Can’t issue 1-yr degrees: HRD to IIMs

NEW DELHI: The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry has written to Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), saying the prestigious business schools cannot offer one-year postgraduate management degrees as University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations do not allow such a practice, people familiar with the matter said. The advisory was issued after the Union law ministry gave its opinion on the matter, they added.

The IIM Act passed in 2017 for academic autonomy to the premier institutes also gave powers to the 20 IIMs to grant degrees. There has been a debate since then whether IIMs can offer oneyear postgraduate degree courses. Some of the institutes feel they are empowered to do so.

An official said around six to seven IIMs, including the leading ones at Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, have started one-year degree programmes or are in the process of doing the same. Some have even issued degrees last year, the official added, requesting anonymity.

The director of one of the IIMs said they received a letter on Friday from the HRD ministry saying they cannot award one-year degrees. “...according to the international practice, a oneyear-degree course can be only offered following a four-year bachelor’s degree. There are also some IIMs, which have planned one-year degree programmes for experienced professionals,” said the director on condition of anonymity. A second official said IIMs have been given autonomy and degree-granting powers but they cannot define degrees. “The issuance of one-year degrees also creates a precedent. If IIMs can issue such degrees, then how can other institutions be stopped from doing the same, including some equally good ones.