Firm to launch 2-year course in agribiz mgmt

Faculty comprises IIM and Institute of Rural Management alumni.

Rural Management Consultants Pvt Ltd, the company behind jobs portal ruralnaukri.com, will shortly launch what is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind distance education diploma programme in agribusiness management for working executives.

The focus of the 2-year programme "" split into six trimesters "" will be on "practical" knowledge explained in simple "conversational English" rather than on theoretical concepts. "It is more like a training programme that corporates organise but it is for two years," says Ajay Gupta, chief executive officer of the company and the brain behind the programme.

With most large business houses and retail companies getting into the "farm-to-fork" business model, there is a great demand for such practical expertise in various arms of agribusiness management. Gupta, with his six years of experience running ruralnaukri.com, sensed the need and decided to create a pool of expertise required.

Not surprisingly, he has managed to get quite a few companies interested in his programme, which is a "hybrid of a full-time quality programme of Gujarat-based Institute for Rural Management at Anand (IRMA) with the convenience of a correspondence course."

Companies which have already shown interest in sponsoring their employees for the programme include Pantaloon Retail, Monsanto and Rallis India. More are in the pipeline.

Gupta, an IRMA pass-out, is planning a modest start with a first batch of about 70 students who will be given customised "original" course material as well as lectures recorded on CDs. The faculty and the advisory committee for the programme comprises quite a few IIM and IRMA alumni, who are currently active in the industry.

Gupta has not sought nor is planning to seek any accreditation or certification for the programme. He is also not giving any placement guarantee though he is 100 per cent sure that those taking up the programme will be able to better their career prospects.

The programme, at a total fee of Rs 96,000, is fairly expensive. In comparison, the fee at IRMA is around Rs 2,80,000, which includes boarding and lodging. Gupta gives three reasons for his price "" tailor-made "original" course material, better compensation for high quality faculty and expenses of periodic exams.

The commitment required from students is the investment of about an hour daily in the programme. "We would discourage them from joining if they cannot give that time," says Gupta.

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FARM POWER

Name of the course: Employment Opportunities Oriented Post Graduate Diploma in Agribusiness Management

Mode: Distance Education

Eligibility for Admission: Graduation

Selection process: All-India Entrance test (at the nearest Reliance Web World on Sept 16) followed by personal interview

Session Begins: November 2007

Total fees payable: Rs 96,000

*Not recognised by The Distance Education Council
*No placement guarantee