State-run management institute JBIMS' board hasn't met since June

There could not be a more embarrassing situation for the University of Mumbai and Maharashtra's ace state-run management institute. On papers, the two claim to have left no stone unturned in bringing industries closer to the academia but the fact is that the board members of Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) have not met in months as they are in the docks for "procedural lapses".

The offices of board members, including industry stalwarts such as ICICI Bank MD Chanda Kochhar, Kotak Mahindra MD Uday Kotak, Piramal Group chairman Ajay Piramal and Mckinsey India's Noshir Kaka, are regularly following up with the JBIMS to know about the schedule of the institute's next management board meeting, so that they can adjust their busy bosses' diary accordingly.

The institute's officials, however, have literally no answer to a simple query. The board has to meet every three months. The last meeting was held in June 2015. During its formation in July 2014, the board sought autonomy from the University of Mumbai. Ever since then, the 10-member management board is facing the allegations of "procedural lapses".

The so-called "lapses" came to the fore in June 2015, soon after the institute and its parent body MU got new heads – Dr Chandrahauns R Chavan and Dr Sanjay Deshmukh respectively. From then the board meetings stopped. Launch of new academic programmes and other crucial things came to a standstill, despite JBIMS being an autonomous institute.

Sources claimed that the new vice-chancellor and director found "irregularities" in the formation of the board, as "proper procedure" was reportedly not followed by the previous director and the then VC while nominating them.

The new V-C, Dr Deshmukh, has reportedly put the matter on hold, leading to speculation that the board might be dissolved or reconstituted abruptly without completing the mandatory three-year term.

Meanwhile, dna came to know that the institute reportedly didn't issue an official letter informing the industry leaders about their nomination. Only the university's approval letter about composition of the board was reportedly shared with the nominees.

The corporate leaders also accepted the nomination in the goodwill and also due to emotional connect with the college, without asking for an official letter. They included Kochhar, Piramal, Kotak and Kaka, alumni of the JBIMS. Industrialist Niraj Bajaj, Anand Patwardhan adjunct professor of Amrita University and three professors of the institute, including director, are also a part of the board.

Sources said the letters can be issued even now, to save the honour of the institute and the board members. Top university officials, however, are making a mockery of the institute and the university due to vested interests.

An insider from the institute claimed that V-C Dr Deshmukh is pressing for his own nomination and hence delaying the matter.

Former JBIMS director Kavita Laghate admitted the letters were not issued to the members but said it was not a big deal. She, however, claimed, "The university statutes were followed during formation of the board and the then management council approved it. I have nothing to say further."

JBIMS director Dr Chandrahauns R Chavan said, "Neither me nor the V-C has challenged the board formation. Nevertheless, the ball is in the V-C's court." When asked why the institute needed the V-C's nod, Dr Chavan said, "Certain things are still under the purview of V-C."

PRO of the university Leeladhar Bansod said, "The V-C phone is unreachable for some reason. I will still try." When dna got in touch with the Dr Deshmukh, he said, "Your information is wrong. There were some internal queries related to JBIMS functioning details, which I would not like to share with you. Besides, we have adopted a system to communicate with the media. You should speak to our PRO for further questions. I will tell my answers to him."