Min to table IIM Bill during Monsoon session

According to sources, HRD Minister Smriti Irani has asked officials to go ahead with the present form of the Bill and incorporate comments and suggestions received till the last date i.e., June 24.

The Ministry’s stand is being seen as a setback for the premier management schools, which have been urging the Centre to incorporate the changes suggested by them. IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM-Bangalore and IIM-Lucknow have been criticising the proposed legislation, dubbing it as designed to erode their autonomy and sweeping authority with the government.

“The Ministry has started processing the comments and suggestions received from June 9 to 24. The suggestions are being incorporated in the draft Bill, which will be tabled before the HRD Minister, after she returns from Bahamas, ” a senior official in the HRD Ministry told Millennium Post. The official added: “We have only a few weeks left for preparing the final draft of the Bill as the Monsoon Session of Parliament will commence from July 21 and conclude on August 13.”

Asked if there is any plan to consider the demand of premier B-schools for extension of suggestion dates, the official said: “As per my knowledge, there is no plan. We have been told to finalise the draft Bill on urgent basis, keeping in mind that it will be introduced in the upcoming session.”

The official added: “The IIM Bill will not dilute their autonomy rather it will empower them as after the new Act, IIMs will be eligible to offer degree courses in management studies.”

IIMs have raised objections mainly over Sections 3(k), 35 and 36 in the Bill, which according to them empower the Centre to set rules for the premier management institutes.

Notably, IIM-A has asked to remove the phrase “with the approval of the Central government” from Sections 3 and 36 as it believes that the phase will erode the autonomy of the institute. Clause 35 reads: “The Central government may, by notification, make rules, for carrying out the provisions of this Act,” while Section 36 states: “The board may, with the approval of the Central government, by notification, make regulations not inconsistent with this Act and the rules made there under to carry out the provisions of this Act”.