Providing value based education and various career opportunities to aspirants of the Indian hospitality sector, Mohd Shahid Hasnain, principal, IHM Rohtak, elaborates on the hospitality segment in India, the institute and its offerings By Archana Sharma
With the hospitality sector gaining momentum, the State Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Rohtak, has been providing tailor made programmes to the hotels of Haryana Tourism Corporation (HTC). Established in August 2012, IHM Rohtak came into existence as an autonomous body under the department of tourism, Government of Haryana. According to Mohd Shahid Hasnain, principal, IHM Rohtak, “With the tremendous growth being observed in the Indian hospitality sector, this industry is moving towards becoming one of the most profitable segments in the country. And with increasing prospects, the goal to provide quality and value based education to hospitality sector aspirants led to establishing IHM Rohtak under Haryana Tourism.” Affiliated to the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), Noida, IHM Rohtak is a new setup, the fourth institute of hotel management under Haryana government after Panipat, Faridabad and Kurukshetra. In the beginning the institute had 34 students in its first year of operations for the degree course and now the has 127 students for the same.
Programmes and facilities
Equipping students with all the required skills, knowledge and attitude to efficiently discharge supervisory responsibilities in the hospitality sector, IHM Rohtak, has various programmes running in the institute. The BSc Programme in Hospitality and Hotel Administration, offered jointly by the NCHMCT and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), is the most sought after programme. There are about 210 students in different years for this course. Apart from this, the institute also runs a one year Diploma in Food Production course, with 22 students enrolled in it so far.
“The hospitality industry is one of the largest segments under the services sector of the Indian economy and with tourism being a key growth driver and a significant source of foreign exchange earnings in India, providing direct contribution to the GDP which is expected to grow at 7.8 per cent per annum during 2013-2023, the government is pushing domestic and international tourism forward. However, this growth will require a large number of skilled workforces, therefore many skill development programmes have been introduced through the various IHM’s,” Hasnain stated. And, being connected to the ministry of tourism, Goverment of India, IHM Rohtak also runs short term job oriented courses like skill testing and certification scheme and ‘Hunar se Rozgar tak’ scheme, wherein they have completed 14 batches and trained about 500 students till date.
IHM Rohtak emphasises on hands on training for students, supplementing the theoretical inputs given to them. To facilitate this better, and provide proper practical training, IHM Rohtak has three state-of-the-art kitchens, a bakery with confectionery and chocolate room, larder kitchen, all equipped with the latest equipment. “We also have a well-equipped laundry, three operational guest rooms, two restaurants of more than 60 covers, attached with mock bar, a front office lab and a state of art computer lab having all necessary software, for the various practicals,” Hasnain boasted. In addition to this, IHM Rohtak has well-furnished separate hostels for girls and boys, a library with a vast collection of books and regular periodicals and journals, dining hall of 125 persons taking care of student’s meal during the lunch hours. They are also planning to start a new kitchen set up, exclusively for the skill certification courses, a canteen for students will also start soon and an auditorium and a new block for staff quarters are also proposed for the future.
Apart from on-campus training, every student has to undergo a six-month internship, an integral part of the curriculum, providing emphasis on the practical exposure for students. Talking about career opportunities, Hasnain said, “We are a new institute, where our first batch will pass out this year, yet we arranged many campus interviews for their placements.” IHM Rohtak recently hosted an HR summit and job fest in collaboration with Maharshi Dayanand University.
Hasnain believes that the faculty of any institute is the key factor for providing quality education and keeping the same in mind, IHM Rohtak has a team of young and dedicated faculty with experiences from leading hotel chains. The Faculty is also sent for regular training programmes in order to keep pace with changes in the industry.
Regarding modifications in the hospitality academics and curriculum, IHM Rohtak follows the same syllabus which is followed by the other institutes of the country. However, Hasnain believes that the curriculum needs to be revised, especially keeping in mind, the modern scenario which is changing at a fast pace at international level. “And the syllabus is likely to be revised very soon considering the fact that the module from Lausanne- Switzerland is to be adopted,” he added.
IHM Rohtak also undertakes promotional activities such as hosting theme lunches like Nirvana and Rajasthani cuisine celebrations and other activities, inviting eminent personalities from the local community, to discuss the hospitality scenario in India. “Such events and activities not only provide exposure and an almost work-like environment but also enable the students to handle work pressure better,” Hasnain added.