12 students of IIM-Sambalpur quit institute due to lack of hostel facility

Even as getting into Indian Institute of Management (IIM) remains a dream for every MBA aspirant of the country, it comes as a surprise that 12 students of IIM-Sambalpur recently left the institute owing to lack of proper hostel facility at its temporary campus at Sambalpur University (SU) here.

IIM-Sambalpur has doubled its student intake capacity from 60 to 120 from the current academic session. The fourth batch of the premier B-School commenced from July 30 this year. A total of 111 students had taken admission in the institute this year. However, the number of students has now reduced to 99 after 12 students left the institute.

IIM-S Director Mahadeo Jaiswal said the State Government had allotted three hostels for IIM-Sambalpur students on the SU campus. However, the varsity authorities agreed to provide only two hostels during signing of MoU with the State Government. The university was supposed to provide the two hostels by July. But, the authorities could provide only one along with half portion of another hostel.

SU Vice-Chancellor Deepak Behera said the university has provided a hostel and half portion of another hostel to IIM-Sambalpur. He said a new hostel is being constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the varsity campus.

As many as 27 IIM-Sambalpur students are forced to stay in the dormitory of the university hostels, Jaiswal said. The 12 students who left the institute were staying in the dormitory, he added. Jaiswal said SU authorities had assured that they would provide rooms in the hostels to the IIM students in September. But the varsity authorities are reluctant to fulfill their commitment, he added.

SU Vice-Chancellor Deepak Behera said the university has provided a hostel and half portion of another hostel to IIM-Sambalpur. He said a new hostel is being constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the varsity campus. "Once the construction is completed, 70 students of the university will be shifted to the new hostel", Behera said. PWD was supposed to hand over the new hostel building to the varsity before the beginning of the current academic session, he added.

Behera said IIM-Sambalpur was offered three faculty quarters to accommodate the students but the proposal was declined by the premier management college.