IIMs raise worry over salaries, autonomy

IIMs have categorically asked the government not to interfere in their internal affairs so that they can smoothly carry out their work of making IIMs a global brand on par with the big B schools like Harvard and Wharton.

The IIM heads -- who came together on one platform to address the pan-IIM alumni association meet in New Delhi -- unitedly raised issues like salaries, retaining talent, administration and autonomy.

IIM-Ahmedabad Director Bakul Dholakia asserted: "No government or council of global business schools like Wharton, Harvard or Stanford interferes in the activities of their institutes."

Maintaining the government can still have a facilitator role, he said, "I am not saying that the government should not have a say, but because of some interests we should not be allowed to wish away from the expectations of the Indian society."

Dholakia also shared his concern over the low salaries that the faculty are paid. "It's great that we are still retaining the faculty with such pay scales. We are given to do the administration duties also even then our professors are dedicated to research. In no foreign institute does this happen," he said.

Trilochan Sastry of IIM Bangalore concurred: "We did not receive any government funds from the last two years but still we are not allowed to raise our salaries from the resources, fees we are getting."

Pointing out that the state of affairs are better in a communist country like China where the institutes are in a better position, Sastry added that on average an IIM faculty is paid only 1/5th of what is paid to a PhD by corporates.

"The salaries are just not enough. This is why the faculty are going and teaching at executive education programmes, seminars outside. This is the problem across the board in all the IIMs," he added.