Fellow Programme in Management (Rural Management)
Fellow Programme in Management (Rural Management)
The Structure of the Programme:
The two principal components of the Programme are – Study and research of a rigorous coursework in Rural Management and a doctoral thesis submission.
Coursework Component:
The coursework component spread over six terms with 25.5 credits has been designed to provide a base for rural management education, research methodology, organizational exposure, and developing research proposal for the thesis. Coursework consists of Classroom Segment, Organizational Study Segment, and Proposal Preparation. The Classroom Segment has three terms consisting of 16.5 credits covering basic, common, and advanced courses. The Organizational Segment (IV term) is spread over twelve weeks and consists of three credits. The proposal preparation is divided into two parts each carrying three credits. The first part (V term) covers a review of literature in the proposed area and the second part (VI Term) includes preparing a draft proposal. The course work culminates in a seminar and viva voce followed by registration of the thesis proposal.
Thesis Component:
The remainder of the second year and subsequent years are devoted to thesis research and writing. Every participant undertakes thesis research, while a two or three member Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) is assigned to them. The thesis topic is expected to be in the broad field of rural management focusing on decision-making and managerial analysis. Upon completion, the participant presents a thesis seminar. The thesis seminar is meant to announce the thesis work to a wider audience of scholars and researchers and seek their comments and feedback regarding the thesis work. At the end of the seminar the participant, in consultation with the TAC, incorporates changes, if any, suggested in the seminar and prepares a defensible draft of the thesis.
A Thesis Evaluation Committee (TEC) is constituted for every participant. The TEC consists of the FPM (RM) Chair, the participant's Thesis Advisory Committee, and two experts on the subject area. The TEC evaluates the thesis and conducts a viva voce before approving the thesis. The successful participant becomes eligible for the award of the title Fellow, Institute of Rural Management, Anand (Fellow, IRMA).
Publication:
In order to develop scholarship, participants are encouraged to publish articles and cases in recognized journals based on their research work. Participants must publish at least one full article mandatorily in a recognized journal before the submission of their thesis.
Details of the Fellow Programme in Management (Rural Management) including its conduct, rules, and administration are documented in the FPM (RM) Handbook. A copy of the Handbook is available to participants soon after they join the programme.
Programme Duration:
The FPM (RM) is a full-time residential programme requiring a minimum of three years for completion. The fellowship is available for a maximum duration of four years. The maximum period within which a participant must graduate is six years from the date of joining the programme unless exigencies of a specific situation demand extension by one more year at the most.