October 10, 2005 ☼ Public Policy
This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.
Very rarely does The Acorn stray from its handful of themes, except perhaps, for levity. But here it strays from its theme on a matter of immense gravity.
Hats off to Gaurav Sabnis. For he had the courage to stand up for what he wrote. It is now incumbent upon the self-styled Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) to do the same.
It is not uncommon in such instances for people to call in government intervention. But that is not something that Gaurav himself would advice. His own beliefs would weigh in on the power of markets. So it is now for IIPM’s students and alumni to ask of its management some tough questions — were they wilfully misled by false advertisements into parting with their (and their family’s) hard-earned money with the promise of a reputable educational qualifications and well-paying jobs? Prospective students and their families must ask IIPM for definitive proof for whatever it claims in its advertisements.
But there is also a public policy angle to this. While there is no case for preventing organisations from assuming official sounding names, like the ‘Indian Institutes’ of various things, it may be useful to consider requiring those who do so to publish disclaimers to the effect that they have no official connection with the Indian government. Besides, India’s Sale of Goods Act, 1930 requires the product sold to be identical to the product advertised. Unlike what some may claim in its defence, it may not be wholly legal for IIPM to sell its services using false credentials.
Related Links: Desipundit covers this comprehensively. Michael Higgins’ post on reputation as a business asset.
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