- 1. Definitions & Abbreviations
| AIS or SIS | Academic (Student) Information System (software) |
| CQPI | Cumulative Quality Point Index |
| Calendar | Academic Calendar |
| Component | A component in a course, which carries marks/points for the purpose of evaluation and grading |
| Coordinator | Coordinator, Technology Enabled Learning |
| Dean | Dean Academics, XIMB, Bhubaneswar |
| Director | Director, XIMB, Bhubaneswar |
| Alethia | Alethia Education Service Pvt Ltd. |
| End –Term | End – Term Examination |
| Faculty | Faculty Member (s) |
| Home | A place where a student resides |
| Institute | XIM, Bhubaneswar |
| Mid – Term | Mid – Term Examination |
| Outline | Course outline |
| PGCBM | Postgraduate Certificate in Business Management |
| PGCHRM | Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resource Management |
| QPI | Quality Point Index |
| Singular | Includes plural and masculine includes feminine, wherever applicable |
| TEL | Technology Enabled Learning |
The academic year consists of three terms and approximately one week “On-Campus” program. The average duration of each term is approximately 16 weeks. The schedule for the courses is as follows:
There will be three terms spread across the 1 year duration of the programme. Four courses will be taught in each term where the course inputs will be given in 20 hours duration by faculty. In the remaining period in each term, a student is expected to complete the assignments and projects and spend time in understanding the inputs given during the courses by faculty members. While short quizzes, forum discussions, term papers / assignments or any other component of evaluation as announced by each faculty for his/her course will be conducted during the course, the end term examinations of the courses will be held on an announced date after the course is over. Usually all the courses would be covered once a week. Course materials and text books would be couriered to participants and / or would be available in AIS.
3. Registration
3.1 Registration for Term-1
- New students are required to register on the Registration Day of Term-1 and submit the attested copy of their academic qualifications and money receipt for the fees paid to the institute. However, at any later date if it is found that information supplied/provided by the student was false, the student will be expelled immediately forfeiting the fees paid till that date.
- A student will be asked to withdraw from the programme If he / she fails to register for on-campus programme or any of the terms after attending the sessions in the previous term. He/She will be given a chance to appeal to the Coordinator, to continue in the programme by allowing him/her to register along with the subsequent batch in the corresponding term where he/she failed to register and complete the programme as per institute norms for immediately succeeding program of the institute. This provision is subject to the commencement of the subsequent batch, the number of terms, courses, its contents, availability of the necessary infrastructure like learning centres, technology etc., and such admission into the next batch is solely at the discretion of the institute. If allowed, the student will have to pay the course fee (Rs 6250 / - per subject /course) for the new program for the number of terms / courses to which the student is granted permission to join along with the rejoining fee of Rs. 5000-/. The course payment fee, conditions for the new programme may or may not be in line with the previous programme and it is at the sole discretion of the institute. In the event that student is not admitted to the new programme, S/he will be given a certificate for the number of courses completed subject to the successful completion of the course requirements prescribed by faculty members. This certificate is a certificate for partial completion of the programme and cannot be construed as a course completion certificate or the regular PGCBM / PGCHRM certificate awarded to students who successfully complete all the course requirements.
4. Curriculum Design
Courses in the programme are designed to:
a. Provide basic conceptual and analytical knowledge, and inculcate attitudes and skills necessary for managerial effectiveness,
b. Develop an integrated view of organizational and managerial functioning and an understanding of the interdependencies of subsystems, and
c. create an awareness and understanding of environmental forces impinging on managerial behaviour.
4.1 The PGCBM / PGCHRM Programme consists of 12 courses of 2 credits each (2 credits being equivalent to 20 contact clock-hours) totalling to 24 credits. Each course is completed normally in one single Term spread over 3 to 4 months. There would also be a week - 08 day intensive In Campus programme. The credit for on-campus programme is 04 credits. The students have to make their own travel arrangements to reach the campus, however the fees covers their double occupancy stay arrangements, food, on-campus course material and other miscellaneous expenditures.
4.2 On Campus Program:
(a) Students will be entitled to receive the Certificate if only they have completed the on-campus programme satisfactorily.
(b) A student, who does not complete the on-campus programme satisfactorily, and who does not comply with the requirements, will not be eligible to receive the Certificate. The cases of students not able to participate in on-campus programme will be decided by the Coordinator and Dean (Academics).
5. Attendance
The Institute attaches great importance to punctual and regular attendance of all class sessions. The guidelines mentioned below will be followed in all courses. However, depending on the nature of a particular course, the faculty may follow a suitable attendance policy, which may deviate from the following guidelines. But in such cases, the policy shall be announced to the students at the beginning of the course and communicated to the Dean’s Office by the faculty concerned.
5.1 It is mandatory for the students to be regular and punctual in all the classes without exception. Individual faculty members may, at their discretion, assign some weightage to attendance and class participation in the evaluation of the course, in such an event, absenteeism on the part of the student may adversely affect both the components, namely, "attendance" and the consequential "class participation", if any.
5.2 Students should ensure that the attendance requirements, as stipulated in this section, are met no matter whatever may be the other compulsions.
5.3 The faculty may on his/her discretion administer make-up quizzes or select the best two or three out of all the quizzes / or extend date of forum discussions or extend the date of assignment submission only to those students who remained absent with prior permission. Students who experience genuine technical difficulties such as complete link failure or network failure may individually apply to the faculty for consideration of make-up quiz or extending the date of forum discussion participation or extending the date of submission of assignment etc., The faculty decision regarding any such make-up quiz / forum discussion / assignment is final and binding on all students.
5.4 Norms for attendance for appearing in end term
In any course, the student has to maintain a minimum attendance of 70% to be eligible for appearing in the end term examination.
5.5 The faculty may insist that the students should attend a minimum number of sessions in his/her course. The faculty will be free to adopt any measure to regulate attendance, penalize absence, and ensure smooth and undisturbed learning in the class.
The faculty member at his/her discretion could reduce the grade point for low attendance. The reduction would, however, not be greater than the following:
- Attendance Range Grade Reduction
70 – 100% No Grade Loss
60 – 69% less One Grade Point
50 – 59% Less Two Grade Points
0 – 49% Repeat Course
No waiver is allowed for any course in the programme. Even if the person has done a course elsewhere or s/he has prior experience/knowledge of the course.
7. Scheduling of Classes
Institute will take into account the convenience of faculty and also the interests of the students while scheduling the sessions. Schedule for forthcoming classes will be announced through AIS by the Dean’s office / TEL office.
However, there is a possibility of rescheduling of classes with adequate prior notice on the electronic notice board or arrange for substitute classes during the weekdays or week-ends in case of unavoidable circumstances.
8. Grading System
An eight-point grading system is used to evaluate courses. The 8 grades and their corresponding quality points are given below:
8.1 Grading Pattern: The Institute follows relative grading of students. The students are evaluated on a grade point (quality point) from 0 to 8 as well as classified into letter grade from F to A+. The equivalence of grade point and letter grade is as follows:
| Grade | A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | F |  |
| Quality Point | 7.5-8.0 | 6.5-7.49 | 5.5-6.49 | 4.5-5.49 | 3.5-4.49 | 2.5-3.49 | 1.5-2.49 | 0.5-1.49 | 0-0.49 | |
At the beginning of the Course, students can check with the concerned Instructor regarding the grading policy for the course.
Another evaluation symbol "I", is used at the Institute for incomplete component if any. The incomplete component is taken as 0 (zero) in the final calculation of grades.
Use of grades including ‘F’ grade is for academic performance only as per the Manual of Policies. ‘F’ grade can also be used for a proven malpractice in assignment/examination. Grade reduction is permissible as per the Manual for established misconduct. The grade points for such candidates indulged in malpractice or misconduct is 0. Any damage to the property of Alethia , Reliance Web World or XIMB would be adequately compensated by the concerned students.
8.2 The index of a student's performance in each Term is the QPI. It is derived by averaging the quality points secured by a student in all the courses of the Term.
8.3 The index of a student's overall performance is the CQPI, which is the weighted average of the successive terminal QPIs.
8.4 Incomplete Grade ("I" grade): A faculty would award an "I" grade if a student fails to complete the academic requirements of the course. An incomplete grade would require a student to repeat the course by registering for the next batch subject to provisions of Article 3.2.
Each course would comprise of one essential component of the end term examination which shall carry not more than 40% weightage (and not less than 20% weightage) in addition to the other components of evaluation as decided and declared by the faculty.
· The end term component is a must for all in order to complete the course.
· The end term exams would be conducted once per course during the course of the programme.
· End term Regular Examination: Expected to be taken by all the students
· End term Re-Examination: Only under exceptional circumstances and for those students who cannot take the regular end term examination (Please note that re-exams will be held at XIM, Bhubaneswar campus ONLY). No request for change of centre or date of examination will be entertained.
· A student failing to appear in both the examinations or failing to clear the course in the two attempts provided to him would be given "F" grade. This shall apply to students granted for break also with exceptions as mentioned under article 3.2 and under the break policy.
9.1 Students should report at the examination venue at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. Students will not be permitted into the examination venue after the question paper is distributed.
9.2 Students are expected to equip themselves with pen, pencil, ruler, calculator etc. Borrowing of books, study material, calculators etc., is strictly prohibited in the examination venue. The students are not allowed to keep a mobile phone (even in switched off condition) in their person while writing any examination of PGCBM / PGCHRM programme.
9.3 On entering the examination venue, each student should collect the answer booklet from the invigilator. Students are required to take their seats as per the instructions. Answer booklets are not exchangeable.
9.4 Students must fill the particulars on the cover page of answer booklet as well as the question paper before proceeding to attempt any question. The same is the case with every additional booklet used.
9.5 A student must not refer to any book, paper or other notes, unless it is an open book examination. Except for open-book examinations, all books and study material must be left outside the examination venue. The Examination Centre will not be held responsible for the loss or theft of any material from within or outside the examination venue. Students are, therefore, advised to refrain from carrying important books, papers or other belongings to the examination venue to avoid the risk of losing them.
9.6. Except for essential communication with the invigilator, a student is not permitted to communicate in any form with anyone else during the examination. Passing or receiving information in any form or peeping the answer books of others during the examination constitutes misconduct and is strictly prohibited. A student, who assists or abets giving or passing of information, in any form whatsoever, will be considered as guilty and punishable as the one receiving it.
9.7. Students must stop writing, as soon as the invigilator signals the end of the time allotted for the examination.
9.8. Students are not allowed to leave the examination venue during the examination, without the express permission of the invigilator.
9.9. Answer books should be handed over to the invigilator once the student finishes the examination. It is the sole responsibility of the student to ensure that his answer book is promptly handed over to the invigilator.
9.10 Any violation of the norms of examination will be considered a serious offence and an act of misconduct. In such an event, the student will be liable for forfeiture of the answer book and expulsion from the examination hall at once. If the gravity of the offence is so grave as to adversely affect the reputation of the institute and/or the fair conduct of the examination and/or the general discipline, the student will be liable for expulsion from the programme.
9.11 If a student is not in a position to take an examination for reasons beyond his/her control, he/she should inform, in writing via email or request letter to the TEL Office beforehand and obtain the permission for holding a re-examination
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10. Evaluation
10.1 The components for evaluation of a course may, in general, include a combination of quizzes, forum discussions, term papers, assignments, level of class participation, mid-term, end-term, attendance, etc. There will be a minimum of three components for every course. The weightage of each component will not exceed 40% except for the end-term exam.
10.2 Every faculty, will indicate components, and clearly specify the criteria for evaluation of such components in the course outline at the beginning of the course. If required / possible, the date of administration of such component, its duration, completion / submission time may also be specified by the faculty.
10.3 A student who needs clarification on course components, pedagogy, delivery, evaluation methods, submission, marks or grades shall directly discuss with the faculty concerned through email or telephone or in person to get clarification. The concerned faculty members will clarify the issues through email or telephone or notices or forums or in person or any other mode or medium as the faculty thinks appropriate within a reasonable time. The decision of the faculty regarding the issues mentioned in this article 10.1 and 10.2 will be final. TEL office or Dean’s office will not entertain any such query on course components, pedagogy, delivery, evaluation methods, submission, marks or grades.
10.4 Faculty will communicate, to the students, the marks / grades of quizzes and short-tests and other assignments normally within 30 (thirty) days after the administration of the quiz or test or submission of assignment if such evaluation component is administered during the term.
10.5 The marks / grades for the evaluation components administered at the end of the term i.e., just before the end-term examination, will be communicated to the participants normally within 60 (sixty) days after such component is administered.
10.6 The final grade will be announced by the Dean’s office on or before 90 (ninety) days from the date of end-term examination or before the beginning of the next term (For example, grades for Term I courses will be announced before Term III begins), or which ever is earlier.
10.7 Re-evaluation of examination/term paper or any other component is not normally allowed. However, in exceptional cases, if a student considers that the evaluation is not proper, he/she may directly apply to the concerned faculty within two weeks of receiving the marks / grades through telephone or email or in person, citing the reasons as to why s/he considers that the evaluation is not proper. The concerned faculty may consider re-evaluation of the paper / components and his / her decision regarding the re-evaluation will be final. In case of re-evaluation of the paper / components, the grade will be calculated accordingly and the same will be communicated to the student by the TEL Office or otherwise the faculty shall communicate directly to the candidate citing the reason(s) for not re-evaluating the component. The copy of the communication may be forwarded to TEL office by the faculty in case faculty decides as not to reconsider re-evaluation of the components.
10.8 Even after exhausting the provision in article 10.8, if a student thinks s/he has been unfairly discriminated against in evaluation / grading or has become a victim of subjectivity or internal inequity, s/he can make a representation to the Coordinator in case the faculty fails to reply within two weeks or immediately after receiving a reply from the concerned faculty as per the procedure laid out in Article 10.8. The application of a student will not be entertained and summarily rejected If a student applies directly to the Coordinator or to the Programme Manager or to Dean Academics without attempting to resolve the issue(s) as stated in Article 10.8,
10.9 The representation should set out all the circumstances and grounds, and should be accompanied by all the relevant documents in support of the allegation. If the TEL Coordinator is satisfied that the representation is not frivolous or vexatious, and that there is a prima facie case, s/he may constitute a Committee in consultation with Dean Academics and the area concerned and get the papers re-examined.
10.10 In ail such cases, however, the onus of proving such discrimination, subjectivity or internal inequity, as the case may be, lies squarely on the student concerned. If, at any time during investigation, it is found that the allegations are mala fide or wild or without substance, the student concerned will expose himself to the risk of extreme punishment of expulsion from the programme as provided herein.
10.11 If a student has missed an end-term exam as well as the supplementary end-term exam on account of his/her absence, the student's transcript will carry an "I" grade for the courses to which the student has failed to give the end-term exam. Such students will be treated as a drop out from the programme and may apply to the coordinator to complete the programme subject to the provisions of Article 3.2
10.12 Students are required to strictly adhere to the deadlines prescribed for the submission of all written assignments, projects, and reports. Late submission is liable to be visited with reduction in grade points / grade as decided by the faculty.
10.13 If a written assignment is overdue for more than 3 weeks from the date of submission of assignment, the faculty may refuse to accept the assignment and award an “I” grade with 0 grade points for the component or even an "F" grade with 0 grade points for the entire course if the student has failed to fulfil more than one component of the course. It should be clearly understood that the student will not be entitled to receive the Certificate until s/he completes the requirements stipulated here in before. The Quality Point for the “I” grade would be '0'. For implications of I/F grade on certification please refer to the qualifying standards.
11. Final Communication of Grades
11.1 Final grades will be submitted by the faculty to the Coordinator, TEL Office within 70 (seventy) days from the date of the end-term examinations. The faculty concerned will, however, not announce the grades to the students directly before submission to the TEL Office. No change in grade will be allowed, once the grade-sheet is submitted to the PGCBM Office. The TEL Office will submit the grades to the Dean’s office and Dean’s office will announce the grades on or before 90 (ninety) days from the date of end-term examination or before the beginning of the next term (For example, grades for Term I courses will be announced before Term III begins), or which ever is earlier. The students concerned should promptly check their grades through the AIS. Important: Please note that students are required to give their feedback on AIS after every term for all the Faculty Members teaching in the term as and when announced by Dean’s Office in the AIS notice board. A student who does not give the feedback within the allotted timeframe will not be able to view his/her grades for the term.
11.2 The grades of sponsored candidates, if any, may be communicated to the sponsoring organizations at the request of the student and/or of the sponsoring organization. However, as general rule, the grades of a student will not be communicated to any other person or organization without the consent of the student concerned.
11.3 All those who qualify for the award of the Certificate will be issued the official transcript of their grades.
11.4 In case a student fails to complete the course along with his batch, s/he can apply to the coordinator for completing the course subject to the provisions of Article 3.2
12. Academic Discipline
12.1 The Institute attaches great importance to integrity, honesty and discipline. A sense of responsibility and a high degree of maturity are expected from all the students inside or outside the campus as befits responsible corporate citizens.
12.2 Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the following commissions and/or omissions on the part of students will constitute breach of discipline or, say, acts of misconduct.
a. Damage to the property of the centre / Institute (while you are on campus)
b. Riotous or violent or disorderly behaviour;
c. Reporting fictitious data for empirical study or in the dissertation or assignments;
d. Theft or fraud or dishonesty;
e. Copying in any form in the assignments, dissertation or in any examination;
f. Permitting, whether wilfully or otherwise, a co-student to copy from one's own answer book or document or material;
g. Smoking in the class-rooms;
h. Unsolicited communication by group email;
i. Impersonation or proxy submission of assignments, reports and other documents to the faculty;
j. Levelling false and baseless allegations against any faculty member or officer or employee of the Institute.
k. Doing or causing to do, any act, which is likely to adversely affect the relations of the Institute with its customers, i.e., industrial organizations;
l. Indulging in any act or acts, such as, defacing, burning or otherwise damaging any banner or property or equipment of a company, erected by the company or by an Association of XIMB commemorating an event organized or sponsored by the company at XIMB;
m. Indulging in any act subversive of general discipline (the word "discipline" being used here in its generic sense and in its widest amplitude), inside or outside the campus, and/or is detrimental to the reputation, image or standing of the Institute.
12.3 A student, who is alleged to have committed an act of misconduct as aforesaid will be directed to show cause against disciplinary action and will be given an opportunity to present his case. The concerned faculty may, after giving a hearing to the student and after conducting such investigation as is deemed fit and proper in the circumstances, impose such punishment as is deemed fit and proper.
12.4 Punishments include warning or down-gradation up to grade "F", or withholding of Certificate or expulsion from the programme. While imposing punishment, the Institute will take into account the nature and gravity of misconduct, the surrounding circumstances, and the impact of the misconduct on the general discipline, image and standing of the Institute.
12.5 Where the faculty has imposed the punishment of (a) down gradation to "F", or (b) withholding of Certificate or (c) expulsion from the Course, the aggrieved student may appeal to the Director. The decision of the Director thereon shall be final.
13. Grievance Resolution
13.1 Anonymous applications/petitions/letters will not be entertained or attended to under any circumstances.
13.2 Any student, having a grievance not pertaining to the issues mentioned in Article 10 and its subclauses, may apply to the Programme Manager individually through email / written letter, setting out all the circumstances and/or details therein clearly. The student concerned should sign the grievance application if it is a written letter.
13.3 The Programme Manager will acknowledge the mail / written letter and take appropriate action to resolve the issues within a reasonable period. The action and outcome of the action shall be communicated to the student as early as possible by the Programme Manager and s/he will mark a copy to the Coordinator and Dean Academics if necessary.
13.4 In the event that a student does not receive any acknowledgement or having received an acknowledgement but no action has been initiated to address the grievance within a reasonable period, s/he may directly apply to the Coordinator to address the grievance(s) through mail or written letter. The Coordinator shall acknowledge the mail / written letter and take appropriate action to address the grievance(s) within a reasonable period and communicate the same to the student.
14. Qualifying Standards
14.1 The maximum time permitted for completion of the programme is 36 months from the date of registration including breaks / transfers and any repetition a student may undergo.
14.2 If a student gets an F grade in any course, no re-examination will be permitted, and the F grade will appear on the student's transcript.
15. Certificate & Transcripts
15.1 At the end of the Third Term, Postgraduate Certificate in Business Management (PGCBM) / Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (PGCHRM) will be awarded to those students, who have fulfilled all the conditions and requirements for the award, and who have been approved by the Faculty.
15.2 The Certificates are conferred at the Institute in a Graduation Ceremony specially organized within a reasonable time period for the successfully completed batches. All students who qualify for the Certificate are expected to attend the Graduation Ceremony.
15.3 The final transcripts will be given along with the Certificates during the Graduation Ceremony provided the student clears all the dues.
15.4 The transcripts indicate ranks obtained by the students up to and inclusive of Rank 5.
16. Placement
There will not be any campus recruitments or placement services provided by the Institute.
17. Fees
17.1 Fees payable are indicated in the prospectus.
17.2 Defaults in Payment of Fees:
a. A student will not be allowed to take the end-term exams, if the student has not paid the Institute's fees or if taken, the results will not be released until all the dues are fully paid. S/he will also be denied access to institute’s resources like AIS etc., and not allowed to attend the classes in the present term unless and until the dues are fully paid with fine. The fine amount will be specified by the institute.
b. A student will not be awarded the Certificate, if all dues and fines are not cleared, even if all academic requirements are fulfilled.
18. Breaks / Rejoining
18.1 In the unlikely event of a student is unable to continue in the program because of some temporary exigency, the institute at its discretion may allow students to take a break from the program only with prior permission from the Institute, as is not a matter of right. The permission has to be taken before the end of the current term. But the break would be effective after completion of the term. In any case no break will be allowed during the first term.
18.2 For applying for the break the student has to apply to the Coordinator through email or through written letter to the Coordinator at least 15 days in advance.
18.3 The break and the rejoining are subject to the provisions of Article 3.2.
18.4 During the break period the student shall not be entitled for the privileges given to the students.
19. Intra-city and Inter-city Transfer/Change of Batch
Intercity transfers are allowed only in case of transfer of a job, subject to Article 3.2. Under no circumstances a candidate would be allowed inside the NIS without proper approval from XIMB.
In case a candidate is allowed for intercity transfer, the candidate is required to fill up the Transfer Form and submit the same to Programme Manager at least 15 days in advance. Students desiring to change the batch should obtain the necessary permission from the Institute and Alethia or any other XIMB authorized study centre.
20. Temporary Change of Classroom
Students are allowed to attend the classes from different cities provided they inform the program office two week in advance; this facility is available subject to availability of seats in that city.
21. Award of Certificate
At the end of all the terms, the Faculty Council of XIMB will award the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Management (PGCBM) and Post Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (PGCHRM) to those students, who have fulfilled all the conditions and requirements for the award, and who have been approved for the Certificate.
22. General
The Administration of XIMB reserves the right to change requirements for admission or graduation, content of courses, fees charged, awards and regulations affecting students, or make any other suitable modification including manual of policies, should they be deemed necessary in the interest of the students, the Institute or the profession.
XIMB also reserves the right to discontinue the programme at anytime. In such events, XIMB assures and gives the undertaking that arrangements will be made for the students already enrolled in the programme till such a period to complete the course at XIM Bhubaneswar or at some other alternative place. All disputes are restricted to Bhubaneswar jurisdiction.
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