Born out of a maverick's dream IRMA is, today, at the forefront of professionalising the development of India's rural sector. Over the years it has provided management training, support and research facilities to students committed to rural development drawing, in the process, co-operatives, non-government organisations, government development agencies, international development organisations, and funding agencies towards it.

Mission

IRMA stands out as an institute with a mission. Its mission is to promote sustainable, ecologically-friendly, and equitable socio-economic development of rural people through professional management.

IRMA strives to achieve this mission
• by creating a new breed of professional rural managers with the appropriate ethos and values;
• by helping rural organisations and institutions in professionalising their management;
• by empowering rural people through self-sustaining processes;
• by building new rural management knowledge and theories through action-oriented and problem-solving research and consultancy;
• and by influencing public policies.

In performing these activities, IRMA continues to uphold and foster the values of creativity, integrity, and excellence.

Founder's Vision

kurien IRMA is a unique institution of rural management. IRMA stands out as an institute with a mission. IRMA’s mission is to promote sustainable, ecologically-friendly and the equitable socio-economic development of rural people through professional management.

Post-Graduate Programme in Rural Management (PRM)
IRMA is a pioneering academic institution in rural management education and research. Many good stand-alone programmes of business management and development are available in India today. IRMA’s PRM integrates the two streams and equips talented men and women with both development perspectives and business acumen. IRMA recognises that institutions working for rural development operate in a complex environment, in which there is a far greater need for professional management. IRMA trains talented men and women through a well-structured two-year Postgraduate Programme in Rural Management, with a purpose of empowering them to undertake challenging responsibilities in development and producers’ organisations with the right ethical values.

PRM is a two-year residential programme leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Management (PGDRM). PRM comprises four different segments – classroom, fieldwork, organisational understanding and management training thus emphases on experiential learning. PGDRM is recognised as the equivalent to a master’s degree by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
IRMA facilitates meaningful placement opportunities for its students. IRMAns are highly valued by national and international development organisations, funding agencies, co-operatives and NGOs. The placements combine job satisfaction and decent compensation.PRM 2008–10 participants received an average annual salary of Rs 6.00 lakh (the highest being Rs 9.45 lakh), with 100 per cent placement. Some participants prefer to join grass-roots organisations with low salaries over high-paying jobs for greater challenges, innovative experimentation and higher autonomy.
 
Composition of applicants for the course Composition of candidates finally selected

Fellow Programme in Rural Management (FPRM)
This is a doctoral level residential programme for the people who need specialized knowledge, skills and attitudes for positions requiring conceptual and visioning skills in the co-operatives and development organizations. The main objectives of the programme are (i) to establish rural management as a separate discipline, (ii) to develop researchers and scholars in the field of rural management, (iii) to create a body of knowledge in the field of rural management, and (iv) to stimulate academic and research work at IRMA in the field of rural management. Each participant of the programme receives a fellowship and contingency grant. Many of the participants have received good offers for teaching and research assignments even before completion of their