Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), founded by Dr Verghese Kurien, has applied for National University status as the Institute of National Value (INI) or the nationwide college standing under the Ministry of Co-operation. IRMA, currently an independent, self-supporting organisation, hopes to grow from two diploma programmes and one fellowship programme to several programmes and have a presence in India. The Association of Indian Universities considers its flagship Post-Graduate Diploma in Management, the PGDM Rural Management, to be on par with a Master’s degree.
An institution that “acts as a critical player in establishing exceptionally skilled workers within the defined area of the country/state,” may be granted the Institute of National Value (INI) designation by an act of Parliament.
If this accreditation is given, IRMA will be able to open centres around the country. It will also be eligible to receive funds from the central government. IRMA Director Dr Umakant Dash said “The application for National University status was submitted in January this year.”
This will undoubtedly be Gujarat’s fourth institute to achieve INI status. Three Gujarati institutions—Institute of Mentor and Study in Ayurveda Jamnagar, National Forensic Sciences College Gandhinagar, and Rashtriya Raksha College Gandhinagar—were given the designation as Institute of National Value in 2020.
On June 12, during IRMA’s 41st convocation event, Union Home and Cooperatives Minister Amit Shah stated that “IRMA should contribute more to build and expand the cooperative sector.” Dash said, “The central government sensed the necessity and desire for a national university, so it (the recommendation) came from the ministry”
The Anand Institute of Primary Rural Management was founded as a society in 1979, under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. It is registered as a public trust as per Section 2 (13) of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950.
“Although the growth would be modest and dependent on the backing of other state governments, we expect to have a footprint across all of India in two to three years. Mentally, we are set up. It is speaking with different stakeholders to comprehend the needs,” IRMA Director Dr Umakant Dash said.
Some of the noteworthy alumni of the prestigious institute are Namita Lal, Managing Director, Global Head Payments, Collections, Mobile Money, e-commerce, at Standard Chartered Bank, Manju GeorgeGlobal Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum, Geneva, Nayana RenuKumar, Global Policy Manager, Airbnb Experiences and of course, RS Sodhi, Managing Director, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd., (AMUL)
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