International Journal of Health Sciences & Research (www.ijhsr.org) 307 Vol.5; Issue: 4; April 2015 International Journal of Health Sciences and Research www.ijhsr.org ISSN: 2249-9571 Review Article Need For Competency Based Healthcare Management Education In India: Concerns, Challenges And Way Ahead Meenal Kulkarni, V.W.Tilak, Rajiv Yeravdekar, Vijay Deshpande Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Symbiosis international University, India Corresponding Author: Meenal Kulkarni Received: 07/02/2015 Revised: 11/03/2015 Accepted: 13/03/2015 ABSTRACT The paper explores the possibility of conceptualization and introduction of standardized competency based healthcare management education in India. The impression about competency based education in field of healthcare is limited to medical and nursing education. Concentrated efforts are required to develop the same concept in the field of healthcare management as well. The present scenario with respect to education in healthcare management has improved considerably in the last decade, but there still exists an obvious gap when the focus comes to skills taught in the classroom and requirements from the industry. India’s rapidly growing healthcare system needs to cater to a much higher level of demand for healthcare services. Hospitalizations are rising 50 percent of the existing rate. The growing sector with its ever increasing demand of quality services from current value conscious patients is strongly driving the need to optimize systems & processes. The complex healthcare environment demands that its managers be suitably trained and equipped to manage the same. It is pertinent, therefore, to design the programme such that it serves the needs of the future employers at the same time equipping students with the requisite Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes. Keywords: Healthcare management education, competency, skills, healthcare system INTRODUCTION Healthcare sector in India is growing tremendously. This growth is in terms of revenue and employment. As reported in a market study from PwC, “During the 1990s, Indian healthcare grew at a compound annual rate of 16%. Today the total value of the sector is more than $34 billion”. This indicates that this sector is emerging as one of the most sought after. (PWC Emerging Market report 2007). In another market report prepared by McKinsey, it is highlighted that with this enormous growth, India’s Healthcare system will need to cater to a much higher level of demand for healthcare services. Hospitalizations are rising 50 percent of the existing rate and thus demand for health care services is on constant rise.(McKinsey &Company India Healthcare 2012). In spite of having Centers of Excellence (COE) in healthcare delivery, these services are limited and are