MBA in Disaster Management is a 2- year full- time postgraduate program spread over 4 semesters. The program imparts to eligible students skills in both research and technical fields, as well as management expertise for tackling disaster- related situations effectively.

Disaster management involves disaster- coping, pre- disaster strategizing and implementation of plans and strategies so that losses can be prevented, minimised, or even averted. Enrolled candidates are trained to spot impending calamities and to handle such situations with organizational skills.

Successful post graduates of the course find lucrative career opportunities with government and private agencies and non-profit organizations, in a job type involving a variety of unknown challenges.

MBA in Disaster Management: Course Highlights

Tabulated below are some of the major highlights of the course.

MBA in Disaster Management: Admission Process

MBA in Disaster Management both tests and builds attitude, aptitude and approach.

Admission to the course is based either on performance in a relevant entrance test and the following round of interview, or in most cases, direct admission is offered too.

Written Test - Most institutes conduct their written tests between November and January. The written tests, inter alia, include the following components of assessment:

• Quantitative Skills: This section tests the aspirant’s skills of up to higher secondary school mathematics, such as Arithmetic (Number Theory, Ratio and Proportion, TSD, Percentages, Partnerships, Mixtures and Allegations etc.)
• Geometry: Lines and Angles, Triangles, Circles, Co-Ordinate Geometry etc.
• Algebra: Quadratic equations, Functions
• Probability, Permutations and Combinations
• Set theory, Trigonometry, Stock and Shares etc.
• Verbal Ability: This section includes Grammar, English usage, Reading comprehension, Vocabulary and other aspects of English language
• General and Business Awareness: It includes static and current general knowledge and business awareness.
• Reasoning Abilities: This includes puzzles, critical reasoning, visual reasoning etc.

Group Discussion and Interview - These stages are held between February and March for most institutes. GDs and PIs are undertaken to assess the candidate’s personality traits such as Group Behaviour, Awareness, Communication skills, Reasoning ability, Flexibility, Leadership, Assertiveness, Initiative, Confidence, Creativity, to name a few.

An interview can be broadly categorized into Personal Interview and Group Interview. The Personal Interview assesses the candidates’ academics, goals and self-awareness, while the Group Interview assesses the candidate’s analytical ability.

MBA in Disaster Management: Syllabus and Course Description

The curriculum includes strategies to avoid, reduce, manage and overcome any type of catastrophic events that threatens human lives. It is done by identifying potential disasters- man-made or natural- and by creating contingency plans and procedures to be initiated when and if disaster erupts.

A semester- wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is given here.

Top Institutes Offering MBA in Disaster Management

Compiled here is a list of the top institutes in India offering the course along with their respective locations, and fees charged by each.

MBA in Disaster Management: Career Prospects

Lucrative career opportunities for disaster management professionals abound in the government sector with emergency services, relief groups, law enforcement departments, and local authorities; and also in private agencies and non-profit organizations dealing in disaster management services. International agencies like United Nations also appoint disaster management professionals.

These skilled professionals are appointed in a variety of capacities, such as Trainees, Assistants, Experts, Researchers, Analysts, Engineers, Medical Health Experts, Environmental Experts, Rehabilitation Workers, Paramilitary Personnel or First Responders, Social Welfare Personnel, Community Development Personnel, among others.

Successful postgraduates of the course are placed in fields as diverse as fire departments, law enforcement, drought management departments, consultancies etc. Often, certain organizations hire such professionals for their own disaster management units, such as insurance companies, petroleum industry, chemical industry, and mining industry.

Listed here are some of the popular job positions offered to successful postgraduates of the discipline with the corresponding job descriptions and salaries offered.