AICTE's List Of Unapproved Colleges. Includes ISB

Just two days before AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) had released its list of Unauthorized colleges/institutions which shows that the well known institute ISB, Hyderabad (Indian School Of Business) is among those 43 institutions being listed out.

Is ISB really an Unauthorized Institute? Well, this news shall put students who are pursuing their studies in ISB into Panic. Well, for your confirmation, ISB runs a one-year programme and the AICTE does not approve of one year MBA's, hence the name has been added to the list.

"There is nothing more to our name being listed. It is not a big issue. We run a one year programme which the AICTE does not approve for", said the ISB's Senior Director of Admissions and Career Advancement. AICTE Chairman Mr.SS Mantha said "ISB never came to us for approval. And we don't agree to one year programmes."

Mr.Menon answered over SS Mantha and said "Since AICTE does not approve one year programmes, we did not seek approval".

However, ISB is one of the few non-IIM schools to stand out in the field of B-Schools in the Country. The matter should have put to an end there, but in fact as per the rules of AICTE, the institutions that are mentioned on the 'Unauthorized' list will not be allowed to take up fresh admissions next year. But, Why is AICTE against One year MBA programme? SS Mantha had an answer for this, he said "Its very simple, it is not as per the UGC rules and AICTE follows the guidelines set by the UGC. Since UGC does not permit, we don't as well."

What is the reason behind UGC, for not approving One year Programmes? An AICTE official had an answer for this. He said "Given the fact that the there are many who decide to do the MBA soon after their graduation, two years makes better sense. Even a two year programme is not really two years if you count the time spent on internship, holidays and more activities. Which is why if a one year programme is allowed, the actual time spent in the programme may be just 6-8 months which is really sorry for the kind of less charged these days."

Based on the Guidelines provided by AICTE, "A business school offering an MBA course of two years has to provide a minimum of 1,050 to 1,200 hours of classroom teaching; it is half (600 hours) for colleges offering the year-long programme with a minimum of 100 hours spent on project work or an industry-based assignment." Yet an another question lacks behind. The One year Programmes that are being run by the XLRI School of Business and Himan Resources, Jamshedpur and the Great lakes Institute of Management, Chennai did not get the AICTE earmark or has not been set aside. Why?

According to the sources, XLRI has got the approval after it extended itss 12 month programme to 15 months and Great Lakes got a 'Certificate' approval from AICTE for its 12 months Course. Then Why not ISB, Hyderabad? In-fact the ISB got the Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation last year. The AACSB is considered as a benchmark of quality internationally among the B-schools.

An AICTE official alleged that "Rules are not made for nothing at all. With so many third grade MBA industries in every corner of the country, some semblance of rules makes sense especially for those seeking admission in two-tier schools. You are only talking about the schools that are doing well, llok at the majority of them lower in the order. If you see what they have to offer, it is so shocking and over that they charge huge fees too."

Another faculty said "Rules frames by the AICTE are generally for the larger good. They aim for those fly-by-night operators who are in the business only to make quick bucks. In the bargain however, big institutes also fall prey. But AICTE cannot make two sets of rules so till some more amendments are made to the AICTE Act, nothing much will change."

However, candidates who seek admissions in the top/best MBA colleges in India don't even bother to check if that college is been approved by the Government or not.