In view of rapid changes in communication and technology and increasing need of massive trained manpower in rural development, NIRD has established a Distance Education Cell. The Cell is mandated to initiate a number of programmes for capacity building of development personnel of Governmental Organisations, elected representatives and educated youth to function as change managers.

GIS application in rural development is thought to comprise of all information of rural areas in a comprehensive manner, present, past and probable future scenarios, for empowering people at local level through planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of rural development projects.

A GIS application in rural development is thought to comprise of all information of rural areas in a comprehensive manner, present, past and probable future scenarios, for empowering people at local level through planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of rural development projects. GIS will be an affordable tool in the e-governance, it would also be possible to implement G-Governance (GIS Governance) at all levels, anytime, anyplace, making information flow and decision making a real time dynamic process ensuring total participation and involvement of local people. The Post Graduate Diploma in Geospatial Technology Applications in Rural Development (PGD-GARD) Programme is designed for Development Functionaries from all sectors directly concerned with planning and implementation of Projects and Programmes for Rural Development viz. Sectoral Activities like Education, Health, Forestry, Agriculture, Engineering, Roads, Infrastructure, ICT, Irrigation, Drinking Water, Disaster Management, Planning, Monitoring, Fishing, Animal Husbandry and the like. The officials working in India and Overseas as Managers of Rural Development Programmes/ Projects Finance by World Bank, UNDP, FAO, IFAD and various other International organizations. The One year Post Graduate Diploma Programme in Geospatial Technology Applications in Rural Development (PGD-GARD) in Distance Mode is being offered by NIRD and PR commencing from August 2015.

To prepare competent rural development professionals who will be well-equipped with:

• Concepts, approaches and opportunities of sustainable development.
• Knowledge about the human and natural / non-natural resources and their sustainable use.
• Knowledge about policies and programmes of Central and State governments pertaining to rural development.
• Best practises in institutional arrangements for sustainable development in developing countries and ;
• High skills to develop and implementprojects for application of sustainabilityconcepts to accelerate rural developmentefforts in India and other developingcountries.

The candidates selected for admission will be intimated by post individually. The list of selected candidates will also be displayed in institute's Website's News and Events column www.nird.org.in. Only those, who pay the fees within the stipulated date are treated as admitted. More receipt of admission offer letter does not entitle any right to claim admission.Applicants who do not furnish full information and proof by attaching attested xerox copies of certificates and their applications are liable to be rejected. Verification of all the original certificates/marks certificates/experience certificates will be done at the time of Ist Semester contact classes at designated contact centres. The students are, therefore, required to bring their original certificates when they attend contact classes. Students will be permitted to appear for the Semester-end examination only after this verification. Until then, their admission will be provisional.

In accordance with the policy of the Government of India, the reservation for different categories will be implemented with a provision for inter changeability between these categories,wherever necessary. Students applying for this programme should submit, along with their application, a copy of their caste/tribe certificate from a Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar/Mandal Revenue Officer.

Foreign students residing in India or abroad may also apply for admission in the prescribed form preferably by the stipulated date. Those who have passed the qualifying examination from universities outside India should enclose with their application copies of the relevant certificates, and mark sheets together with the English version of such copies, duly attested if they are in a different language. For admission to a diploma programme, the foreign student concerned must have at least passed the qualifying examinations. Proficiency in English is a pre-condition for admission. They have to pay the total programme fee at the time of admission.

Applications completed in all respects accompanied by copies of relevant certificates and Application Fee of Rs 500/- For Gen/ Rs.300 For SC/ST/PH can be sent to the following address through DD drawn in favour of "NIRD-DEC-PGD-SRD" payable of Hyderabad, on or before the last date prescribed on the admission application form:

Programme Coordinator, PGD-SRD

Distance Education Cell

National Institute of Rural Development,

Rajendranagar, Hyderabad - 500 030, India.

Students admitted to this Postgraduate Diploma Programme have to pay the fees in two equal instalments or as a single amount by the prescribed date mentioned in the admission offer letter. The foreign students residing in India and abroad and NRIs will have to pay the Fee in single instalment at the time of Admission.

Gen / OBC : Rs 10,000 , SC / ST / PH : Rs 9,000 /- , Foreign students/ NRIs : $1700 /-

All payments should be made through demand draft / pay order in favour of “NIRD-DEC-PGD-SRD” payable at Hyderabad.Cheques, P.O.s, cash, credit/debit cards, moneyorder and money transfer will not be accepted.

Fee once paid will not be returned by the NIRD under any circumstance. All disputes are subject to the Greater Hyderabad Jurisdiction

Students from the above category admitted to the Programme are required to pay their Programme Fee first and claim reimbursement from the Social/Tribal Welfare Departments of their respective States & Union Territories (UT) on their own The Programme does not take any responsibility towards rembursement of Fee.

Framework of Courses for Semesters – I :

• SRD 501 - Rural Society and Sustainable Development
• SRD 502 - Development: Methods and Techniques
• SRD 503 - Policies and Programmes for Rural Development
• SRD 504 - Resources and Livelihoods
• SRD 505 - Project Planning and Management

Framework of Courses for Semesters – II :

• SRD 506 - Stakeholders in Rural Development
• SRD 507 - Appropriate Technologies and Practices for Sustainable Development
• SRD 508 - Project : Guidelines for Formulation & Execution of Rural Development Projects

The evaluation system of the Diploma Programme is designed to test systematically the student's progress in the courses offered, through internal assessments as well as Semester-end Examinations.

will also be assessed through a Semester-end Examination at the end of each semester to be conducted at the contact centre, which will be evaluated out of 70 Marks. Student should score at least 25 Marks in the final. Only those students who satisfactorily complete the contact sessions(optional) (or submit their Semester Paper/ Lab Test in case of Foreign/NRI students who are exempted from the contact classes) and submit assignments before the stipulated date are eligible to take the Semester-end Examinations.

Internal Assessment will be done through evaluation of assignment which will be sent along with the course material.The completed assignments have to be sent back to the concerned Regional Coordinator, by the stipulated date.They will be evaluated for 30 Marks of the total Marks

All Students required to submit synopsis for their project to the concerned Regional Coordinator before the onset of contact session for the first semester. After approval of the his/her synopsis, student will work on the Project Report and submit Project Report to the Regional Coordinator. The student Project Report will be evaluated for 100 Marks, which will include Viva/Voice Examination during Contact Session for the Second Semester.

Efforts will be made to conduct term-end exams for NRI/foreign students with the help of the Indian Embassies/Indian High Commission situated there. In case it is not feasible to conduct exams in the country of their residence, they should be prepared to come and appear for examinations at the National Institute of Rural Development, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, India.

All foreign nationals and NRIs staying abroad will be exempted from contact sessions on their specific request but they should submit a term paper on a specified topic at least 15 days before the commencement of the examinations. The theme of the term paper will be intimated to the students, if he/she applies for exemption well in advance. The term paper/lab test carries a weightage of 30 Marks.

The final results for the Programme are determined on the basis of (a) internal assessment, (Assignments) (b) performance in the Semester - end examination, in the ratio 30:70. The final result in each course will thus be calculated on the basis of continuous assessment, in the following manner.A students is declared passed only if he/she secures a minimum of 40 Marks (Internal assessment,contact classes, and Semester-end Examinations put together) March course provided that he/she secure a minimum of 25 Marks at the Semester-end Examinations. Students with less than 40 Marks may appear for re-examination in the course concerned in the Semester-end Examination of next batch Candidates failing in any course/paper to appear in the subsequent Examinations

S.No.	Test Types	Marks
1	Internal Assessment (Assignments)	30
2	Term-end Examination	70
3	Project Report (Report + Viva)	100