Social and Community Services
Plan for emphasizing Humanities and Social Sciences:
IndSearch has always believed in the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to professional education and has constantly included a strong emphasis on social sciences and humanities in management education. The IndSearch library, for example, has many seminal volumes on social issues, IndSearch Research Projects have always emphasised social dimensions of economic issues and IndSearch has been an active participant in activities to contribute to Social Change through innovative programmes like Lab to Land - Taking Technology to Rural Areas, Women Empowerment in under-privileged sections of society, Ethics and Business Decisions and Environmental Awareness.

Government and Corporate Social Responsibility
Some issues in corporate governance are creating a socially undesirable impact on Management Education. Therefore, today's management education needs to develop leaders with the capacity to think broadly about the impact of their decisions on the stakeholders, on societies and on the natural environment. Business schools can teach a specific set of skills that will develop integrity and integrated thinking amongst our students. IndSearch takes the initiative in this direction to inculcate Individual and Institutional Integrity, Responsibility, Accountability and Transparency, Ecological Awareness and a deep and genuine Respect for other religions and cultures.

Lab to Land Programme
Started by IndSearch in 1999, the Lab to Land Programme is run by IndSearch-ACME, the main objective being Techno-demystification or teaching the basics of computers to rural students. It is essentially a social service activity carried out by IndSearch. The target students belong to the Shri. Jayprakash Narayan Vidyalaya of Khed village in Karjat Taluka, a distance of 114 km from Pune. The Bharatiya Samaj Vikas Sanstha founded by eminent social worker Dr. Kumar Saptarshi runs the school. Dr. Ashok Joshi is the Founder Trustee.

IndSearch-ACME conducts 15 one-day sessions at the school during an academic year with a team comprising of one ACME faculty member and 8 to 9 student volunteers. The school has provided space wherein IndSearch has set up a lab with 11 computers.

This gives the students a chance to practice their computer skills after learning the basics. Students belonging to eight, ninth and tenth standard participate in the programme and are awarded certificates on completion of the course. The students are taught introduction to computers, DOS and Windows Operating Systems, Microsoft Office, etc. The sessions are made more interesting with the help of a laptop and sometimes a digital camera on occasions like Independence Day. These visits give IndSearch students an opportunity to experience village life and develop teaching skills. The enthusiasm of the village students and even the villagers is reflected by the warm welcomes and delicious meals provided to our team members.


Environmental Management Education
At present, this module offered to IndSearch IT, HR and Marketing students, which covers the concepts of ecology and environment, management of the environment and related problems to help management professionals to appreciate socio-economic dimensions of our environment. It is proposed that this module should be further strengthened by creating awareness about the environmental aspects in society, with special emphasis on the peculiarities of developing societies.



Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme
Among the important current training programmes by IndSearch is the Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme supported by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). IndSearch has conducted a programme on ‘Empowering Women through Enterprise’ under the Association of Indian Management Schools and Canadian Consortium of Management Schools in an international joint venture in management training for Socio-Economic Development. It is proposed that these programmes should continue with greater efficiency.

IndSearch organized the Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme in collaboration with Rotary Club of Poona North and Jagruti Seva Sanstha on April 7 - 8, 2005. Empowering women is the need of the society. A training programme was organized for “Empowering women through Enterprise”. This workshop was one of the major activities by IndSearch, which helps in upliftment of the lower-income group women of the society.

The workshop was partly sponsored by Rotary Club of Poona North. The women attending the workshop belonged to low-income group, having their own very small or tiny businesses like making spices, papads, pickles or tailoring, etc. It was inaugurated by Mr. Avinash Joshi, Assistant Governor, Rotary Club of Poona North. Dr. N.M. Vechaleker, Associate Dean (PGP) was in the chair.

The workshop sessions included the subjects like Basic Management and Entrepreneurship Concepts, Quality and Time Management, Finance & Costing, Marketing Concepts, Stress Management, Bank Facilities for women. The classroom training was followed by an interactive session where three successful women entrepreneurs, Mrs. Anjali Datar and Mrs. Trimande (Garments manufacturing and tailoring) and Mrs. Anita Gharmalkar (Flour – packing and home delivery) shared their experiences in building their own businesses. This interactive session was highly encouraging and motivating to the participants.

The workshop concluded by distributing participation certificates to all participants. This valedictory function was chaired by Dr. Ashok Joshi, Director, IndSearch. In his speech, Dr. Joshi said, “The management training will enhance the capabilities of the women participants to become economically viable and will give them self-confidence and increase their decision-making abilities.” He also gave the participants guidelines, which would help them in running their businesses efficiently.

This is the consecutive fifth year of IndSearch to conduct such workshops and for all these five years, they have been very successful. The participants expressed that the training will help them in carrying out their day-to-day business more effectively and profitably. They also expressed that IndSearch should also conduct advanced workshops to further enhance their capabilities.