The convener of Academy of Professional Learning, Shailendra Pratap Singh, at the news conference in Patna on Tuesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, July 26: The Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya (Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University), Wardha, would launch a three-year correspondence postgraduate course in business administration and bachelors in business administration (BBA) in Hindi.

The Academy of Professional Learning run by Social Awareness, an educational organisation at Bhootnath Road in Kankerbagh, has been selected as the study centre by the university.

Addressing a news conference at a city hotel today, Rakesh Ranjan Rao, the director of the institute, said: “The main idea is to introduce masters in business administration (MBA) and BBA courses in the national language to tap the potential of Hindi-speaking students from rural areas. These students fail to get admission in MBA institutes as English is the preferred language for pursuing MBA.”

Rao said the admission process for the MBA course from January 1, 2012 has started. The last date for receiving admission forms is August 30, but the forms can be accepted with fine till October 30. The total number of seats for MBA as well as BBA is 80 each. For BBA, a minimum of 45 per cent is required in the Class X board examinations for admission, while the same percentage is required in Class XII for entry in to the MBA course.

The convener of the Academy of Professional Learning, Shailendra Pratap Singh, said: “Though MBA courses are of two-year duration. We are offering it through correspondence for three years. The fee, too, is low as compared to private universities.”

Singh added: “A student has to pay Rs 11,400 per year for pursuing MBA, while for BBA, the fee is Rs 8,400 per year, which is very less compared to other universities offering distance learning MBA courses.”

Rao said: “In the past few years, we have noticed that various companies are preferring local people. Firms are now thinking that for sub-urban and rural areas, it is better to have a person who knows the local dialect and is armed with an MBA degree as well. Moreover, companies now believe that if local MBA candidates with knowledge of marketing were hired, they would come cheaper than Indian Institute of Management graduates.

The Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University was created by an act passed by the Parliament in 1997 and the main aim of the university is to promote Hindi. The university also undertakes various activities so that Hindi becomes a language of study and research.

Many courses are being taught in the university in Hindi and efforts are on to produce quality textbooks and other reading material in the language.