XLRI, on Saturday, saw a batch of 59 defence officers complete their executive management programme and get ready for a second career in the corporate world.
XLRI’s six-month certificate programme in business management for defence personnel, like that of some other leading B-Schools, equips them with basic concepts and skills of the functional areas of management.
The B-School launched such a programme for the first time in January 2007 at the request of the Union ministry of human resource development (HRD), which perceived the need for ‘resettlement’ of the defence officers. The current one is the fourth such batch to graduate from XLRI.
According to prof Pranabesh Ray, chairperson of XLRI’s general management programme (GMP), on completion of the six-month course, acceptance of such defence personnel has been ‘remarkably pleasant’ as the corporate industry has understood that defence officers can go beyond the security department.
Depending on their educational and service backgrounds, placements like hospital administrators, project managers, marketing managers etc have become common for such defence officers today.
“Despite a not-so-encouraging economic situation, acceptance (of the batch) from the corporate sector has been remarkably pleasant,” said a graduating officer.