The delay in appointing a director for the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, (IIML) came in for sharp criticism from none other than the chairman, board of governors at IIML, JJ Irani.
Irani, also director of Tata Sons, expressed his discontentment over the fact that the Centre is yet to take a final call on the appointment of director and said the indecision would hamper the autonomy of the institute.
?We are supposed to be an autonomous institute, but if we cannot appoint our own director, where lies our autonomy?? quipped Irani, who was present at IIML to participate in Manfest, the business conclave organised by the students.
?The proposed names from our end were submitted long back to the government and even we have lost track of the file and do not know where it is stuck,? he said.
Speaking on behalf of the board of governors, Irani pointed out, ?It has taken painfully a long time and we the board directors are worried as well as sad?.
He added, ?However, these four weeks have transformed into four months and there is still no word from the government.?
It may be mentioned that the term of former IIML director Devi Singh completed four months ago but the government has failed to appoint a permanent director for the post.
The search-cum-selection committee had proposed an extension to Devi Singh.
The second choice was of Prof DK Bandhopadhyay, who is vice-chancellor of Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi and has been associated with IIML in the past.