Chavan wants IIM in city

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan wants an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the Mumbai region. He will send a proposal to this effect to the Centre as soon as possible.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan wants an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the Mumbai region. He will send a proposal to this effect to the Centre as soon as possible.

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“The state has all kinds of top education institutes except an IIM. And, there cannot be a more ideal place than the city to have one because the place will attract a better faculty,” Chavan told Hindustan Times after reviewing the state’s higher education scene at the Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday. The meeting took several policy decisions in higher education.

Chavan said he did not want to miss out on an IIM because earlier the state lost the International School of Business (ISB) to Andhra Pradesh. “ISB wanted land in Navi Mumbai but we could not meet the demand well in time. As a result, the school went to AP.”

The CM said the state did not get an IIM in the recent allotment. “But I will approach the Centre and follow it up and get it in the second round of allotments.”

In other decisions, Chavan asked the higher and technical education department to reduce the number of proposals for new colleges. The government received 296 proposals for junior and senior colleges in arts, science and commerce faculties this year.

Higher and technical education minister Rajesh Tope said the numbers could go down to 150. “The University of Mumbai has proposed 74 colleges while Aurangabad has proposed the highest number of 100.”

Tope said the numbers will decrease after the proposals are scrutinised on the basis of norms. “The managements need to have their own land, laboratories and faculties for getting the colleges approved.”