In a strong letter sent to the HRD ministry on April 11, he has underlined that he did discuss the issue with HRD Minister Arjun Singh who had agreed to the hike. Singhania, who had announced a 20-fold increase in scholarships and a relaxation in financial-aid criteria, criticised the review committee, headed by Maruti Udyog chairman R C Bhargava, for ignoring all other issues that it was supposed to “review” and instead exclusively focusing on the fee hike.

“The IIM Review committee was to deliberate on several issues and give its final report within six months, none of which it has sought to give in its final report, except asked us to hold back increased fees without assigning any reason, and that too a week after we announced the change. Is this fair? Why only IIMA fee change is mentioned in it and not increases by other IIMs?”

“The Committee was to give a report on the Chairman’s role within a month of its formation in October, 2007. How come no mention of it in its interim report? The Ministry on considering their recommendations may decide to give suitable directives to the IIMs. Till then, the Board decision taken in its March meeting stands,” he said.

Singhania added, “My role, as defined in the Memorandum of Association of the IIMA is limited to the conduct of the Board of Governors and the IIMA Society meetings. I am not authorized by my Board to change or hold back implementation of any of their decisions.”

Singhania’s sharp letter has deepened the stand-off between the HRD ministry and IIMA even as the review committee is set to visit the campus on April 25.

IIMA director Sameer Barua, in anticipation of the visit and the Board of Governors’ meeting on April 26, has called for an emergency Faculty Council meeting tomorrow which will be attended by all IIMA faculty members.

The fee hike controversy was rekindled after Higher Education Secretary R P Agarwal met the review committee members in his office on April 4 and “received” the “interim report” questioning the fee hike by IIMA and recommending that hikes by all IIMs be stopped. This was forwarded to the IIMs on April 7.