HRD announces process for setting up new Board of Governors for IIMs

“In the first meeting of the Board, the regulations for selection of (four) eminent persons and two faculty members would be framed; and based on this, normally the current serving persons would be selected for a full term,” the ministry announced. The government has set December 15 as the deadline for the IIMs to constitute the new Boards.

The government hailed the announcement as “historic” and claimed that it provided a comprehensive autonomy to the higher educational institutions.

“This will result in greater autonomy for selecting the right board members to lead IIMs to the next level,” IIM-Rohtak director Dheeraj Sharma said.

However, director of one of the older IIMs, without wishing to be named, told The Indian Express that the process of constituting the Board, as prescribed by the government, was “bad” as per principles of good governance. “To my mind, the first step itself is wrong. The director is typically the CEO of the institute and is appointed by the chairman. The director should not appoint the chairman. It’s an example of bad governance.

“Again, what happens in case of acting directors? IIM Lucknow and Calcutta have acting directors at the moment. Can they be part of the new Board? Technically, as per the IIM Act, it should be a full-time director. We need clarity on that,” the IIM director said.

“Then they have said that the Chairman, along with the ex-officio members, will co-opt five alumni and then they will hold a meeting to frame regulations for selection of remaining Board members. That, to my mind, is illegal. Regulations cannot be passed by a fraction of the Board. This step will make the whole Act infructuous.”

The process of constituting the BoG was decided by the HRD Ministry in consultation with the Law Ministry and the PMO.