Saturday, January 21 2006 16:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: With other Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) planning to amend the Memorandum of Association (MoA) to enable them to expand overseas, IIM Calcutta (IIM-C) has decided not to follow suit as the institute does not have any immediate plan to foray abroad.

Director of IIM-C Shekhar Chowdhury told sources today (Jan 21,2006) "We are not going to amend the MoA for expanding overseas. There are no plans to set up branches abroad."

This puts to rest the speculation that IIM-C may join IIM-Bangalore and IIM-Ahmedabad to amend its MoA for offshore foray despite the Centre discouraging such a move.

The issue of amending MoA of IIMs came into spotlight soon after the HRD ministry refusing IIM Bangalore to set up a centre in Singapore suggesting that the institute should first take care of the domestic requirements.

The request to open a branch in Singapore came from the Government of that country for grooming professional managers, an area where the IIMs have excelled themselves and earned considerable reputation in the world.

The IIM-B, however, looked determined for an offshore foray as its Board of Governors yesterday approved amendment of its MoA enabling the institute to open branches abroad. The move came following softening of stand by HRD minister Arjun Singh who had earlier said that the IIMs have to change their MoA for going abroad.

The present MoA of the IIMs, signed in 1973, does not allow the institutes to open branches abroad.

Directors of all the six IIMs are scheduled to meet Arjun Singh on February 1 to discuss issues pertaining to autonomy.