The Union government is likely to bring a bill in the monsoon session of Parliament to set up an IIM in Guwahati, but the premier B-School in Calcutta will not mentor the 22nd branch because of a leadership crisis.
The education ministry has assigned the job of mentoring to IIM Ahmedabad, officials in both institutes confirmed.
According to convention, when a new IIT or IIM is set up, an older institute in the region provides initial hand-holding in administration, faculty recruitment, designing courses and strategy for the new institute. IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Ranchi and IIM Shillong, which started in 2015, 2009 and 2007, respectively, were mentored by IIM Calcutta.
The ministry initially had plans to give the responsibility of mentoring to IIM Calcutta. However, it rejected the plan because of the absence of a regular director.
In the last seven years, IIM Calcutta has had two directors, but both resigned within two years of taking charge.
Anju Seth, who had resigned in 2021, had complained of interference in day-to-day functioning by the board of governors. In September 2023, then director Uttam Sarkar resigned with three years left of the term. Saibal Chattopadhyay is currently the director-in-charge.
An official said the ministry had prepared a bill which was expected to be tabled before the cabinet soon. It may be introduced in Parliament in the monsoon session. The Guwahati institute will have 60 MBA seats.