Quota row: IIM-A says no to more seats

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), has decided against the option of increasing the number of seats for its various programmes in view of the proposed 27 per cent reservation for other backward castes at central universities including the IIMs and the IITs.

"We have already done a substantial expansion. From 180 in 2002, our graduate output will be 400 plus by next year. Our plate is full," IIM-A Director Bakul Dholakia told mediapersons today. After this expansion, IIM-A does not have the resources to further increase the intake, Dholakia said.

"As courses at the institute are residential programmes, we have to look at the hostel facilities and other infrastructure," he said, adding that the cost of increasing the seats would depend on the facilities that would be provided to the students.

He, however, continued to remain silent on the subject of reservations, reiterating that "IIM-A has not yet received any communication from the Centre".

At present, all institutions funded by the central government are required to reserve 22.5 per cent seats for schedule caste and schedule tribe students.

In addition, the human resources ministry has proposed to reserve 27 per cent seats for OBCs. One suggestion to ensure that general students remain unaffected because of the implementation of the proposed reservation for OBCs is to increase the number of seats at these institutions.

IIM-A currently offers four management programmes""the flagship Post-Graduate programme in Management (PGP), Post-Graduate Programme in Agri-Business Management (PGP-ABM), Post-Graduate Programme in Management for executives (PGPX) and Doctoral programme""which will collectively churn out over 400 students next year.

Also, the PGPX programme, which started this year will double the intake from 60 to 120 next year. In addition to this, it is also starting a public management programme for government officials next year that will house 50 students.