'Expansion of IIM-A by next year not feasible'

Ahmedabad, Aug 3: The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad Director Bakul Dholakia today said the Centre's direction to IIMs to go for 54 per cent expansion by June 2007 was ''not feasible''.

Mr Dholakia said for the purpose, the Institute would need at least three to four years to implement the directives, at least 40 acres of land in its vicinity and Rs 100 to 110 crores for its infrastructure development for the expansion.

Dr Dholakia, who is part of the experts group that will submit a report on Management institutes to the Oversight Committee, constituted by the Government, said as the existing land on the twin campus has been totally utilised, the Institute will require the land to build extra dormitories for the added number of students, offices for new faculty members and the support staff, new auditorium as the present one will be too small.

The Centre had asked the IIMs to expand their capacity by 54 per cent, to ensure the number of seats for general students did not reduce after implementation of the 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

The Oversight Committee headed by Veerappa Moily which has been asked to monitor the implementation, will submit its final report by August 31.

Three expert groups were also set up to draw up the modalities for implementing the decision in engineering and management institutions besides Central universities.

The expert group is headed by former IIM director Samuel Paul, and comprises the six IIMs and National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai.

The interim report submitted to the Moily committee by the group recently, has recommended that the superannuation age of the faculty members should be raised and their compensation package should be made more attractive.

UNI