SHILLONG, Sept 20 - The �best of the best� students from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) across the country would probably be entitled for scholarship soon under the Prime Minister�s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS.)
Union Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar said here today that the proposal is in line with PMSS, which has recently been approved for meritorious students from the Indian Institute of Technology.
�The PMSS for the best students of IITs has been approved. We had a discussion to start the PMSS for best of the best students of IIMs,� he said after a meeting with Directors and Chairmen of IIMs from across the country.
The meeting was held after a gap of two years and Javadekar said it would be held more frequently from now on to engage the IIMs actively in government initiatives. �The meeting with the Directors and Chairmen of the IIMs was productive and successful,� Javadekar stated.
It was agreed in the meeting that the student intake across all IIMs should be increased from the present 10,000 to 20,000. Javedkar, however, did not give a timeframe for the increased intake.
�We have plans to increase the internal intake of IIM students from 10,000 to 20,000. The IIM Directors and Chairmen would submit an action plan in this regard soon,� he said.
To overcome the shortage in faculty, discussions were held on the possibility to expand the PhD programmes in the IIMs. As part of the expansion programme, more fellowships would be awarded to those pursuing PhD programmes.
He said these PhD scholars could then fill up the shortage of faculties in the IIMs in the near future as teaching skills would also be inculcated through these PhD programmes.
It was also decided that the IIMs would participate in a new initiative of the government to create 20 world class universities and institutes across the country.
Moreover, the Directors and Chairmen of IIMs have also decided to create content for �Swayam� � a free online educational programme from Class 9 to Post Graduation level. The online programme would also be available on TV and there would be lectures, tutorials, examination and finally certification.
