Disaster management Course Details - Fees, Subjects, Syllabus, Duration, Eligibility, Career Scope

What is Disaster management

Disaster, by its very nature, is unforeseeable, and when it strikes, it inevitably leaves behind devastation. People’s lives are thrown into disarray, and chaos takes over completely. While we cannot control the occurrence of a disaster, what we can control is how we handle the aftermath, and this is where Disaster Management comes into play. When calamity strikes, be it natural or man-made, people require assistance and safety. Disaster Management trains you to help these disaster-struck, helpless people to recover from the calamity with minimum damage to their health and personal belongings.

The unpredictability of disasters having been acknowledged, there still are ways to predict (with limited accuracy) or estimate the probability of occurrence of a disaster, which courses in Disaster Management also teach. Those who aspire to help people in distress, in need, perhaps people rendered homeless due to disaster, can receive all the necessary training required to extend a helping hand. 

Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Disaster management

Eligibility in different levels/certificates of Disaster Management courses have different criteria:

• MBA in Disaster Management- The aspirant must have completed a Bachelor’s in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PWD/DA categories) or the equivalent in CGPA from a recognized university or board.

• MSc in Disaster Management- Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 55% marks in any of the following disciplines: Environmental Science/Geology/Civil Engineering/Geography.

• MA in Disaster Management- Aspiring candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Candidates are also required to appear for entrance examinations wherever applicable, following which they may also be required to sit for interviews for admission to certain institutes.

• PhD in Disaster Management- Eligible candidates are those who have completed a Master’s or MPhil in the relevant discipline with a minimum of 55 percentile from a recognized university.

• M.Phil. in Disaster Management- Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in the relevant field from any recognized university. 

Disaster Management Entrance Exams

In India, courses in Disaster Management are offered at the Certificate, Diploma and Postgraduate level. 

NIDM (National Institute of Disaster Management) - The National Institute of Disaster Management conducts an entrance examination for admission into a postgraduate course in Disaster Management.

The institute offers ten courses, both basic and specialized, under Disaster Management:

• Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Framework (CDRMF)

• Safer Cities (SC)

• Financial Strategies for Managing Economic Impacts of Disasters (FS)

• Earthquake Risk Reduction (ERR)     

• Climate Change and Disaster Risk (CIC)

• Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM)

• Damage and Reconstruction Needs Assessment (DRNA)

• Gender Aspects of Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction (GENDER)

• Risk Identification, Assessment and Analysis (RA)

• Risk Sensitive Land Use Planning (RSLUP) 

TISS Entrance Exam (TISS-NET)- A computer-based entrance examination conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the TISS-NET is offered to students who wish to pursue an MA degree from the institute. The examination is conducted for admissions to 55 of its programmes, including a course in Disaster Management.

IGNOU Entrance Exam (IGNOU OPENMAT)- Students who have graduated in any discipline can sit for the IGNOU entrance examination to pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in Disaster Management. The IGNOU OPENMAT is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admissions to the institute’s School of Management Studies which offers both MBA and PGDM courses. The examination is conducted twice a year, and its scores are valid for one year.

Required Skillset for Disaster management

The field of Disaster Management is built around the idea of an emergency. Without a solid foundation of education, training, and experience, it can be very difficult for certain people to settle into a lifetime of dealing with crises.

Critical thinking, sound decision-making skills and flexibility in dynamic environments are essential skills in this discipline. Theoretical principles may extensively be taught with education and training, but these principles are only the tip of the iceberg that is an expert Disaster Management professional.

Candidates must attempt to inculcate soft skills like communication, time management and organizational skills as well. In times of emergency, good communication skills can prove very useful in preventing mass panic and establishing priorities and information on an ongoing basis.

Time management and organizational skills become important when the job at hand requires you to shift gears promptly to tackle another task on a priority basis, and managing said priorities when the work seems overwhelming.

Finally, imbibing the spirit of teamwork is paramount to becoming a Disaster Management professional. No individual is equipped to tackle everything alone, and help is always required. Knowing how to work well with a team, effectively coordinating work among teammates and executing the work together can shave off valuable seconds when dealing with an enormous crisis.