President to Become Visitor in IIM as per New Bill Introduced in Lok Sabha

• 01 Aug 2023

The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, presented in Lok Sabha on 28^th July, 2023, proposes that the President of India will serve as the Visitor of every IIM, granting the President powers to audit their functioning, order investigations, and appoint or remove directors.

Key Points:

• President as Visitor: According to the proposed amendment bill, the President of India will act as the Visitor for all IIMs, enabling them to review and inquire into the institutes' affairs and functioning.
• Changes in Director's Appointment: The amendment introduces a Visitor's nominee on the search-cum-selection panel for appointing directors, modifying the previous process where the Ministry of Human Resource Development handled such appointments.
• Greater Autonomy under IIM Act: The IIM Act, enforced in January 2018, granted the premier B-schools increased autonomy, with the board of governors consisting of 19 members, including a representative each from the central and state governments, and nominations from eminent personalities, faculty, and alumni.
• Resistance to Visitor Concept: The idea of Visitors in IIMs was initially proposed in the 2015 draft act, but IIMs resisted it, expressing concerns about the potential impact on their autonomy.
• The President of India already serves as the Visitor for central universities and IITs, appointing their Vice Chancellors and Directors.