Among a few institutions that are doing well in Bihar DNS Regional Institute of Cooperative Management figures prominently in these. It has many courses for all categories of people running from 3 days to 26 weeks. In the year gone by it imparted cooperative management skills to about 8473 participants in 280 courses.
Established in 1954-55 DNS Regional Institute of Cooperative Management organizes training programmes for both the non officials of cooperative societies as well as for the executives working in them. It has a team of qualified faculty with diverse professional back ground. Rural development, cooperative laws, credit, planning, banking and such other key areas for the success of cooperative movement are taught here. The Institute offers Higher Diploma in Cooperative Management, Diploma in Handloom cooperative management, Fisheries, Marketing, Cooperative Audit and Certificate Course even in Computer Application and System. Soon it is going to train 170 cooperative auditors-a must for cooperative movement to be successful. It also proposes to train cooperative inspectors in Higher Diploma in Cooperative Management.
Mr Ajai Rastogi, the dynamic regional director of the Institute feels that as in Kerala, law should be enacted in Bihar too for compulsory training of cooperative management for people associated with it. It needs no mention that cooperative management skill go a long way in making this movement successful. Gujarat is living example.
As to why cooperative movement has failed to take off in Bihar barring a few exception of COMFED , Mr Rastogi says that absence of credible cooperative leadership is partly to be blamed for this. Nitish Kumar has no doubt, sort of revived cooperative movement by conducting free and fair PACS election, it will take time before the movement picks up steam.
Whatever be the future, presence of a Premier institute is itself a necessary fodder for the growth of cooperative movement whenever the time comes and DNS inspires hope on this front.