Dr. Shuchi Mathur is an Assistant Director at Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing. She is a certified trainer from USDA in the area of Market Information and News. She holds 18 years of experience in training, research, teaching, consultancy and management Education. Her core areas of expertise are agricultural marketing, strengthening farmer producer organization and project management. She has more than nineteen research papers/articles, four books, one film in her credit and conducted more than a hundred training programs as a Course Director in various states of the country. She has also served in various consultancy projects of the World Bank, the Royal Government of Bhutan, USAID, Government of India and visited countries like the USA, Kenya and Malawi.

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You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector and the contributing activities?

“I am a learner”. With this belief in 20 years of my professional career, I have learned so many things at each stage of my career. As an academician, I have not confined myself to one area, I engaged myself in multifaced areas. I believe myself a teacher, a researcher, a motivator, an administrator, a manager and the list goes on and is never-ending. The most important thing to learn in the education sector is to unlearn negativity and learn new and productive things.

Being the Assistant Director of CCSNIAM, what is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

Well, it all depends on the decision to be taken. But, I personally believe in participative leadership where management and employees come together to resolve the issues that arise in the organization by mutual understanding within the framework of prevailing rules. Sometimes, feedback from all colleagues is also taken into consideration. The philosophy of participatory leadership is to create an environment where everyone feels like they are part of the team and they start owning the organization. It also encourages them to be more responsible in each decision taken and act accordingly in its implementation. Thus, this helps in creating a more positive work environment with high morale and motivation and increases retention of highly skilled employees in the organization.

In CCSNIAM, we are connected with our employees, students, alumina, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, farmers, startups, entrepreneurs, academicians and Industry at the same time which otherwise becomes difficult for us to connect with all at the same pace of time. So, this style helps me to connect with all at the same time. 

How does the curriculum of PGDM ABM ensure the best practice of the industry?

CCSNIAM runs a very prestigious program i.e., Post Graduate Diploma in Management Agri-Business Management and it is designed to ensure the best practices of the industry by providing students with a comprehensive and diverse set of skills and knowledge. The curriculum includes a holistic Industry overview covering various aspects such as agricultural marketing, rural banking, financial management, and commodities. The faculty members provide practical insight into industry which brings real-world experience to the classroom and enhances the understanding of industry dynamics and current trends, enabling students to apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations. In addition to core agricultural subjects, the curriculum also includes courses in advanced excel and data analytics. These skills are crucial in today’s data-driven corporate world and prepare students to analyze agricultural data effectively, making informed decisions. We also offer a course in language which is valuable in international business and trade, making students more versatile in a globalized industry. 

The program aims to prepare students for the corporate industry by providing them with a diverse skill set and a deep understanding of the agricultural sector. This readiness is crucial for graduates to excel in various roles within agri-business organizations. By offering a diverse range of courses and opportunities for practical experience, the curriculum ensures that students are well-prepared to face the challenges of the agricultural industry. This experiential learning approach enhances their problem-solving skills and adaptability.

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What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the CCS NIAM and the students are?

As a teacher, my first responsibility is the communicate with students and mentor them with utmost patience and understanding. I am here to help them develop the skill of resolving problems of their own with innovative thought. Students' focus is diverted to developing competence, managing emotions, moving through autonomy towards interdependence, developing mature interpersonal relationships, establishing identity, developing purpose, and developing own’s identity.

What do you think should be the CCS NIAM’s top priority over the next 3 years?

As a national Institute with 35 years of establishment CCSNIAM has recently launched the PGD IEV (Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Venture Development) program. This is a two-year program, focusing on nurturing student’s startup ideas and fostering innovation. It connects students with experts who can guide them in developing their own ventures, thereby contributing to industry innovation.

In 2024, we are planning to launch another international programme on “Sustainable Management” as sustainable agriculture gives equal weightage to environmental, social, and economic concerns in agriculture. Agricultural sustainability works on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This programme focuses on preparing a future workforce for agribusiness professionals in the South Asian region that are sensitive to climate change and sustainable development. developing a global knowledge hub in net zero agricultural systems by strengthening training, research and extension in the area of sustainable agriculture, establishing networking with corporates, institutions and industry, to create multi-stakeholder partnerships in responsible management of agribusiness and sustainable Agriculture Management. 

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

Youths of our country are the hope and backbone of our society. Our all-out there should be focusing on encouraging them with constructive motivation which can extend vision and illuminate their future outlook towards ranking our country first in the world. For this firstly, students should give up their unhealthy lifestyle, whatever they do with full zeal and perfection and foresee what best they do innovation, Never Stop Learning, Say Yes to Things, Listen to their inner self and develop problem-solving skills themselves.

I close my words by saying “Think twice before you act”.