Building excellence, replicating it

It is not worthwhile to comment on the IIM bill without first asking how excellence is built and how government can learn from it. After all, it is more difficult to build institutions of excellence in higher education than to destroy them. One does not always need the government to do so; personally ambitious educationists, mediocre leadership and boards vulnerable to lobbying can do so much more easily. The IIMs can be divided into three groups: the top three, A, B, C, perhaps in that order; then the next three or four slightly older IIMs; and finally the new IIMs. Their need for governance and support are at variance. Some need mentoring by the oldest IIMs and others need much more support to be autonomous and assertive. All of them need to be accountable to stakeholders so as to serve the country's larger needs.

The first challenge is to make leaders in government sit with the faculty of the top three IIMs (not just with directors and chairpersons), understand the way excellence was achieved and learn ways of replicating it. Excellence cannot be delegated, or learnt from a few position-holders who may or may not have achieved it personally. Once the HRD ministry listens to the faculty, it may realise the extraordinary scope that exists in drawing upon institutions of excellence to meet various challenges.

It should be remembered that when the IIMs were attaining excellence, they were supported by government a great deal. To say government support is not needed anymore is not true. Even top IIMs need government help to serve those constituencies that deserve their services, but cannot desire them due to the costs. How do such constituents, be they educational institutions in the Northeast, J& K or other conflict-prone regions, get served by the best? The connect between society and institutions of excellence needs a new social contract.

... contd.

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