Mukesh Ambani’s diktat has demoralised teachers

Faculty members of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) are opposing the “disciplinary code” introduced against them by industrialist Mukesh Ambani who is also heads the institute’s board of governors.

Ambani is said have put in place a disciplinary code according to which “erring” faculty members, if found guilty, would be punished.

The disciplinary code came in the wake of faculty members’ opposition to several recommendations made by three committees appointed by the ministry of human resource development.

In a recently-submitted memorandum at the board of governors meeting attended by Ambani, faculty members clearly stated that the change of governance at Indian Institute of Managements, fixed lecture hours for faculty members and barring teachers from taking part in the decisions, would damage autonomy of top B-schools. They termed the code of discipline as dictatorial in nature. The teachers said that the conditions against faculty members were against the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

“Mukesh Ambani has humiliated and threatened IIMB faculty members with disciplinary action against them in case they do not tow his line. No faculty members from now onwards can raise issues against the director and dean of the institute,” said a teacher of the institute on condition of anonymity.

Another teacher lamented the fact that the faculty at IIMB was quite demoralised and they were passing their days in fear. “This will affect the work of professors at the institute, who are supposed to act as guides for aspiring managers of the country,” the teacher said.

The faculty members are also opposing the recommendations made by the committee on faculty and research of IIMs. Ajit Balakrishnan, chairperson of IIM-Calcutta, who heads the committee, had recommended that each teacher devote a minimum of 160 hours of teaching a year.

The recommendations by former Maruti Udyog chairman and IIM-Ranchi board chairman RC Bhargava, who heads the committee on governance structure of IIMs, said that the B-schools should put their managing society seats on sale. “This is nothing but corporatisation of IIMs and denying the B-schools their autonomy,” said the teacher.