Rural Management

Rural Management refers to the study of rural economy, agribusiness, planning, organising and maintaining co-operatives and businesses in rural areas and related fields. This field offers a wide range of career opportunities for those who wish to improve the agriculture sector of the country and make it a major contributor in the economy beyond farming. Today, every sector in India is using advanced technology for effective use of resources to improve quality and production. It is only the agriculture sector, which is lagging behind. Rural Management courses offer the latest techniques and methodologies, which will greatly contribute to the improvement of the sector.

Rural Management courses are available at undergraduate, post graduate as well as PhD levels. At undergraduate level, courses available are BA/BSc in Rural Management, whereas at the postgraduate level, courses include MA/MSc in Rural Management and MBA/PGDM in Rural Management.

The MBA in Rural Management course includes study of various aspects like Cooperative Management, Social Management, Development Management, Rural Projects Management, Public Policy Management, etc. The course also include field-work for a considerable period of time, as it is the bed rock of this programme. Candidates interested in pursuing Rural Management must know that this programme is all about experiential learning.

The top most institute in India for Rural Management is the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), which offers PGDM in Rural Management. Apart from IRMA, IIM Lucknow is well known for its PGP Agribusiness programme.

Rural Management Eligibility Criteria

• For BA/BSc in Rural Management, the candidate must have completed Class 12 with a minimum of 50 percent aggregate or equivalent from a recognised university or board.
• Candidate applying for MBA in Rural Management must have completed Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with a minimum score of 50 percent aggregate in average or equivalent from a university that is state or centrally recognised.
• For MSc courses in Rural Management, candidates must have 50 percent in aggregate in a relevant course at the graduation level.
• For a Doctoral degree in Rural Management, the candidate must have a relevant postgraduation degree with a minimum of 50 percent in aggregate from a recognised university.

Rural Management Entrance Exams and Admission

Rural Management admission process includes a common entrance test for management and group discussion and personal interview. IRMA’s admission process include a test on “Issues of Social Concern”, conducted by the institute for candidates having valid CAT or XAT score.  Top entrance exams for MBA in Rural Management are listed below:

• IRMASAT
• CAT
• CMAT
• MAT
• XAT
• ATMA
• SNAP

Rural Management Required Skillset

To excel in rural management, one not only needs to have good professional and managerial skills but also a few personal qualities like a strong will, empathy, commitment, and integrity. Apart from these traits, students should possess the basic skills and traits required for MBA. Some of them are listed below:

Rural Management Syllabus

The syllabus of rural management programme includes all aspects of Rural Economy and Business such as Microeconomics, Finance, Research, Marketing, Development, Operations, Productions, etc. and field work. We have listed below the course curriculum of IRMA’s Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management, as it is the best and most exhaustive rural management programme in India.

Rural Management Top Colleges

There are about 140 MBA colleges in India offering Rural Management programme. Listed below are some of the popular MBA colleges for Rural Management:

Also Read: List of Rural Management colleges in India

Rural Management Job Profiles 

A rural management degree holder is eligible for every managerial role in business domains that deal with agricultural products or rural manufacturing. The degree is also useful for those looking for jobs in rural banks, rural cooperatives as well as government and non-government organisations. While a graduate-level candidate is hired at the executive level, PG/MBA degree holder is hired for managerial and senior posts. Some of the job profiles are listed below:

Regional Manager: A Regional Manager oversees, maintains, and maximise operational practices of the business in a particular area making sure that each branch is running smoothly, and efficiently and meets the revenue target. The average salary of a Regional Manager in India is INR 11 lakh per annum.

Sales Manager: A Sales Manager’s role is to lead the sales team in bringing the maximum number of clients to the business. The role also includes guiding and training team members, setting goals and assigning territories. The average salary of a Sales Manager in India is INR 5 lakh per annum.

Marketing Manager: Marketing Manager’s role is all about performing marketing activities like product promotion, branding, new product development, market study, customer relationship, PR, etc. The average salary of a Marketing Manager in India is INR 6.75 lakh per annum.

Project Manager: The Project Manager is responsible for leading and completing the project on time with the least cost. This includes planning, execution, and management of resources and day-to-day activities. The role of a project manager also includes recruiting and building project teams, as well as making projections about risks and uncertainties. The average salary of a Project Manager in India is INR 11 lakh per annum.

General Manager: The General Manager looks after the overall functioning of a business organization, that the business activities are optimum on a given day, are cost-effective, and comply with the rules. Average salary of a General Manager in India is INR 23 lakh per annum.

Supply Chain Manager: The main role of a Supply Chain Manager is to ensure movement of goods from the manufacturing unit to the supplier and eventually, to the customer. It includes, planning, transportation, inventory control, management, and analysis. Average salary of a Supply Chain Manager in India is INR 8.90 lakh per annum.

Operations Manager: The Operations Manager is an individual who is assigned the duty of ensuring that the daily operations of a business are running efficiently and effectively. It is for the operations manager to see that the service or product meets the expectation of customers and clients. The average salary of a Regional Manager in India is INR 7.66 lakh per annum.

Salary source: Payscale

Rural Management Top Recruiters

Agribusiness firms and banks hire rural management graduates in large numbers for their branches in rural areas. Some of the top recruiters for Rural Management degree holders are listed below.