The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), one of the six new such institution which the Modi government had proposed to be opened in the 2014-15 Budget, was inaugurated here today.
Punjab Minister for Higher Education and Languages Surjit Singh Rakhra inaugurated the first batch of Post Graduate Programme (PGP) of the institute, which is being mentored by IIM Kozhikode.
"I am happy to announce that out of the six new IIMs announced in India recently, IIM Amritsar is the second to be inaugurated," Rakhra said, addressing the first batch of students, their parents, dignitaries, guests and IIM community here.
Director of IIM Kozhikode and the mentor director of IIM Amritsar, Prof Kulbhushan Balooni, deans, faculties and senior administrative staff of IIM Kozhikode were also present at the programme.
The first batch of about 65 students will start classes this week from a temporary campus at the Punjab Institute of Technology here, the minister said.
"Punjab can become one of the leading states in education through IIM Amritsar. We must institutionalise IIMs and produce the best of human resources.
"Today the students of IITs and IIMs have excelled in various fields. IIMs play an important role in changing the image of India. We also need to provide quality education to the poor, if we are to become a global superpower," Rakhra said.
He told the students to look for careers in agriculture and rural management, apart from looking forward to a career in the banking or the financial sector.
Prof. Balooni, Director of IIM Kozhikode "thanked" the Union Human Resource Ministry for "initiating the process of starting IIM Amritsar in October last year."
"The Commitment of Government of Punjab in setting up IIM Amritsar is admirable that sends a signal to other states who are vying for academic institutions of repute," he said.
