Mumbai December 30, 2003: In a press statement issued today S. V. Raju, President of The Indian Liberal Group has congratulated the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad for rejecting the Rs.10-crore grant from the Central Government.

In his statement the President of the ILG stated: “Undoubtedly the central government's, particularly Pandit Nehru's, initiative in setting up the IIMs and the IITs is to be commended. But successor governments lacked Nehru's vision and fell victim to that time-worn adage ‘He who pays the piper call's the tune’. The dabbling of governments at the state and the Centre in the functioning of educational institutions has resulted not only in falling academic standards, but in crude interference in the management of these institutions. That the IIMs managed to survive such interference with minimal damage is a tribute to the resilience and resistance of the staff and students of these institutions. That the present central government, particularly the ministry of human resources, sought to seize the opportunity of the leakage of CAT papers, to poke its nose and institute an enquiry even while the CBI was already on the job reveals their real intention.

What is refreshing is the manner in which the Board turned down the HRD Ministry’s offer. The Dean of the IIM, Ahemdabad is reported to have said: 'There were some queries from the Ministry HRD about the funds given by the Centre. We were asked why the fund should be given if the IIMs are self-sufficient. We had put the query before the Board and they have decided that since this money can be used more
meaningfully in some other project, we will refuse it." One cannot think of a more dignified and mature brush off.

The Liberal believes that in the field of education, the responsibility of the State is to lend a helping hand in ensuring universal primary education. Where higher education is concerned the State should be an impartial regulator without seeking to control. The ownership and running of institutes of higher education is best left to the people who know what higher education is all about. We hope we shall now not be witness to some ham-handed minister/bureaucrat insisting that the IIM cannot refuse! The IIM, Ahemdabad has led the way to greater autonomy for institutions of higher education.

We hope others will be encouraged to take steps to shake off the deadening hand of the state that has been more of an hindrance than facilitator for education in our country.