HRD says 'Go Ahead' to IIMs on admissions

New Delhi, Apr 27: India's ace management schools were today given a ''go ahead'' to announce successful admission seekers at last year's intake levels.

The signal came in a letter asking all central institutions to go ahead with admissions for 2007-08 ''limited to the approved intake that existed during the academic session 2006-07.'' The letter was released at a hurriedly-called news conference by Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh a day after the move received political clearance.

The Ministry advised institutions to offer admissions ''as per the policy of reservation prevailing for'' 2006-07.

But it forbade them from offering admissions against seats proposed to be added in the context of reservation for Other Backward Class students.

Today's letter ended a stalemate on admissions to the Indian Institutes of Management the announcement of which had been scheduled for April 21.

The United Progressive Alliance government move to reserve 27 per cent seats for OBC students in central institutions was characterised by critics as an attempt to woo backward vote and challenged before the land's highest court.

On March 29, a two-Judge Bench stayed the operation of the provision while it considered the Constitutional validity of the laws notified to effect reservation.

The IIMs admission process was put on hold.

Justices Arijit Pasayat and Lokeshwar Singh Panta heard the matter on April 23, but declined to vacate the stay, and set next hearing on August 3. Their refusal evoked criticism in Tamil Nadu assembly. Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was reported to have remarked that ''two or three persons deciding the destiny of 100 crore people'' was an injustice to democracy.

An application on April 24 on behalf of HRD Minister Singh underscoring public interest was acceded to by India's Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, who has set a hearing for May 8.

While the current focus has been on the seven IIMs, the issue involves 59 higher education institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology and central universities.

A spokesman for one of the IIMs told journalists yesterday that the admission lists could be put out within about 12 hours of the HRD signal.

The HRD Ministry's letter described the background and noted that ''the matter is now posted for hearing on the 8th May, 2007.

''In the light of the above, the offer of admissions for the ensuing academic session in Central Educational Institutions shall, until further communication, be limited to the approved intake that existed during the academic session 2006-07 as per the policy of reservation prevailing for that session.

''It is further clarified that no offers of admission shall be made until further communication, in respect of seats that are proposed to be expanded during the ensuing academic session.

''This issues with the approval of the Competent Authority,'' the letter concluded.

Admitting freshers at last year's intake levels and deferring admissions to new seats until a possible Supreme Court nod next month was suggested as an interim solution by the HRD Minister to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Reservation being a political decision, the matter was placed before the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and endorsed by UPA members and left backers last evening.

A government report last month indicated India will spend Rs 2,686 crore to add 12,720 seats of higher learning to offset the impact of reservation for OBCs in 2007-08.

The HRD Ministry's Outcome Budget 2007-2008 said the process involved in 59 higher education institutions.

The report suggested that the addition would be more distinct in the first year in Delhi and Allahabad universities, Roorkee and Kharagpur IITs and Warangal NIT.

The report was part of efforts to implement the recommendation of an 'oversight' panel headed by former Karnataka Chief Minister and Administrative Reforms Commission chief M Veerappa Moily.

The panel was appointed following protests over the government decision to reserve higher learning seats for the OBCs.

Protesters voiced concern over possible loss of opportunity for general category students.

Mr Moily recommended implementing reservation over a three year period during which seats may be added to cushion the impact on the general category students.

The Report says the bulk of funds-- Rs 2,344 crore-- will be spent on 17 Central Universities, seven Indian Institutes of Technology and 20 National Institutes of Technology, adding 13,717 seats.

As much as Rs 576 crores will pay for 5,754 new seats in CUs, Rs 988 crores for 1,788 seats in the IITs and Rs 780 crores for 3,831 seats in the NITs. It said the six IIMs will spend Rs 80 crores to set up 157 new seats.

UNI