New Delhi: Infosys Chief N R Narayana Murthy, who is the chairman of the Board of Governors of IIMs (Indian Institute of Management), met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday (Feb 14, 2004) and was understood to have discussed the issue of Government's decision to reduce the IIM fees by 80 per cent.

Narayana Murthy was accompanied by Vindi Banga, chairman of HLL (Hindustan Levers Limited), and K V Kamath, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of ICICI (Industrial Credit Investment Corporation of India) and a member of the Board of Governors.

They were understood to have urged the Prime Minister to reconsider the Government's decision on the ground that at a time when subsidies were being eliminated, the reduction of fees would harm the reforms process, as it would amount to paying for elite education.

The fees reduction may also impinge on the autonomy of the IIMs, as they may have to depend on the Government for increased grants, they were believed to have told the Prime Minister.