Interview: Dr. Jai Prakash Sharma, Director at IMS NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh|Collegedunia

Interview by Yash Panchal

Dr. Jai Prakash Sharma is currently the Director at IMS Noida, and the immediate past Head and Dean, Faculty of Commerce & Business at the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. In the last over four decades of his academic career, he has taught at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level and has held several academic and administrative positions. He has supervised 26 PhDs, 30 M.Phil dissertations. He has authored 20 books and over 100 research papers/articles published in several national and international journals of repute. His book titled ‘Corporate Governance, Business Ethics & CSR’ has on its review written by Sir Adrian Cadbury who in 1992 gave the world its first code on corporate governance. He is/has been Visitor's (President of India)/Central Government Nominee on number of Central Universities including University of Allahabad, BHU, NEHU, Sikkim, Tripura, HNB Garhwal, University of Jammu, and Central University of South Bihar.

Dr. Sharma is a Fellow Member of the ICSI and Member of several other professional bodies including ILI, ISTD, IMA, ICPS, PCI, ICA. He is a member of Association of North America Higher Education International's Educational Council. He is the Fellow Member of the Australian Academy of Business Leadership (AABL) and has been nominated on its ‘Advisory Board’. He is Member of the Delhi University Court ( body of Delhi University). He has been the Member of the Governing Body of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) and St. Stephens College, and the Chairman of IP College for Women, PGDAV College, and Guru Nanak Dev College under Delhi University. He has been Member/Chairman of NAAC Peer Teams and member of various committees constituted by the UGC. He is Member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of around a dozen internationally reputed journals including ‘Editorial Advisory Board Member’ and a reviewer of the Australian Academy of Law Ethics and Governance Review (AALEGR) journal, Australasian Journal of Law Ethics and Governance () and a reviewer. He has participated as an expert in over 200 national and international conferences/seminars/invited lectures/panel discussions, delivered the and chaired various technical and valedictory sessions.

Dr. Sharma presented research papers at the ICGS conference 2017 organized at LUIS Business School (Italy); ICGS Conference 2016 at Bentley University, Boston; the 3rd International Conference organized by the Cologne Business School (Germany) in 2016; IIBA 2015 at the University of South Florida USA; AABL Sydney Conference 2015 organized at the University of Western Sydney and received the Best Paper Award with Cash Prize; at the 2012 WCLTA Conference organized in Brussels; 2012 World Finance Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; CEA's International conference organized at the UCD Dublin in July, 2011; CGIR International Conference at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2010; CEA Conference at University of Oxford, UK in July 2010 and Conference at the Birmingham Business School, UK in June 2009. He was selected from the country to attend the three days Corporate Governance Board Leadership Training Program organized by the IFC (a World Bank Group) acting through the Global Corporate Governance Forum, USA. He has widely to a number of countries like USA, UK, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, China, Brazil, etc.

Dr. Sharma’s personal growth in the last 17 years working at Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University and his contributions to the college

I joined Department of Commerce at Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University in 2001 and was appointed as Professor on August 06, 2002. It was only after my joining Delhi School of Economics, I supervised 28 PhDs, 30 M.Phil dissertations; authored 20 books and over 100 research papers/articles published in several national and international journals of repute. It was during this period, I was appointed Visitor's (President of India)/Central Government Nominee on number of Central Universities including University of Allahabad, BHU, NEHU, Sikkim, Tripura, HNB Garhwal, University of Jammu, and Central University of South Bihar. I was also nominated as a member of Association of North America Higher Education International (ANAHEI)'s Educational Council, Fellow Member of the Australian Academy of Business Leadership (AABL) and was nominated on its ‘Advisory Board’. I was also appointed as a Member of the Governing Body of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) and St. Stephens College, and the Chairman of IP College for Women, PGDAV College, and Guru Nanak Dev College under Delhi University. Accreditation body NAAC appointed Member/Chairman of Peer Teams and was nominated as a member of various committees constituted by the UGC.

I got lot of international exposure during this period. I was appointed Member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of around a dozen internationally reputed journals including ‘Editorial Advisory Board Member’ and a reviewer of the Australian Academy of Law Ethics and Governance Review (AALEGR) journal, Australasian Journal of Law Ethics and Governance () and a reviewer. During this period, I participated as an expert in over 200 national and international conferences/seminars/invited lectures/panel discussions, delivered keynote and chaired various technical and valedictory sessions. In 2017, I participated in a Panel Discussion in the 3rd Annual ICGS conference at Rome. In 2016, I was invited by the University of Sussex (Sussex Law School, Sussex Business School & Sussex School of Global Studies) for lectures to the research scholars and PG students; in 2015, invited by the Department of Finance at Waikato Management School, the University of Waikato, New Zealand for lectures to the PG students; in 2014, invited by the Sussex Law School, University of Sussex (UK) for lectures to the research scholars and PG students; in 2012, by the Department of Management at the King's College, London to deliver special lecture to PG students; also was invited that year to deliver a Key Note address in a two-day International Trade & Academic Research Conference organized by the Business and Management Review at the University of London Union, London.

In 2011, invited by the London based World Council for Corporate Governance & IOD to address the delegates in a 3-day Global Convention-cum-GOLDEN PEACOCK awarding ceremony held in London. During this period, I presented research papers at the ICGS conference 2017 organized at LUIS Business School (Italy); ICGS Conference 2016 at Bentley University, Boston; the 3rd International Conference organized by the Cologne Business School (Germany) in 2016; IIBA 2015 at the University of South Florida USA; AABL Sydney Conference 2015 organized at the University of Western Sydney and received the Best Paper Award with Cash Prize; at the 2012 WCLTA Conference organized in Brussels; 2012 World Finance Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; CEA's International conference organized at the UCD Dublin in July, 2011; CGIR International Conference at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2010; CEA Conference at University of Oxford, UK in July 2010 and Conference at the Birmingham Business School, UK in June 2009. I was selected from the country to attend the three days Corporate Governance Board Leadership Training Program organized by the IFC (a World Bank Group) acting through the Global Corporate Governance Forum, USA. During this period, I travelled extensively. I travelled to countries like USA, UK, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, China, Brazil, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Malta, Haiti, Jamaica, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.

Contribution as Head, Department of Commerce and Dean, Faculty of Commerce & Business at Delhi School of Economics (DU)

As the Head and Dean, the following initiatives were taken in 2013-16:

As Head, Department of Commerce got the nomenclature of MIB, MHROD changed into MBA (IB) and MBA (HRD), in July 2014, that model was ultimately followed throughout the country.
As Head, Department of Commerce revised all the PG courses (M.Com., MIB, MHROD) in July 2014.
As Head, Department of Commerce and Dean, Faculty of Commerce & Business revised all the courses at the undergraduate level.
As Head and Dean, organized six international conferences during 2013-2015 and personalities like Sir Abdul Kalam, Narayan Murthy, over half a dozen Ambassadors were the Chief Guests.
More than a dozen foreign delegations visited Department of Commerce during this period.
As Head, and Dean, set up an Academic Resource Centre in the Department in February 2014.
In the interest of PG students, as Head and Dean, got shifted from the building of the Department of Commerce to IIPA the Govt. of India helpline NCH, in March 2014.
As Head, and Dean, converted into soft copy in July 2013, now available at the Department’s website, MPhil register containing details of MPhil awarded in the Department since its inception in 1967.
As Head, and Dean, converted into soft copy in March 2013, now available at the Department’s website, Ph.D. register containing details of Ph.D. awarded in the Department since its inception in 1967.
As Head, and Dean set up a separate examination branch in the Department to organize PG & UG exams in April 2013.
As Head and Dean launched Department’s Journal in the MIB/MHROD Annual Convention in September 2013.
As Head and Dean launched Department’s quarterly News Letter “Reflections”, in the Commerce Convention in April 2013.
As chairman of the four-year UG program in Commerce, supervised B.Com (Hons) Course Revision Committee (2012-13), by involving over 400 teachers from around 50 colleges.
As an overall Convener of the Semester based B.Com Course Revision Committee (2009-2011), completed the process of carrying out semester-based course revision by involving over 300 teachers from around 50 colleges.
Worked as In-charge Department of Commerce, University of Delhi South Campus during 2007-2009. The academic performance of M.Com. Students of South Campus registered a substantial improvement during this period. In the M. Com Part II results, the 1st topper from amongst the students registered at South Campus, North Campus and School of Open Learning was from South Campus consecutively for 2007 and 2008.
Worked as teacher-in-charge, Department of Commerce, University of Delhi South Campus (2003-2005). As part of duties, I organized cooperative teaching by involving college teachers in the teaching of M.Com. Previous and Final classes. It involved active coordination of teaching in 14 out of 16 papers, with little ministerial support.
As a teacher-in-charge of the Department of Commerce, organized students’ cultural events, industrial tours, inaugural and annual functions, house examinations, with limited infrastructure and meager budgetary support.
Rated as an excellent teacher by the students of M.Com in the Student Feedback/Student Evaluation of Teachers Report 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2008-2009, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, by giving an average score ranging between 6.36 and 5.95 out of 7.
As overall Convener of B.Com Course Revision Committee (2004-2006), successfully completed the task, of course, revision by involving over 150 teachers of 45 colleges. The structure and the contents of the program have remained unchanged for more than three decades.
As a tour coordinator, organized Industrial cum educational tour of M. Phil/M.Com Students to Jim Corbet and China Peak at Nainital (Uttrakhand) in 2008-09, Dharamshala and Chamba (Himachal Pradesh) and Wagah Border (Amritsar) in 2007-08, Infosys Technology Ltd (Banglore and Mysore Campus) in 2005-2006, Chamba (Himachal Pradesh) in 2004-2005, Shipyard of Vasco (Goa) in 2003-2004 and Mount Abu (Rajasthan) in 2002-2003. Students of both North and South Campus (mostly girls) participated in each tour.

Challenges to deal with, as the Director Academic and Research at IMS Noida

I joined IMS Noida only few months back. Before joining IMS Noida, I worked as Director, Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad for about two years. There are people who fail to practice what they preach and ultimately I had to resign from Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad. With the demand for a PGDM is falling day by day after IIMs started issuing MBA Degree, there is a sharp decline in the number of students getting admission in PGDM. The focus of Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad was mainly on quantity of PGDM students, while my priority was on quality improvement.

Importance of Time Management in a busy schedule

I follow the following style:

I prepare my to-do list daily, finish the important tasks first, work focused, off my mobile phone while working or in a meeting, regularly practice yoga, pranayama, and meditation, exercise daily, and sleep for 6 to 7 hours a day

Good time management allows me to accomplish more in a shorter period of time

which lowers your stress, and helps you focus and leads to more success.

IMS Noida’s curriculum

Immediately after my joining Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad, IMS Noida, the thing I did was/is to ask faculty to revise PGDM syllabus and include a title on “Corporate Governance, CSR and Ethics “to incorporate best management practices and ethical conduct.

Perspective on an ideal school environment

While working at Delhi School of Economics, Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad and IMS Noida, my focus has been on providing an ideal school environment that includes ideal classrooms, quality faculty, and safe campus.

Friendly relation with students and availability for them

Wherever I worked, I followed open door policy.

Students are free to come to my office anytime during working hours

In addition, I meet students in groups on an average at least once a month. Further, I interact with the students 2/3 times a month in the course of my special lectures.

Teaching approach for students

While teaching, I target students on their level of understanding.

Changes noticed in the education field over 4 decades

In the 70s when I joined teaching, was the only method of teaching, whereas now have been replaced by projectors and PPTs. The state of higher education has been dramatically changed by the internet over the past decade. Education looks very different today and traditional methods of teaching have been replaced by technology and the use of tablets.

Positive and negative aspects of working as a professor

When I qualified Company Secretary Course (CS) with LLB degree in the late 70s, because of a shortage of qualified company secretaries in the country I got a number of lucrative offers from companies that I declined because I was happy and fully satisfied in the teaching profession.

Teaching is the only royal profession which has no boss and subordinate and you can achieve heights in life

Rise of Prof Manmohan Singh to the level of Prime Minister is an example. However, because of lesser accountability as compared to other professions, many teachers side by side are engaged in private businesses, stock markets, political activities.

Suggestions for the students aspiring to pursue a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in the future

In the light of corporate scams and collapse of big companies during the last 15 years across the globe including Satyam and Kingfisher in India, most of my research students did MPhil/Ph.D. on one or the other aspects of corporate governance. My advice to the researchers is to choose a topic of relevance to the society, a competent guide, a reputed university, and work hard to give to the world something new.