"For the IIM-A to sustain its excellence, these needed to be sustained," Bakul Dholakia, outgoing head of Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) told PTI.

"In an everyday changing environment and increased globalisation, it becomes necessary for us to adopt a global framework for governance to withstand foreign pressure and achieve world standards," Dholakia said.

The autonomy-related cause of the institution should now be taken up by the new director in a way that he considered most appropriate, he said.

"It is the new leader who has to do the job. It is always the leader of the organisation who should take up a position on such issues independent of everything and in a manner considered most appropriate", said Dholakia, who has been at loggerheads with the Centre on the issue of IIM-A's autonomy.

Without reading too much into the Union human resources ministry's refusal to give him three-months extension till his successor was appointed, Dholakia said it may be that they were sure of finding a successor to him soon.

The IIM-A had international exchange programmes with 12 overseas institutions in 2002 when he took over and it was now 50.

He, however, said in the past there have been instances when an outgoing director was given extension like it happened in 1996. However, even after a three-month extension to the then director, his successor could not be appointed within the said time-frame.

Asked whether he was thinking to move out from the IIM-A, Dholakia, who has been with the prestigious school for over three decades and has five more years left before retirement, said he would revert back to teaching in the same campus.

A specialist in economics and strategy, he said, he has many offers. However, he has no plans to take up any new assignment and would love to continue teaching at the IIM-A, Dholakia said.