IRMA seeks national university status under co-operation ministry

IRMA, which is currently an autonomous and self financed institution, plans for a pan-India presence along with expansion from only two diploma programmes and one fellow programme to multiple programmes, soon.

This special recognition, if granted, will not only allow it to open centres across the country but also receive funding from the central government.

The Institute of National Importance (INI) is a status that may be conferred on a premier public higher education institution by an act of Parliament, an institution which “serves as a pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified region of the country/state”.

Also, this will be the fourth institute from Gujarat to get the INI status. In 2020, three institutes from Gujarat were accorded the Institute of National Importance status — Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Jamnagar, National Forensic Sciences University Gandhinagar and Rashtriya Raksha University Gandhinagar.

“An application was submitted in January this year for the national university status,” IRMA Director Dr Umakant Dash told The Indian Express.

On applying for the status under Co-operation Ministry instead of the Rural Development Ministry — since IRMA is a rural management institute, Dr Dash said that Rural Development Ministry already has the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) and various State Institutes of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (SIRDPR) under it, while the Co-operation Ministry has none.

Union Minister for Home and Co-operation Amit Shah, during the IRMA’s 41st convocation ceremony on June 12, had said, “IRMA must contribute even more towards strengthening and development of the co-operative sector.”

Dash added, “The need and demand for a National University was felt by the Central Government and thus it (suggestion) came from the Ministry. In December 2021, Shah had announced setting up of a National University in the Lok Sabha.”

The premier Institute of Rural Management Anand was established in the year 1979, as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

It is registered as a deemed public trust under section 2(13) of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. Its flagship Post Graduate Diploma in Management PGDM Rural Management (RM) is recognised as equivalent to a Masters degree by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

Sharing details of the plans and preparations for expansion of IRMA, Dr Dash said that the institute is “mentally prepared”.

“Though this expansion will be in a gradual manner depending upon the support from other state governments, within 2-3 years we are expecting to get a pan-India presence. We are mentally prepared. Also, consulting with various stakeholders to understand the requirements is on,” he added.