New Delhi, January 18
The government wants the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to first review their Memorandum of Association and then think of opening branches offshore.

Days after he made the announcement that the IIMs cannot go abroad, Union Minister for HRD, Mr Arjun Singh, clarified that the government was not opposed to the idea of IIMs going abroad, but was merely asking them to review their MoA, to ascertain whether it is permitted therein.

“If an MoA allows opening branches outside the country, we will not come in their way. If it does not, then first have it amended and make an effort,” the Minister said at the Sixth Editors’ Conference on social sector issues here today.

Mr Singh went on to add that there were so few IIMs, it would therefore be reasonable for the premier academic institutes to cater to their own country before they set out to open doors abroad. IIM Bangalore’s ambitious plan to open a campus in Singapore was derailed, when on January 11 the HRD Ministry denied them permission to do so, asking it to first cater to the demand at home considering the huge demand-supply gap in IIM seats.

The minister also refuted the charge that the ministry’s response to IIM-B’s proposal took long. He said MoA did not permit opening campuses outside the country, and if decisions were taken on matters, which were not within their competence, then nobody should worry about the timeframe.

While the government has begun work on instituting an IIM in Shillong, Mr Singh said there was no proposal to increase the number of seats in IIMs.