Institute of Rural Management, Anand
About
OfficialIndia's premier business school pioneering rural management education and sustainable development since 1979.
- Founded in 1979 by Dr. Verghese Kurien, Father of India's White Revolution
- Flagship PGDM(RM) programme—a 2-year fully residential postgraduate diploma in rural management
- 60-acre green campus with state-of-the-art infrastructure in Anand, Gujarat
- Accredited by AICTE, NAAC (A+ grade), NBA, and recognized by AIU and NIRF
- 10+ centres of excellence including Verghese Kurien Centre of Excellence and IRMA Water Centre
- 3000+ alumni working as nation builders, global leaders, and social entrepreneurs
Mission & Vision
IRMA is driven by the mission to promote sustainable, ecologically-friendly, and equitable socio-economic development of rural people through professional management. The institute aims to create a new breed of professional rural managers with appropriate ethos and values, help rural organizations professionalize their management, and influence public policy. Founded with support from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), and the Government of India, IRMA emerged from the recognition that large-scale rural development programmes required specialized management professionals.
Academics
IRMA offers three primary postgraduate programmes: PGDM(RM)—a two-year fully residential diploma in rural management; FPM(RM)—a Fellow Programme in Management (Rural Management); and PGDM(RM-X)—an executive variant. The institute also conducts Management Development Programmes (MDPs) and specialized training. All programmes emphasize intensive fieldwork, real-world problem-solving, and learning from complex rural socio-economic realities. Faculty members from reputed national and international institutions collaborate to deliver world-class education.
Research & Centres of Excellence
IRMA operates multiple centres of excellence focused on rural development: Centre for Sustainable Livelihoods (CSL), Centre for Rural Infrastructure and Corporate Social Responsibility (CRI & CSR), Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Enterprises (CSEE), Centre for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG), Centre for Rural-Urban Dynamics (CRUD), Centre of Excellence in Commodity Markets, Verghese Kurien Centre of Excellence (VKCoE), Verghese Kurien Policy Lab (VKPL), IRMA Water Centre, ISEED, RBI Endowment Unit, and Grameen Gyan Kosh. The institute publishes the International Journal of Rural Management (IJRM), the first international journal exclusively focused on rural management.
Campus & Infrastructure
IRMA operates a 60-acre green campus in Anand, Gujarat, offering world-class infrastructure for learning and research. The fully residential campus provides an ideal ecosystem for students to engage with government and non-government institutions, international development organizations, and real on-the-ground projects. The campus supports both academic excellence and student initiatives aimed at enriching learning and fostering social entrepreneurship.
Placements & Outcomes
The Campus Placements Programme provides meaningful and challenging career opportunities for graduating batches. A diverse range of organizations participate, including business sector companies, PSUs, state and central government agencies, NGOs, and multilateral agencies. The institute has over 3000 alumni who serve as nation builders, global leaders, and social entrepreneurs, carrying forward IRMA's legacy through outstanding work in rural development and sustainable growth.