BFSI leading recruiter for rural, agri managers; pay packages also rise

During the recruitment season at various management institutes this year, the number of offers as well as pay packages increased for those graduating with degrees in agriculture-related businesses or rural programmes. While the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector was the leading recruiter, retail, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), and e-commerce firms also offered many jobs. 

At the Xavier School of Rural Management, Bhubaneswar (XSRM-B), 60 per cent of the jobs were offered by BFSI players or financial institutions such as ICICI Bank, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, IDFC Bank, Fullerton, Bharati AXA, and Reliance General Insurance. About 21 per cent jobs offered at Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRM-A), were also from this sector.

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) also offers a postgraduate programme in food and agri-business management. For the 45 students in this course, 30 companies made job offers.

At XSR-M, 32 firms offered jobs to 112 students. While at IRM-A, 119 recruiters offered to hire 167 students.  

There has been a significant rise in average annual compensation packages as well.

At XSR-M, the highest offer this year was Rs 15 lakh per annum to seven students. The average annual compensation on offer was Rs 8 lakh, an increase of 4.3 per cent over the previous year.

The graduating batch at IRM-A was offered an annual salary of Rs 14.24 lakh per annum by BFSI firms. This is a rise of 17 per cent. Development sector organisations offered an average annual salary of Rs 10.43 lakh, a rise of 10.72 per cent.

From the FMCG, retail, and e-commerce sector recruiters, top recruiters were ITC, Godrej Agrovet, Adani Wilmar, Future Group, Grofers, Metro Cash & Carry, Big Basket and Ninjacart. 

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, popularly known as Amul, offered 20 per cent of all jobs at IRM-A.