Rural Marketing

By Dr. Pushkar Dubey, Dr. Sumit Prasad | Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani

Learners enrolled: 160

Rural Marketing focuses on the study of marketing strategies and practices tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of rural consumers. It encompasses the analysis of rural markets, their structure, and the dynamics influencing consumer behavior in villages and smaller towns. This subject highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with marketing goods and services in rural areas, including issues related to distribution, pricing, promotion, and product adaptation. By addressing factors such as cultural diversity, income levels, and infrastructural limitations, rural marketing equips learners with the knowledge and skills required to design effective strategies for tapping into the vast potential of rural markets.

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Postgraduate
Start Date :	15 Jul 2025
End Date :	15 Nov 2025
Enrollment Ends :	15 Sep 2025
Exam Date :

Page Visits

Course layout

Sl. No.	Type of assessment (Quiz, Subjective, Activity, etc., Provide details	Topic covered	No. of Weeks
1	Rural Marketing and Market Evolution (Quiz and/or Subjective Assessment)	Rural Marketing: Meaning, Nature, Challenges and Opportunities Rural Products and its Promotion in Rural Market, Unique Selling Proposition	3 weeks
		Market Evolution, Market Scenario in India, Agriculture Scenario
		Rural Population and Rural Marketing Model
		Features of Indian Rural Market; Profile of Rural Consumers
		Understanding Rural Market; Factors Influencing Rural Market
		Steps in Rural Marketing Model; Significance of Rural Market
		What Makes Rural Market Attractive? Problems related to Rural Marketing
2	Rural Consumer Behaviour and Rural Product (Quiz and/or Subjective Assessment)	Emerging Trends in Rural Markets; Need Based Production	3 weeks
		Rural Consumer Behaviour; Buying Process
		Rural Market Segmentation Rural Marketing: Targeting and Positioning
		Rural Marketing Research
		Rural Product: Levels, Product Life Cycle
		Rural Product Classification; Product Decisions and Strategies
		New Product Development
3	Product Branding and Pricing Strategies (Quiz and/or Subjective Assessment)	Product Branding in Rural Markets Fake Brands: The Fakes Market Packaging for Rural Markets Pricing Elements	1.5 weeks
		Pricing Strategies; Finalization of Price
		Distribution Patterns for Consumer and Industrial Goods
		Multiple Product Manufacturers; Retail Business
4	Communication Strategies(Quiz and/or Subjective Assessment)	Developing An Effective Rural Communication Message	1.5 weeks
		Promotion Strategy: Advertising, Sales Promotion
		Promotion Strategy: Public Relations, Publicity and Personal Selling Challenges of Rural Communication Innovations in Rural Market
		Role of Government and NGOs in Rural Marketing
		Rural and Urban Markets: A Comparative Analysis
		From 4 P’s to 4 A’s
		The Rural Scenario: Low Penetration, Ways to Increase Rural Reach
5	Role of Government and Future of Rural Marketing (Quiz and/or Subjective Assessment)	Marketing of Agricultural Produce Rural Industry Service Centre Marketing in Small Towns	3 weeks
		Role of Microfinance in Rural India Rural Culture
		Role of Government in Rural India Rural Infrastructure
		The Future of Rural Marketing

Books and references

Kashyap, P. (2016). Rural marketing (3rd ed.). Pearson Education India.

Dogra, B., & Ghuman, K. (2008). Rural marketing: Concepts and practices. Tata McGraw-Hill Education.

Krishnamacharyulu, C. S. G., & Ramakrishnan, L. (2011). Rural marketing: Text and cases (2nd ed.). Pearson Education India.

Habeeb-ur-Rehman, M. (2012). Rural marketing: Indian perspective. Himalaya Publishing House.

Rajagopal. (1998). Rural marketing: Development policy and strategies. Rawat Publications.

Badi, R. V., & Badi, N. V. (2013). Rural marketing. Himalaya Publishing House.

Velayudhan, S. K. (2007). Rural marketing: Targeting the non-urban consumer. Response Books/SAGE Publications.

Instructor bio

Dr. Pushkar Dubey is a distinguished academic and professional, currently serving as the Head of the Department of Management and Deputy Director of the Centre for Internal Quality Assurance Cell (CIQA) at Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Chhattisgarh (PSSOU), Bilaspur. With over 16 years of teaching experience in higher education, Dr. Dubey has established himself as a leader and innovator in his field. A Gold Medalist in MBA from Sambalpur University, Qualified UGC-NET and holding a Ph.D. in Human Resource Management, Dr. Dubey has an impressive academic record. He also has submitted D.Lit. (Management) at Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand. He has published over 90 research papers in prestigious journalsincluding brands like Sage, Emerald, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Indersciences and Wiley, with 25 of his papers indexed in Scopus. His research contributions have earned him numerous honors, including best paper presentation awards, notably at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta. Dr. Dubey has actively participated in more than 60 national and international conferences, presenting his research at esteemed institutions like IIM Indore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Jammu, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Raipur, and IIM Nagpur. His mentorship has guided six scholars to successfully obtain their Ph.D. degrees, with four more currently under his supervision. Additionally, he has accomplished eight research projects, including four sponsored by ICSSR New Delhi, one by the Chhattisgarh State Planning Commission, and one from the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology. An innovator and inventor, Dr. Dubey holds eight published patents. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Studies of Management and is a member of the Academic Council at PSSOU. He is also pursuing highest academic degree i.e. Doctor of Letters (D.Lit) degree, focusing on the quantitative application of Karma principles of Shrimad Bhagwad Gita’s into Higher Educational Practices in India.

Dr. Sumit Prasad

Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani

Dr. Sumit Prasad, Ph.D in Management, M.B.A., B. Tech (Mechanical Engineering) and Diploma in Training and Development, is working as an Assistant Professor (Selection Grade) in School of Management Studies and Commerce (SOMC), Uttarakhand Open University. He is having a teaching experience of more than a decade to teach the learners of Graduate and Post Graduate Programmes. His area of learning includes Training & Development, Compensation Management, Human Resource Management, Micro and Macro Economics, and Marketing Management. He has received Junior Research Fellowship from UGC. He has published various books and research papers in national/international journals of repute. He has also published 03 Patents.

Course certificate

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The online registration form has to be filled, and the certification exam fee needs to be paid.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

30 Marks will be allocated for Internal Assessment (Final Quiz- Mandatory) which will be available at the end of the course and 70 Marks will be allocated for end term proctored examination.

A minimum of 40% passing marks (i.e. at-least 12 marks in Internal Assessment (Final Quiz- Mandatory) & 28 Marks in external proctored examination) will be required for being eligible for SWAYAM Certificate.

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