Dr. Jayalakshmi V is the HOD of BIFS at Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Hyderabad. She holds a Master's Degree in Commerce, an LL.B. from Utkal University, and an M. Phil from CESS affiliated with BRAOU. She holds a Ph.D. in Health Insurance from OU. She possesses over a decade and a half of teaching experience at both UG and PG levels, covering a wide array of subjects, including Income Tax, Mercantile Law, Banking, Auditing, Accountancy, Indian Financial System, and Management of Insurance Institutions. Beyond her academic role, she has served as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Content Developer in the field of Life Insurance for e-learning programs for prominent software companies located in Hyderabad. As a Trainer, she has conducted Domain Training Programs on Health Insurance and Life Insurance for software professionals in the insurance sector of IT companies.

She is a valued Resource Person for various PG programs at Osmania University, authoring the course book "Technical Aspects of Insurance" for the DIRM Program of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). She has presented more than 15 research papers at various National and International Seminars and has publications in recognized journals. Her Ph.D. thesis has been submitted to Osmania University.

She is recognized as a Fellow of the Finance Institute of India (FIII) in Non-Life Insurance, amassing over 18 years of teaching experience at UG and PG levels across various subjects. In addition to her academic roles, she has worked as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Content Developer in the field of Life Insurance for e-learning programs for leading software companies located in Hyderabad. She has also presented over 20 research papers at various National and International Seminars and has published in various recognized journals.

Siva Sivani Institute of Management

What is the latest program that you are offering in your institute/dept. which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

SSIM has been offering the PGDM-BIFS Program since 2008, as we were the pioneers in designing this program for the specialized financial services sector, predicted to grow exponentially. The PGDM-BIFS program in Banking, Insurance, and Financial Services is a uniquely designed and customized program aimed at developing professional management graduates with holistic and technical knowledge in the financial services sector, namely, the Banking, Insurance, and other allied Financial Services sectors of the Indian economy.

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt?

The two-year full-time PGDM-BIFS program equips students to understand the technicalities, challenges, advancements, and critical aspects faced by the Banking, Insurance, and Financial Services Sector. Additionally, this program is recognized by the Insurance Institute of India (III) Mumbai, the professional certification body in the insurance industry, allowing students to earn prior learning credits upon course completion. SSIM is the sole B-School in Hyderabad with this prestigious recognition.

What will you say the “best practices” in the course you’re offering 

This course would equip tech-led talented professionals who are specialists, generalists and business management oriented in the domain of Banking, Insurance, and Financial Services would be in high demand. The best practices that we have adopted for our students include:

  • Blended learning 
  • Experiential learning
  • Capstone projects 
  • Finance Lab sessions - Trading terminals in association with the National Stock Exchange (NSE)
  • Simulation Lab or StratX simulations (Marketing)

PGDM BIFS prepares the students to exhibit the different skill sets required at various service levels such as 

  • Innovation and Analytical thinking abilities required for the entry-level positions; 
  • Upskilling, Cross-skilling, and Process Building Capabilities required at middle-level positions
  • Reinventing processes, pioneering change, nurturing talent along showcasing a growth mindset at top-level positions.

What are some valuable insights of the program that you are offering at your institute/dept.?

The PGDM-BIFS program is a combination of courses with a mix of strong theory and practical orientation. It offers a seamless blend of courses designed to prepare students for various sub-sectors within the financial services sector, which are complementary in nature. The courses offered include core banking, insurance, and finance papers, providing students with integrated learning of the entire financial sector. In addition to these courses, the program includes core management courses and numerical courses to develop students into managerial personnel with a blend of technical and management subjects.

Check Siva Sivani Institute of Management Courses & Fees

How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

Currently, the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector are poised for exponential growth in India, attributed to the increasing per capita income, introduction of new products, technological innovation, expanding distribution networks, and heightened customer awareness of financial products. The BFSI security market, valued at USD 49.90 billion in 2021, is expected to reach USD 119.21 billion by 2029, registering a CAGR of 11.50% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2029. This specially designed program is effectively preparing students for the promising BFSI industry, with Hyderabad emerging as the preferred city for the BFSI sector. Students are being equipped to be future-ready.

How did you train yourself/faculty to deliver this program to the students?

The faculty for the course comprises experienced individuals with a combination of academic and industry insights. Therefore, they can bring corporate experiences and insights into the classroom. Additionally, students benefit from visiting faculty members, guest sessions, and alumni speakers who visit and share their growth stories with the current students on campus. 

How do you tend to build an industry connect with this program?

The PGDM-BIFS program necessitates industry insights. Secondly, the changes taking place in the financial sector are highly dynamic and ever-changing, with technological innovations occurring at lightning speed. Hence, guest lectures, internship projects, and real-time immersive programs with companies such as banks, insurance and finance companies, and equity-leveraged capstone projects bring industry insights into the classroom. Additionally, students also interact with banks, asset management companies, insurance (both life and non-life), non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), distribution channels, and broking companies to gain practical experience.

What were the challenges that you faced while inculcating this program in your curriculum?

The challenges included finding the right faculty with the required qualifications and experience. Since SSIM was the pioneer for the BIFS program, the program designers themselves had backgrounds in financial services. Secondly, securing the right placements and career opportunities for the students was also a challenge. However, as the years passed, the program has gained importance due to the ever-increasing demands in the market. 

What are the types of projects that the students are working on through this program?

As mentioned earlier, students are required to complete numerous projects to gain exposure to the dynamics of the industry. These projects encompass summer internships lasting two months, taking place in real-time settings such as banks, insurance companies, financial services firms like mutual fund companies, brokering organizations, third-party administrators (TPAs), and stock-broking companies. Moreover, the assignments provided to students necessitate interactions with industry professionals to find solutions. Specialization projects within their respective areas of expertise are also assigned. These projects, including trading in the virtual finance lab, capstone projects, and simulation activities as mentioned previously, prepare students for the industry.

What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

The students have a wide range of job opportunities, as they are exposed to banking, insurance, finance, technical, and analytical courses in the curriculum. The BIFS sector includes Banks (both Private and Public Banks), Asset Management Companies, Wealth Management companies, Life Insurance Companies, Non-Life Insurance Companies, Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC), Distribution Companies, Broking houses/companies, and Finance research companies, as well as Investment Banking and Mortgage Banking companies. Some other profiles in this segment include Digital Banking experts, Cybersecurity professionals, Artificial Intelligence professionals, Robotics Process Automation (RPA) experts, Data Analytics professionals, Credit underwriting, Debt Resolution and Recovery professionals, and Risk and Compliance experts. Therefore, our students with technical, analytical, critical thinking, and management-oriented skills are in high demand in these sectors.