(From left) CIMP director V Mukunda Das, business statistics teacher Soumya Nand Dinda and education department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha at the inauguration of the institute’s foundation day event on Wednesday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna, has set its eyes on securing an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) status based on its achievements.

Starting from its humble beginning in 2008 from Hindi Bhavan in Chajjubagh area of Patna, the institute, ranked among the top 20 institutions in country in research in economic and finance, is planning to move to its new campus at Mithapur. On Wednesday, Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna (CIMP) celebrated its sixth foundation day.

Speaking on the occasion, education department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha said: “Once CIMP moves to its new campus at Mithapur, the state government would put forward the demand to accord IIM status to CIMP before the Centre.” The new campus is coming up on 10 acres in Mithapur and CIMP is likely to move to the new location by July-end this year.

The new campus would have a lot of greenery as well as separate academic and administrative blocks, auditorium, two hostels for boys and girls, playground, director’s bungalow and other facilities.

Amarjeet said CIMP has all the criteria of getting an IIM status, as the institute has registered a good placement record and won awards at different forums. Once the management institute gets an IIM status, its reputation would help secure better placements and research work. On what basis Bihar would urge the Centre to grant IIM status, Amarjeet said: “We will try for the same after CIMP shifts to the new campus.” He, however, said there were no rules to accord such a status.

CIMP director V. Mukunda Das said: “It is likely that once CIMP moves to its new campus, based on initiative from the state government, the Centre would accord IIM status. It would be the first management institute from Bihar to get IIM status.”

Asked to specify the criteria for getting an IIM status, the director said there was no such fixed thing and the Centre takes a decision on the basis of performance and achievement of the institution concerned.

Highlighting the achievements of CIMP, the director said: “The institute has been rated as one of India’s best micro-finance related research institution by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. It has a good placement track record. It is the only management institute started by the state government.”

The distinctive feature of CIMP is that for SC/ST/OBC students, 50 per cent seats are reserved in accordance with the state government reservation rosters. Also there are more than 40 per cent girl students in each batch. On the social initiative front, the students’ guidance cell aims at providing free education to students from economically weaker sections of society.

Amritesh Kumar, a first-year CIMP student, said: “CIMP has all criteria of getting an IIM status, as all batches have received cent per cent placements in sectors like banking, finance, advertising, media and manufacturing.”