Chaos on IIM Andhra: Union Budget 2015-16 omitted IIM in Telangana; intentional or an inadvertent mistake

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
March 4, 2015
whether Union Budget reaffirms the establishment of IIM Andhra which is already under process or a new IIM meant for Telangana has been shifted
Telangana is keeping its fingers crossed to get the IIM Telangana the way IIM Andhra was sanctioned through an ordinance

Announcement to establish an IIM in Andhra Pradesh in Union Budget 2015 has taken many off guard. The announcement makes it difficult to ascertain whether Union Budget reaffirms the establishment of IIM Andhra which is already under process or a new IIM meant for Telangana has been shifted to Andhra Pradesh bestowing it with 2 IIMs. 

 

No clarity

 

Mr Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister Govt of India while presenting the Union Budget 2015-16 in the Lower House of the Parliament on Feb 28, 2015 categorically stated ‘IIMs will be setup in J&K and Andhra Pradesh.” It can be understood that an IIM in Jammu in the state of Jammu & Kashmir is a new addition but going by the policy of one state one IIM, Andhra Pradesh has already been awarded with an IIM and wouldn’t adding another IIM to Andhra Pradesh dilute the own policy of the Government and Ministry of HRD.

 

IIM Andhra: Applications for admission invited in Aug 2014

 

CAT is a mandatory exam for admission to all the Indian institutes of Management (IIMs). Common Admission Test (CAT) 2014 opened its registration process on Aug 6, 2014. CAT 2014 registration and application form invited applicants to register for IIM Andhra Pradesh alongwith other IIMs. It implies that commencement of IIM Andhra academic session in 2015 was very well decided even at the time of applying for CAT 2014 in August 2014.

 

Admissions to IIM-Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh are therefore open from the academic year 2015-16. The IIM-Bangalore is the mentor institute for the IIM-Visakhapatnam which will fondly be known as IIM-V from now on.

 

IIM Andhra: Foundation stone already laid

 

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani laid the foundation stone for IIM-Visakhapatnam at Gambheeram village in Andhra Pradesh  on Saturday January 17, 2015.  Union Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were also present on the occasion.

 

Academic session 2015 to begin on AU campus

 

However, till the 300+ acre campus is ready with all the requisite infrastructural facilities to accommodate the IIM V, the classes for the B school from the academic session 2015-16 would be conducted from temporary premises on the Andhra University campus.

 

Cause behind Chaos

 

In his first Budget speech 2014, Mr Arun Jaitley, the Finance Minister did not mention IIM Andhra Pradesh. Only 5 IIMs in the states of Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab and Maharashtra were included in the budget 2014-15. Delivering his Budget 2014 speech the Finance Minister said “Five IIMs would be set up in the States of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra.”

 

However, bowing to the demand of Andhra Pradesh, MHRD later on added IIM Andhra Pradesh and quickly assigned the mentorship of IIM Andhra to IIM Bangalore. Fearing lest the IIM is shifted to Telangana as the state was also demanding an IIM, Government of Andhra Pradesh moved even faster and allocated land for IIM on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam, the house of large industries and Corporates. In fact Andhra Pradesh is the first state where foundation stone to construct the building of an IIM has been laid while other IIMs are still struggling to get the proper place allocated by the state governments and subsequently finalized by the mentor IIMs. 
 
Invitation to register for IIM Andhra Pradesh in CAT 2014 put the final stamp on the upcoming IIM as the brochure clarified further that the IIM Andhra would commence the academic session in 2015.

 

Bill introduced in Budget 2015

 

Since no IIM can be established without getting the parliamentary sanction, Minister of HRD, Smriti Irani had promised  the Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr Chandrababu Naidu that a bill on IIM would be introduced in Parliament in the budget session 2015. Honouring the words the commitment was reiterated on the occasion of foundation stone laying ceremony in Visakhapatnam on Jan 17, 2015.

 

IIM-Visakhapatnam is the first of the 11 institutes sanctioned by the central government for Andhra Pradesh under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

 

Demand for IIM Telangana on the rise

 

With all the chaos and confusion regarding the establishment of IIMV even before introduction of Bill in Parliament, Telangana is keeping its fingers crossed to get the IIM Telangana the way IIM Andhra was sanctioned through an ordinance. In all probability CAT 2015 aspirants might find 21 IIMs in CAT 2015 registration form, offering admission prospects for their flagship PGP/PGDM programmes beginning 2016.

 

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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on proposed new IIMs