Date:27/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042751120500.htm

Back Fee hike issue: IIM-A, Bhargava panel stick to their guns

Institution yet to receive ‘directive’ from HRD Ministry

Our Bureau

Ahmedabad, April 26 The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has no plans to roll back the recently hiked fees for the flagship Post-Graduate Programme in Management (PGP), despite the review committee’s recommendations to the contrary, the IIM-A Board Chairman, Mr Vijaypat Singhania, said here.

He told newspersons after a meeting with the members of the R.C. Bhargava Review Committee, which was here to discuss various issues with the faculty members and others, that the IIM-A would start issuing admission letters for the June 2008 academic year shortly, and would stick to the level of fees decided at the March 29 Board of Governors’ meeting.

Stating that the IIM-A was yet to receive any ‘directive’ from the Union Human Resources Development Ministry about the review committee’s recommendations to keep the fee structure at the December 2007 level till the committee submitted its final report, Mr Singhania pointed out that the HRD Minister, Mr Arjun Singh, had ‘approved’ of the fee-hike when he had a meeting with him in Delhi on April 2 to explain to him the modalities for the fee structure.

He added that the implementation of the OBC reservation quota as decided by the Supreme Court would be started from the June 2008 academic year itself.

On the other hand, Mr Bhargava said the committee still held the view it gave in its interim report to the Centre recommending freezing of the fee structure at the December 2007 level. “If the IIM-A still decides to go ahead with the hiked fees, they are free to do. We are not concerned about it.”

The review committee’s final report is expected to be submitted to the Union Government in June.