IIM Shillong ready to admit students

Shillong, Aug 19 (UNI) The seventh Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Shillong will become operational from the next academic year at a temporary campus here at Mayurbhanj complex.

The new institute christened as Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (RGIIM), Shillong, would get a grant for non-recurring expenditure of Rs 120 crore over a period of five years and Rs 45 crore for recurring expenditure over a period of six years.

The Meghalaya government has provided 120 acres of land free of cost for setting up the institute in the new Shillong satellite township.

The Human Resources Development Ministry proposed to admit 60 students in the first academic year, 120 students in the fourth year and 180 students in the sixth year, Project Director of IIM Shillong, Professor Pramod Tandon told UNI here.

''The infrastructure in the temporary campus at Mayurbhanj complex is ready to cater 60 students,'' the Vice Chancellor of North Eastern Hills University said.

Initially, he said, IIM Shillong will offer a two-year post graduate programme in management (PGPM) and later it would also offer short-term programmes on subjects of local relevance like tourism, horticulture and hydel power.

Professor Tandon said the HRD ministry has sent proposals looking for directors and a permanent chairperson for the prestigious institute.

Though, the main intention of the establishing an IIM in the North Eastern state was to provide opportunities for higher students from this region, Professor Tandon made it clear that the seats at IIM Shillong will be available through the common pool of CAT 2007 admissions.

IIM Shillong will be the seventh IIM in the country with the other six IIMs situated in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode respectively.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh had assured that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi would lay the foundation stone of the seventh Indian Institute of Management.

UNI