Fundamental resource To maximise the capabilities and encourage high performance are the basic functions of human resource (HR) management.

Managing people has become critical for the success of any business. Regardless of the size or the extent of a company, it survives, thrives and grows on the capabilities and performances of its people. To maximise the capabilities and encourage high performance are the basic functions of human resource (HR) management.

"With the increasing domestic and global competition, companies need to ensure they retain their best talent, allow them to flow and grow in their organisation and ensure that HR strategies allow for identifying and nurturing leaders. The HR field could never have been more challenging, demanding or fulfiling," explains Gurdip Anand, professor, Universal Business School, Mumbai.

For interested students, "Courses are available in two formats, firstly as subsets of MBA courses and secondly as independent postgraduate courses," says Jittu Singh, professor, XLRI.

Job opportunities in HR are available in different fields. The basic managerial function exists in any sector such as, manufacturing, banking and finance, power and energy, IT, health care and hospitality. HR management courses offer in depth understanding of various concepts, practices and equip students with people management skills.

"The theoretical and practical knowledge will help students to become effective team members, team leaders, managers and also good human beings. Students completing this course will have a variety of job opportunities with starting salary ranging from four to eight lakh per annum," says Shobana Madhavan, professor, Amrita University, Coimbatore.

For students to excel in this field, Koustab Ghosh, professor, Calcutta Business School, provides four principles. Firstly, as HR managers one should be better known as the people's manager, with excellent communication skills. Secondly, one should be voracious readers of various publications ranging from classic management literature to corporate magazines.

Thirdly, one should develop their own professional network and actively take part in the same. This gives them an opportunity to exchange positive information based on professional relationships. Lastly, one should understand the basic business processes of their organisations.