Swine flu may halt IIM-A exchange programme

MUMBAI: One of the world's biggest exchange programmes, wherein students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A) get a chance to choose from among 38 prominent B-schools in the world to complete their final semesters, may be shelved this year because of the swine flu outbreak.

The initial processes for the exchange programme that begins from August are yet to take off as IIM-A officials wait for a green light from the government. "If the swine flu threat continues; and unless the government gives us the green light, the process will not be initiated," IIM-A spokesperson Ishita Dixit told ET.

Over 100 IIM-A students were supposed to take part in the exchange programme this year. The participating institutes included Stern School of Business, Columbia Business School, HEC School of Management and Stockholm School of Economics.

"It is obvious that with most of the European countries sealing their borders, coupled with the fact that swine flu issue will take at least some time to resolve, educational exchange programmes are bound to be severely affected," said another IIM-A official.