Research & Publications
Research & Publications
Admission of acceptance
Barack Obama once famously said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
The truism inherent in USA’s former President’s statement came alive recently as we witnessed the normally soft-spoken Admissions Chair, Prof. Rakesh Arrawatia, turning into a sentient dynamo not so long ago.
Shivansh Mishra caught up with Prof. Arrawatia to talk about the new features introduced in IRMA’s PGDRM (Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management).
SM: IRMA has revamped its admissions process for PGDRM 2019-21. Please share key changes in the shortlisting and final selection process.
RA: IRMA will be shortlisting and calling applicants in two ways, the first being merit-based calls. What this means is that candidates belonging to the General Category, who score above the 85th percentile in CAT 2018/XAT 2019, are eligible to be shortlisted for IRMASAT (IRMA Social Awareness Test), GA (Group Activity), and PI (Personal Interview).
We have introduced Profile-cum-Merit Based Calls this year. What this means is that candidates hailing from the General Category, who score above the 80th percentile in CAT 2018/XAT 2019 and fall under the Profile-Based Call criteria, will be shortlisted for IRMASAT, GA, and PI. The key consideration for shortlisting candidates based on their profiles involves academic excellence. This entails graduate degrees from top institutions and sectors covering social impact, community development, livelihoods, policy and advocacy, agriculture, and allied sectors. We would also like to consider graduates from fields including the social sciences, development studies, agriculture, and allied sciences.
Shortlisted candidates will be called for the selection process at IRMA for the IRMA Social Awareness Test 2019 (IRMASAT 2019), Group Activity and Personal Interview, all of which will be conducted at IRMA.
SM: What is the vision behind introducing changes in the admission process? How is the changed process beneficial for students and IRMA?
RA: IRMA would like to give preference to aspirants who are aligned with IRMA’s mission and vision. The relaxed percentile under the profile-based selection is indicative of this preference.
Till last year, IRMASAT was an additional step in the process of admissions causing people to miss out on the final selection process. For example, many working professionals could not appear for the examination due to work commitments. An additional requirement made it difficult for them given the hectic schedule of interviews lined up in the future. In order to remove this bottleneck we have simplified the selection process. Now, those shortlisted based on their CAT 2018/XAT 2019 scores will be invited to IRMA where they will first appear for IRMASAT, followed by the GA/PI on the same day.
SM: Please share with us any changes proposed in the curriculum and pedagogy at IRMA.
RA: IRMA has evaluated and made changes to the pedagogy and curriculum structure keeping in mind the requirement of rural markets, its stakeholders, and its vision and mission. A slew of elective courses have been introduced by the faculty, which include Strategic Commodity Sourcing, E-Business and Digital Marketing, Dairy Development and Microfinance among others. We have increased our faculty pool from 22 to more than 30 now. We have recruited faculty representing a blend of corporate, development, and rural experience with broad research agendas. This will help introduce more exciting and relevant courses facilitating a better learning environment for candidates who join the programme. We have made some changes to our internships that align better with the needs of stakeholders.
SM: How has IRMA been able to stay distinct from other B-schools?
IRMA believes in promoting sustainable and equitable socio-economic development of rural people through professional management. The core strength of IRMA lies in its underlying belief regarding making a difference. Here, students acquire strong management fundamentals coupled with their application to the rural market. They are also sensitized to development issues faced by society, which helps them take a balanced view of business and society. The Induction Fieldwork Segment, the first classroom term, and the Village Fieldwork Segment (VFS) enable them to gain a deeper understanding of different aspects of rural life. At the end of VFS, they share their understanding of these areas with their classmates. This shared pool of knowledge contributes immensely to their learning going forward.
Our advice to the prospective candidates is to be prepared for an experience that will be more fulfilling than that available at any other B-school. The experience of two years will show you the various spectra of society and help you understand that there are markets and products beyond your cities that are waiting to be tapped. The future lies in tapping these markets and no other place can teach you more than IRMA. At the same time, there are no restrictions with our candidates’ being comfortable working in the corporate environment consulting to NGOs and cooperatives. Thus, an enriching experience awaits you.