The Hindu : National : `IIM (C) board chief not to be removed'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 14, 2004

National

National

`IIM (C) board chief not to be removed'

KOLKATA, JUNE 13. The Human Resource Development Minister, Arjun Singh, today dismissed reports of the removal of Y.C. Deveswar as the chairman of the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and said there was no possibility of his ouster from the post.

"I am saying that he (Mr. Deveswar) has not been removed," he said when asked to clarify if the ITC chairman was removed from the IIM(C) board, as reported in a section of the media.

Mr. Singh, commenting on the removal of six other members of the board on Saturday night, said their removal came in the face of opposition raised by the Council over the validity of their appointment violating the Memorandum of Association of the institute.

The Centre replaced the six `illegal' members of the board by nominating G.P. Goenka, industrialist and chairman of Duncan Group, Harshavardhan Neotia, Managing Director of Ambuja Cement, Aveek Sarkar, Chairman of Ananda Bazar Patrika, S.M. Dutta, former Chairman Brooke Bond Limited, T.B. Singh former Chairman BALCO and M.K. Deb, Chairman of M.P. Windfarms, Bhopal.

Decision hailed

The faculty of IIM (C) welcomed the appointment of new members saying it would lead to smooth discussion during the Board's crucial meeting on June 18 convened to discuss the proposed uniform fee structure in the IIMs.

"With the appointment of new members, one experiment (of appointing members without consulting the State Government) is over. I don't think that there will be any problem during discussion in the meeting on June 18," the Dean of the IIM (C) Faculty Council, Ashis Bhattacharya, said. He hoped that the new members would contribute to the development of the IIM (C).

To a query, Mr. Bhattacharya said: ``We have not yet discussed whether to withdraw the writ petition filed in the Calcutta High Court on April 28.'' He, however, indicated that the writ might not be withdrawn.

The writ had challenged the legality of the March 26 meeting which had authorised Mr. Deveshwar to draft a resolution on the fee cut issue. Mr. Deveshwar later announced acceptance of the Centre's directive on reducing fees.

Meet today

An Indore report said that the board of governors of the IIM (Indore) would meet here tomorrow to finalise the issue of proposed fee structure to be adopted by the institute.

Twelve members, including one out of the five Government nominees, have confirmed participation in the meeting, an official of the administrative branch of the IIM-I, Harindran, said here today. — PTI

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