But why are B-schools promoting MDPs in such a major way? Prof. Abraham Koshy of IIM Ahmedabad says in an e-mail interview that there are several reasons as to why B-Schools are promoting MDPs. ``First, MDPs are a good fora where faculty of any business school can get an opportunity to interact with a cross-section of industry and understand some of the key issues facing industries.'' This, according to Koshy, provides a good ``reality check''on faculty members' understanding of the subject.

Another significant point Koshy highlights is that exposure to executives through formal class-room sessions reduces the gap between theory and practice in management. Explains he: ``The question that a typical executive will have is `how to solve the decision problems'. A good faculty member will provide conceptual frameworks, theoretical explanations and check-lists that will help the executive look at the problems from multiple perspectives.'' MDPs are also a means to help faculty members to learn about the practical problems of industry and business, he says.

But that's not the only reason. According to M L Shrikant, Dean, S P Jain Institute of Management & Research: ``Continuing, ongoing education is imperative for all professionals, and more so for managers in India.''

That's because Indian managers often do not have an opportunity for formal management education, but changes in the business environment make it imperative for them to undergo suchtraining, he says. Shrikant adds: ``In fact, it is the responsibility of B-Schools to undertake MDPs to meet the emerging needs of practising managers.''

Apart from that, MDPs help these institutes link up with industry. Says Koshy: ``Many times consulting requests come about when a faculty member demonstrates his/her ability to bring interesting perspectives to decision problems. Membership to Boards of companies and expert committees, and leads and support for research result from this interaction with industry,'' adds Koshy.

Also, MDPs help B-Schools demonstrate their resources and thereby gain acceptance in industry. This contributes to better industry placements for their students. Further, this attracts better students to the institutes' regular programmes.

On the future of MDPs, Koshy of IIM-A says that the market for these programmes will only increase as even MBAs working in industry need to update themselves. Shrikant of SPJIMR too says that the trend will not only continue, but it will growexponentially.

On the implication of the MDPs, Shrikant says that imparting management education to practising managers is different from teaching regular post-graduate management courses. He adds: `Not all management institutes are equipped to handle this differential teaching, and very few management institutes have the capacity to deliver.''

Earlier, says Shrikant, companies had training budgets which had to be merely exhausted. But now, training programmes are used as a vehicle for change, and this makes the task of institutes conducting MDPs even more difficult.

Koshy, however, feels that MDPs are a good way of generating resources. He says that MDPs generate resources both for the B-Schools and depending on the revenue sharing policies, for individual faculty as well. Therefore, there's a good monetary incentive as well in that, he says.

Talking about the implications of MDPs, Koshy says that participation in MDPs helps B-Schools upgrade the quality of regular programmes of B-Schools. If MDPs donot go well, there won't be any repeat of such programmes, he adds. Therefore, in order to conduct a good MDP, faculty members have to develop appropriate cases and other teaching materials. And such efforts will get reflected in their regular programmes as well.

Commenting on the development taking place in the area of MDPs, Koshy says that a natural segmentation will take place. ``Some B-Schools will cater to MDPs relevant to top and senior executives, some for smaller companies and others for junior-level executives. In one sense, this will increase competition between B-Schools and any competition will be good for society. The better ones will thrive and the weaker ones will get side-lined.''

In the long run, sums up Koshy, academic career will become as attractive as executive career. He explains: ``In order to attract and retain good academic members, B-Schools will have to pay `market rent' and already indications are available in this regard.'' Koshy adds that a faculty's acceptance by industry isone of the necessary conditions to command `market rent'. And acceptance by industry comes in a big way through MDPs.