File photo of IIPM Dean, Arindam Chaudhuri.
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) and its Dean Arindam Chaudhuri have been restrained by the Delhi High Court from describing courses conducted by it as 'MBA, BBA, Management Course, Management School, Business School or B-School' as they are not recognised.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on IIPM for violating its earlier undertaking given to the court that it will not give misleading advertisement or information about the courses run by it.
"The respondent No.4 IIPM and its management/officials, including its Dean Arindam Chaudhuri, are restrained with immediate effect from using the word 'MBA, BBA, Management Course, Management School, Business School or B-School' in relation to the courses/programmes being conducted by them or in relation to the representations if any made to the public at large and/or to their prospective clients, customers or students," the court said.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw, in its 20-page verdict, also took note of "misguiding" advertisement of IIPM, which is not recognised by the UGC and the AICTE, that it is recognised by foreign Management Institute, IMI, Belgium.
"A visit by us on 25th September, 2014 to the website www.timi.edu of International Management Institute, Brussels, Belgium has also disclosed the same to be nothing different from 'The Global initiative of Asia's leading business school -IIPM' and having been set up by the same Arindam Chaudhuri and his father Malay Chaudhuri.
"The IIPM on the other hand, in its advertisements, is portraying as if it has recognition, if not in India from UGC or AICTE, from a foreign Management Institute namely IMI, Belgium, and which advertisements have potential of misguiding young minds who have a craze for foreign education and cleverly concealing from them that IMI, Belgium, is nothing but an alter ego or another face of IIPM'', the court said.
The court also asked IIPM and its officials, including the Dean, to "upload and display prominently on the website" of the institute the judgement to ensure that students come to know about its status.