IIMC bid to overcome faculty crisis

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 3, 2007
One of the premier management institutions in the country, IIMC is facing a shortage of teachers. But they are formulating ways of getting round the problem.
IIMC current faculty strength is 70 and authorities are trying to fill up 20 positions. The problem they are facing is the lack of quality instructors. And with the implementation of the 27 per cent OBC quota, it will require 125 more in the coming years. Though the institute wants to maintain 1:7 teacher student ratio, due to funds crunch and unavailability of quality teachers, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has asked the institution to maintain a 1:14 teacher student ratio.
“Irrespective of implementation of OBC quota, IIMs will have to increase their intake, but the shortage of teachers has become a major impediment. I have thought of some schemes to increase our faculty strength systematically. We have had some discussions but the schemes will be officially adopted only after it is discussed and passed in the faculty council meeting,” said IIMC director Shekhar Chaudhuri.
The first formula that IIMC will consider is taking in people who have studied in reputed institutions and served in high managerial positions for more than a decade. IIMC authorities feel that way the institute will get faculty with industry experience, which in turn will be beneficial for students.
But then everyone from the industry might not prove to be good teachers. So the institute plans to put them through a training program. “Industry people interested in becoming teachers would have to undergo a one-year program after which we will select our faculty from amongst them,” said Chaudhuri.
The institute also knows it would be difficult to lure such people away from their high-paid jobs. To get round that problem, bright students who have completed their PhD in any topic might be considered. During the last academic session less than 10 students took up the fellowship program but not all of them end up becoming teachers. Hence taking in PhDs from other streams could be a winning formula. Once the students are screened and selected they could take a preparatory course and work with the existing faculty for one to two years and then go on to become full time faculty members. “Those having a PhD already have the knack for research and are very academic minded. They could prove to be good teachers,” the IIMC director said.
The institute will also consider the option of taking teaching assistants who would help the faculty. Since remuneration of teachers is not high compared to many other sectors, IIMC is also planning to secure corporate donations and alumni grant to create a pool from which they can offer more money to the faculty.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com