The Hindu Business Line : Retailers’ body to offer course in management

Responding to the growing demand for retail-ready manpower, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) has tied up with 15 B-schools across the country to offer a post-graduate programme in retail management.

The Asian School of Business Management, the Bangalore Management Academy, the Chennai Business School and the IILM Institute of Retail Studies are some of the B-schools that have been roped in the project. “These B-schools have been chosen base d on parameters such as their infrastructure, dedicated faculty resources and library facilities,” said Gibson G. Vedamani, CEO of RAI.

According to Vedamani, the objective of the PG programme is to impart knowledge and understanding of the concepts and processes involved in retailing and to equip students with operational and analytical skills needed for all verticals of the industry. Students would also be able to intern and find placement at RAI’s member-organisations.

The course curriculum has been prepared by a pool of faculty members drawn from the retail sector who will also give guest lectures in the partnering B-schools.

Admissions to the programme will be through a Common Admission Retail Test (CART) which would be conducted in 25 cities and would comprise tests in quantitative ability, data interpretation, logical awareness, verbal skills and business and consumer awareness. The first CARD will be conducted on January 27.

Application forms for the course will be available at select branches of Axis Bank, all partnering B-schools and outlets of Shoppers’ Stop, Croma, Vishal Mega Mart, Viveks, Landmark Bookstores, Big Bazaar and Crossword Bookstores among other centres.

It is expected that in two years, the retail industry would require another 2.2 million people, 10 per cent of this would be for the organised retail sector.

The governing board of RAI comprises top retailers including Kishore Biyani of Future Group, B.S. Nagesh of Shoppers’ Stop, Noel Tata of Trent, Vinay Nadkarni (Globas), B.A. Kodandarama Setty (Viveks) and Sumantra Banerjee of RPG Retail.

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