Varsities may get more autonomy if they do well

and other educational institutions are likely to be given greater autonomy if they perform well.

According to HRD minister Prakash Javadekar , more institutions could be freed from the government’s “micro-management” along the lines of the IIM bill, which has provided them complete autonomy to function.

The ministry is hoping that the proposed legislation will come up in the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament and would be passed soon.

“If the House decides they can straight away discuss, or if it comes to a Standing Committee, I am still sure it will be passed soon,” he said.

Apart from enabling IIMs to confer degrees instead of the diplomas they have offered so far, the institutes would get statutory powers and their management would be board-driven. Whether IIMs will convert their two year post-graduate programmes into an MBA or launch new ones will also be decided by the board.

On Wednesday the Cabinet gave its nod to IIM Bill, 2017 that empowers these institutes to give degrees. The HRD ministry will continue to fund the institutes especially for their expansion. “It gives autonomy while also establishing a system of accountability in terms of CAG audits and presenting reports to the Parliament. It is a milestone. Government will continue to provide funds for development of these institutes especially the new IIMs but sans government controls,” he said.

The minister added that the IIM Bill was an indication that other institutes, which excel in their field, could get more autonomy. “India lacks in innovation, and it comes with young minds working free and where there is no fear of failure.”

He said a system was being considered where the best performing institutes would be given maximum autonomy while those not performing well would be highly regulated by the ministry.

He said the mentality that government would give money and control everything would not work in the field of education. While emphasizing on the importance of giving more autonomy, Javadekar said that the Modi government is very democratic where decisions are taken on the basis of consultation.

“In this government, no letter comes from somewhere,” he said in what appeared a dig at political rivals.