Why an MBA in Rural Management?

Deciding to go for an MBA is a big step in one’s career. The institute you choose defines not only how you will spend the next two years, but also the rest of your professional and personal life.

Why an MBA?

Well, my reasons for getting an MBA were:

·         The people. The first and foremost reason The number one reason to get an MBA is to meet some ambitious people. I really don’t know if there exists any other environment where  this is possible and this is something I couldn’t pass up.

·         The learning. As a passionate learner, I completely understand the power of knowledge but what if you are clueless about what you’re even supposed to know? Business school, will provide you  with tremendous resources for learning new things.

·       The Career opportunities. An MBA is a springboard to whatever you want to do next in your career. I view it as a two-year experience that will lead to endless opportunities regardless of what I decide to do next. Because of this, it provides a level of security in a career.

The Institute
XISS is one of the oldest B-Schools that started preparing HR and IR professionals to address the problems pertaining to the people and the dimension of the industry. Established in 1955, XISS is a pioneering institute that trains young men and women in Rural Development, Personnel Management and Industrial Relations. It is an institute with a difference and its flagship two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management, is only a part of that  difference.

Rural Management is one such specialization which gives you the chance to contribute towards uplifting and betterment of those sections of the society, where the light of development is yet to reach. It refers to the study of planning, organizing, directing and controlling rural areas, cooperatives, agribusiness and allied sectors.
The course prepares the students to meet the challenges posed by the rural sector and molds them into facilitators in the process of development. The curriculum of XISS is designed to make it contextual to develop rural through experimental learning and field exposure.

The Learning & Exposure
The unique aspect of  XISS is the strong emphasis on creating leaders with conscience, competence and commitment for sustainable development and empowerment of the marginalized. The Institute provides the  students with several opportunities to experience life in the villages of India first-hand. It reforms the  students into agents of social change, who see their future not primarily as a career for self-enrichment, but as a way of contributing their part to the basic evolution that is taking place in India today.

The Institute’s culture revolves around  learning through experiences, exposures, and realization of various situations. This is understood through the  experiences of the students in their regular slum visits. It is a part of the Institute’s tradition to deepen their experiences. The most vital aspect  of the PGDM- Rural Management course is the Rural Camps for its mode of interactions and outcome-based learning. Moreover, the numerous guest lectures by stalwarts on their areas further add to the students’ knowledge.

My suggestion would be to talk to people and do research, but ultimately you have to do what YOU think is right for YOURSELF. Just like I knew what I wanted and ultimately chose the right institute for my aspirations.

TRADITIONAL BOOKS OR E-BOOKS?

TRADITIONAL BOOKS OR E-BOOKS?

By Ms.Shikha Mishra

Department of Information Technology

(2018-20)

                             

We currently live in a world where people prefer online newspapers, books and magazines than ever before. We no longer need to sit in crowds, in trains and buses getting inky fingers trying to continuously turn the pages over of a newspaper or carry around heavy bulk of books everywhere. Instead with a quick flick of a switch on our tablets and other reading gadgets we can easily gain access to a large variety of books, magazines and newspapers in one go. As a result, e-books are gaining widespread popularity recently and one question that always remains the most debatable is- Which is better? A traditional book or an E-book? Well, just like everything, both of these have their own pros and cons. But one thing is sure- you will not go wrong with either one.

Even though e-book readers have become a common sight around the globe, but traditional books still have their enthusiasts. According to reports by publishers, sales of e-books are doubling each year but still the total amount of traditional books sold at present is still greater than the total amount of e-books sold. But the recent trends depict that in years to come, e-books will gain more and more customers and will completely take over the market. This is because of the feasibility and easy access of e-books.

One of the most vibrant features of e-books is that it is very portable. E-books can be carried anywhere and everywhere as they weigh zero and require no space. Just a sort of device is needed to read it- either PDF-Reader on a personal computer, laptop, tablets or mobile phones or specialized e-book reading devices such as an Amazon Kindle. So if one travels a lot, e-books allow them to bring a whole library with themselves wherever they go. Also, e-books are way cheaper than traditional books. Some e-books are even available free of cost on internet. Even in the long run, e-books are cheaper because there are no printing charges and paper costs associated with them. Another advantage that an e-book provides is that it removes the problem of light adjustments. Even if you are in a dark room with no light source coming in, you can easily read on your device. The font size can also be altered as per the need which cannot possibly be done in case of traditional books. Also, the e-books at some point prove to be environment-friendly as well, as there no involvement of paper in it.

But still the enthusiasts of traditional books proclaim their love for the printed words of a book, the feel of the paper, the experience of holding, owning and reading a traditional paper book. There is still some appal to holding a book in your hands to have full experience of reading, some people say. Also, the books kept in the book shelves add a touch of elegance and luxury to the room. Shelves full of books are a beautiful sight to see. Some other advantages of paper books can be that they can be resold to other customers, which is not possible in case of e-books. There is no need of electricity or batteries to keep the reading devices charged.

And let’s face it; we’re never going to get that comforting smell of paper or the weight of a good book in our hands when we read an e-book. Paper books bring back memories. Atleast to people of our generation and the generations before, who grew up with paper books. Every time you open a book after a very long time or a really old book as such and see the tan spots or the smell, you feel a bit nostalgic.

So, I personally believe that even if the technology goes on getting advanced and the market gets flooded with e-books, there will always be people like me who would buy the traditional paper books.

A summer in Antwerp

After proving their mettle through a rigorous competitive selection process, Ms. Kanaya Mahanti and Mr. Debdorshi Malakar of Rural Management Department (Batch 2017-19) participated in the summer course ‘Europe: Diversity and Migration’ (25 June – 6 July 2018) at Stadscampus, University of Antwerp, Belgium. Every year two students from the Department are selected. The summer course is funded by the USOS scholarship, which includes travel expenses, accommodation and subsistence allowance for the two students while they are enrolled in the programme.

Over the two week course, the participants, who were of varying nationalities and came from different disciplines, were divided into groups and were asked to address different questions. Ms. Mahanti and her team were part of The Social Food Lab and were asked how Moroccan Food is perceived as ‘the other’ while the question posed to Mr. Malakar was “How Sports unites people from diverse backgrounds?”

Ms. Kanaya Mahanti and Mr. Debdorshi  Malakar write about their personal experience in Belgium.

   

                                       

MR. DEBDORSHI MALAKAR

“Right from the moment when we landed at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, this trip has been a rollercoaster ride which I am going to cherish forever. Initially, amidst all the excitement, there was a tinge of nervousness as well. However, that slowly faded away because of the informal atmosphere and the friendly nature of the people around me. I was lucky to be placed in such a diverse batch where there were people from all across Europe as well as Mexico. The first day was all about knowing each other. The Cooking Workshop organized by the University acted as a good ice breaker where we all bonded while preparing Belgian cuisine. Well to be honest, I didn’t like the food, but the connection we built was something which wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

The course was a perfect blend of theoretical knowledge and practical exposure. Apart from learning about the theoretical aspect of the Migrant Crisis, I also got an opportunity to work on a Group Assignment where we tried to answer the question, “How can Sports unite people from diverse backgrounds?”. I worked with a local football club called City Pirates which works with migrant kids and helps to integrate them into the Belgian society. Interviewing the young kids and hearing their stories was an eye-opening experience. In between this hectic schedule, we also managed to visit Paris for a day and see the much-hyped Eiffel Tower.

After the classes were over, we used to go to the nearby cafés and socialize for hours. That was probably the best part about the whole course - conversing with the other participants and realizing just how different your culture is from the other cultures and yet finding similarities in unexpected places.

To sum it up, the whole summer school experience has been amazing. From watching World Cup matches amidst thousands of crazy Belgium fans to trying all possible varieties of beers- this trip has been full of first-time experiences.”

MS. KANAYA MAHANTI

“I went to Antwerp, Belgium for attending the second edition of the summer school, Europe: Migration and Diversity. The course was from 25th June – 6th July. The summer school consisted of 22 interdisciplinary and international participants from across the globe.

The entire summer school was distributed over 2 weeks. And it covered course topics like; Demographic projection: data on European and Regional Level, Migration to European cities from a historical perspective, Queer Muslims in Europe, Migration, Diversity, and Non-Discrimination, Return Migration: theories and policies and many more.

Apart from the above, there were city walks in the city of Antwerp, where we were explained about the cultural diversity. We were also taken to the European Parliament where we were an audience for the panel discussion on the topic ”Improvising and protecting Europe’s new challenges against its views?” which was moderated by Gie Goris, the editor in chief of Mo Magazine. In EU parliament we were given a lecture regarding the major achievements of the European Union to date. We were also given group assignment and I being a part of Social Food Lab, worked upon “How Moroccan Food is taken as a perception of ‘the other’ in Antwerp. Hence, I learned a lot about Moroccan lifestyle and eating habits.

Europe’s demography in terms of ethno-cultural composition is rapidly diversifying in an unprecedented way.  Antwerp, having a population of 5,13,570 and is the most populous municipality in Belgium which houses almost  170 nationalities. The majority group in urban areas is morphing into a minority amidst other minorities because of the recent inflow of a large number of refugees. Europe’s population will be shrinking if the rate of migration does not increase in the coming decades. There is a great concern from a different ideological perspective on how to deal adequately with super-diversity as it affects all realms of society and as continuing inequalities seem difficult to transform.

 On 28th June 2018, we visited the EU Parliament in Brussels. A meeting was held for two consecutive days which focused on migration. Since 2015, a number of measures have been taken to achieve the control of the EU’s external border. As a result, the number of detected illegal border crossings into EU is reduced to 96% from its peak in October 2015. The EU leaders agreed to take further actions on main migratory routes in EU especially the Mediterranean routes. The EU leaders have also supported the proposal of UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency and IOM(International Organization for Migration) for the development of a concept of regional disembarkation platforms which should allow rapid distinction between economic migrants and asylum seekers. EU leaders have also been reforming and finalizing the EU asylum rules for tackling the situation.

All in all, the whole European experience was an eye opener to multi-ethnic culture persistent in Europe and the growing intolerance towards migrant population. But it had its fun part too, the escapade was something which I had never seen or felt before. The historic city gave off a nostalgic vibe with a blend of modern-day extravaganza.”

Gurdeep Kaur- The pride of Ranchi

A young dynamic person, Gurdeep Kaur has made Ranchi proud- she has been selected as one of the finalist for Mrs. INDIA Pageant 2018.

Gurdeep, is a Master in Business Administration from XISS Ranchi, she completed her graduation from BIT Mesra Ranchi. A mother of one, Gurdeep has a great sense of responsibility since a very young age and today she enjoys a disciplined, personal, social & professional life. Apart from being an amazing mother, she has proved to be beauty with brains, and her philanthropic involvement in and around Ranchi has made her a well-known name.

Mrs. Kaur has been active in social work since her days in XISS. She believes that education is a powerful tool and if used rightly can produce amazing results. She has worked towards upliftment of under-privileged students through imparting good education to them, and few more.

Gurdeep believes, “What I got is my fortune but what I can give is my choice!; She wishes to use the platform of Mrs. India pageant to add value in lives of others. She strongly believes that education for children is the main agent to cause a lasting change and can set off a chain of positive change in lives of generations to come.

Her education values from XISS, "Putting the last FIRST" & " Being a woman for others", has influenced her beliefs a lot. Gurdeep is determined to spread awareness about the importance and value of good education.

She further adds, "Be it poverty, be it crime; be it a woman’s plight revolving around rape, foeticide and dowry or be it unemployment; be it country’s economy or be it the overpopulation, each and every problem can be associated to one aspect ‘Education’. Because what I feel is that education is not what we learn in books, it is the knowledge of values we need to seek within..."

Since her college days the realization to make a difference in lives of the Have-Nots, has helped Gurdeep to set an epitome of new standards & values, for the love towards her society and thereon, she never looked back.

Her journey towards  philanthropy got a new horizon when she started working as a part her college's social wings at one of its outreach programme  where she went to schools to nurture students in the field they wanted to, she started with imparting knowledge of the subject, helping in their all round development, being a friend and an elder sister to these little kids, she was pioneer in setting a computer lab classes with her team, to help them get skills to make them self-reliant in future. Her love towards these kids were unconditional. She believes that education is, in all probability, the most influential tool required to break the vicious intergenerational cycle of abuse, malnutrition, poverty and oppression. Literacy thus requires a lot of attention.

She also adds, "Sorry to say but our education system needs a revamping where theoretical educations needs to be complimented with practical, where the field of sports and art should be given the same weightage as academics. Not to boast but after denying varied business opportunities and lucrative job offers, I chose to teach. Why? Because I want to add values to others' life through compassion, love and selflessly give oneself towards a better tomorrow".

And the belief that not I but we can contribute to this cause, she joined the movement ‘Round Table India’ which primarily focuses on upliftment and education of the underprivileged.

Mrs. Kaur dreams of opening a teaching academy and having friends and colleagues with a similar mindset, contributing to her mission by imparting free, meaningful and practical education to the poor and underprivileged in near future.

Gurdeep is determined to make Ranchi proud so let us take a leap forward and help Gurdeep win the Mrs. India Pageant 2018. To extend your love and support towards Mrs. Gurdeep Kaur's winning moment, please visit the link below and like & share.

http://www.mrsindia.net/mrs-india-2018-2019-gurdeep/

Alumni success story - Mr. Adhir Sharma

Once again an XISS family member has proved his mettle, and this time it is not in the corporate world but in the Indian Police Services. Mr. Adhir Sharma, of Batch 1985-1987, who specialised in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, has been promoted to the rank of Director General of Police (Railways) of West-Bengal.

Mr. Sharma is an IPS officer of 1987 batch and has served as the Assistant Director General of Police and Inspector General previously. We congratulate Mr. Sharma and take great pride in his achievement. May he thrive and flourish in his future endeavours, keeping the flag fluttering higher.

Alumni success story - Ms. Nupur Singh Mallick

Nothing makes us more proud than being able to talk about the success of our alumni. XISS students have a history of achieving their dreams and soaring beyond boundaries.

Ms. Nupur earned her graduation degree in B.Sc. Chemistry from Banaras Hindu University and went on to pursue personnel management and industrial relations from XISS Ranchi in 1995. She was a campus placement hire and joined TCS as HR Officer in Mumbai. Ever since then she has been empowering people around her to be their best. Her corporate success started when she was appointed to head the HR function for TCS Mumbai. She has been often referred to as a charismatic leader who is extremely passionate about her work. With a workforce of just 7500, she has seen the tremendous growth to 3,00,000 in 46 countries. She rose as a natural leader in this highly palpable and dynamic business. Working in an organization which is deep rooted in their values has definitely shaped her career. In an interview with Jason Spiller she was quoted as saying “My college studies in HR proved to be a good grounding for the basics, and I joined TCS with a surprising level of know-how that gave me some confidence to look at, as they say, the bigger picture.”  December 2005 she was appointed as the HR Director for UK and Ireland. Under her leadership, TCS UK & Ireland went on to achieve the ‘Investor in People' certification with Gold status and was awarded Britain's top employers by CRI for four consecutive years.  She also won HR Director of the year 2016 by HR Distinction Awards and HR Brilliance Awards twice. Presently, she is taking over the role of Chief HR Officer at Tata Sons. Her areas of expertise include integrating teams in culturally diverse set-ups, driving operational excellence, retaining and developing talent and structuring compensation & benefits.(Source: People matters).

The team of XISS Ranchi congratulates Ms. Nupur Mallick on her outstanding achievement. We appreciate your hard work, enthusiasm and dedication. Truly there is no shortcut to success and you are our source of inspiration.

Basketball Tournament '18

Aspirations. Hopes. These are the usual feelings that one experiences while moving towards a new beginning. We all recently welcomed a new year which is usually bordered with the start of a new chapter and a scope of improvement, either by way of burning out our vices or incorporating more virtues within ourselves or better still, indulging ourselves in a little bit of both in order to build a better version of ourselves. And what better way to begin a new phase of exuberance and optimism than to give way to the spirit of sportsmanship and team work. After all, collective efforts are the best way to take a step closer towards the dreams we have been chasing and wanting to convert into reality for a long long time, which for some people could imply a majority of their life. No one ever reached the heights of success standing alone and one-man armies, more often than not, fail to achieve success in their endeavors.

In the light of this, XISS is organizing a Basketball Tournament for boys and girls of all departments from both batches from 10^th-14^th January, 2018. Come, cheer for your team and provide them with the motivation they need to sail through and attain the victory they deserve, in return for all the hard work they have put in by devoting their heart, soul and blood in the practices which will help them move towards the coveted trophy.

Hoping to see everyone there with their inspiring hats on!!!