An Uttarakhand High Court order directing the Centre to appoint a new chairperson for IIM Kashipur within four months has sparked hope among the faculty members of a dozen B-schools, including IIM Calcutta, where in-charge chairpersons are continuing on extension.
A division bench of Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra last week passed an order on a petition filed by social worker Sukhvinder Singh.
Singh contended that an IIM chairperson’s tenure could not extend beyond four years, and Sandeep Singh’s continuation as the chairperson of IIM Kashipur for over five years was a violation of rules.
The high court directed the Centre to consider the petition as a representation and take a decision within four months. “The first respondent is hereby directed to treat the writ petition as a representation, and consider and dispose of the same in accordance with law. The consideration and disposal shall be within an outer limit of 4 months from today,” the order said.
The order came at a time the Centre is sitting on the appointment of chairpersons of a dozen IIMs for over two years.
“The government is unmoved on the issue of appointment of chairperson at IIM Calcutta and several other IIMs. Now they will be compelled to appoint chairpersons because of the court order,” said a faculty member of IIM Calcutta.
An IIM director said in-charge directors and chairpersons hesitated to take important decisions, which harmed the institute’s growth.
In 2023, Parliament passed the IIM (Amendment) Act, which did away with a provision that empowered the board of governors of the respective IIMs to appoint their chairpersons and directors. The amended law said the chairperson would be nominated by the Visitor, the President of India. The director’s appointment has to be approved by the Visitor after the board recommends the name based on the suggestions of a search-cum-selection panel.