IGNOU’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Services Management has launched a brand new, never before seen 3-year degree programme in facility services management. This is India’s first-of-its-kind programme that prepares students for careers in facility services management. 

Interested candidates can apply for the BAFSM programme on the IGNOU official website, ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in.

To be eligible for the program, applicants should have completed Class 12 or equivalent. The three-year programme will be taught in the English language. Students will be able to apply for the ongoing July 2022 session and the upcoming January session.

“Facility management is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of organizational success. It encompasses the day-to-day operations required to maintain a physical environment that supports an organization’s needs and core functions,” said the institute.

The programme was launched yesterday at the IGNOU headquarters by vice chancellor Nageshwar Rao. He said that the programme is designed with a modular approach that allows learners to opt-in and out after a year or two years, which is consistent with the New Education Policy (NEP 2020) recommendations.

“BAFMS is a job-oriented programme that provides learners with the fundamental knowledge and skill set needed to begin a career in the facility management industry,” it said.

Aneesh Kadyan, an industry expert, has stated that the facility management industry is rapidly expanding. This expansion is causing the roles of facility managers to expand as well, requiring them to take on more responsibilities and skills. Kadyan also pointed out that this discipline is still relatively new in India, whereas it is a mature discipline with excellent job prospects elsewhere. 

The Pro VCs who attended the launch programme, including Aneesh Kadyan, Executive Director and National Business Head – Operations at CBRE, RP Das, Srikant Mohapatra, Sumitra Kukreti, and Manroop Singh Meena, all agreed with this sentiment.