IIMs say increasing seats unfeasible; mute on OBC quota

New Delhi, June 4 (UNI) Majority of the elite institutes of higher education across the country are 'mute' on complying with the government's reservation policy for OBCs but raised doubts over increasing the seats with the IIM-Bangalore saying bigger classrooms may lead to dilution of quality and IIM-Ahmedabad calling it ''simply not feasible''.

IIM-Bangalore Director Prakash G Apte told UNI that a bigger intake in the premier institutes of higher education may lead to dilution of quality.

''In IIM-B, we are already facing shortage of faculty. Finding suitable faculty is a difficult thing. If the size of the classes is increased, the quality may suffer,'' he feared.

He said the institute had approved to increase the intake of students to 300 from the current 260. It was a planned increase.

Beyond this it would be difficult. Physical infrastructure was not a problem. But due to shortage of faculty, it would be difficult to increase the student strength, he added.

Karnataka-based Rajiv Gandhi Health University Vice Chancellor P S Prabhakaran said various issues were involved in increasing the intake of students especially in a health varsity. The strict norms of Medical Council of India and Dental Council of India would have to be followed. Besides, there should also be corresponding increase in faculty.

''If reservation has to be implemented in the next academic year, we may have to take up matters on a war footing,'' he added.

However, the gap between backward and forward communities was narrowing down fast as it was evidenced in the marks scored by students of both the communities in the Common Entrance Test for professional courses in Karnataka, he pointed out.

Bangalore University Registrar R M N Sahai said reservation would not have any implication on the state-based universities as they were already providing it. Under the Roster system, OBSs were now getting more or less 27 per cent as proposed by the Central government.

The two major institutes of higher learning in Ahmedabad -- IIM and National Institute of Design (NID) are at a loss as to how to go about reserving 27 per cent of seats for OBCs, in case it becomes a law.

Directors of both IIMA and NID, Dr Bakul Dholakia and Dr Darlie O Koshy respectively, parried questions on the merit of the government decision, but cited umpteen reasons to make their stand amply clear on increasing the seats: ''It is simply not feasible!'' Both the institutes are short of staff by 15-20 per cent.

The Governing Board of IIMA at its annual meeting here on April 2 with Infosys chairman N R Narayana Murthy in chair did discuss the reservation issue, but avoided a direct confrontation with Union HRD Ministry for obvious reasons.

The Ahmedabad chapter of IIMA Alumni Association at its executive meeting here on May 18 decided to meet the Prime Minister and the President to impress upon them the difficulty of implementing such reservations.

Dr Koshy said NID is already in the expansion mode, fulfilling past commitments, increasing the intake capacity from 60 to 75 for the five-year residential Under-Graduate Programme. About 50 students are admitted to its various Post Graduate Programmes. ''The hostel capacity is fully booked.'' IIM-Kozhikode Director Dr Krishna Kumar refused to comment on the possibility of hike in seats in the wake of the Centre's proposed move.

The Director said ''Neither am I aware of any government move on the issue nor did I receive any direction from any quarter seeking increase in seats.'' Refusing to give any futher information, he said ''As far as I know this was a creation of the media.'' More UNI Team PK AT KP1108