Rajya Sabha passes Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023

Parliament has passed the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023 with Rajya Sabha approving it today. The Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill.

The Bill seeks to further amend the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017. The bill declares Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) as institutes of national importance. Under the Act, the Director of an IIM is appointed by the Board of Governors, based on the recommendations of a Search-cum-Selection Committee. The Bill mandates the Board to obtain the prior approval of the Visitor before appointing an Institute Director.

Replying to the discussion on the Bill, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, the Bill designates the President as Visitor of every Institute covered by the Act. He said, IIMs have been given autonomy so that they can emerge as centers of academic excellence. He added that the Centre has no intention of interfering with the academic autonomy of IIMs.

Amar Patnaik of BJD, G K Vasan of Tamil Manila Congress (M), Dr M Thambi Durai of AIADMK, and Masthan Rao Beeda of YSRCP among others participated in the discussion.