IIM wait continues, HRD to clarify now

NEW DELHI: For the nearly 5,000 students hoping for a berth in the IIMs, the ordeal continues. With the Supreme Court having agreed to hear the public interest petition against reservation of seats in central educational institutions for other backward classes on May 8, rather than on the scheduled August 23rd, the possibility of IIM admissions being held in abeyance till the Court hears the case has opened up yet again.

Late afternoon on Tuesday, the human resource development minister indicated that a resolution to the IIM admission issue would be found by evening. However, no decision was taken. In all likelihood the minister will make an announcement on Wednesday.

The decision being discussed in the HRD ministry could impinge on the fate of students across all central education institutions. Unlike the April 19 directive, the any decision the HRD ministry takes can't be limited to the IIMs.

While the Supreme Court declined on Monday to remove its stay on the OBC quota, it agreed on Tuesday to hear the original petition against the quotas, based on which it had stayed implementation of the new quota, on May 8.
According to present estimates, waiting till the Court's decision on May 8 to announce the IIM selection lists is likely to upset the institutes’ academic calendar.

On April 5, the HRD ministry issued an order to all central education institutions. In this order sent to all central educational institutions, the ministry asked them to "not issue any offers of admission for the academic year 2007 until such institutions receive further communication in this regard from the Central government, which will be given at the earliest".

The April 19 communication, which was in response to the April 12 letter from the IIMs, the ministry has said, "any unilateral decision by any Central education institution would be a violation of the said [April 5] communication.

It is further clarified that the Central government is equally concerned with the problems in the short term that may be faced by the institutions and some sections of students due to delay in issuing offers of admission, and is taking all steps necessary to facilitate admissions of all sections of students in the Central Educational Institutions at the earliest."