IIM-A panel to start talks with Centre

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, will soon set up a committee, consisting of members of the IIM-Ahmedabad Society and Faculty Council, to initiate a dialogue with the human resources development (HRD) ministry.

The objective was to arrive at, what the Society members called, a "mutually acceptable" solution to the problem arising out of the HRD ministry's February 5 order regarding the revision of fees.

It has also been decided that once the committee is formed it will also initiate talks with the other IIMs. IIM-Ahmedabad hopes to bring all the six institutes under one umbrella before it initiates the 'peace process' with the ministry.

"If India and Pakistan can attempt to sort our their problems through dialogue, there is no reason why the ongoing problems between the government and the IIMs cannot be solved this way. We are trying to create a positive environment to start a dialogue. Though we have not yet discussed this with the other IIMs, we will involve them at a later stage as we want to sort out this problem in an amicable manner," N R Narayana Murthy, chairman of the Board of Governors of IIM-Ahmdeabad and chief mentor of Infosys, told Business Standard.

Asked whether IIM-Ahmedabad Director Bakul Dholakia would also be a part of the committee, Narayana Murthy said: "The committee will be finalised at a later stage and Dholakia may also be part of it. At present, we are not in a position to specify a date for the talks with the ministry."