It was exactly 5 years ago that JAM magazine first published the story 'The Truth about IIPM'S Tall Claims' in its issue dated Jun 15-29 2005.
This was the first time that any media in India had examined the claims made by IIPM in its ubiquitous full page advertisements where it dared students to 'dream beyond IIMs'.
As readers of this blog would be aware, IIPM carried out a malicious personal attack on me, for publishing this article. Legal action was threatened but never initiated.
We had full documentary evidence for every claim we had questioned, and wherever we had found the institute lacking.
Last week, there was a new development.
We recieved a notice from Silchar in Assam, where the Hon Civil Judge no 1 at Cachat had passed an injunction restraining us from displaying the above article. As per the court's instruction, we have temporarily removed the link to the article.
Let me assure you JAM will seek legal recourse against this injunction. As the matter is sub-judice I would not like to get into the details.
However, the following questions are pertinent:
1) If IIPM had a strong case why did it not file one in 2005. when the article was originally published?
2) The head office of JAM is in Mumbai, while that of IIPM is in New Delhi. So why has a case been filed in Silchar?
Apart from this, why does IIPM continue to fight a proxy internet campaign to malign me by spidering a blog created by 'IIPM Student-9' where I am referred to as a trickster publishing a yellow journal.
(No I am not providing a link here, the offending page appears when you type my name in google on the first page of 'search results'.)
I have faith in the country's judicial system as regards the protection of free speech. And I believe journalists must continue to write free and fair reports in the public interest, regardless of the pressures and pulls involved.
Thank you all for your love and support.
Showing posts with label IIPM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IIPM. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, July 21, 2008
IIPM's 'international placements'
The latest series of ads from IIPM touts its 'international placements'. As per figures released in the ad, all IIMs placed 249 students abroad, ISB placed 111 and IIPM placed 165.
What's more, one of the ads now uses an article published in Hindustan Times on 13 July 2008 titled 'B-schooled in India, Placed abroad' to support the IIPM claim.
This article featured two IIPM alumni- Saumya Sharma (29), working with ANZ bank in Melbourne and Poulomi Basu (29), working with Lehman Bros, New York.
However, as a student I would still have the following questions:
a) Which companies exactly did 165 students who secured 'international placements' get their jobs?
b) What was the average salary package for these international placements (all reputed bschools release average salary figures for Indian and international placements as a matter of routine).
c) How does this salary package compare with that offered to students of IIMs, ISB, FMS, MDI etc.
d) What about job profile and designation?
Re: the HT article:
a) It mentions that Poulomi Basu 'bagged a First Class First in Personnel Management and Marketing Management' (from IIPM) - something that helped her considerably in gaining admission to good universities in the US.
This implies that Poulomi did a second degree in the US. And therefore her job at Morgan Stanley in New York and now Lehman Brothers cannot be attributed to a placement at IIPM.
b) This paragraph in Saumya's story struck me as odd:
“Packed with my MBA and stories that I had heard from Dad about his experience overseas, I decided to come to Australia to begin my career.” And not for a moment has she felt it had been a wrong move, because everyday at work, Saumya says, she is presented with opportunities to practise what she learnt during her time at IIPM.
I mean most bschool grads credit their institute for exposure, network and getting that great first job...
Incidentally, it is three years since JAM carried its original article looking into IIPM's claims. If things have improved - great. I would be happy for the students and alumni of the institute.
However it must be noted that in June 2008, UGC had declared IIPM as a fake university. Subsequently IIPM moved the Delhi High Court. According to the Economic Times:
...senior advocate A S Chandiok, appearing for the IIPM, contended that the main reservation was regarding the use of the word "fake" by the UGC about the institution.
"We do not mind being called unrecognised. But, the word fake is not correct and this should not be used as it gives wrong signal," Chandiok said.
As of now, IIPM has 'agreed to make it clear in its advertisements that the institute offers only certificate courses'.
The institute would also clarify that its courses were aimed at making the students eligible for degree courses like MBA and BBA provided under International Management Institute (IMI), Belgium.
It is unclear why IIPM cannot simply follow UGC requirements, become a recognised university and award a degree of its own. Like so many other private educational enterprises.
Especially as the institute is keen to gain not just students but respect.
More debate taking place here.
If you would like to add comments below, please stick to the facts and let's examine the situation as it stands today.
What's more, one of the ads now uses an article published in Hindustan Times on 13 July 2008 titled 'B-schooled in India, Placed abroad' to support the IIPM claim.
This article featured two IIPM alumni- Saumya Sharma (29), working with ANZ bank in Melbourne and Poulomi Basu (29), working with Lehman Bros, New York.
However, as a student I would still have the following questions:
a) Which companies exactly did 165 students who secured 'international placements' get their jobs?
b) What was the average salary package for these international placements (all reputed bschools release average salary figures for Indian and international placements as a matter of routine).
c) How does this salary package compare with that offered to students of IIMs, ISB, FMS, MDI etc.
d) What about job profile and designation?
Re: the HT article:
a) It mentions that Poulomi Basu 'bagged a First Class First in Personnel Management and Marketing Management' (from IIPM) - something that helped her considerably in gaining admission to good universities in the US.
This implies that Poulomi did a second degree in the US. And therefore her job at Morgan Stanley in New York and now Lehman Brothers cannot be attributed to a placement at IIPM.
b) This paragraph in Saumya's story struck me as odd:
“Packed with my MBA and stories that I had heard from Dad about his experience overseas, I decided to come to Australia to begin my career.” And not for a moment has she felt it had been a wrong move, because everyday at work, Saumya says, she is presented with opportunities to practise what she learnt during her time at IIPM.
I mean most bschool grads credit their institute for exposure, network and getting that great first job...
Incidentally, it is three years since JAM carried its original article looking into IIPM's claims. If things have improved - great. I would be happy for the students and alumni of the institute.
However it must be noted that in June 2008, UGC had declared IIPM as a fake university. Subsequently IIPM moved the Delhi High Court. According to the Economic Times:
...senior advocate A S Chandiok, appearing for the IIPM, contended that the main reservation was regarding the use of the word "fake" by the UGC about the institution.
"We do not mind being called unrecognised. But, the word fake is not correct and this should not be used as it gives wrong signal," Chandiok said.
As of now, IIPM has 'agreed to make it clear in its advertisements that the institute offers only certificate courses'.
The institute would also clarify that its courses were aimed at making the students eligible for degree courses like MBA and BBA provided under International Management Institute (IMI), Belgium.
It is unclear why IIPM cannot simply follow UGC requirements, become a recognised university and award a degree of its own. Like so many other private educational enterprises.
Especially as the institute is keen to gain not just students but respect.
More debate taking place here.
If you would like to add comments below, please stick to the facts and let's examine the situation as it stands today.
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