The Ministry of Union Human Resource Development (HRD) has written to Indian Management Institutes (IIMs) saying that prestigious business schools cannot offer one-year postgraduate management degrees as University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations do not permit such a practice, said people familiar with the matter. The advisory was released after the ministry of Union law delivered its opinion on the matter, they added.
The IIM Act passed to the premier institutes in 2017 for academic autonomy also gave the 20 IIMs the right to award degrees. Until then, there has been a controversy as to whether IIMs should offer one year postgraduate courses.
An official said about six to seven IIMs have started one-year degree programs or are in the process of doing the same, including the leading ones at Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. Some also received diplomas last year, the official said, calling for anonymity.
