In a meeting of close to 40 deans and directors of PGDM institutions convened by The Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI), it was decided that these group of b-schools want to continue working under the regulatory framework of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Act 1987. This was decided in wake of the recent verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) which took MBA programs of university-affiliated colleges out of the purview of AICTE – this had raised questions about the status of PGDM institutions across the country. The meeting was held at the India International Centre, New Delhi yesterday, to discuss this order as well as the case against AICTE pending in the SC. Speaking to PaGaLGuY, Dr Pritam Singh, director general, International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi who presided over the meeting, stated: “What is important to understand is that we are not opposed to a regulatory body itself but to the way AICTE functions.We are supportive of a regulatory body which promotes high quality management education. ”

EPSI wants more autonomy in deciding curriculum, making admission on merit, deciding the overall quality and recruiting qualified faculty for b-schools. The body also expressed concern about the renewal of approval of programs by the AICTE every year. As per EPSI, b-schools have to have to submit voluminous reports every year for this purpose.

The consortium has also decided to press for closure of the Case No. 92/2011 (EPSI, AIMS and Jaipuria Group Vs. AICTE) which is pending in the SC. The apex court has issued three interim orders till date which invalidates the AICTE notification dated December 28, 2010.

The b-school body also wants to take a delegation of deans and directors of some PGDM institutions to the Union Minister for Human Resource Development MM Pallam Raju to submit a representation giving concrete suggestions on issues such as quality of research output and faculty development.