IIM issue: Supreme Court recalls order
New Delhi: Three weeks after disposing of a public interest litigation challenging the IIM fee cut, the Supreme Court has recalled its order as the central government declined to give an undertaking that it would not interfere with the autonomy of these institutions.

As a result, the court order of February 27 stands withdrawn and the petition against his fee cut decision will now be heard on merits. The bench headed by Chief Justice V N Khare has also proposed that the six IIMs could be impleaded as parties to the PIL. In this regard it may be pointed out that the faculty councils of the three leading IIMs, based in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Kolkata, have already passed resolutions denouncing the fee cut as an attack on their autonomy.
Back to News Review index page  

India and UK sign MoU for 66 Hawks
New Delhi: The governments of India and UK today signed a formal memorandum of understanding for the purchase of 66 hawk advance jet trainers (AJTS) for the IAF. The UK has said that it will not impose any restrictions or prohibitions at any time during the operational life of the aircraft. The deal is slated to be worth £795 million.India will acquire 24 trainer jets in a flyaway condition and will manufacture another 42 at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility. Christened Hawk Mark 132, the first trainer jet will be delivered three years from the day of signing the contract.

The MoU also covers the training programme of 75 pilots, who will train in England in batches of 25 every year, along with pilots of the Royal Air Force. The full contract between the BAE and the Ministry of Defence is expected to be signed within a fortnight. In the wake of the 1998 nuclear tests at Pokharan, Britain had held back supplies of the Sea Harrier aircraft and Seaking helicopters.
The Hawk will be the trans-sonic link between subsonic and supersonic aircraft.
Back to News Review index page