Javadekar u-turns Irani, to give more autonomy to IIMs

Certain key provisions of the old bill have been dropped. The PMO supported the new changes, giving more autonomy.

The HRD ministry has decided to give more autonomy to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) and reduce government control over them under a proposed Bill, with Union Minister Prakash Javadekar reworking the provisions introduced under his predecessor Smriti Irani.

According to sources, among the key provisions that the HRD ministry has decided to revise include those related to the Visitor's office.

It is learnt that the new Bill draft has dropped previous references to the President having the power to review their work as the Visitor

Another change from the earlier proposed draft is that the HRD ministry has given more powers to the Board of Governors of the IIMs to appoint their directors.

It is understood that the HRD ministry under Irani did not favour some of these changes, but with the PMO apparently supportive of more autonomy, her successor Javadekar has accepted them.

The new draft bill is now learnt to have gone to the Law ministry for vetting.

Among other provisions which have been changed relate to minimising government control over IIM coordination panel, the sources said.