Annexure 11: Minimum Standards and Norms for Management Education

Preamble: The attempts made at liberalization of Indian economy have created an additional raison d’etre for the expansion of management education in India and its diversification. India today has perhaps the largest number of business schools outside USA. It is critical to ensure that this growth does not impair the quality of output. The concerns of ‘viability’ of these Management Institutions and programmes have to be balanced by concerns of ‘academic soundness’. It is in the interest of all ensure the processes of “commercial” advantage do not overtake the concerns of “instructional ethics”.

This document sets out, the mandatory minimum requirements that must be met by any institution for getting AICTE’s approval to conduct a full length Management programmes. It also recommends other features and facilities which are desirable in the interests of providing quality management education.

Course Duration: (i) The duration of course of a full time Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in different specialisations shall be of 2 years, which can be divided into 4 semesters or 6 trimesters. The total contact hours of the 2 years programmes shall at least be between 1200 hrs to 1400 hrs, in addition to summer placement and field work, etc., (ii) The duration of a part time evening programme in Management shall be 3 years, which can be divided into six semesters or nine trimesters. The total contact hours shall however be not less than 1200 hours in addition to summer placement and field work etc., (iii) the duration of a Distance Education programme in Management shall be 3 years, which shall be divided into six semesters or nine trimesters. The total contact hours shall however be not less than 1200 hours to 1400 hours in addition to summer placement and field work etc.

Course Structure: Management students are expected to have knowledge, abilities and skills to perform their roles as versatile managers. Apart from understanding various management functions, they shall understand the socio-economic, legal and political environment and their import so as to prepare themselves to cope with the challenges in work fields.

Summer Placement: Students are required to complete summer placement for 6-8 weeks after completion of first year course, which shall be arranged by the institute… However, students can also be permitted to arrange their own summer placement. But in such cases the Institute would be required to evaluate the suitability of the enterprise/organisation offering summer placement to the students.

Entry Qualification: The candidate applying for admission to the Post-Graduate Programme in Management must have a minimum qualification of a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline recognized by the Association of Indian Universities.

Admission Process: The admission to the programmes shall be on the basis of the following: (a) An Admission Test at All India/regional level to assess applicant’s aptitude and preparedness for learning of management, (b) Previous academic record and work experience, (c) Performance in group discussion and interview, (d) Behavioural & Personality Trait Tests for professional aptitudes.

Scores obtained by the applications in the All India Written Admission Test shall have at least 50% or more weightage. However, where admission test is not conducted at All-India level and written test/interviews are conducted at local/state level, it would be essential to stipulate minimum 50% aggregate marks in the Bachelor’s degree and it will not be relaxed in any case.

Intake to the Programme: Recommended maximum intake to the universities of Postgraduate programme in Management for full time programme in self financing institutions shall be 60 subject to availability of adequate infrastructure, faculty etc. The intake capacities less than the universities capacity can also be permitted/sanctioned on individual request/merit.

Examination Norms: The institution affiliated to Universities and the University departments have a standard pattern of examination as decided by academic bodies of respective universities. Similar standard admission, examination or evaluation procedure however do not exist in a standardized from for non-university sector institutions.

The Management institutions are encouraged to adopt different methods of instructions besides lectures such as case studies, group and individual exercises, class assignments, project work and presentations, role play, management games etc. The student evaluation shall be on continuous basis and may comprise of the following: (a) Class participation; (b) Quizes; (c) Assignments/Field Work/Term papers; (d) Mid-term examination; and (e) End-term examinations.

The academic performance of students could be assessed in terms of grades/percentage of marks obtained in different courses as a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). The average of grades computed or in percentage marks obtained in aggregate are illustrated below. (The details of evaluation of academic performance shall be given in the prospectus of the institute.

If an Institution is neither a part nor affiliated to a University and is conducting its own examinations, it will be required to conduct the examinations/evaluation with full transparency at all states of evaluation and examination. The Institution will also retain its examination records for any inspection in future at least for a period of five years.

Note: The Council may also entrust the responsibility of conducting admissions, examinations and evaluation at National level either to National Board of Accreditation or any other authorized agency or as decided as policy by the Council in future.

Academic Infrastructure:

Recommended Student-teacher ratios: For theory class 60:1, For tutorials 15:1.

Faculty requirements, Roles and Qualifications: Normally each core faculty is expected to teach six courses in a year and to take an additional four courses work load equivalent to four courses, to conduct research, design and organize management development programmes, participate in academic administration and to undertake consulting activities…

Institutions offering a post graduate programme in management, for a class of 60 students, would require in the first year a minimum of five faculty members with specialisation in different functional areas, and it least two more faculty members shall be added in the second year.

Faculty Qualifications: In addition to the full-time faculty, an institution can utilise services of part time, visiting and guest faculty. The full time faculty members shall act as the anchor visiting faculty members teaching specialised courses. It is desirable to have at least two to three faculty in each subject areas offered which shall be supplemented by part time, visiting or guest faculty equivalent to at least three additional full time faculty.

Library: A Management Institute’s library shall possess selected books from all areas of management and in most areas of social sciences to be in close contact with the contemporary developments in the field of Management. It shall also subscribe to the national as well as international journals/periodicals. Library shall also have collection of audio/video material in management and related areas. The institute may subscribe to a minimum of 30 Journals. The institute shall have minimum of 200 titles in each subject offered or taught.

Computer Facilities: The Management Institute shall also have computer facilities with state-of-the art hardware, software and Statistical packages to provide sufficient background or computer use/applications to the Post-Graduate Programme in Management and research activities.

For an intake of 60 students, at least 15 computers (or computer terminals hooked to a mainframe computer) with the latest available hardware technology and software shall be provided on a full time basis i.e. a minimum of 12 hours a day for 6 days a week.

Teaching Aids: It is desirable that Management institution is well equipped with modern teaching aids like Over Head Projectors, VCRs, TV Monitors, slide projectors and other computer aided presentation systems along with required accessories.

Source: Manual of UGC Schemes, by A L Vohra (Crest Publishing House, New Delhi-110002).