Career in Rural Management

Career in Rural Management

A Rural Manager’s main responsibility is to assist various rural sector institutions and organisations, such as cooperative firms, handicraft units, healthcare units, educational institutions, rural development organisations, farming organisations, etc, in professionalizing their operations. In order to take care of rural development of unattended and backward areas, Professional rural managers are hired to help the villagers in the process of growth, expansion and improvement, Career in Rural Management, so that the entire nation can move towards prosperity and growth. 

Off late, Rural management has become one of the most sought after subjects to study & research at postgraduate level to pursue a booming & bright career.

Rural Management is a discipline where the activities involved range as Organizing, Planning, Controlling and directing various agri-businesses and cooperative fields are executed.

Rural management course equips a candidate with required expertise & skills in the related field to manage rural resources effectively and efficiently.

Career in Rural Management Job Profile 

• The Main work of a Rural Manager is to systematically plan & execute rural development programs and find out the ways of sustainability & profitability of organizations in order to develop the lives of people in rural areas.

• A Rural manager would usually work for an NGO or any non-profit organisation or even independently to carry out the tasks assigned to him.

• As a Rural Manager, One would be working very closely with people and One has to understand their problems, respect their ethos, understand their culture and their need for development.

• A Rural manager’s task is to devise and implement methodologies to empower them with the know-how of managing small scale enterprises, mostly confined within a household.

• A Rural manager would perform research on rural systems of livelihood & identify areas where the system needs intervention or improvement.
• The Rural manager would decide how to sustain these developmental efforts & the ways to expand and improve. Whether an N GO would address the problems or should a cooperative be set up with the government’s intervention.

• The job profile of a Rural manager is fast changing and soon they will also be using Information technology. Rural computerization programs would be using modern technologies like IT for their efficient operation.
• The most exciting part of the job is that this is a noble profession , working towards the empowerment of people in rural areas, helping them improve their lives and lead a more happier lifestyle. It’s a humanitarian work and one would be working extensively for the development and growth of rural areas

Career in Rural Management Skills Required

• The candidate must be emphatic towards the rural folks and their problems
• He/ she should be enthusiastic about working towards the betterment of the people residing and facing the issues in rural areas.
• He/ She should possess excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Must be a good listener to be able to listen adeptly to the problems and issues faced by the rural folks.
• Must be very well organised, since a rural manager may be dealing with multiple issues at a time
• Should have an analytical mind
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills are also important
• Should be outgoing, friendly, respectful and should be caring towards the rural people.
• Ability to handle masses
• Be able to handle pressure and work under tight deadlines
• Must possess leadership qualities
• Must be tech savvy in order to use modern technologies to help the rural people
• Ability to persuade & convince people
• Must possess qualities such as suave, dynamic, tactful and diplomatic
• Must be able to adapt to difficult and unfavorable conditions of rural life
• Should possess strong reasoning aptitude
• Must have a positive and optimistic outlook towards the development of rural areas

Salary Packages

• Since this profession is more humanitarian and one operates through a rural setting, The salary packages are not so lucrative. A fresh rural management graduate may get paid anywhere between 8,000 INR to 15,000 INR a month.
• With fair amount of experience and expertise, One will stand to earn fairer salary packages.

Job Prospects

The job prospects for a rural management student are exciting as well as challenging. They are employed in all functional areas such as 

• Project implementation.
• Purchase.
• Human resource.
• General management.
• Marketing.
• Finance.
• Systems, etc.

Rural managers can work as

• Managers.
• Policy makers.
• Analysts.
• Researchers & consultants working with public and private companies.

How Do I get there ?

The various courses offered by colleges/ Universities in India are 

• Bachelor of Rural Technology & development.
• Master of Rural development management.
• MBA – Rural Management.
• MA – Rural Industries Management.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Finance.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Marketing.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development.
• Fellow Program in Rural Management.

One must have passed his / her 12th in Any stream with a minimum of 50% score.