SEVA
In the Strategy area at TAPai Management Institute, a constituent unit of MAHE – Manipal , two core courses are mandated across all MBA programs to instil ethical, responsible, and sustainability-focused managerial perspectives—Sustainability, Responsibility & Managerial Ethics (SRME) and SEVA (Society, Environment, Values, and Attitudes).
The SRME course, offered in Term 1, is a 2-credit, 20-hour foundation course that introduces students to the core themes of sustainability, responsibility, and managerial ethics. It is designed to develop a strong ethical framework in future business leaders, enabling them to understand and address complex dilemmas involving stakeholders, governance, and long-term impact. The pedagogy is rooted in case-based and experiential learning approaches, encouraging students to analyze real-world business scenarios and ethical conflicts. Through case studies of leading Indian and international companies, students reflect on decision-making under uncertainty, moral trade-offs, and the balance between profitability and responsibility. The course emphasizes that ethical leadership and sustainability are not peripheral issues, but fundamental to sound strategic thinking. Through discussions, group exercises, role plays, and personal reflection, students are challenged to internalize values that go beyond compliance, fostering a mindset of accountability, transparency, and purpose-driven management. SRME is thus not merely a course on ethics, but a broader framework for understanding the role of businesses as agents of societal change.
Complementing SRME, the SEVA course operationalizes and deepens the learning through field-based application. SEVA is a project-based course where students engage in socially and environmentally impactful initiatives under faculty mentorship and in collaboration with external stakeholders. It emphasizes experiential learning by requiring students to step out of the classroom and work on live projects that address grassroots challenges. These may include areas such as agricultural supply chains, community health, rural development, environmental conservation, or micro-entrepreneurship. One of the key strengths of SEVA is its role in bridging theory and practice—students apply managerial frameworks to optimize processes, assess development outcomes, and co-create solutions that are sustainable and ethical. Client interaction is a central component, where students work with NGOs, businesses, or local enterprises to identify issues, set goals, and deliver measurable results. Past projects have included initiatives on vegetable agri-produce promotion aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showcasing the integration of business logic with social value creation. Faculty members provide active mentorship throughout, guiding student teams on project design, stakeholder engagement, and impact assessment. In essence, SEVA offers students a powerful opportunity to engage with the real-world implications of responsible management, sensitizing them to India’s development challenges while strengthening their leadership and collaborative problem-solving skills. Together, SRME and SEVA equip TAPMI students with not just managerial competencies, but also the moral courage and strategic clarity to lead in a world that demands inclusive, ethical, and sustainable business practices.