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    The Human Resource Development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, has emphasized the need for removing rigidity from the curriculum of Management Education allowing greater flexibility and value system. He was speaking after receiving a report of Policy-Perspectives for Management Education here today. He called for integrating management education with the country’s ethos and problems. Management institutions in India should not be carbon copies of those in other countries, he said.

    The 18 Member Committee set up in January 2000 and headed by Prof. Ishwar Dayal, former Director, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow , has taken an over view of the management education in the country, identifying problem areas and suggested wide-ranging recommendations for upgradation of the quality of education. The Committee has recommended changes in educational content and structure, sepcialisation of sectoral areas, development of faculty and the teaching material as well as different types of programmes for executives at different levels. It has also recommended accreditation procedures for grading teaching institutions. The Committee has held that it is necessary to reduce the number of courses and increase field-based projects dealing with live problems. It is also necessary to upgrade technology initially in at least 15 to 20 institutions which have the requisite level of faculty and support systems. Recommending greater flexibility in course planning, the Committee has suggested that the institutions should develop their own expertise.

    The Committee has also recommended the setting up of an exclusive institution for faculty development which should network with other institutions. Highlighting the need for research, it has called for strengthening the Ph.D programme, provided additional scholarships and institution of awards for exceptional students.

    Scanning the scenario of Management Education, the Committee felt that while there have been massive changes in the teaching of management during the last 50 years, Indian Management Institutions, with the few exceptions, have been left behind. .Globalisation , rise of market economy, development in technology and communication have triggered the need for trained manpower in all classes of economy and services.

    The Committee has recommended that of the 744 Management Institutions in the country, some were not following conditions prescribed by the AICTE regarding faculty strength, library, computer facilities and others. They are not promoting research for development of faculty and teaching material. The AICTE is also unable to develop an adequate mechanism for enforcing standards because of rapid expansion of teaching institutions, the Committee said.