AICTE Notifications for B-Schools

Close on the heels of AICTE rejecting the demands of management institutes to review and reconsider the AICTE notification issued on December 28, 2010, two leading associations of management institutes & universities have decided to converge all B-schools in the country in New Delhi on February 7, 2011. The associations are seriously evaluating taking legal recourse to resolve this “threat to their autonomy”.

The Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) and Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI) are jointly organizing a National Convention of PGDM Institutions on February 7. The convention is expected to be attended by representatives of more than 300 management institutes from across India. The convention will be held at Lakshmipat Singhania Auditorium, PHD House, New Delhi.

AICTE had issued a Notification on 28th December, 2010 revising PGDM guidelines. According to AIMS, EPSI and many independent management experts, the notification will drastically & seriously affect admissions, fees, curriculum, examinations etc. It is going to damage the autonomy of PGDM Institutions immensely.

In light of this, the issues and concerns affecting the PGDM Institutions were discussed with Chairman, AICTE on 17th & 18th January, 2011 by AIMS and EPSI representative. However, according to AIMS & EPSI, AICTE has refused to withdraw the notification. A joint meeting of AIMS and EPSI representatives was held under the Chairmanship of Dr. Prabir Pal, President, AIMS on 18th January, 2011 after the AIMA’s Open Session with the Chairman, AICTE.

AIMS and EPSI have now decided that they need to collectively try and convince the government, failing which they will ask the court to intervene.

AIMS and EPSI have asked all PGDM Institutions to “join the deliberations. Said Manohar Chellani, Secretary General, EPSI, “We are calling all management institutes offering PGDM program to join the deliberations in the National Convention called on 7th February, 2011 and to take necessary decisions thereof.” 

To recap the developments, on December 28, 2010, AICTE had issued ‘provisions’ for regulating the PGDM courses in the country. In eight points, the notification calls for much greater role of respective State Governments in running of B-schools, and have many provisions covering almost every aspect of running a management institute – from admissions to fee-structure, to curriculum design and disallowing the globally successful one-year MBA program to run in the country.

The notification calls for MBA institutes to file comprehensive information, keeping the new notifications in mind, by February 28, 2011.

The AICTE Notification – What it stipulates

1.  All PGDM shall be of duration not less than 24 months.
2. Admission to all PGDM courses shall be done through common entrance test such as CAT/MAT or Examinations conducted by the respective State governments for all institutions other than minority institutions.
3. The admission to PGDM, PGDM (Executive) and PGCM shall not start before 31st March of the academic year.
4. Model curriculum/syllabus for PGDM, PGDM (Executive) and the PGCM shall be issued by the Council.
5.  Admission to PGDM programs shall be conducted by the respective State governments through their Competent Authority designated for such purpose.
6. The fees to be charges for the PGDM, PGDM (Executive) and PGCM programs shall be decided by the All India Board of Management, AICTE.
7. Conduct of examination/arbitration on matters of examination shall be decided by the All India Board of Management, AICTE.
8. The academic session shall normally be from June 1st to May 31st of the succeeding years.

Across the country, management education fraternity is irked that government has issued an important notification apparently without any discussions or consultation with B-schools & other stakeholders. A K Sen Gupta, Founder and Convener, Higher Education Forum (HEF), commented, “Are we moving towards an over-regulated regime where there is absolutely no freedom and flexibility?”

Dr. MM Pant, former Pro Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, said, “For the Indian higher education sector & management institutes in particular, this is a recipe for disaster. India’s management education has evolved in a significant way. This notification can infringe with the academic freedom of the institutes.” Dr Pant is working with AIMA to develop the body’s response to the notification.

Commenting on this development, Dr. Saji Gopinath, Director, TAPMI, said, "This is harmful for B-schools. Firstly, it kills the national character of B-schools, by giving power to the state to conduct admission to PGDM programs. Secondly, it assumes that Indian B-schools will follow an examination based system, whereas top B-schools endeavor to have output based educational system, with focus on simulation and role play than examination marks."

Dr. J. D. Singh, Director General (DG), Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, said, “The AICTE notification is a clear attack on our autonomy. Mr. Kapil Sibal, the Union HRD Minister, has been emphasizing on increased private sector participation in the higher education sector. If B-schools cannot have autonomy in their admission criteria, model curriculum and fee structure, there is no autonomy left. Then, how will B-schools sustain themselves?”

Dr A M Sherry, Admissions Chairman, IMT Group of Institutions and Director, IMT Center for Distance Learning (IMT-CDL) said, “In many areas, the notification is vague. The notification says that admissions shall be conducted by the respective State Governments through their ‘competent authorities’. Which authority are we talking here?”

Source - Web world