B-schools worried over new AICTE proposals

Another cause for worry for management schools is the proposal that the fees to be charged for the PGDM programmes would be approved by a Fee Fixation Committee of the respective State governments.

This apart, the “model curriculum/ syllabus for PGDM, PGDM (executive) and PGCM will be issued by the Council”.

An official of a B-school said business institutions were concerned that the move would destroy the competitive advantage offered by them. He said B-schools offered a wide spectrum of courses based on the prevalent trends. If the Council fixes a common syllabus for all B-schools, then the students will lose their competitive edge. “If there is no flexibility to design our own curriculum based on the trends prevalent in the industry, how can we establish our brand,” he asked.

The notice also states that academic sessions should normally be from June 1 to May 31 of the succeeding year. However, this may not be possible as undergraduate examinations will not be over by then, says the principal of another management school.

Another concern is that campus recruitments will suffer, if B-schools are provided a common syllabus. According to sources, a conference of all heads of management institutions was held at a private B-school in Bangalore recently under the aegis of the All India Management Schools Association. Another meeting is scheduled for January 18 in Hyderabad to discuss measures that have to be taken by the B-schools.