Microfinance and governance

Microfinance is the practice of providing financial services (mainly credit) to the people with low income levels with the objective of improving their economic well-being. Though the jury is still not out on whether this is the universal solution to improve their well being, there are large positive impacts of participation in microfinance observed from various parts of the world. Hence it is attracting a lot of attention of late, from academicians, development agencies, thinkers and practitioners across the world. The course is intended to provide knowledge on the theoretical overview of the practice of microfinance and the various issues and debates on its implementation and effectiveness. The course is expected to address skill sets for appraising, sanctioning, disbursing and collecting micro loans, with a right mix of concern for social welfare and institutional self sustainability. The course also aims at introducing the scholars to basic concepts of microfinance and sensitise them to various problems relating to information asymmetry, property rights and transaction costs by reading and understanding seminal works in the field and bringing in cases and applications from the real world.