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In a significant move to resolve the controversy over the fee structure in Indian Institute of Managements, the government on Monday asked them to come forward with a common and uniform fee structure which can be finalised by June-end.
After a two-hour meeting with the top brass of the B-Schools, HRD Minister Arjun Singh told reporters that Monday's meeting decided that the directors of these institutes should hold consultations among themselves by June 6 so that their suggestions can be discussed at the ministry level on June 8.
Maintaining that there were no suggestions from the government side on fee structure, he said: "Llet them come out with suggestions."
He said the board meetings of the management institutes will be held on June 25 to finalise the issue so as to resolve the matter by the end of the month.
Singh said this approval was absolutely necessary because the government respected and believed in principles of autonomy in all institutions of higher learning.
The crucial meeting was held to break the impasse over drastic reduction of fees effected by his predecessor in the NDA government Murli Manohar Joshi.
Observing that there would be inconvenience to some people, primarily to student community, Singh requested them to bear with him till the end of June when a decision on fee structure is uniformly taken for the entire country.
Asked whether any other matter, like autonomy, was discussed at the meeting, he said it was decided that there should be a broad common agreement.
He said the IIMs were assured: "We are with you in autonomy."
On his views about the previous government's decision to impose drastic fee cuts in IIMs, Singh felt that it would have been good if the decision had been taken in consultation with the institutes.
To a question whether the government favoured a graded fee structure, he said there was no suggestion from the government side on this issue and the B-schools have been asked to come out with their views on the matter, to which they have agreed.
When reminded that the previous government's order had been challenged in the Supreme Court, Singh said the apex court has not yet admitted the case. The court might give time to the institutes since they were negotiating with the government.
The minister said a detailed discussion was held on the 'complex issue' that came up because all the boards were separate entities and had a right to legally take a view on an issue like fees.
He said it, therefore, was necessary to bring about a commonality of views.
Keeping this in mind, a time-table was worked out to address the issue.
Asked whether the report of the Shunglu Committee which had recommended that IIMs should be audited, Singh said the report had no direct relation with this meeting and no report was discussed.
The meeting was attended by Y C Deveshwar, Chairman of IIM, Kolkata, H Singhania, Chairman, IIM, Lucknow, S P Parashar, Director, IIM, Indore, Devi Singh, Director, IIM, Lucknow, B Dholakia, Director, IIM, Ahmedabad, R Srinivasan, Dean, Academic, IIM, Bangalore, Shekhar Chaudhury, Director, IIM, Kolkata and Krishna Kumar, Director, IIM, Kozhikode.
Later, talking to reporters, Dholakia was confident that all differences will be resolved through a process of dialogue.