More autonomy to IIMs

New Delhi, December 19

The Rajya Sabha today passed a Bill, extending greater autonomy to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) by restricting the government’s role in their functioning and granting them power to award degrees to their graduates.

The Indian Institutes of Management Bill, 2017 — which was passed in the Lok Sabha in July this year — grants statutory powers to the IIMs in their running including the appointment of directors and faculty members.

The Bill gives them powers to award degrees instead of postgraduate diplomas.

“The Bill offers autonomy to these institutes. Through this Bill we will remove all interference of the government, bureaucracy in the functioning of the IIMs. They will themselves decide how to manage and run these premier institutes,” HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said while initiating a discussion.

Replying to the debate, he said the rules would be framed soon and assured the Rajya Sabha members that their suggestions would be considered. The Bill was passed by the Upper House unanimously. — PTI