For the management education fraternity, year 2011 has begun on a tumultuous note, with the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) flexing its muscles and thereby, drawing strong reactions from many of top B-schools of the country.

On December 28, 2010, AICTE had issued ‘provisions’ for regulating the PGDM courses in the country. In eight points, the notification calls for much greater role of respective State Governments in running of B-schools, and have many provisions covering almost every aspect of running a management institute – from admissions to fee-structure, to curriculum design and disallowing the globally successful one-year MBA program to run in the country.

The notification calls for MBA institutes to file comprehensive information, keeping the new notifications in mind, by February 28, 2011.

Across the country, management education fraternity is irked that government has issued an important notification apparently without any discussions or consultation with B-schools & other stakeholders.

Education bodies such as Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI), All India Management Association (AIMA) & Higher Education Forum (HEF) are holding consultative meetings with private B-schools in Delhi, Mumbai and other centers, and are preparing their response to this notification, which they are planning to send to the Ministry of HRD for its intervention.

 spoke to many leading MBA educators to understand key concern areas. The key questions that probed into were: ‘What are the key areas of concern for B-schools?’ and ‘What’s next? Will B-schools toe the line or strive to challenge the notification?’

Commenting on the matter, Dr. H Chaturvedi, Director, BIMTECH and alternate president of Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI), told, “There is nationwide opposition to the AICTE notification as it will affect the quality of management education and all that the B-schools have accomplished in the last two decades.”

A K Sen Gupta, Founder and Convener, Higher Education Forum (HEF), commented on HEF discussion forum recently and said, “Are we moving towards an over-regulated regime where there is absolutely no freedom and flexibility?”

Dr. MM Pant, former Pro Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, said, “For the Indian higher education sector & management institutes in particular, this is a recipe for disaster. India’s management education has evolved in a significant way. This notification can infringe with the academic freedom of the institutes.” Dr Pant is working with AIMA to develop the body’s response to the notification.

The AICTE Notification – What it stipulates
Before we move forward, let’s encapsulate the key points of the AICTE notification. In all there are eight points, as below:

1. All PGDM shall be of duration not less than 24 months.
2. Admission to all PGDM courses shall be done through common entrance test such as CAT/MAT or Examinations conducted by the respective State governments for all institutions other than minority institutions.
3. The admission to PGDM, PGDM (Executive) and PGCM shall not start before 31st March of the academic year.
4. Model curriculum/syllabus for PGDM, PGDM (Executive) and the PGCM shall be issued by the Council.
5. Admission to PGDM programs shall be conducted by the respective State governments through their Competent Authority designated for such purpose.
6. The fees to be charges for the PGDM, PGDM (Executive) and PGCM programs shall be decided by the All India Board of Management, AICTE.
7. Conduct of examination/arbitration on matters of examination shall be decided by the All India Board of Management, AICTE.
8. The academic session shall normally be from June 1st to May 31st of the succeeding years.

More reactions: ‘Serious Threat to Autonomy’ spoke to management educators in leading private B-schools to gauge their overall response to the AICTE notification. From what they shared with us, yes – it is clear that these leading B-schools view this notification as a direct attack on their autonomy. Educators said that the likely intervention by State Governments in critical areas like Admissions and Fee fixation can result in reduced operational freedom.

Dr. J. D. Singh, Director General (DG), Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, said, “The AICTE notification is a clear attack on our autonomy. Mr. Kapil Sibal, the Union HRD Minister, has been emphasizing on increased private sector participation in the higher education sector. If B-schools cannot have autonomy in their admission criteria, model curriculum and fee structure, there is no autonomy left. Then, how will B-schools sustain themselves?”

Dr. H Chaturvedi, added, “This notification violates the principles of autonomy. B-schools need academic freedom to run their programs. Of course we are open to the larger policy framework, but specific implementation should be left to the individual institute.”

Dr. R. Gopal, Director, Dean and Head of the Department, Padmashree Dr. D. Y. Patil University’s Department of Business Management, Navi Mumbai, recently noted on HEF, “Admission to PGDM programmes shall be conducted by the respective state governments through their competent authority - this is bad in law and also bad with respect to free market developments.” 

‘Notification is vague in many areas’
Management education fraternity also points out many aspects of notification that are not precise.

Dr A M Sherry, Admissions Chairman, IMT Group of Institutions and Director, IMT Center for Distance Learning (IMT-CDL) said, “In many areas, the notification is vague. The notification says that admissions shall be conducted by the respective State Governments through their ‘competent authorities’. Which authority are we talking here?”

Another area where the notification is ambiguous on is Entrance Tests. Notification says that “PGDM admissions shall be done through common entrance tests like CAT/MAT or exams conducted by respective state governments…” Does it mean that prominent & reputed exams like XAT, NMAT, IIFT entrance exam are not valid? 

Will B-schools toe the line or will AICTE rethink the notification? followed the trail of B-schools with regard to the AICTE notification. Several internal meetings amongst B-schools are being held and will continue to be held in different places to discuss and make a collective representation to the AICTE to reconsider the notification and its contents. Clearly, B-schools are in no mood to “surrender their autonomy”.

AIMA held a meeting on this matter on January 7, 2011 in New Delhi. Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI) will meet with the Ministry to discuss this further on 19th March. Before that, there will be discussion on 10th January among the B-schools on the AICTE notification.

Further, on 12th January 2011, Dr. A. K. Sen Gupta, Founder and Convener, Higher Education Forum has announced that discussions on this will be held at the K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai.

The coming weeks will see several rounds of discussions among B-schools on this issue.