Career In Rural Management

Rural Management requires intense interest in rural based sectors and rural development.
Adaptibility , problem solving skills and good academic and analytical talent are useful.
Should be able to work with a range of professionals and working groups involved in this sector.

Introduction

Rapid economic and technological developments, globalisation and the steep rise in the volume of business in every sphere has resulted in a shift in all sectors of work. Rural based sectors influenced by urban trends have generated consciousness and demand for qualified rural management professionals who could work towards efficient restructuring. The demand for trained rural managers is estimated to be almost ten thousand per annum.

The discipline of Rural Mangement was introduced at the Institute of Rural Management, established in 1979 at Anand with the active support of the Central and State Governments, the National Dairy Development board, and the Indian Dairy Corporation.

Rural development projects are being implemented all over the country. Constant thrust to rural development based projects has led to a steady growth in the number of rural enterprises in the cooperative and public sectors of the economy in the past decades. Professional management, firmly grounded in the realities and nuances of rural problems, is expected to extend the base of development activities in the rural segment.

Nature of Work

Rural managers work in all functional areas of management - general management, marketing, finance, systems, project implementation, purchase, human resource development, in all segments of rural based enterprises. They work as both analysts and consultants to study operational problems, inadequacies of existing structures, for organising information, and for making recommendations for implementing new systems or for bringing about changes in existing methods. Rural managers have to interact with corporate bodies. They visit rural areas, farmlands for advising and making assessments. The job may demand considerable inland and overseas travel.

Work Conditions

Planing is done in an office environment 

Field trips require inland travel and time is spent in rural areas

Foreign travel for studying technologies and management features

Meeting corporate clients for enterprise

Personal Qualities 

Interest in farming, trading, planning

Ability for working with clients with diverse interests 

Good communication skills

Analytical reasoning

Deep interest in rural development and understanding farming

Job Prospects

Non Governmental Organisations

Government organisations

Private enterprises

Rural based industries

Cooperatives

Banks (NABARD)

Financial institutions

Multinationals in sectors such as power, production and industry, agriculture, rural housing, transportation, telecom, automobile, electric and electronics etc. 

In rural enterprises as policy makers, managers, analysts and consultants advising on operational efficiency and improvements. The work these organisations are involved in include community development projects, management of natural resources in rural areas, institutional development, health and sanitation, development of appropriate low cost energy systems, income generation, marketing of products of rural based industries and in other areas related to rural development. 

Study Options

Graduates in Agrigulture and other related fields are suited for rural mangement though graduates in economics, sociology, agricultural engineering, management also study rural management. Selection for admission is through competitive entrance test.

Courses

Institute of Rural Management, Anand -IRMA has been committed to the training of professional managers to assist in the vital task of establishing, developing, and operating cooperative producers organisations in the rural areas. The course offered at IRMA is a 2 year residential post graduate programme in rural mangement open to graduates from any discipline. Selection is through a written test and interview.

Indian Institute of Rural Management, Jaipur and Jodhpur- This institute has been conducting a 2 year full time post graduate programme in Rural Management including courses in Rural development, Rural Marketing and Rural Finance. Admission is made through the All India Management Aptitude Test conducted by All India Management Association, New Delhi. The Institute also conducts Diploma in Rural Management with specialisation in Rural Marketing and Rural Finance.

Indian Institute of Management, Ahemedabad runs a Centre for Mangement in Agriculture. The Institute offers long duration and short duration educational and training programmes in agriculture management. It offers specialisation in agricultural mangement in Post graduate and Fellow programmes.

The Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA) Rajbhavan complex, Pune conducts several programmes on functional areas of rural management.

Other Institutions
Other institutions conducting courses in rural management and related areas of rural development are as follows :-

Gujarat Vidyapith, Centre for Rural Management, Ahmedabad (2 year Rural Management course and several rural based options). 

Mahatma Gandhi Gramoday Vishwa Vidyalaya , Department of Rural Development Management, Chitrakoot, Distt Satna ( 2 year Masters in Rural Development Management). 

Gandhigram Rural Institute , Gandhigram, Dindigul Distt( 2 year Master of Cooperative Management/ Rural Industries and Management/Development Administration). 

Undergraduate degree courses in Rural Studies are offered at Universities in Gulbarga, Dharwad, Chennai, Mumbai, Patiala, Kolhapur, Agra, Aurangabad, Surat,Tirupati, Hyderabad, Kurukshetra, Mysore, Mangalore etc. 

Students from diverse backgrounds such as Banking, economics and extension studies, rural development studies converge in this sector with their expertise and commitment to work in the rural segment.