Semester 6

Investment scenario: concept, characteristics, monetary and real rate of return, investor and speculator, classification of investments based on risk, investment process, investment environment. Risk in investment. Valuation of securities: returns on fixed income securities, bond valuation, preference share valuation, equity valuation. Fundamental analysis–economy, industry and company. Technical analysis: distinction from Fundamental Analysis, Dow Theory, techniques of Technical Analysis. Efficient market hypothesis: concept and forms of market efficiency, implications. Portfolio management. Portfolio analysis – returns and risk characteristics of individual assets, return and risk of a portfolio, diversification of risk, Capital Assets Pricing Model. Portfolio selection: portfolio selection problem, selection of optimal portfolio. Portfolio revision.

Final accounts of joint stock companies: familiarization of form and contents of balance sheet- form and contents of Statement of Profit and Loss Account- features of Schedule III of Companies Act, 2013. Cash flow analysis. Funds flow statement. Distinction between funds flow statement and cash flow statement, funds flow statement and statement of profit and loss account. Cost management: Definition and purpose of accounting, difference between cost accounting and financial accounting, concept of cost, cost centre, cost unit, elements of cost, classification of cost, analysis of total cost, cost sheet. Absorption costing, marginal costing, difference between absorption costing and marginal costing. Cost-volume profit analysis, break-even chart, profit graph. Activity based costing. Standard costing: nature and scope, types of standards.

Producer Organizations: concept, meaning, types, characteristics and scope. Process guidelines for promotion of FPOs : Incorporation of a Farmer Producer Company : Preparation for the formation of a Producer Company, Steps in Registration of PCs: Digital Signature Certificate, Direct Identification Number, Naming of a Producer Company, Memorandum& Articles of Association, Documents to be submitted to the ROC for incorporation of PC, Certificate of Incorporation. Management of Producer Companies : Membership, Powers of General Body, powers of Executive Committee, Funds, accounts and audit, appropriation of net profit. Role of central and state governments in supporting FPOs, Role of NABARD in promoting Producer Organizations.

Human Resource Management - meaning ,definition and importance. Acquisition of human resource - human resource planning, job analysis, recruitment, selection process and devices. Development of human resources – training need assessment, employee training and management development, career planning and development. Motivation of human resources – concept, meaning, motivational theories. Performance appraisal methods and techniques. Rewards - types and criteria. Maintenance of human resources – compensation administration, benefits and services, disciplining employees, safety and health. Co-operative education, training and information-identification of education, training and information needs in co-operatives -Institutional arrangement for co-operative training and development – NCUI, NCCT, NCCE, NCDC, NIRB, BIRD. Recruitment of human resources for co-operative sector in Kerala.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Concept, theory, principles, guidelines and benefits.CSR and sustainability.CSR Global context. CSR in India. Section 135 of Companies Act 2013.Planning and Strategizing for CSR : Developing a CSR strategy and Policy, Operationalising the institutional mechanism, Due diligence of the implementation partner, Project development, Project approval, Finalizing the arrangement with the implementing agency, Project implementation, Progress monitoring and reporting, Impact measurement- corporate social performance, social accountability, social audit, Triple Bottom Line-Economic Prosperity, Environmental Quality, Social Justice, corporate social financial performance, Report consolidation and communication.

Nature and scope of Econometrics , methodology of econometrics population regression function, Simple linear regression model: Stochastic Assumptions – BLUE – Gauss Markov Theorem, model specification, estimation of parameters, estimation of SE, t, R and F ratio, inferences, applications. Multiple Regression Models, least square estimation, R2 and adjusted R2, partial regresson coefficients, testing of hypothesis, functional forms of regression models, qualitative independent variables. Econometric problems: Multicollinearity problem , reasons, consequences , methods for detecting the presence , remedies. Auto Correlation: reasons, consequences, Durbin Watson d statistics, remedies. Hetroscedasiticity: reasons, consequences, methods for detecting presence, remedies

price, price spread, FOB price, C&F price, CIF price, Functions and importance of prices, market prices and administrated prices, sources of price statistics. Cobb Web models: convergent, divergent and perpetually oscillating models. Pricing methods: skimmed pricing, cost-plus pricing, penetration pricing. Estimation of demand and supply forecasting agricultural commodities. Price stabilization measures. Price forecasting methods: simple trend analysis, use of seasonal index, exponential smoothing, and Delphi method. Temporal and spatial fluctuations in agricultural prices: types and their causes. Analysis of price movements: estimation of trend, seasonal, cyclical and irregular movements in prices over time. Analysis of spatial price variations and market integration. Types, construction and uses of price relatives and weighted index numbers- General Price level and inflation, Agricultural prices and inflation. Retail and wholesale price index based inflation measures. Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and State Agricultural Price Commissions. Minimum Support Price Scheme and Market Intervention Scheme

Introduction to Gender Studies concepts of gender and sex- Famininity and masculinity, importance of women studies, Patrilineal and matrilineal systems and its relevance to present Indian society, Demography of female population in India:Age structure, mortality rates, Inter-state variations in sex ratio, Causes of declining sex ratio, Measurement of fertility and its control. UNDP’s gender related measures: Tools of Women Empowerment Women and education, GER ratio in India, Addressing gender inequalities in education, Gender equity in health; Access to nutrition; Women’s participation in decision making: Role of civil society, Role of NGO’s in empowering women. Gender and Community Economic Development (CED): Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) - Shramshakti-Kudumbashree in Kerala. Factors affecting female entry in labour markets: supply and demand for female labour in developed and developing countries, in India and Kerala, Female work participation in India and Kerala, in agriculture, non-agriculture rural activities, informal sector, cottage and small industries, organized industry and service sector- Impact of technology and modernization on women’s work participation, Effects of globalization and liberalization on women. Gender issues in Development- Gender disparity ,Global and Indian scenario -Gender roles , Gender Division of labour, occupational segregation and wage differences, Gender Stereotyping in workplace, Gender inequality in labour, pattern of employment of female labour in agriculture sector-impact of change in female labour employment.

Sociology and Rural sociology: Definition and scope, its significance in agriculture extension, Social Ecology, Rural society, Social Groups, Social Stratification, Culture concept, Social Institution, Social Change & Development. Educational psychology: Meaning & its importance in agriculture extension. Behavior: Cognitive, affective, psychomotor domain, Personality, Learning, Motivation, Theories of Motivation, Intelligence.

History of Microbiology: Spontaneous generation theory, Role of microbes in fermentation, Applied areas of Microbiology. Bacteriophages: structure and properties of Bacterial viruses. Soil Microbiology: Microbial groups in soil, microbial transformations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur, Biological nitrogen fixation. Microflora of Rhizosphere and Phyllosphere microflora, microbes in composting. Microbiology of Water. Microbiology of food: microbial spoilage and principles of food preservation. Beneficial microorganisms in Agriculture: Biofertilizer (Bacterial

Cyanobacterial and Fungal), microbial insecticides, Microbial agents for control of Plant diseases, Biodegradation, Biogas production, Biodegradable plastics, Plant – Microbe interactions.

Need and evolution of Marketing Legislations-Review of Agricultural Produce Markets Acts in India- Distribution of legislative powers between parliament and state assemblies. Salient features and provisions of (1) Agricultural Produce Markets Act(As Kerala has not made any legislation in this regard, the study may be based on APMC Model Act 2003. (2) Food safety & Standards Act 2006 and Food Safety & Regulation 2011. (3) Essential Commodities Act,1955 (4) Consumer protection Act (5) Competition Act 2002 (6) Forward Markets Act, 1952 (7) Standards of weights &Measures Act,1976 (8) Central warehousing corporation Act (9) Agricultural Produce Marking & Grading Act (10) Patent Act 2002 (11) Geographical indications of Goods (Registration & Protection Act) (13) The protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act 2001 (14)Indian seeds Act, 1966 (16) Insecticides Act,1968 (17) Fertiliser control order,1957 (18) The fertiliser (movement control) order 1973 (19) the seeds control order, 1983, Goods and Service Tax Act.

Conceptual foundation of information systems. Importance of market information and market intelligence in marketing of agricultural commodities. Essential characteristics of good marketing information. Managing corporate data source. Social dimension of computerisation. Media planning. Analysis of Market Information for presentation. History of derivative trading in the world and India. Economic function of derivatives. Features of commodities eligible for derivative trading. Efficient price discovery and price risk management. Difference between financial derivatives and commodity derivatives. Pricing of futures and option. Hedging using futures and options. Regulations on activators market. Trading mechanism, clearing and settlement of contracts. Contract specifications.

Introduction to International Marketing. Scope and Size of International markets, Conceptual framework, Institutional frame work. Environment of International Agribusiness. Policy framework and procedural aspects. International marketing mix. International marketing planning, International market selection and Segmentation; Co-ordination and Control. Total Quality Management. International marketing organisation. International Agribusiness Marketing research. International Trade Agreements. International marketing institutions. Global value chain.

Environmental studies: Multidisciplinary nature, definition, scope and importance.

Natural Resources: Renewable and non-renewable resources, Natural resources and associated problems. a) Forest resources: Use and over-exploitation, deforestation, case studies. Timber extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forest and tribal people. b) Water resources: Use and over-utilization of surface and ground water, floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams-benefits and problems. c) Mineral resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources, case studies. d) Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing, effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, case studies. e) Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and non-renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy sources. Case studies. f) Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification.

Disaster Management

Natural Disasters- Meaning and nature of natural disasters, their types and effects. Floods, drought, cyclone, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, Heat and cold waves, Climatic change: global warming, Sea level rise, ozone depletion.

Man Made Disasters- Nuclear disasters, chemical disasters, biological disasters, building fire, coal fire, forest fire, oil fire, air pollution, water pollution, deforestation, industrial waste water pollution, road accidents, rail accidents, air accidents, sea accidents.

Disaster Management- Effect to migrate natural disaster at national and global levels. International strategy for disaster reduction. Concept of disaster management, national disaster management framework; financial arrangements; role of NGOs, community –based organizations and media. Central, state, district and local administration; Armed forces in disaster response; Disaster response; Police and other organizations.