IIMs to double intakes of students

SHILLONG, SEPT 20: Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday announced increase intake of students in the Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs) and expansion of doctoral programmes.

“We will increase the capacity intake of the IIM to 20,000 from 10,000 to provide opportunities for more students,” Javadekar told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Directors of 19 IIMs held at the Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (RGIIM) Shillong on Tuesday.

He informed that the IIMs will be submitting their action plan for expansion of their capacity intake of students.

He also underscored the need to increase the doctoral programme in the IIMs to address the problem of shortage of faculty members.

“The problem of faculty shortages can be addressed by creating more Ph.D programme and also offer more fellowship,” Javadekar said while informing that the centre has decided to give the Prime Minister Scholarship for the best of best Ph.D scholars in IIM, which is now awaiting necessary sanction.

Answering a query, he said that the shortage of faculty in IIM is not much but the problem in IIT is about 30 per cent.

“We have discussed on how to inculcate teachership in students, how to promote doctoral research programme, how to expand it, and how to bring the best of Indian students studying abroad as faculty which will also be worked out” he added.

Informing that the final shape of the concept of world class universities will come once it gets the approval of the cabinet, Javadekar said, “We want the IIMs to also participate in this new initiative of having 20 world class universities/institutes both government and private sectors in the country.”

On whether the NE region will benefit from the proposed world class institutes, he said, “As I said, everybody will participate, there will be 10 governments … As you know, after Modi became PM the whole focus on northeast has increased not only in academic but in every sector.  You have seen so many central ministers visiting the North Eastern states and every department …That is our special focus.”

Meanwhile, he stated that the IIMs have also been asked to participate in creating contents for the SWAYAM, a massive open online courses (MOOC) platform, which will offer over 2,000 courses for up to 3 crore students across the country.

SWAYAM is an Information Technology platform which will host Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and provide high quality education on various subjects from school level–class 9-12 to Under Graduate and Post Graduate students– covering all disciplines.-By Our Reporter