IIMs & the autonomy mirage: The ball now rests in ministry's court

Not since Infosys co-founder and former Indian Institute of Management,  Ahmedabad (IIM-A) board chairman NR Narayana Murthy took on then Union minister of human resource development Murli Manohar Joshi over the latter's decision to slash fees have IIMs seen such a prolonged fight for autonomy.
 
In that sense, 2018 was a landmark year for the premier B-schools even as it ushered in a new era with the promulgation of the IIM Act.  At first, IIMs welcomed the freedom to appoint chairpersons and directors in place of the earlier cumbersome process that required government approval. However, the year saw IIMs