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SMD INSTITUTE FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT

The financial meltdown has altered the job scenario in many ways. Companies are cutting down on costs, employees are in constant fear of being handed the pink slip, and it may seem that a management degree is not happening anymore.

However, all is not lost; experts assure that MBA still is a viable option. And getting an MBA degree from the SDM Institute for Management Development (SDM-IMD), Mysore, may just open the door to your dream career.

SDM-IMD was set up in 1993. In the 15 years of its existence, it has established itself as a premier institute in management teaching. It is headed by Ramesh Venkateswaran who is a mechanical engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai with a postgraduate diploma in business management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore. Also a visiting faculty at IIM Bangalore, he has over 35 years’ experience in the corporate sector. “SDM-IMD was set up by the Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Educational Trust with the aim of offering high quality management education to bright young students who are the country’s future leaders. Over the last decade and a half, SDM-IMD has served as a platform for hundreds of aspirants to nurture their talent and become successful managers,” says the director of the institute.

The core offering of SDM-IMD is a two-year residential postgraduate diploma in management (PGDM). The programme is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), ministry of HRD, Government of India. In the second year, students have the option of specialising in up to two subjects from among marketing, finance, systems, human resource management and operations.

Applicants should have a three-year bachelors degree or equivalent in any discipline from a college recognised by AICTE or the Association of Indian Universities with a minimum of 50 per cent marks. “Those appearing for their final year bachelors examination in April / May 2009 may also apply, provided they complete their degree examination and meet other requirements before the commencement of the PGDM course in the first week of June 2009,” says Venkateswaran. The candidates are required to appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT) in order to be eligible for the PGDM course.

Application forms for admission to SDM-IMD are available in August / September. Based on their performance in CAT and previous academic record, applicants are called for an interview between January and March. The final selection is based on the composite scores of CAT, previous academic record, relevant work experience (if any) and performance in the interview. The programme takes in 120 students in every batch.

“Our faculty members are well-qualified and are mostly from prestigious institutes such as the IITs and IIMs,” says Venkateswaran. “We have also included people from industry, as this makes the education wholesome and enriching.”

The fee for the two-year programme is Rs 5,98,000. In addition, students have to pay a hostel charge of Rs 35,000 annually, and mess charge of around Rs 2,200 per month.

In recent years, SDM-IMD has broadened its horizons. “We have tie-ups with the Shanghai University and Mays Business School, Texas A&M University,” says the director. This gives students an opportunity to attend a semester at either of these two universities. Students are selected for the exchange programme on the basis of their academic performance, all-round capabilities as well as the ability to adapt to a new culture. No tuition fee is charged for enrolling at the partner institute. Students, however, have to bear all expenses towards travel and accommodation. “The institute offers soft loans so that students can take advantage of this opportunity,” says Venkateswaran.

Management institutes are aplenty. What makes SDM-IMD special? “SDM-IMD has a strong focus on ethics and values. Its fully residential state-of-the-art campus imparts quality education to students 24×7,” says Venkateswaran with a hint of pride. The institute offers compulsory yoga and meditation classes. Other facilities include a spectacular 4,000-sqft games block, an indoor walking / jogging track, table tennis courts and a private fitness centre. The campus also has an amphitheatre, with a seating capacity of over 500, that serves as a platform for the students to display their multifarious talents.

Vital Statistics:-

WHAT IS IT? A management institute located in Mysore

WHO’S THE BOSS? Ramesh Venkateswaran is the director

what is the course fee? The two-year PGDM course costs Rs 5,98,000

Where is it? Site No. 1, Chamundi Hill Road, Siddarthanagar Post Office, Mysore-570011 Phone: 0821-2429722, 2429161

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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