IIMs Expansion - Myths, Realities and Policy Choices

This paper suggests a roadmap for IIM Ahmedabad to increase its intake substantially with available resources in its flagship ‘Post Graduate Program in Management’ (PGP equivalent to MBA). Solutions for other IIMs should be similar as all share similar programs, ethos and culture; differences would be only in details. The suggested measures are: a) Restructure Fellow Program in Management (FPM) – IIMs Ph.D. Program Currently 22 equivalents of faculty resources are used in teaching 10-15 FPM students in the second year alone. Only 6-8 students graduate every year. To justify efficient use of available faculty resource - FPM intake either should be increased four-fold (to 60 from present 15), or merge all streams and award ‘Fellow in Management’ with specialization at thesis stage. This is very common in many universities facing similar constraints. The first option would increase supply of faculty for hire in future (should have been done lone time ago); the second would immediately release 15 faculty for PGP expansion. b) Review expansion plans of PGP for Executives (PGPx). There is not much international about its student body or academic offering. Admitted students are mostly NRIs who are seeking leverages with PGP brand for better placement abroad after getting the cheapest possible MBA in the world. Moreover, it is heavily subsidized Rs. 3 lakh per participant (Rs. 2 crore for current batch) just to recover direct cost. c) Require faculty who migrated to centers/groups (like health, energy etc.) to have same teaching load as others. All these centers are leveraging on PGP brand and concerned faculty involved must fulfill their obligations to PGP. d) At present two dorms on new campus are kept for non-regular events (cultural and intellectual). These can house 60 students on regular basis. Temporary arrangements can be planned for non-regular events. e) There is no justification for offering married accommodation for one year program on campus, particularly when IIMs practice a ‘pressure cooker’ approach of teaching. Families with children are distraction. Two students can easily be put in newly built apartments accommodating additional 100 participants. To sum it up, IIMA can increase its PGP intake substantially by a) better utilization of physical infrastructure b) better faculty time management by restructuring programs and active faculty recruitment in deficit areas; and c) by defining its priorities more sharply. IIMs PGP product is the best and why dilute it by allowing remotely related activities to have free ride on it? The paper also covers issues like autonomy, increasing role of alumni and almost extinct faculty governance. It is not concerned with ‘OBC reservation policy’.