Who became the first woman to be appointed as Director of an Indian Institute of Management (IIM)?

Introduction / Context:
Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are among the most prestigious management schools in India, and their leadership positions attract national attention. General knowledge and banking exams often ask about “firsts” involving women in high offices, such as the first woman President, first woman Prime Minister, or the first woman Director of an IIM. This question checks whether you know the name of the first woman who became a Director of any IIM.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question clearly mentions “first woman Director of an IIM”.
• The options include Deena Mehta, Neelu Rohmetra, Bhimaraya Metri, and “None of these”.
• We assume the reference is to appointments announced around 2017, when several new IIMs were getting full time directors.

Concept / Approach:
To answer such current affairs questions, you must link a specific name to the milestone. In 2017, Professor Neelu Rohmetra was appointed as the Director of IIM Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh. This historic appointment made her the first woman Director of any Indian Institute of Management. The other names in the options are prominent people but not the correct match for this specific “first”.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall which IIM first had a woman Director. It was IIM Sirmaur. Step 2: Recall the name of that Director: Professor Neelu Rohmetra, a senior academic from the University of Jammu. Step 3: Compare this recalled name with the options. You see “Neelu Rohmetra” as option (b). Step 4: Confirm that the other names do not match this particular distinction: Deena Mehta is known as a stock broker, and Bhimaraya Metri is a male Director of another institute.

Verification / Alternative check:
You might remember reading news headlines such as “First woman director for an IIM” or “Neelu Rohmetra appointed director of IIM Sirmaur”. Connecting those headlines with the exam question is a good way to verify the answer during revision.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Deena Mehta: A pioneering woman in the stock exchange domain, but she was not appointed as an IIM Director.
• Bhimaraya Metri: A male academic who became Director of IIM Trichy, not the first woman Director of an IIM.
• None of these: This is incorrect because the correct name, Neelu Rohmetra, is explicitly listed among the options.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes see the word “Director” and immediately think of more frequently mentioned names, or they may confuse this with the first woman Chairperson of IIM Boards. Another mistake is to overthink “None of these” when a clearly known correct option is present. Always rely on your current affairs notes and avoid second guessing when you recognise an exact match.

Final Answer:
The first woman to be appointed as Director of an Indian Institute of Management was Neelu Rohmetra.