What is your take on the IIT-IIM faculty pay revision issue?

Fortunately the controversy over the pay revision of IIT-IIM faculty is resolved amicably because both the faculty and the HRD minister have been sensitive to each other's point of view.

First, as employer the government has the right to decide on the pay of those employed in the institutions run by it. If there are issues like attraction and retention of talent they need to be addressed. The comparison of faculty pay cannot be only on basic pay and the few monitory allowances, but on the total package and the total package, including share in consultancy is quite attractive. Though, nearly two thirds of the faculty may not get much additional revenue by consultancy either due to lack of scope or personal brand equity.

Today in IIMs there are additional payments for teaching above the threshold minimum workload. There are reasonable incentives for research. They get extra payment for conducting executive education programmes as well. It is possible to earn as much as the salary itself by such incentives. However, this additional remuneration may vary from nil in a few cases to fifty per cent of pay in many cases.

What are your expectations from the newly formed UPA Government?

The initial cabinet sworn indicates that PM has gone for a tested & conservative cabinet (except for Railways & External Affairs) which is always better particularly given the economic slowdown. In the immidiate term, once they have ironed out with allies the cabinet formation, the budget should focus on economic stimuli and prioritise infrastructure development and aim at 8.0 % + GDP growth. Also some positive steps may be taken up with US to shore up IT/ITES and outsourcing. Opening up the retail sector will boost employment generation. We have not had any clear directions in agricultural sector except the subsidy regime which may not stimulate agriculture growth but may be counter-productive. Water management is another issue needing attention to boost agriculture productivity. With left front not doing backseat driving the above should be possible.
 
We need to see who the incumbent HRD Minister will be - to steer away from predecessors in that instead of focusing on reservation look at structural changes in Higher education and rejuvenate Knowledge commission.

With major recruiters Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch filing for bankruptcy, what do you think could be the after-effects on placements?

"We have a portfolio of recruiters who form a great sectoral mix. The sectoral mix will temporarily change and we are ready for it. We develop our students in all sectors based on their interests for a career build up. The students are competent to handle the renewed recruiter mix and we have no major issues on this account. Our students also get training in dual specializations which will take care of this temporary situation and help them in their placements. We are confident of 100 per cent placement as usual which has been happening year after year."

Should the existing IIMs help the new IIMs setting up and mentor them? What would be the role of the committee formed by HRD ministry as a mentor?

I see the problem as being two-sided: Supply side: The established IIMs, specially IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta, have their hands full. They are running new programs and their class sizes have increased significantly. It would be very difficult for their faculty to devote enough time to the new IIMs. Faculty might find the time to be on advisory boards of the new IIMs, but they might find it impossible to neglect their current responsibilities for any length of time to spend (say) a term teaching at another institute.

Demand side: It is not clear that the new IIMs would want to be 'mentored' by the existing ones. They might feel that it would infringe on their autonomy and make them 'second-class' IIMs.

I feel that mentoring is too strong a requirement. There is an informal network amongst faculty everywhere. If the new IIMs need help formally, then government might think of creating an advisory body for them all, consisting of senior IIM faculty. Other than that, the new IIMs should try to use the informal network to get teachers where there is a shortage. The Government can facilitate this by mandating that a faculty who has been requested for help and who is willing to do help out, should be released by the parent institution.