IIM-A plans satellite campus near Hyderabad

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has finally agreed to set up a satellite campus near Hyderabad. The decision was taken at a board meeting of the premier B-school on June 24, according to government officials.

IIM-A will set up a strategy committee next month to look into the various aspects of setting up the campus. The faculty at this campus will be part of IIM-A. "This is IIM-A in Hyderabad, and not IIM-Hyderabad,'' a state government official clarified.

"We would like to bring up a facility at Hyderabad but would also need a corpus of Rs 100-120 crore (Rs 1-1.2 billion) for the same. Either the government or the local industry would have to contribute towards this. We, however, will not accept it (financial aid) if it comes with strings attached like asking for quota for students, etc," IIM-A Director Samir Barua said when asked to comment on the issue.

"We could begin with our one-year management programme for executives as that would be the most feasible option and later expand. While faculty is a perennial issue, we would have to stretch the same. I however, cannot put a deadline to the proposal," he added.

The process was initiated by the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who had written to the IIM-A management, urging it to set up a campus in his state.

He had promised to provide 150 acres near Hyderabad for the proposed campus, and also, if necessary, arrange an interest-free loan to the tune of Rs 100 crore. However, the proposal went on the back burner following his death in a helicopter crash in September 2009.

The incumbent chief minister, K Rosaiah, resurrected the issue when he wrote a letter to the IIM- A management again on May 31, reiterating the commitment of the state government.

"We will facilitate the same by allocating the necessary land and providing required support for realisation of IIM-A's seamless campus initiative," Rosaiah said in a letter to Vijaypat Singhania, chairman, board of governors of IIM-A.

"Having a campus (IIM-A) in the state will give a decisive advantage to your students and faculty in terms of exposure to new sectors as Hyderabad hosts vibrant information technology hub, biotech valley, pharma industry and financial services besides being home to many infrastructure companies," the chief minister stated in his letter.

The state government, meanwhile, is encouraging management, science and technology institutes to set up their campuses in the state to create skilled manpower base to sustain higher economic growth. It has invited Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, CMC Vellore, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (Pilani) and others.