Bangalore IIM not to hike fees

Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIMB) has decided not to increase the fees for its post-graduate programme (PGP). It will continue to charge an annual fees of Rs 1,50,000 per student for the next academic session.

This restraint is significant particulary because IIM-Lucknow (IIML), IIM-Indore (IIMI) and IIM-Kozikode (IIMK) have already hiked their fees for the new session.

IIM-Calcutta (IIMC) too, has reportedly decided on a marginal fee hike at its board meeting on March 19, but will finalise it on April 2, when the board will meet again.

IIM-Ahmedabad (IIMA), which charges the highest fees (Rs 1,58,000 per annum) among the IIMs, would also prefer to stave off a fee hike, sources said. Its board will meet on April 2 to decide on the issue.

These different stances on fee hike is actually an attempt to rationalise the fees structure of the six IIMs. Said Devi Singh, director of IIML: "One should not call this a fee hike. This decision to rationalise the fees was taken by the directors at a meeting held in Indore a few months back."

IIML presently charges an annual fee of Rs 1,30,000 per PGP student which is expected to go up to Rs 1,40,000. IIM-K plans to increase fees from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1,25,000, IIM-I from Rs 1,80,000 to Rs 1,97,000.

Talking to Business Standard, Singh, also said the fee hike would be finalised within few days of time. Directors of the IIMK and IIMI were not available for comments, but sources in the institutes confirmed the development and said that the boards of governor of both the IIMs had resolved to hike fees. These two IIMs charge much lower fees in comparison to other IIMs.

While Prakash Apte, director of IIMB, could not be reached for his comments on Monday's board meeting, a source said, "IIMB has decided on its board meeting held here on Monday, not to hike fees for the next academic session and it seems that this decision is final."

Shekhar Choudhury, director of IIMC, was not available for his comments on the March 19 board meeting, but a source close to the institute's Admission Committee, said, "It has been decided to hike the fees marginally as among all three bigger IIMs, we charge the least at Rs 1,27,000 but it would be discussed once again on April 2.", before the annual convocation."

Sources in IIMA, said, that it would also show restraint like IIMB. Bakul Dholakia, director of IIMA, declined to comment on the issue, saying, "It is a matter for the board to decide."