FROM our very first B-School special issue (released in 2010), we have been harping on the need for institutions to be transparent. Each year we have faced varying degrees of difficulty in getting data from institutions. Ironically, even though there is no binding government directive. Most private institutions at least provide us some information. But invariably it is the public institutions who behave like ostriches.

An IIM director almost abused our reporter for having the temerity to file an RTI with 32 questions. We are forced to file them because institutes do not give out data, which is routinely available in any self-respecting foreign B-School. This year ,interestingly, we got responses from most IIMs and half the IITs. But this response from IIMA takes the cake! We asked IIMA questions regarding, programme, student qualifications, faculty qualifications, teaching load, publications record, amongst other things.  The Public Information officer  decides there is “NO PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE INFORMATION YOU ASKED”.

If the way IIMA, which is built on tax payers money runs is not of public interest, what else is? And who  gave the PIO the power to decide what is of public interest?
 

IIM A's response to Careers360's RTI

We have of course filed an application with the appellate authority. But the point is that  IIMA as  a standard bearer of management education in the country must have been the first to disclose  these information pro-actively in the public domain. They must inform what is the productivity of their faculty, how much money  the institute makes, how many papers does the faculty publish and where do they publish them. If IIMA publishes this kind of information other players would be forced to follow suit. And the general level  of management education  in the country would improve.

We wonder, does the grand daddy of management education, have feet of clay?