Experiential Learning Component

(a) Community Induction Segment
The main objective of the two week induction programme is to introduce the students to socio-economic realities of rural/urban deprivations and poverty issues through lectures by development leaders and home-stay in poor households. Students are expected to have a broad understanding of the physical and socio-economic environment of the poor people. At the end of the induction segment, students are expected to submit a report of their experience. Additionally, CIS will help students to appreciate and relate to the academic discussions in the class room of Term 1 curriculum.

(b) Community Study Segment
The 4 week long Community Study Segment will be commenced after the First term of classroom segment. In this the students will be exposed to the realities of the poor community life in rural areas and urban slums. The students will be divided into groups of two and sent to rural/urban areas in different parts of the country and within Orissa state. Each group will be attached to a local host organization and the members of the group will stay in the selected villages/urban slum. The CSS will have three components – community report writing, theme paper writing and a community action component with weightage of 50%, 30% and 20% respectively.

Students will interact directly with the members of the poor community and write a report on their socio-economic situation. For the purpose of the theme paper, the students are expected to work with faculty members on a context specific development theme and identify issues, challenges and strategies for development interventions. Students will also execute a small action-oriented task entrusted by the host organization. Students’ learning from fieldwork will be evaluated based on their reports, presentations and feedback from the host organizations and faculty guides.

(c) Organizational Traineeship Segment
This segment provides an opportunity for students to work in microfinance organizations and the duration of the segment is 4 weeks. The main objective of this component is to study the organization using different concepts taught in Term 1 and Term 2 and execute a small project assigned by the organization under the supervision of experienced managers. At the end of the OTS, students will submit a report and make a presentation in OTS seminars at the host organization and HDF SOM. Both, the OTS reports and the presentations will be evaluated. Weightage of evaluation done by the reporting officer of the organisation, faculty guide and examiner of presentation made at HDF SOM shall be 30%, 40% and 30% respectively.

(d) Management Traineeship Segment (MTS)
This segment provides an opportunity for students to work in live projects assigned by the microfinance organizations. The duration of MTS is 6 weeks. The students are expected to apply the concepts learnt in the class room under the supervision of an experienced manager and faculty. At the end of the MTS, students will submit a report and present their findings in the host organization and HDF SOM. The MTS reports and the presentations will be evaluated. Weightage of evaluation done by the reporting officer in the organisation, faculty guide and examiner of presentation made at HDF SOM shall be 30%, 40% and 30% respectively.