IIM-B Singapore no go: Govt

New Delhi: On Wednesday, the Human Resource Development Ministry shot down IIM Bangalore's proposal of setting up a campus in Singapore.

A letter by the HRD ministry to IIM bangalore stated that there was a huge demand within the country and that IIM-B should not set up an overseas campus. IIM-B says its overseas operations won't affect its activities adversely.

IIM Bangalore has been recognised as an international B-school since its inclusion in the Wall Street Journal’s list of top 100 business schools World Wide. It was the only Indian B-school in the list.

It would have been the first time in the history of India that an Indian Institute of Management would be opening a campus outside India, in the form of a Research and Management Education Center in Singapore.

IIM-B would have been the third Business School of the Wall Street Journal’s Top 100 Business Schools to have a Campus in Singapore — the other two being INSEAD and the Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago.

IIM-B had planned to bring management education within each reach of businesses and executives in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia.

The institute wanted to start part time MBA programs for middle level executives, Executive MBA Programs for senior level executives and Short duration Executive Education Programs for Managers.

There was even a plan to start a Customized Executive Education Program for companies.

Students across the country agree with the government's verdict of not allowing IIM to cross the sea.

Says Akshay Singhania of Mumbai, "It's better if we have more campuses in India. It will not only attract Indian students but also foreign students. The London Business School has no branch outside London and today it is a brand name with the world's best placements. Even IIM can become the same. We need IIMs more."

Amogh Kulkarni agrees. "We need more campuses because we don't have many great institutions in India and the options are less. So it's better if we have more IIMs in India itself."

Says Rahul Shirke, "We need more IIMs in our country, because the service sector in India is booming and it needs more businessmen, entrepreneurs and managers."