IIM-B files plea in SC

Ahead of the crucial hearing in the Supreme Court tomorrow, IIM-Bangalore yesterday followed IIM-Ahmedabad in defying the HRD ministry's decision to drastically reduce the fees of the business school and said it would continue to charge Rs 1.5 lakh from its students.

In an affidavit before the apex court, IIM-B said of the total fee of Rs 1.52 lakhs charged from the students, it would appropriate Rs 30,000 and keep the rest in a separate non-lien account till the apex court decided the issue raised by a PIL.

The court had revived hearing on the disposal of PIL after the Centre refused to give a commitment not to tinker with the "autonomy" of the premier business schools though it had given an oral undertaking that reduction of the fees would not amount to interference with the functioning of the IIMs.