The Hindu Business Line : Fee cut issue: IIM-C faculty council files application before SC

THE Faculty Council of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C) on Tuesday filed an application before the Supreme Court for impleading itself as a co-respondent in the PIL case challenging the fee cut order of the Union HRD Ministry on all IIMs by the Union Government.

Hearing on the PIL is scheduled to begin on April 16.

The IIM-C faculty council decided to make the representation independent of those, which may be made by the Board of Governors of the institute. Prof Asish Bhattacharyya, Dean (planning and administration) of IIM-C and spokesperson of the faculty council, told Business Line that as there was an apparent difference of opinion between the faculty council and some members of the Board of Governors on the issue of fee cut and exercise of autonomy of the institute.

The faculty council felt that an independent representation should be made on the matter before the apex court.

``The Faculty feels that some members of the Board of Governors may not be exercising their independent judgment in the interest of the institute. It has, therefore, become incumbent upon the Faculty to take up the interests of the institute, its faculty and its current and future students,'' the spokesperson added.

The faculty council, in its application to the apex court, has maintained that ``the autonomy hitherto enjoyed by the institute in the pursuit of excellence, untrammelled by any political or bureaucratic influence, has made it possible for the institute to achieve its present status.

The faculty is therefore keen to ensure that such non-interference in running its affairs should continue so that the institute might pursue its goal without distraction.''

Prof Bhattacharyya also pointed out that as far as the issue of locus standi was concerned, which has time and again been questioned by the respondent in the earlier hearings, the institute's Faculty was better placed than the Alumni Association of the IIM-C. He said the Alumni were, however, supporting the move taken by the faculty council.

The IIM-C Board of Governors, meanwhile, could not formalise its response to the Apex court's directive last week to make a submission before April 16.

According to sources, the technical problem for convening a Board meeting is to allow a notice period of 15 days.

The Director of the IIM-C and the chairman of the Board of Governors were understood to have discussed the issue related to the institute's response to the apex court directive as also the formal adoption of resolution drafted by the chairman.

The fate of the scheduled meeting between the faculty and the chairman on April 15 seems uncertain in view of the developments. Informed sources suggested that IIM-C might seek some time from the apex court regarding its submission, which, however, is optional.

As IIM-Ahmedabad has moved the Supreme Court today to make it a party to the case, pressure is on the IIM-C to opt for a formal submission.

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