About us

SCMLD came into being by the financial contribution and emotional alignment of, and persuasion by, the former students of  Prof M.S. Pillai, who was the director of SCMHRD from its concept & inception in 1993, to April 2004. The persistent urging of hundreds of his former students inspired him to continue the journey of Human Resource Development by starting SCMLD. And thus SCMLD came into being  in a matter of 40 days, with its first batch, in July 2004.(For SCMLD History - Click here)

SCMLD’s approach is that of a learning gurukulam. Knowing is of no use unless acted upon / lived. Performance / execution excellence is the need today. It is a function of the mind, being competent. SCMLD strives to re-engineer that mind and develop such competencies that its students emerge extraordinary in seeing opportunities, feeling balanced, thinking positive, acting prompt and right to produce great outcomes utilizing their emotional & intellectual assets so that they grow faster, stronger and higher. Thus, they should become an inspiration for their own selves & others, by sheer contribution and success achieved without any shortcuts.

Prospective students to note that SCMLD is a “learning centre”. Learning by exploring, finding out, doing, experiencing, realising and continuously unlearning and changing. Learning is nothing but changing oneself for the better and to be better. However, you will never change unless you change something you do daily. It is change from the past. You need to discover a “new me” in you everyday. For this you need to embrace the “non me” aspect, in you. That is, you need to discipline your life for a larger purpose, controlling the “I, Me, Myself only” syndrome. Further, you need to "DO" things rather than say things. Leaders are the ones who have vision, determination, motivation and do things that deliver desired outcomes. Hence, you need to go through many crucibles of change. Iron ore cannot become stainless steel unless processed through the furnace. Commandos cannot be trained in AC rooms. Olympic champions are not made in days and weeks. Juice cannot be extracted unless cane is crushed or fruit squeezed. Diamonds shine out of grinding. And grinding will generate sparks, heat, dust and noise. Please be ready to go through the grind. Many innovative learning crucibles will be introduced as and when needed. You must submit to the processes as sculpting cannot be done unless the object submits to the chiseling out of the unwanted. Once you join SCMLD you cannot criticize any of its processes meant for you to emerge professional. SCMLD is dynamic. It will keep discomforting you to learn and unlearn. Leaders find comforts in discomforts. We respect you as you are. If you want to be in SCMLD you must be willing to go through the processes. Hence, our effort to be as communicative and transparent as possible. These are not to impress or sell SCMLD. All these are for daily practice without any compromise and to convey that we cannot amend processes to please any one based on one’s feelings because feeling good is not equal to doing right... and leadership is not a subject to study but a discipline to be lived.

• Spirituality & Health: 1. Daily workout & aerobics or yoga & pranayama or jogging, meditation and afternoon nap. 2. A special 3-day session by Prof. M.S. Pillai to unleash the potential by throwing out the garbage one has been accumulating 3. A 10-day Vipassana meditation camp. Then a 3 day spiritual cum intellectual process every trimester to integrate the material self, the selfless being and the professional self in one self for doing right and being right. There is a spiritual way of living material life and material way of being spiritual. No need to be a “Sadhu or Sanyasi” to live happy and peaceful. This is what we call as life of integrity - love, compassion, truth, conviction and contribution with physical, mental, emotional, spiritual & social health, and well being.

• Every month students have an outbound trip and talent expression programme. In talent expression the students must take initiative voluntarily. Outbounds are to rejuvenate, relax, change, release stress, learn by doing and / or for intellectual recall, reflection and assimilation.

• Community Service: 1. 20 hours mandatory community work per trimester. 2. Cleaning of a 1.5 km stretch of the road before the institute premises. 3. Cleaning of the institute premises, including toilets 4. Many other activities to experience dignity of labour, to be socially sensitive and to develop responsible citizenship.

• Self-Managing Teams: Students form these teams for activities numbering more than 50 to learn the art of planning, team work and making things happen. It is voluntary. See page no. 40 for details.

• Open House: Regular meetings to facilitate communication between students and the management of the institute so as to enlighten/involve them in the process of institution building / student development. Students can also request for an open house whenever they feel the need. Everything about institute and its processes and why they are etc. are shared with the students. This Open House is not a forum to negotiate set processes. Neither will indiscipline, work avoidance, lack of accountability etc. be entertained.

• Self-Experience: There are Field assignments, projects, consumer surveys, household surveys, out of the box activities, earning while learning assignments etc. to learn by doing. One day a week is for this action learning outside campus by seeing, feeling, doing, planning, participating, partaking and applying concepts studied in the class. (Many activities to do & learn and also earn this way).

• Special Training: by experts in System Thinking for Vision Building, Kaizen for organized and disciplined work, special workshops for subjects to develop applied insights and distinction in work and life, are imparted on a regular basis.

• Coaching for Special Certification Programmes: CPIM, CIRM, CFP, NCFM, Six Sigma, Career Development Skills, Memory Enhancement Techniques, etc. without additional fees, if the students wish to undergo these provided a minimum number volunteers for these.

• Discover India Assignments: include surveys of construction work sites, municipal / panchayat schools, hospitals, public systems, consumer behaviour & trends etc., including household surveys to understand income, expenditure, consumption, saving, investment and risk management aspects.

• Special Addresses: by spiritual and social leaders to learn and realize realities of the world. These addresses are for students to be human (spiritual), to reach out to the less privileged, to be free from ignorance and embark on the path of truth in their life and careers.

• One seminar a trimester each to learn organizing and managing high value events and to learn from practicing professionals from business & industry (30-35 practioners address the gathering and interact with students in each seminar). In a year there are 4 such seminars. On an average Rs. 15 lakh is spent for each seminar. Students manage the show under the guidance of the Director & faculty.

• Transparency: SCMLD empowers its students to audit its Accounts and Examinations departments, and to ensure that the institute lives up to all the promises made in the prospectus. This generates a sense of ownership and also promotes transparency. They can see transparency being practiced at SCMLD.

• Faculty and Staff Evaluation: is periodically conducted by the students. Faculty and staff members who score more than 3.5 on a scale up to 5 with 24 parameters, are given cash incentives. This evaluation is a 360-degree process where evaluation by students weighs 40%.

• Action Learning Crucibles include, among others: 1. In groups of 3, earning a minimum of Rs. 300/- for a day per person by selling wares on the streets, per trimester. 2. Finding appropriate wage employment for 2 unemployed individuals from the poorest sections of society and working alongside them for at least 2 days for a minimum of Rs.200/- a day as wages. 3. Organising events, debates, competitions, holding guest sessions with minimum number of participants, hostel cleaning, guard duties, teaching subjects and so on.

• Assignments to develop: deeper understanding of subjects and orientation towards research. Students have to prepare sectoral / industrial portfolios and update it regularly. Inquisitiveness to learn & acquire knowledge will be gathered from the quality and content of these portfolios.

• Pocket Money: Students have to earn minimum Rs.1000/- per month as pocket money by working one day a week for Rs.300/-. This is to imbibe dignity of labour, value for money and to understand the difficulties in earning . Spending is easy. And if it is someone else’s money it’s very very easy.

• Exams through continuous evaluation of understanding (not jargons), team skills for execution etc. by fortnightly team / shared learning assignments and viva-voce, surprise tests etc. rather than one time 'End of the term' exams testing memory.

• Collaborative Learning: 60% evaluation of all subjects is based on collaborative teaching - learning process. This is to develop teamwork, sharing burden of studies, lifting the weaker in the team and a spirit of camaraderie. Different sources for research on topics in the syllabus will be indicated. Students, divided into teams, will have to collectively prepare group write-ups. On the day of evaluation a student will be randomly chosen and asked to present the group learning. Mostly, the lazy and weakest in the group will be asked to make the presentation. It is important for the stronger ones to lift the weaker ones. If not the team will fail.

• End Term Examinations: however are written and will be held for the entire syllabus. Part 'A' consists of the portion uncovered by the continuous evaluation of syllabus. Part 'B' will consist of questions from the portion already covered by continuous evaluation. If the individual score in part B written is more than the team marks already obtained in their continuous evaluation, best of the two will be considered as the score for that individual student in part B provided he/she scores 60% and above in Part B written part in the End-Term. For others the least of two will be the final score between the team score and individual score. This is to prevent piggy backing in group work.

• Improvement exams are for the remaining 40% only. However for improvement exams due to failure, absence or any other reasons, a fee of Rs. 1500/- per subject will have to be paid besides submitting an essay covering the entire syllabus, approved by faculty.

• No exam if one needs only a course participation certificate.

• No pass or fail if a student wants to be content with what ever grade he/she gets. That is, in exams, tests and assessments one goes through, whatever score one gets is accordingly certified. Without any words of passing or failing in the certificate but indicating the CGPA & grade. They will be issued “Course Completion Certificate”.
Those who want certificate with words “successfully” completed the programme, must score 60% overall in each trimester - all subjects put together and minimum 50% in each subject. (See specimen on page no. 18)

• Exam on demand and the way one wish to be examined: Improvement exams can be taken by students at anytime and anyplace provided all the cost associated with it is borne by the student and the fee as stated per subject is paid and essays are accepted by the institute. Improvement exam method also can be chosen by the student viz. by research, projects, thesis, presentation and viva-voce etc as accepted by the institute. Minimum 15 days after receipt of the essay, the fee and approval by faculty, are required to conduct the improvement exams. This is to enable students to study in their own pace.

• Substitution of subjects prescribed by the institute with subjects / topics in which students are interested & talented to the extent of 3 credits out of 25 credits, per trimester. That is, students can take up to 3 credits, any subject of their interest in place of subjects offered by the institute. This is to facilitate expression of students' talents/interest as against imposed subjects of no interest to / capacity of that student.

• Employment and weekend / Evening classes: APEL students can take up full time employment earning not less than Rs.10,000/- per month and attend weekend classes full time and evening classes on weekdays and / or with submission of minimum 20 hours of reading assignments per week.

All these are to help students to make right choices in their lives, become responsible, accountable and self motivated and also recover the cost of education while still being students. Also it is to enable the learn on the job, by doing, and understanding market / business / environmental realities, instead of Rote Learning by listening to Lectures.

However, taking advantage of these, no student will be allowed to waste time or engage in things which are contrary to employment, entrepreneurship and / or execution / doing / action leadership and self motivation.

• Accelerated completion of the course. That is, the more hardworking students can pick-up subjects of the “next” trimester as approved by the institute, study and take exams in the “current” trimester and complete the programme early. However, there will be no fee reduction of any kind on any thing.

• Work and learn: During APEL students can opt to work between 1:00pm and 4:45pm and earn, everyday or some days per week. This facility will not be available if the daily (½ day) earning is less than Rs.100/- per hour (minimum). They can also take paid projects during this time provided minimum Rs.6000/- per month is earned in the project.

• Bridge programme for those students who are not competitive today as compared to students who are fortunate in having education in top class schools / colleges and had the social / family circumstances and exposure to urban environment / sophistication. However students must be strong willed with fire and passion to succeed by hard work and extra stretch, to become competitive. They must also be willing to work in Insurance, Retail, Infrastructure, Logistics, Agro based industries, Manufacturing, Health Care, Education, Hospitality, Tourism, Rural / Upcountry Sales, etc. and be happy to be stationed at district and taluka level towns.

• Alongside the PGPEL & APEL or otherwise one can pursue MBA or diploma programmes of Indira Gandhi National University a university created by an Act of the Parliament of India. This MBA is recognized by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and such students are eligible for Govt. and public sector jobs as well. SCMLD is a partner institution of IGNOU for class room coaching of IGNOU programmes. Students need to be eligible for IGNOU MBA / Diploma Programmes (see eligibility conditions page no.81) and write IGNOU exams for which SCMLD coaches under their convergence scheme. In short, while SCMLD through its leadership programmes grooms its students to be employable / entrepreneurial with values, ethics, knowledge, skills etc. for Executive / Action Leadership, IGNOU programmes give the academic qualification to help students pursue higher studies and also to be eligible for public sector / Govt. employment. (Please appreciate that more than 30 lac students are undergoing various programmes of IGNOU and open universities in India currently).

• Active involvement of volunteer students in institute management & administration through Self Managing Teams for activities numbering more than 50, to learn the art of managing - what cannot be taught in the class room or formally.

• 100% attendance in all activities to make them responsible, punctual and time bound.

• SCMLD is the only institution which came into being by the insistence and funding by former students of a teacher for him to carry on with the work of building executive, entrepreneurial and citizen leaders of action.

• It is the only institute which from concept started functioning within 40 days of the decision to start it.

• One day a week to study in teams sharing efforts, for assimilation of concepts / theoretical inputs by reading, reflection and discussion. This is besides the daily 2½ hrs. compulsory reading every afternoon on all other days.

• One day a week for Action Learning to apply concepts and earn and report back.

• Hostel Change: Hostel change will be made every trimester for students to accept diversity, widen social networking, and appreciate cultural sensitivity. Any objection to this will not be accepted or heard.

• Data & Company tracking: Every student to track 10 companies in which the student has an aspiration to enter and start his/her career or as allotted by the institute.

• Sectoral studies: Every student is supposed to do this as an ongoing process. Research acumen, and intensity of learning inquisitiveness, spirit to excel, analytical acumen, informed judgement rather than assumptions, presumptions and hearsay are evaluated here.

• Portfolios for demonstration of talents and interest: Every student to create this under the guidance of faculty. Spirit to excel is tested herein.

• 10 day paid sales internship: Every student irrespective of functional specialization should do this sales work and earn minimum Rs. 1500/- for this work of 10 days.

• Placement Support: All students and Ex-students can avail the SCMLD Placement Support irrespective of pass, grade, type of exam one takes or whatever as long as one is a student or an Ex-student of SCMLD.

• Prohibition of Accusations & excuses: Both are prohibited in SCMLD. Any problems brought or grievances raised must have solutions attached to them. If not, no cognizance will be taken of such complaints / grievances. In cases of theft, sexual misconduct, holding pornographic materials in laptops, sending obscene e-mails, violence, assault etc. FIR will be filed by institute's management. Leadership envisages “solutions” to problems and prevention of “problems”. One cannot create problem or add to it or pass the buck.

• Two Wheelers: Are prohibited in SCMLD. This is to encourage walking, save foreign exchange and prevent pollution and control inflation. For local students staying with parents residing at a distance more than 1 km but within 5 kms, two wheelers may be allowed provided parking fee is paid and helmets are worn while riding.

• Swine flue prevention: Any student with fever, cough, cold, throat irritation / pain, joint pains, etc to immediately report to the Institute doctors between 7am and 8:30am and follow their advice. Without doctors' permission & advise no student with cough, cold, fever and throat infection is to sit in class. Disciplinary action will be taken against such students. Similarly such students must take medicines / tests as prescribed and inform the institute immediately for further steps. They cannot just go to hostels and stay there without information / permission /medication and being alone.

• Exemption from classes / activities / processes: Only in cases of hospitalization , or full rest advised in writing by the institute doctors (consultation between 7am and 8:30am) or MD level specialists, exemptions are given to the extent of 15% and for that proper procedure need to be followed. Otherwise attendance requirement is 100% in all activities and processes at SCMLD. Every student to ensure that this exemption plus actual physical attendance must be 100% to be eligible to write exams/tests. For any other purpose, to the tune of 15%, leave can be obtained but in lieu of it, library work @ 10 hours per session missed has to be done. For any reason if actual physical attendance in any activity is less than 85%, that student is not permitted to take exams. Authorised Leave substituted by Library hrs + 85% physical attendance must equal 100% in each activity / class to be eligible to write exams / tests.

• Holidays: No holidays except, for 15th August, 26th January, and 2nd October. All festivals are to be celebrated at the institute. This nurtures national integration by practising unity in diversity. However, other holidays are at the discretion of the institute.

• Work-hours: One must work for minimum 12-14 hrs a day sincerely and seriously for one's own benefit.

• Rest: Everyone to take minimum 30 minutes of afternoon nap/relaxation everyday. It is a must.

• Sleep: 10:30 pm to 5:00 am is exclusively for sleep. No other activity will be permitted. Hostel lights will/should be off during this time. From 5 am to 6.30 am, it is compulsory to read for 1 ½ hrs every morning.

Those who want lights beyond 10:30 pm to study will be segregated so that others are not disturbed. Such students will be charged Rs.750/- p.m. extra for electricity. Electricity is a scarce resource. It cannot be wasted for movies and music (between 10:30 pm & 5 am). Further if one does not sleep at least for 7 hrs during night, one will not be able to concentrate during the day. Day is for work and night is for rest. Both will get wasted if one does not sleep for 7 hrs a night.

• McKinsey Survey, FICCI Survey, MeritTrac Survey and even National Knowledge Commission - all say that 75% to 85% of graduates in India are not employable. The major reason attributed is the “Rote Learning” and evaluation of “memory” rather than thinking and application abilities, and poor communication skills. In an employment interview students seek “what I can learn and what I can get”, not “what I can contribute” and “what I can give”. Whereas employers look for how much ‘this’ person is going to contribute. Hence the mismatch. In general, in India everyone is an advisor prescribing “what should be done” not “what I have done”. Everyone talks about “innovation”. But if someone innovates there is a lot of “resistance” because it discomforts people. People forget the reality that without “difficulty” no one or no thing can emerge “strong”. “Spoonfeeding” and “freeships” make one expect everything from others - rather than finding out oneself and doing things oneself. The drive for action (or inaction) is “what I need” rather than what others need forgetting the fact that what others need and making them available is the essence of business.

So is the case at SCMLD. Students join with an 'aha' that “we are going to a place of learning” where innovation is a continuous process. And then students, faculty and staff... all ask why there is change…why the system is changed,... and resist all changes without understanding that market is changing and change is the constant in life.
At SCMLD we make students to earn / find what they need by providing for the needs of others, particularly employers and customers.

Employers expect and entrepreneurs need tremendous initiative and self governance. Hence at SCMLD students are to get their internship fixed themselves. Institute will support them, but will not find it for them.

• At SCMLD, we want to develop in all, holistic thinking, analytical thinking, creative thinking, critical thinking, original thinking; respectful behavior, ethical & moral conduct, collaborative teamwork, communication, listening, multi tasking, global approach, reading habits, application orientation, acceptance of diversity, sharing & supporting and a learning attitude and so on. But we confront resistance everywhere and every time. Therefore, come to face discomforts.

• If there is no academic rigor, improvement in teaching, learning & evaluation, flexibility and choice based credit system - changes from the existing rote learning system, how can quality relevant to existing and emerging needs can be met?

Hence, we have a request to parents and students that if a student does not want to change, then why do pay the fee and come to SCMLD? If the parents want their wards not to change, why spent time and money?

• SCMLD measures behavioral integrity of its students by monitoring the students' behaviour in the library, hostel and exam hall, behaviour with guards and a host of other behaviours. If one has a problem on this he / she should not take admission. For sustainable success, it is important to practice punctuality, commitment and integrity - personal, professional, transactional and technical / functional.

• There are so many other innovative, transformative and reformative processes for students to evolve as good human beings, responsible citizens and well trained professionals and thus become assets to themselves, their families, organizations and the country by each one discovering and growing to one's potential.

• All our money transactions are through Bank only and any one can audit our accounts.

• There are formats for Classroom Reading, Library Reading, Seminar Notes taking, Team Learning, Data Updation, Out of Box Crucibles and so on, which are to be used.

• A Full time English teacher is being appointed for students to improve their communication skills in English. An English Lab is also being thought of.

• Special Maths tuition for helping students in developing and enhancing analytical skills, is also being thought of... Special coaching for application of commonsense, reasoning, logic, comprehension and thinking, is also being organised, to help each one evolve as oneself rather than being in the herd.

• All the above are firsts in education conceptualized, designed, operationalised and implemented by Prof. M.S. Pillai. These processes are nowhere in the formal / conventional system of education and grooming. This list of important systemic processes towards empowerment & sculpting of students - the chiselling out of the unwanted and to liberate the unexpressed, unheard and the unseen real being, the natural leader within, alongside academic and other inputs, facilitates their evolution to be extra-ordinary.

One needs to appriciate that all these are in just Rs.1.9 lac tuition and Rs.50,000/- Special Development Contribution Fund...