LS clears IIM Bill

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a Bill to give degree granting powers to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and greater autonomy with least government's interference in their functioning.

Moving the bill for the consideration of the House, Human Resource Development Minister (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar assured the Lok Sabha that all the IIMs will follow reservation policy of the Government both in matters pertaining to students admissions and appointment of faculties.

The Minister, however, did not propose to bring in an “explicit provision” in the Bill for the IIMs to implement reservation in appointment of faculties even though many of the members including one from ruling Bharatiya Janata Party demanded for it while participating in a discussion on the Bill in Lok Sabha.

The Bill has an explicit provisions for reservation in admissions only.

The Lok Sabha unanimously passed the Bill with a voice vote. It now required to be cleared by the Rajya Sabha for its enactment.

"For the faculty recruitment, we are trying. Last week only, we have issued specific directive that we must take positive and affirmative action to appoint faculties belonging the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and others,” HRD Minister told the members while concluding the debate on the Bill.

He also hoped that IIMs will be able to recruit “best of the best faculties” including those belonging to reserved categories once the legislation is enacted as the premier B-Schools will have powers to offer “variable pay (salary)” to the prospective candidates to be hired on various positions.

The Minister described the bill as “historical, saying it will bring “a new era” in management education in the country.

“The Bill only has a vague enabling provision on faculty reservation. So, while the proposed law categorically states that IIMs will have to provide reservation for SC/ST and OBC students, it has a clause which only says that IIMs shall try to recruit teachers from weaker sections of society,” nationalist Congress party member Dhananjay Mahadik noted while participating in the debate.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member Ravindra Babu noted that IIMs have only a fraction of faculties belonging to various reserved categories.

“This is very unfortunate. We have been celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar. People belonging to SC definitely require a big push. They have been neglected for centuries. They cannot be treated on par with others,” he said.

BJP member Harish Meena urged the Government to ensure proper implementation of reservation in appointment of faculties at IIMs.

During the debate, Congress member and former Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor took on the Government for removing the name of Rajiv Gandhi from the name of IIM Shilong, saying it was "petty" of the government to stoop to such level.

In his reply, however, Javadekar justified the move saying, 19 of the 20 IIMs do not carry any body's name.