The Centre is sitting on the appointment of the director of IIM Calcutta, months after the B-school sent a list of names to the education ministry for approval of the Visitor, who is the President of India.

The education ministry is also dragging its feet on the appointment of chairpersons in 15 IIMs, including IIM Calcutta, while allowing the incumbent chairpersons to continue on extended terms indefinitely.

The ministry declined to share any information on the progress made on the appointments when The Telegraph tried to access information through an RTI application.

“Currently, the matter is under process in the ministry. Therefore, information may not be shared at this stage,” the education ministry said in its reply.

In 2023, Parliament passed the IIM (Amendment) Act, which abolished the earlier provision that empowered the board of governors (BoGs) of IIMs to appoint their chairpersons and directors. The amended law, which was notified on August 16, 2023, said the chairperson would be nominated by the Visitor and the director's appointment has to be approved by the Visitor after the BoG recommends the names based on suggestions of a search-cum selection panel.

IIM Calcutta sent the names to the education ministry around four months ago. The ministry has to send the names to the President’s office for final approval. However, the file is still lying with the ministry.

Prof Anindya Sen, former director-in-charge of IIM Ranchi, said the in-charge directors usually hesitate to take decisions beyond routine matters unless supported by the BoG.

"The institutes’ long-term growth and development is affected if there is no regular director,” Sen said.

IIM Calcutta has a plot of land in Rajarhat. It has plans to create infrastructure there for running management development programmes. Some of the hostels need immediate repair. All these decisions are delayed as the institute does not have a regular director and chairperson, two institute officials said.

A senior official of an IIM said: "The education ministry has to send the names of distinguished persons to the Visitor for appointment as IIM chairpersons. But it is not doing anything,” the official said.

In the RTI query, the ministry was asked about the law that allows the continuation of chairpersons who were appointed in 2017 and 2018. The ministry did not respond to the question.