The Business Advisory Clinic of Dayalbagh Educational Institute

Sir Anand Sarup Sahab presented a “Memorandum on Dayalbagh” to the Unemployment Committee of “United Provinces”, when it held its sittings in Dayalbagh on 13th and 14th of March 1935. This “Memorandum on Dayalbagh” was subsequently printed in a Supplement to the Dayalbagh Herald on April 15, 1935.

This Memorandum with immense foresight states, “But, unfortunately, very few people in India really care for the development of Industries. The majority of the people are of the opinion that, India being primarily an agricultural country, the solution of its unemployment cum poverty problem lies in the improvement of its agriculture and dairy farms. But this is an absolutely wrong notion.”

REI Building in all its splendor

Dayalbagh’s (and Dayalbagh Educational Institute’s) focus is on helping its community members (and students) setup and efficiently, ethically and profitably run nano and micro enterprises and industrial units which provide local employment opportunities with low upfront capital requirements.

Today, we have Prof. Santi Swarup Kandikonda, writing about the 

“Business Advisory Clinic” of Dayalbagh Educational Institute

that we are all familiar with which provides guidance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) Entrepreneurs every morning in the Fields.

Prof.  Swarup is Professor in the Department of Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) and Coordinator of the Business Advisory Clinic.

Warm Regards,
Anurag
----------------

Prof. Swarup writes…

On the recommendation of Advisory Committee on Education (ACE), Dayalbagh Educational Institutions, Business Advisory Clinic (BAC) was started in the Faculty of Social Sciences, DEI on 4^th September 2005. The Clinic is actively involved in the guidance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) since its inception. The Clinic has handled 10,160+ cases under the Guidance of Revered Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi, Chairman, ACE, Dayalbagh Educational Institutions, both from India (mainly) and abroad.

BAC has a twin objective of advice to small business as well as developing case studies and share real life experiences with MBA students. It has developed 30 case studies which are discussed with the MBA students every year. Also, the students take up projects and study problems of Agra MSMEs using various techniques under guidance of the In-charge Business Advisory Clinic. The Clinic gives advice to clients every day.

Advising and Learning

Advice given to clients (MSMEs)

The clients approach the Business Advisory Clinic with their problems and advice is given to them. These problems are related to starting a business, expansion or diversification of an existing business, not being able to meet expenses in a business, continuously running in losses, evaluating new proposals, increasing sales etc. During the last 4.5 years, the Clinic has given advice in 3,771 business cases.

Client of BAC

Client of BAC

Cases developed for class discussion

The cases developed in the Business Advisory Clinic are discussed with the MBA students. Some of the cases developed are listed below:

1. Feasibility of a Tire Recycling Plant: A Case Study on Self reflection
2. Profitability at any cost: A Case Study on Business Ethics
3. Cut your coat according to your cloth: A Case Study on Strategy Development for small business using SWOT analysis.
4. Nextgen IT: A Case Study on Business Analysis at 3 levels
5. Is there a way out: A Case Study on Debt trap
6. Ace the Interview: A Case Study on critical success factors and counselling intervention for Interview Success
7. True Empowerment lies within: A Short Case Study on holistic life management
8. Go it alone: A Case Study on Decision making using small data
9. Projects appraised & under appraisal

Class Discussion of Cases

l

The clients who approach the Clinic with the idea of starting a new business are advised to prepare a Detailed Project Report and the vetting of the same is done and risk minimization is ensured.

Business Feedback

Regularly feedback is taken on the performance of the business. Also challenges faced by the new businesses. The feedback received by clients enables us to guide the newer cases better.

Client of BAC

Student visits to local Business

As a part of their projects, students are encouraged to visit the local business and identify the issues using SWOT analysis or Critical Success Factors, Porter’s Five Force Model etc.

Visiting Local Businesses

Visiting Local Businesses

Invited talks on Entrepreneurship

Development and Risk Mitigation Strategies for MSMEs	Ontario Centers of Excellence, Canada
Techniques for Counseling and Enhancing Risk Consciousness of MSMEs in India using case study approach	University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
Techniques for Enhancing Risk Consciousness of MSMEs in India using Experiential approach	Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

Seminars and Conferences attended & papers presented

Conference Displays

Title of the paper	Name of the Conference/ Seminar	Organized by
Is entrepreneurship decision of university students a conscious choice? A study of an Indian University using Triangulation Approach	The Science of Consciousness (TSC 2016)	University of Arizona, US.
Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas in Finance: An Experiential Approach	Ethical Issues in Accounting, Finance and Taxation- 2016	Faculty of Commerce, DEI
Is Investment Decision of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) A Conscious Choice? A study of Indian MSMEs Using Multiple Case Study Approach	Toward A Science of Consciousness (TSC) 2015	University of Helsinki, Finland
Enhancing Risk Consciousness through Self reflection:  A case Study of an Indian Entrepreneur.	Toward A Science of Consciousness(TSC) 2014	Univ. of Arizona, USA
Transformative Learning through Self Reflection for Enhancing Individual and Group Job Interview Consciousness: A Case Study	Brain, Mind and Consciousness (BMC 2014)	Dept. of Psychology, DEI
Development of Consciousness Model for Analyzing Job to Business Decision: An Experiential Study	Toward A Science of Consciousness (2013)	DEI & Univ of Arizona

Skilling Women and Making them Financially Empowered at DEI Women's Polytechnic

This week we have Ms. Binti Shrivastava who writes about 

Skilling Women and Making them Financially Empowered.

Ms. Binti is a physics undergraduate, but found her calling in design moving into textile design and then becoming an adept in interior design. She is an Alumni of the Women's Polytechnic of Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) before joining them as honorary staff.

Ms. Binti writes...

India is progressing at a very fast pace, however at macro level the policy makers have shown their deep concern with regards to inadequate gross enrolment ratio in higher education specifically for women in the latest National Education Policy (NEP) 2017.

In Dayalbagh over hundred years back, education system for women was planned and started which now integrates education for women from pre-nursery to post-doctoral studies. Some milestones of evolution of women’s education system in Dayalbagh are:

In Dayalbagh, skill development programmes for women can be traced back to 1924 when diploma courses were started for women in cooking, knitting, sewing, embroidery, science of health and hygiene and child care. In 1938, another step forward in this direction was taken by bringing "Mahila Associations" into existence where women in groups started manufacturing of clothes, spices, eatables like pickle, fruit concentrates etc.

Inaugural on 26th July 2004

Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) has always taken best practices, many of which were time tested prior in the Dayalbagh community. On the same lines after almost 80 years of experience in skill development programmes for women being in existence it was formally introduced in the education system in the form of establishment of Women’s Polytechnic for skill based education specifically for women who did not want to continue in the conventional higher education system of DEI or wanted to have a taste of both conventional as well as skill based education system.

With the aim of improving the socio-economic status of women, Women’s Polytechnic started in 2004 to offer job oriented courses to women with the concept of no barriers in terms of caste, creed, religion or even age.

2004

DEI Women’s Polytechnic was inaugurated on 26^th July 2004 by Most Revered Professor Prem Saran Satsangi Sahab, Chairman Advisory Committee on Education, Dayalbagh. In the year of inauguration one year certificate programmes in Food Processing & Preservation, Dress Designing & Tailoring, Textile Designing & Printing, Interior-Exterior Design & Decoration and Office Management & Secretarial Practice were started.

2005

From 2005-06, the Women’s Polytechnic was declared as a women’s wing of the DEI Technical College and 3-year Diploma courses were started in Electronics Engineering, Interior Designing & Decoration and Textile Printing. Also 2-year diploma courses were started in Garment Technology, Modern Office Management & Secretarial Practice and Food Processing, Preservation and Nutrition. 

2006

DEI ever since its beginning had a concept of lateral movements there by giving chance to brighter students to move to the highest level of education. The same was extended to the students of Women’s Polytechnic as well. The students of one-year certificate programme on the basis of their academic merit were allowed to make a lateral shift to the corresponding diploma programme after successfully clearing the lateral entry test.

2008

Two National Workshops on False Ceiling & Flooring were organised by the Department of Interior Design & Decoration which had wide industry participation there by giving an exposure to its students on the latest technology and trends in the world.

2009

Lateral movement was further extended to the students of diploma in electronics engineering directly to B.Tech after successfully clearing the lateral entry test and doing short term bridge courses in order to be at par with the B.Tech students.

2010

National workshop GARTEX-2010 was organised by Department of Textile Designing and Department of Garment Technology on the latest trends in the field of textile designing and garment technology.

2012 & Beyond

A new 3-year diploma programme in Architecture Assistantship was started in 2012 which also offered lateral shift to B.Tech. Further new courses on Vocational diploma in Automobile and Information Technology were started. These programmes also have an option of lateral movement to higher degree programmes.

Open & Distance Learning Mode

DEI had ventured into open and distance learning (ODL) since 2004 and to extend its women empowerment drive beyond its campus commenced offering the courses of Women’s Polytechnic as well in ODL mode. Further to have greater flexibility the concept of modularisation of courses was envisioned and in 2014 the courses of Women’s Polytechnic were converted into 9 week modular courses offering flexibility of completing modules there by earning course credits and upon completion of required modules and credits for a certificate/diploma the students are granted an appropriate certificate/diploma.

First Staff of Women's Polytechnic

Community Outreach

In 2014 in the tribal belt of Harda district in MP in village Rajaborari, with a vision to set up REZ (Rural Economic Zone), the Women’s Polytechnic moved forward in setting up of ADyNaM (Agriculture & Dairy Nano Processing of Multi Products) and ATMA (Apparel & Toy Making Association). These efforts were made in order to train the women from the weaker section with various skills which generate self confidence in them and make them self-sufficient to earn a sustainable livelihood.

Management, Coordinators and Staff of Women's Polytechnic

Placements

Students of different programmes of Women’s Polytechnic are widely placed in the industry because of the unique industry aligned curriculum which has a perfect blend of theory and practical courses. Apart from this the students have an edge over the rest due the core courses that each of our student mandatorily takes during the course of study at DEI. Apart from being placed in the industry, we have good number of students turned entrepreneurs doing very well in their domains of expertise.

Musings on the Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibitions

In the last few weeks many Satsang Branches have sent lovely photographs of the

Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibitions

in their Cities. Some very beautifully arranged displays!

Display at the Exhibition in Gurgaon on 2-3 September, 2017

I thought it will be very interesting to take you back by almost a century when these Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibitions started, usually as part of larger Industrial exhibitions. The objectives of cottage industries/ manufacturing were clear right from the beginning. Dayalbagh wanted to provide an avenue for people to make an honourable living (better worldliness), move Indian manufacturing forward with technology as an enabler, and provide high quality goods at reasonable prices.

There is so much that I can share from Dayalbagh Literature, so much foresight… I have picked up a few excerpts from “Writings and Speeches of Param Guru Huzur Sahabji Maharaj (1928 – 1937), First Edition” for your perusal.

Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibition Display in Pune on 7-8 Oct, 2017

Excerpt 1:

Thoughts from Revered Sir Anand Sarup ji after the last meeting of the sub-committee of the board of Industries, U.P. that was appointed to go into the question of resuscitating and developing the languishing cottage industries (textile and others), of the Province, held on 5th April 1930.

“The question now arises whether there are any means by which the industry can be made to stand on its legs again. People suggest that if cooperative or commercial societies are established in important weaving centers, they will do a lot to help it. Without doubt, it is an excellent suggestion, and, if carried to effect, it will enable the weavers to get the yarn they require at a reasonable price and to dispose of their products at reasonable rates. Besides, they will be saved from financial difficulties inasmuch as they will not have to keep any large stock of yarn or cloth with them.

Another way to help the industry is by encouraging the weavers at important centers to adopt modern designs. The world is mad after fashion, and unless the weavers are made to break their conservatism, there can be no harmony between the demand and supply.

But, in my opinion, the best way to help the industry is to introduce power looms in the homes of our weavers…”

Pamphlet of the NOIDA Exhibition held on 7-8 Oct 2017

Excerpt 2:

Moving on to 1931, an excerpt from the Thanksgiving Speech by Revered Sir Anand Sarup ji, thanking Dr. Gokul Chand Narang, Minister for Local Self Government in the Government of Undivided Punjab, at the Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibition at Lahore.

“The words of encouragement that you have so kindly spoken will, I can assure you go a long way to hearten our workers at Dayalbagh, and I can promise that every one of us will do his best to make ourselves deserving of the high praise that you have been pleased to bestow upon us.”

Exhibition Volunteers being served lunch by the Lunch Volunteers in NOIDA

Excerpt 3:

Moving on to Revered Sir Anand Sarup ji’s speech in 1934, where He inaugurated “The Tinnevelly (as I suppose Tirunelveli was called then) Swadeshi Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition” in which Dayalbagh was requested to participate in.

“… The members of the “Buy India” League, therefore, deserve to be congratulated on the wisdom and enterprise they have been showing for the last several years in rousing their countrymen from their long-drawn sleep and showing them the path of duty. It now remains for the public to appreciate their patriotic efforts and reward them with their mead of praise.”

Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibition in Chennai on 27-Aug-2017

Excerpt 4:

Moving onto 1935, where “Memorandum on Dayalbagh”, a supplement to the Dayalbagh Herald was published on April 15th.

“There are at present 50 industries in Dayalbagh… The following is a complete list of the various branches of our industries:

1. General Factory

(a) Gramophone Branch (b) Metal buttons and rings (c) Electroplating (d) Painting (e) Carpentry (f) Smithy (g) Moulding (h) Door-fitting (i) Motor car and bicycle accessories (j) Platform weighing scales (k) Lamp stands and lanterns (l) Flour-mill (m) Oil pressing

2. Science Instruments

(a) Science instruments for Schools and Colleges (b) Dissecting and Drawing sets (c) Botanical and Zoological models (d) Laboratory and dispensing balances and weights

3. Stationery

(a) Fountain pens (b) Gold, steel and brass nibs (c) Cutlery (d) Ink and pastes

4. Electric Goods

(a) Electric fans and motors (b) Miscellaneous Electric goods (c) Electric and other clocks

5. Textile

(a) Wool spinning (b) Wool weaving (c) Cotton and mercerized weaving (d) Silk weaving (e) Washing branch (f) Dyeing branch (g) Ribbon weaving (h) Hosiery and under-wear (i) Blanket and shawls (j) Aerograph and block printing (k) Embroidery

6. Leather Goods Factory

(a) Footwear (b) Other leather goods (c) Card-board boxes

7. Tannery

(a) Chrome-tannery

8. Dairy

(a) Dairy (b) Irrigation

9. B.M. Works

(a) Cement and other tiles (b) Brick-field

10. Miscellaneous

(a) Toys (b) Disinfectants (c) Soap (d) Casein and casein products

11. Jewellery

(a) Silver chain (b) Gold ornaments

12. Printing

(a) Type printing press

13. Garden

(a) Fruit garden (b) Vegetable garden

…The profits from the industries are, in the main, passed on to the educational institutions of the Colony. …Besides the sums, the Sabha paid Rs… to the Dayalbagh Hospital and orphanage…

…But, unfortunately, very few people in India really care for the development of industries. The majority of the people are of the opinion that, India being primarily an agricultural country, the solution to its unemployment cum poverty problem lies in the improvement of its agriculture and dairy farms. But this is an absolutely wrong notion. Improved agriculture will no doubt result in increasing the agricultural output of the country, but who is going to buy in the increased output? It is sure to aggravate the troubles of the poor agriculturist unless arrangements are made to raise the price of the agricultural products…”

Footwear Stall at the Dayalbagh Manufactures Exhibition in Gurgaon

Excerpt 5:

Finally, a note that appeared in the Lucknow exhibition supplement of the Pioneer dated January 17, 1936.

“The stall of the widely known Agra institution, DAYALBAGH, is a large one packed with the most varied products, stressing the versatility of the institution’s members. Here are to be seen laboratory balances and weights, fountain pens, nibs and inks, gramophones, platform weighing machines, electric clocks, A.C. motors, ceiling and electric table fans, footwear and leather goods, silk, cotton and woollen cloth, butter and cream, cheese and a host of other articles as divers and as well finished as the best imports from overseas. The institution undertakes repairs to the most delicate laboratory and hospital apparatus, and is a large importer of chemicals, scientific instruments and chemical and glassware for laboratories and educational institutions.”

=====

So much foresight, a rich history and legacy behind what we do today. Here is to “Keep living up to this legacy and Building further on it”. Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali and Happy “Quality and Values” Day.

The post is by Anurag Singh, Editor, Sigma Six Q Blog.