PG Diploma Offers More Focussed Curriculum Than Traditional PG Courses

Dr. S. V. Ramana Rao, Director, Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Secunderabad, discusses the institute’s innovative approaches to teaching finance, the impact of simulation software on student learning, and the unique features of their three-semester program in a freewheeling interview with Education Post’s Prabhav Anand.

Q. Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management are your areas of expertise. What approach do you adopt to teach these subjects to students who did not have finance or commerce in their graduation?

It is a typical challenge since there is quite a good number of students who did not have finance or commerce as their background during graduation. Teaching investment analysis and portfolio management to such students, though tricky, becomes smoother due to the student’s interest and perseverance. The work becomes more manageable because the students start taking interest and put in a little extra effort to understand the concepts and theories beyond the classroom. As faculties teaching these important concepts, we focus on concepts such as the need for investments and aspects related to types of markets and their unique features. Further, we use real-life examples and case studies from various markets, including India, to establish and enhance the understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of the subject. As an institution, we also stress simulation exercises and often devise specific assignments to help students apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations, enhancing their understanding of the topics. Most students, including those from non-commerce backgrounds, have acknowledged these methods and performed well in the financial sector over the years

Q. MarkStrat StratX and Equity Levers are some simulation software that trains professionals for marketing strategy, and your institute has licensed versions of them. Please share some incidents about how these simulation software helped students.

As already mentioned, as an institution, we strive to deliver industry-oriented and industryrelevant knowledge to students. Most of our courses use innovative approaches to help students understand concepts in real-time and real-life situations. These simulation software, such as Equity Levers, are an inclusive and integral part of the course curriculum and assessments at SSIM. Students have used these simulation software to understand the connection between theories taught in the class and the real-time decisions taken by the companies. In fact, quite a few students have started investing in stocks and other financial instruments themselves after understanding the concepts and practicing them on these simulation software. Thus, these simulation software add an edge to SSIM learning that goes a long way throughout the career of our students.

Q. Siva Sivani Institute of Management offers programs in PG diploma while many management institutes offer a postgraduation. How does the institute ensure good training of students while maintaining timelines?

PG diploma programs often have a more focused curriculum compared to traditional post-graduate programs, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of business and management principles. SSIM offers PGDM that focuses on key strategies such as Intensive Curriculum, Practical Learning, Industry Exposure, Soft Skills Development, Focused Electives, and Continuous Assessment. SSIM believes that practical training is an absolute must to understand the concepts and theories of different subjects. Therefore, experiential learning has been embedded across the curriculum. Students interact with corporates regularly, get involved in live projects involving real-life companies and situations, take up internship opportunities along with studying, and organize corporate feedback sessions for students in one-on-one sessions during Term End Viva. Therefore, students get various opportunities to train themselves and make themselves corporate-ready before taking up internship or placement opportunities.

Q. The institute offers three-semester education over the usual two-semester ones. By your experience, how does a three-semester program help?

SSIM adopted the three-semester program as we believe this system provides more time for in-depth exploration of subjects, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of core concepts and specialized areas within management. It also offers an extended period for internships, allowing students to gain more practical experience and develop a better understanding of the industry. A longer program may allow for more flexibility in terms of elective courses and specialization options. Further, students also have the chance to explore a broader range of subjects and have a deeper focus on a specific area of interest. This system also focuses on having more time dedicated to the development of soft skills, leadership qualities, and other essential managerial attributes. A three-semester program also provides additional opportunities for networking, industry exposure, and career development, potentially enhancing job placement prospects.

Q. On-campus placement, and those with quality jobs, is one of the indispensable points when students look for colleges. What do you think of it, and please share the institute’s approach to it?

On-campus placements are indeed crucial for students as they provide a convenient and structured way for them to connect with potential employers. SSIM has been maintaining strong relationships with industry partners and also has a robust placement cell that tends to attract more students as they offer the promise of better job opportunities postgraduation. Along with this, SSIM also strives to maintain a strong industry connection and collaborates with companies regularly for internships, guest lectures, and other industryoriented programs. It focuses on enhancing students’ employability by incorporating skill development programs into their curriculum. Our placement team helps students create effective resumes and prepares them for interviews by providing requisite training from time to time. Workshops, mock interviews, and resume review sessions contribute effectively towards students’ readiness for the job market. SSIM also focuses on maintaining a strong alumni network as these alumni are a valuable resource for current students. Institutes often collect feedback from recruiters and students to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their placement processes to enhance the effectiveness of the system. This feedback loop helps them make continuous improvements and make the system more robust.

Q. Financial Derivative is one of your repertoires. For those working professionals who haven’t studied finance or commerce in their formal education, do you know any study material that might help them begin their investment in the stock market?

An interest in investing and the keenness to understand the objectives and concepts of the subject are important. In the given scenario where AI is helping us significantly, learning these concepts isn’t a significant challenge for anyone, even though professionals do not have formal qualifications in finance or commerce. There are various study materials available online, including books and articles that are updated regularly. Apart from this, NSE and SWAYAM, NPTEL are good and genuine sources where such professionals can learn these concepts easily while undergoing specific courses. Other learning platforms such as Udemy or Upgrade also have their own set of courses with differing levels of understanding and complexities that might help such working professionals understand the concepts and apply them in real-time in the form of their investment decisions.