IGNOU - Retail through distance mode

Retail through distance mode
20 Aug 2007, 1927 hrs IST,TNN

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in association with the Retailers Association of India (RAI), has recently announced a one-year diploma in retail, through distance mode, from January 2008.

At the launch of the programme, N V Narasimham, director, school of management studies, Ignou, said that the programme would have a strong practical face of management studies, as each student would have to undergo a minimum of six-month internship with a retail organisation to have a first hand experience. The intern would also get a stipend during this period.

According to RAI, the retail sector would provide nearly 2.2 million employment opportunities by 2009. Also, the organised retail's current demand stands two-lakh at present. Today, India has 12 million retailers, both in organised and unorganised, accounting for over US$ 260-billion industry.

V N Rajasekharan Pillai, vice chancellor, Ignou, said: "The course was designed after a brainstorming session with over 30 experts from IIMs, corporates, open universities and other academic institutions. We would like to make this a dynamic programme, wherein the learners would return and add context to the curriculum, thus helping us upgrade it. This will help achieve a dynamic change in the curriculum and retail practice."

The vice chancellor also announced, that by January 2009, RAI-Ignou would complete designing the BBA course in retail, and those who complete the diploma would be eligible to study for further two years to get the BBA degree.
B S Nagesh, chairman, RAI and managing director, Shopper's Stop, said that RAI, apart from Ignou, has a tie-up with 15 other academic institutions of higher learning and aims to modernise the retail sector in the country.

He said: "We can invest in technology, but without proper education, we won't be able to modernise the sector. As such, 80% of the retailers are still in the unorganised sector. As more students opt for specialised courses, consumers will see modern retailing technology not only in the large organised retail sector, but also with the next door retailer."

He further added that: "This will not only help educate and employ students, but would also help them to enjoy a better quality of life, instead of getting into some menial job."