The Indian Institute of Democratic Leadership on Wednesday launched a nine-month-long post-graduate programme in leadership, politics and governance offering 40 seats.
The programme, an initiative of Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, an NGO, will begin on August 1. The curriculum for the course will include management and leadership, politics and democracy, governance and public policy, and will follow a trimester pattern.
The course has been broken down into eight months of learning, and a month-long internship in the political, social, voluntary, civil sector. The course will be a mix of academic and experiential learning, with field visits to gram panchayats, municipal corporations, the State Assembly, and voluntary organisations. The classroom lectures will be conducted by a module head, as well as elected representatives, politicians, journalists and activists. The eligibility criteria for the course is graduation from any stream.
Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha said, “We have found that in several areas, the concept of prestige is ruling, whereas the excellence which will provide us leadership is missing. Thus, we thought it fit to take the concept of leadership away from management leadership.”
‘Innovative concept’
Dr. Sanjay Deshmukh, Vice Chancellor, University of Mumbai, said, “This is the only organisation that trains people’s representatives, and now they have gone a step further by institutionalising leadership. The concept is innovative and I believe that it will go a long way in producing leaders, as the idea of leadership is to create leaders and not followers.”
The Vice Chancellor said, the Universities of Maharashtra, after a period of 23 years, will witness an election at the student level and of the various authorities, and it is destined that a programme of this nature is being launched.
“It will not only give impetus to young leaders, or aspirants to become leaders, but they will be able to train themselves formally. It will provide them with an added dimension about how to make a career in public life, as that is the need of the hour, with India being the largest democracy,” he said.
Mr. Devendra Pai, executive head, academic programme at Prabodhini, said, “Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini had launched a week-long programme called Netrutva Sadhana about six years ago and was an inspiration behind the post-graduate programme.
Mr. Pai added, “There is a gap between what is taught and what happens in the real world. At present, India does not have a single structural module that will talk about the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India or MGNREGA. Through this programme we intend to throw light on the socio-political reality of India.”
