Students slam move to cut IIM fees

Students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata, released a poll in which respondents have condemned a move by the ministry of human resources development to reduce the institute's fees.

Student spokesman Sumeet Arora said the students would also discuss how to respond to the stand taken by Infosys chief N R Narayana Murthy "" he has suggested the IIMs have no issue with the government on autonomy "" but added that students would oppose any intervention.

The results were released a day ahead of the visit of Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi to the city on Friday. Close to 400 students participated in the poll.

The poll was also conducted just ahead of the institute's annual business plan competition on Sunday. The event has received close to 400 entries from colleges and corporate houses in India.

The poll said the portrayal of IIMs as institutions for the rich was a misrepresentation. As most students are engineers with working experience, they have savings to fund their education. Available educational loans were adequate to see them through school, the students said.

Students reasoned if fees were reduced with the selection procedure left untouched it would lead to selection of the same candidates. "Essentially, the ministry is trying to solve a fictitious problem," a student said.

Meanwhile, the view at IIM Ahmedabad on the issue of receiving grants from the Centre is that it can well do without them, but it will not reject any. IIM Ahmedabad receives a Rs 10 crore grant every year from the human resources development ministry.

"Our income from fees, executive programmes and consultancy is higher than our expenses. What we were telling the ministry is that we can manage without grants. That in no way is suggesting that we are rejecting the grants altogether," an IIM, Ahmedabad, official said.