Prof. M J Xavier, Former Director of IIM Ranchi says the newer IIMs have no option but to support the bill as they are dependent on the Government for funds. While the older IIMs cry `autonomy' and the government says `accountability', the truth lies somewhere in betweenThe reason why the discussions on the IIM bill has degenerated to the level of a street-fight among different stakeholders is that it has failed to present an overarching vision. Right now, it is a free for all battle. It is perceived that the HRD Ministry is trying to micromanage the Institutions through this bill. The Alumni and the older IIMs are up-in-arms to protect their exclusivity. The faculty members do not want to get out of their comfort zones and are fighting fiercely to protect their pay, perquisites and entitlements. The newer IIMs have no option but to support the bill as they are dependent on the Government for funds. While the older IIMs cry `autonomy' and the government says `accountability', the truth lies somewhere in between. Let me elaborate on these points.Autonomy and Image DilutionThe main argument put forward by the proponents of autonomy is that why fix it when it is not broke. They feel that the excellence achieved by IIMs (sic) will get diluted. Unfortunately the way IIMs function now is far from satisfactory. Most IIMs are already in a mediocrity trap. Hardly any impactful research output is coming out of the IIM system. There are vested interests and mismanagement all over the place. Currently these inefficiencies are passed on as increased fee to the students.The other major argument put forward by the older IIMs and their alumni is the dilution of the IIM image. What were they doing when the Government quietly added so many new IIMs. Reservation has been discreetly introduced for students and the same is going to happen to faculty recruitment too. Is it not dilution of the brand? What were these image conscious people doing when these major decisions were made? Why cry foul now? At the same time, there is no denying the fact that the proposed bill could bring-in a few more bureaucratic controls.Exclusivity Vs InclusivityIt is the older IIMs and their alumni who stand to gain by remaining exclusive. But they dare not speak about this as they know that the Government is keen to push for inclusivity. Instead they are harping on the issues of autonomy and image dilution.Present Government clearly wants to be inclusive; but is using an industrial age model to reach out to a larger audience. Replicating IIMs is neither feasible nor can it provide quality management education to the masses. We need to think of information-age models to maintain exclusivity while being inclusive. I shall describe one such approach in the later part of the article.Inclusivity also means taking along the newer IIMs in their fold. While there are more than 500 faculty members in the IIM system, there is a shortage of faculty across IIMs. The fault lies in the way we are expanding. We could use technology to reach out to larger number of needy people with the least resources. India has to develop its own models for delivery of quality education and not copy the West.Unanswered QuestionsHow can we make IIMs inclusive? How do we take them out of the tunnel vision of a `business school' to a `management Institute`? Currently the focus is on global multinationals which suits the elite group of students and the pseudo intellectual faculty. It is easy to teach western concepts using western case studies and prepare students for Corporate jobs in the West. What is the contribution of IIMs to build Indian businesses? What have they done to address the management of social sector - energy, water, health, agriculture, education, environment and diversity? Anyone doing research on these are looked down upon by the elite faculty. Then why call themselves as `Institutes of management'? What role IIMs can play in the Government missions – Digital India, Make in India etc. Simply rechristen them as `Institutes of Business'. How do we make them world class institutions?I am not sure whether the bill addresses any of these critical issues. The policy makers should set the direction for the Institutions. Instead they are trying to micromanage them. It is unfortunate that there is lack of vision at the Government level as well as at the Institute level.Why can’t the stakeholders sit together to develop a vision to take the Institutions to global standards. Understand the priorities of the Government to be inclusive. We need to figure out as to how IIMs can be Inclusive without compromising on exclusivity. How do we make India competitive? What about social sectors? Can we contribute to policy areas - Digital India, Make in India, Smart cities, Infrastructure etc.?While the Government is thinking of Digital India, why not include education in that? This paper presents a digital model for taking IIMs to the next higher orbit.A Digital Model for IIMsThe new IIM Bill provides an opportunity to bring better coordination and utilization of faculty resources thorough the use of technology. For the sake of convenience, we shall put students into four tiers. The Tier-I students (those getting admission to top 3 IIMs) may continue to receive face-to-face learning, the Tier-II students (those admitted to other IIMs) may be given blended learning, Tier – III (working people wanting part-time course) can be taught through a pan IIM MOOC platform and Tier-IV (students in small town with no sustained access to Internet) may be given recorded video lessons on CDs.The first step should be to set up studio class rooms with video conferencing facilities in each IIM and network through NKN (National knowledge Network). The best faculty in each IIM should be identified for each subject so that their classes can be made available to students in all other IIMs. The Tier-I students will continue to get face to face courses while the Tier-II students (those from other IIMs) would take advantage of the faculty resources through NKN connectivity in addition to their own faculty. Those passing out of IIMs (whether old or new) may be awarded MBA degree.The second step should be to set up a common MOOC platform by IIMs and offer courses through the same. This would take IIMs to a much larger audience of working people. The bill should provide for setting up of a separate distance education cell which will manage delivery of quality management education through this mode. The Tier-III students who complete the required credits may be awarded PGDM (Postgraduate Diploma in Management). Currently individual IIMs are offering their distance programs. Instead the pan IIM committee can do a better job of offering the distance programmes.The third step should be to record all these classes, edit them and make them available on the net as well as on CDs. Additionally IIM faculty should be encouraged to author lessons specifically for the offline audience. The courses may be dubbed in regional languages so that the same can be made available to Tier-IV students who have no sustained accaess to the Internet. Those who take up automated online examinations based on these lessons can be given PGCM (Post graduate Certificate in Management).By this I am not saying that we can eliminate face to face learning. All formats of learning (face-to-face, blended, online/mobile and self-study) will be made available at different price point. 100% face-to-face programs may be priced at Rs. 15 to 20 lakhs, the blended delivery models can be priced at Rs 5 to10 lakhs, The online models can be priced at 1 to 3 lakhs and the self study model can be priced at Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000.While this is applicable to the regular Masters Programme, the executive Masters can also be planned on these lines. One could evolve varied models by combining face-to-face, online and self-study portions to suit individual needs and price them accordingly. Through a judicial mix of face-to-face, online/mobile and self-study methods we can deliver custom-programmes to suit every individual. Students in top three institutes will predominantly get face-to-face instructions and will be exclusive. Using the revenue generated from other programmes, we can make offer many scholarships and fee waiver to deserviong students who get admission to to Top tier institutes. This will help the IIM system to attract the best in the country (as at happened during the 70s and 80s) to join the exclusive club. Currently we have the upper middle and upper class students populating the Top Tier Institutes which defeats the whole purpose of excellence.Those who are skeptical about this approach only need to look at the banking Industry. Currently we have multichannel model for banking, viz., branch-banking, ATM, online banking and mobile banking. The dominant banking mode has shifted from branch banking to ATM and online/mobile. The same is sure to happen soon in the education industry too. Workplace reimagination is the big buzzword now. Same is applicable to education too. So classroom reimagination is warranted to be relevant to this digital era and Gen Y business leaders.Accountability Vs AutonomyIn sum, we need to think differently and set a vision that takes IIMs to the next level. Accountability will remain a rhetoric if we do not set goals and objectives. Accountability in the present context is understood as complying with the norms and administrative guidelines set by the government. On the contrary, true accountability is when the Institutions work towards the vision and reach the goals agreed upon mutually by the Government and the Institutions; needless to say that Institutions should be given functional autonomy to perform to the full potential. Write to xavier_mj@yahoo.com
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Ashish Nanda, director of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, believes autonomy, with accountability, is paramount to building professional institutions of global excellence. In an exclusive interaction with BW/Businessworld, Nanda shares his views on skill development, management education and India’s legal system. Before joining IIMA in 2013, Nanda was Robert Braucher Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School, and, before that, a faculty member of Harvard Business School.Excerpts:On Skill DevelopmentThe debate about skill development should focus on creation of opportunities, not just jobs. To benefit from our demographic dividend, we must build the capabilities of India’s youngsters as they enter employable age so that they seek and leverage opportunities: opportunities to work in skilled jobs, but also opportunities to entrepreneurially develop new businesses and create jobs. And for that, our post-secondary education system needs to change on three dimensions. One, undergraduate education should have a liberal arts approach, so that the students develop broad perspectives and sample various subjects to find the ones to which they resonate. Two, professional education should be close to practice so that graduates of these professional schools have a good understanding of the real world when they enter it. Three, programs should be offered in bite size chunks for practising professionals, for education is now a life-long activity and, to remain on the cutting edge and to renew themselves, executives are increasingly going back to school throughout their work lives.On New IIMsThere is no doubt that we do not have the capacity to cater to the demand for quality management education in the country. For instance, less than one per cent of our applicants find their way to IIM – Ahmadabad every year. This is not to say that others are not qualified enough to receive world class management education. However, we need to think carefully whether setting up of more IIMs alone will solve this problem. Perhaps the easiest part of institution building is development of physical infrastructure. But, how do you ensure the best quality of faculty? How do you ensure the best education for students? Developing culture of academic excellence takes time. To build capacity, perhaps we should follow a mix of building some new IIMs and also strengthening existing IIMs. Leading IIMs that have the software of culture of academic excellence can grow hardware of additional physical capacity, and they can also mentor the new institutions that are being set up. We are already doing it in the case of the new IIM coming up in Nagpur.On Indian Institute of Management (Bill) 2015It is in a draft form and the ministry is in the process of getting stakeholder comments at the moment. I hope the Bill, in its final form empowers IIMs rather than centralises controls. Autonomy ensures efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation. And autonomy goes hand-in-hand with accountability. If IIM administrations is responsible for decisions, it should be held accountable for results as well. Centralisation is not the answer. It disempowers and reduces accountability.On Legal Services Industry In India:There is a joke in international legal circles. They say that the forecast about the Indian legal services has been consistent for over a decade now: that the industry will open up to foreign competition within the next three years. The fact remains that by not allowing international law firms to practice in India, we are losing out. Several companies with Indian operations, including Indian multinationals, are choosing locations, such as Singapore, to execute cross-border deals or to conduct arbitrations, because they prefer to work with the best of global legal talent in an efficient legal milieu. So, we are losing business. Opening up Indian legal system to foreign players not only brings some of that business back onshore but also offers jobs and career opportunities to young Indian lawyers. Increased competition motivates indigenous law firms to improve their quality.
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London-based BPP University, on Friday (3 July) announced a scholarship programme 'MBA full-time India Scholarship award” for the Indian students in collaboration with the British Council.The scholarship of 5000 sterling pound would be awarded to the talented Indian students on the basis of their academic credentials and work experience. The Scholarship aims at providing the Indian students the opportunity to work on 'competitive live business simulations.Simon Morris, Deputy International Commercial Director, said, “This scholarship has been designed to support the most talented and dedicated Indian students. BPP University’s International MBA is a Masters degree for individuals looking to expand their career options. This programme seeks to educate the students in the essential areas of business which will help them to develop their career. It will build on competencies and character qualities in addition to the development of particular skills”.The MBA degree follows a unique module of Employability Skills & Academic Practice (ESAP). It comes with an optional six months of work placement for practical insights into the professional work ethics in the United Kingdom (UK).Following the BPP University’s educational approach “where professionals teach professionals” the new 1 year MBA will be taught by the faculty with experience from both Fortune 500 global organisations as well as smaller entrepreneurial players, who will bring the workplace into the classroom.BPP University currently runs three intakes a year for the MBA / MSc programmes which are January, May & September. The Scholarship is designed to give Indian students a combination of academic and competency-based learning so that they are professionally prepared for a working environment.Sameer Sen, student BPP Business school said, “I have found BPP to be a supportive and stimulating environment for my further studies. The classroom environment is excellent as so many cultures are brought together for brainstorming and sharing ideas. At BPP University Business School, we have access to the very latest technology and electronic resources to support our learning along with valuable guidance of our tutors”.
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India's online education market is poised to grow to a $40 billion market by 2015, says Sameer ButiAccess to information 'anytime, anywhere' is becoming the defining mantra for educational digital learning solution providers in India. Traditional classroom teaching model has slowly metamorphosed into digital education learning platform, which is self-driven, 'eduprenuerial' and fast! - making India one of the biggest education markets in the world. Pupils well-versed with the likes of PlayStations and iPads, via digital learning, are making classroom environment more inclusive and participatory. India's online education market is poised to grow to a $40 billion market by 2015. With a robust internet ecosystem, number of schools and teachers are embracing the 'self-learning' teaching models serving as a significant bridge between students and teachers.Today, teachers are not just giving lectures; they are facilitating an e-learning culture via embracing new age digital media technologies serving the education industry. The scope of instant interactivity - given that students are 'mobility-driven' and want information fast at the press of the button - is generating demand of tablets and offline pendrives, which serves meticulously as a repository of online course (chapter-wise), for entrepreneurs to come up with their 'brainchild' of learning systems to best serve the effervescent and fast-growing education industry in India.With a vision to make education more contextualised, relevant, edgy, and agile, there are quite a few companies that have carved their business imperatives on one common theme: to make education spreadable, reachable, offline and online, affordable, and relevant for today's quick-witted students. The digital platforms, by a huge margin, strategically deal with the less innovative pedagogy styles and lack of teachers for specialized subjects - giving students the best e-learning experience and seeding an element of independency in their learning style.On a more social front, the digital alternatives like Integrated Digital Interactive Classroom (IDIC), Content Management System (CMS) and Classpad can bring an element of reliability in students - making them more competitive in their respective courses. With the PMO office going digital and mobile friendly, India is embracing technological advancements - especially how information is communicated. Against this backdrop, there is a huge potential for educators in India to leverage the missing link between teachers and their students - and bridge it with Classteacher
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Edx, an online learning platform, has tied up with Amnesty International to establishing an online platform for human rights education globally. Also, edX and Amnesty International will offer online courses from Amnesty’s global human rights experts.Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said, “From the seasoned activist who wants to learn more about human rights, to the technology entrepreneur whose interest has been piqued by the surveillance and privacy debate these new courses will have something for everyone".Amnesty International will offer a series of MOOCs over the next several years, starting in Fall 2015.Founded by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, EdX is a nonprofit, open-source enterprise offering online courses from more than 60 institutions, composed of both leading global universities and colleges and a diverse group of prominent organisations from around the world. It is focused on transforming online and on-campus learning through groundbreaking methodologies, game-like experiences and cutting-edge research on an open-source platform. Based in Cambridge, MA, USA, edX is focused on people, not profit.“EdX and Amnesty International are closely aligned in our shared mission to increase educational opportunities worldwide”, said Anant Agarwal, CEO edX and MIT professor. “For this reason, we are honoured to play a key part in providing high quality human rights education to learners across the globe. We hope that our global platform, with more than 4 million people from every country in the world, will be an ideal place for the organization to amplify its message of justice for all."
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Educational Testing Service (ETS) will award a total of $70,000 as Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL scholarships to ten exceptional students. This initiative supports a variety of educational initiatives helping students worldwide achieve their academic goals. The programme in India recognises TOEFL test takers who are pursuing undergraduate or graduate to study in India or abroad at nine thousand plus institutions across the world which accepts TOEFL test. Jennifer Brown, Executive Director of the TOEFL program said, “For the past several years, ETS has offered the TOEFL Scholarship Program in India to promote educational advancement of students, and we’re excited to continue this in 2015 and we are looking forward to learning more about the excellent pool of applicants and awarding 10 deserving students with the scholarships.” Students will be evaluated on English-communication skills, academic record, leadership skills and extracurricular activities. The eligibility criterions are: Must be a resident of IndiaMust begin undergraduate or graduate study between June 2015 and May 2016 at a university or college listed in the TOEFLMust hold a grade-point average of 80 or higher on a 100-point scale, or a 3.0 grade-point average or higher on a 4-point scaleShould demonstrate English proficiency with a valid TOEFL score Students need to apply online between June 15 and August 3. The semi-final will be held in August and winners will be announced in October this year.
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The bitter truth of today’s education system that we all know is that it’s broken. Parents know it, most teachers know it. The only one seems to be lagging behind in knowing these facts are the politicians. It is time they correspond to it. In today’s scenario seven out of the 10 jobs have not yet been invented for the students who are studying in school in India and the UK . So what is the point in drilling them purely on academic matters? What are their needs going to be, not only just surviving, but moving forward and making the difference to the world that most of them want to do? Notably our sages, especially from India, have always had the answer. We are now learning what it means to practice. Some of us are trying to make the education we offer reflect a new reality. Schooling needs to be at least as much about building good character as it does about achieving high academic progress. Swami Vivekananda has always been one of my heroes. His vision that in the heart of every pupil is a “divine being” awaiting release and fulfilment, it is extraordinarily reflected in the Platonic philosophical vision that beauty and goodness is innate in all. Every child is in fact bright, perfect and free. A real education must release this potential excellence. As a Headmaster for 10 years, I sought to build an educational environment where the virtues of courage, temperance, justice and wisdom could find real meaning in the lives of young people. And now, as Principal of ASIS, which represents 12 of Britain’s top Boarding Schools (www.angloschools.co.uk) I am trying to do the same here. That is why ASIS schools are giving scholarships up to 7 Crores and invite children from India to join our schools. Courage reflects itself in the ability to speak the truth and to say what you think, courageously. Those who learn to speak (preferably without note) will naturally lead and those who cannot will follow. Temperance is an ancient concept. Swami Vivekananda talked about it as ‘measure’ or moderation. I would like to take this as a learning how to overcome selfishness; how to care for those around you and to provide real service. “Take care of the service and the profits will look after themselves,” is an old business proverb, and one those youngsters setting out in the world need to hear. Justice is an alluring topic to teach young people about. It really means learning how to “do your duty”. A teacher, who does not turn up in the classroom well prepared, is rendering an “injustice” to his or her pupils. The magistrate who does not listen to the evidence before passing judgement is rendering an “injustice” too. To live justly is to live well. Corruption is rampant in modern society, and a ‘just’ man or woman will not go in that direction. Finally, there is wisdom. This is where the most profound change in education needs to take place. With the onset of ‘Google-Knowledge’, pretty much every fact can be found at the touch of the ‘search-key’. But who can understand human nature? Who knows whether a person is lying or not? Who knows whether the business risk is worth it or not? It takes wisdom, what I call wise decision-making. Only few schools are helping their pupils to differentiate between old-fashioned fact-based knowledge and wise discernment, based on principles and intuitive understanding. Just two years ago, I was asked to visit northern Iraq to talk to the Kurdish government about the future of education. There I saw nearly every state sponsored school had teaching staffs that was directed to in getting their pupils to pass academically-driven examinations. The curriculum had no philosophy, no opportunity or reflection on the important issues of life, no values-based subject discussion or dialogue. It was as barren as the surrounding desert. I would suggest that all countries should look whether their curriculums are any better; whether their teachers are equipped to open the emotional centre of the human being, which is essential in managing society in the years ahead? The OECD- PISA scores may say something about a country’s educational progress; but it is like measuring the health of a person by just looking at his brain. He has many more centres and they need nourishing too. The question I always ask parents is: what kind of human being do you want your child to become? And when I spell out the vision of what a human being is capable of (drawing Plato and Swami Vivekananda as inspirations) they almost agreed. And I expect the same response in India. In late January and early February I shall be offering an eight centre Lecture Tour, discussing a new vision for education. Honestly, I am drawing on the concept of the Dalai Lama, who once spoke in a meeting I attended: “What the world needs is an education in warm-heartedness!” “Yes,” I inwardly declared. “But what does it mean?” I have been working on a model and shall be presenting it to audiences during my lecture tour. It is both innovative and traditional. I hope it will reverberate in people’s hearts when they hear it; if it does, it stands the chance of working. Ranjit Sabikhi has been in practice as an Architect in New Delhi since 1961. He taught at the School of Planning & Architecture in New Delhi from 1959 to 1975 and has also been a Visiting Critic to the Urban Design Program at GSD Harvard University and the School of Architecture at Washington University St. Louis. The author, David Boddy, Principal, Anglo Schools International Services (ASIS)
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Rounak Sethi, an engineer from IIT Kanpur had interview calls from all major IIMs. He ended up converting most of them but chose not to join any. His friends look at him in disbelief as he lets go an IIM Ahmedabad seat. He is keen on studying in an Ivy League college. Neither is he the department rank 1 nor is he the student council president. He is somewhere in the middle. His is not an isolated trend!Over the last few years, an increasing number of Indian students are flocking to top business schools worldwide. In fact, Indian students are one of the largest nationalities in any of the top business schools. The crème de la crème from the best Indian institutions are choosing to head to the west rather than study at the hallowed portals of the IIMs. The article looks at this emerging trend.The glamour of doing an MBA from the IIMs has remained stagnant at best. A decade ago, doing an MBA from an IIM was paramount to being conferred with celebrity status. From superior matrimonial prospects to newspaper interviews to being worshipped in your residential colonies; life almost changed overnight! Over the last few years, the sheen of an MBA from IIM has worn off. Possible reasons that could have contributed to this could be the rapid increase in the number of IIMs and a significant increase in average batch size. At present, there are 13 IIMs with 5 new IIMs in the pipeline. Average batch size at the bigger IIMs has crossed 450.Post the economic downturn, the plush banking jobs from the London and New York desks have steadily declined. It hasn't helped that after so many years there are only 2-3 IIMs in the Financial Times Top 100 B-schools. Did You KnowAINSEAD batch has students from over 80 nations?Only 2 per cent of students at Harvard have flunked out?The phrase "Ivy League" is believed to have been coined by a sportswriter at the New York Tribune who used it disparagingly of Princeton and Columbia's football teams?Princeton's class of 2015 contains representatives from over 135 countries?The first IIT (Kharagpur) and the first IIM (Calcutta) were set up in West Bengal?Global exposure and better financing schemes have resulted in increased attractiveness of the international MBA from a top business school. With senior management roles becoming geography agnostic, an international role or an international education has almost become mandatory. As a result, young MBA aspirants are looking positively at an international MBA from a top business school.The experience offered at an international school in terms of diversity, study treks, alumni network is unmatchable. For instance, at London Business School, there are students from more than 80 countries in a batch. Any international MBA has typical study treks in countries like Turkey, China, South Africa, Germany, Hong Kong, etc. Students at INSEAD can study at three campuses the world over; Fountainbleau, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. The alumni network at these institutions is unparalleled with representations from more than 100 countries.The cost of an international MBA has remained steep. Students can expect to pay atleast $ 100,000 to complete a 2 year MBA at a top ranked school like Harvard or Stanford. However, universities are looking to increase affordability by offering graduate assistantship opportunities, easy loans and alternate sources of income. Even then, it nearly takes 3 years to pay back a loan for an international MBA.However, over the last few years, the cost of an MBA from India has increased steadily. For instance, the cost of an MBA at the Indian School of Business is nearly Rs 27 lakh. Importance of diversity, return on investment and preferred work location are key parameters to choose between an Indian and an international MBA. There is a clear case to do an MBA from an IIM. Especially if an aspirant wants to work and settle in India. No institute can promise a better starting point. The return on investment, in pure financial terms, is significantly more lucrative than an international MBA. More often than not, engineers who don't want to be in software technology use the IIM route to do something else.An MBA from a top 10 business school has a clear cut case in its favor. Global outlook, exceptional alumni network, incredible diversity, global roles being some of the few benefits. If an aspirant wants to work outside India for a few years, a top 10 business school is an extremely attractive proposition. The salary increase after an MBA is equally high. For instance, MBA candidates at London Business School reported a 107 per cent increase in salary after their MBA.However, if a candidate fails to secure a top 10 business school; the decision to choose between an IIM and a global business school borders on shades of grey. International business schools often don't have a 100 per cent placement track record. The prospect of not landing a high paying job in a shaky economy with a ridiculously high loan can be extremely challenging for an MBA candidate.Many IIM grads are pursuing their second MBAs at top business schools. Over the last few years, an increasing number of IIM graduates are pursuing their second MBA at top business schools worldwide. The traditional MBA program in India is largely directed towards individuals with a few years of work experience. More and more graduates are doing the second MBA at top business schools to give their careers an international boost, change their industry or geography or to avoid stagnation in their present jobs.In conclusion, studying in a top 10 business school is an experience of a lifetime. The entire package, comprising of unbelievable diversity, incredible alumni, and global job opportunities can't be matched by any Indian business school. However, the choice becomes tricky when the candidate has to choose between an institute not in the top 10 and an IIM.Rounak has a final admission call from Columbia business school. Although he has been rejected by Harvard and Stanford, he decides to study in Columbia amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City!The author is an MBA from IIM Bangalore, the author of "Yours Sarcastically" and a columnist. You can reach him at sandeepdas99@gmail.com
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