What Should You Do To Join IIM?

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) is the dream destination for MBA aspirants. The selection process for an IIM is an extremely rigorous process, which requires a lot of preparation. All of the IIMs follow 2 stages of selection process- written test (CAT) and GWPI (group discussion/written ability test/personal interview). Selection of the candidates depends on various factors such as written exam, academic background, work experience, reservation category, gender etc.

1st Stage: Qualify The CAT Exam: The first step to secure admission in an IIM is qualifying the Common Admission Test (CAT). CAT is a highly competitive exam that is taken by more than 2 lakh candidates. It is a computer based test held in India to facilitate the admission process to the Master of Business Administration Programme (MBA) in top business schools of India. This exam is conducted to analyze the skills of the students in areas such as English, Mathematics and Logical Reasoning. 

CAT consists of questions from Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning. To crack the CAT exam, you first need to analyze your strength and weaknesses and then start to work upon them. Verbal ability is the most significant part of CAT exam. The best way to prepare for this section is by reading books, magazines, blog, posts, novels etc. Divide your time during exam such that you would have the chance to read and answer as many questions as possible.

To get a call from IIM Ahmedabad or Calcutta, you have to score above 99 percentile in the CAT exam. The criteria for getting a call from IIM varies year per year, but the cut-off percentile always remains high. IIM Bangalore doesn’t have strict criteria for percentile cut-off. They generally consider your academic weightage and work experience. 

  

2nd Stage: Interview/GD: Interviews at the IIMs are generally taken by IIM officials. The officials can be faculty, ex-faculty and sometimes even alumni.  At IIM-A, the interviews are opposite to what people believe. The interviews are generally open ended and everything that interviewer asks you, is related to you or something you talk about. If you are experienced then it’ll work in your favor, but it can be against you if you are not prepared. 

For a Group Discussion (GD) round, be prepared for both sides of the debate. What will happen if everyone has taken up one side of the argument; in such a case you will not be able to make your stance clear. Even if not, taking up an opposite stand will help you stand out a little from the mass.  

Sometimes it doesn’t matter that you are experienced or not. Make interviewers believe that you are a good candidate and nothing can stop you. The most important thing you should know is that they are looking for a reason not to fail you, but select you.  

Which is better MBA or PGDM?

The task of differentiating between an MBA and a PGDM degree often leads the aspirants of management studies into an undesirable conundrum. This article aims to differentiate between these two management degrees and help young aspirants develop an understanding of what both the courses have to offer and how beneficial they are.  

The eligibility criteria for most MBA and PGDM courses offered by different institutes/universities in the country are similar to a great extent. Both MBA and PGDM can be pursued by any individual possessing a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university or institution. Exams like CAT, MAT, GMAT, XAT, CMAT, ATMA etc. are conducted to select suitable candidates for both the programs. 

Differences between MBA and PGDM:

While both MBA and PGDM offer higher education in the field of management studies, there are various factors that create a wide distinction between them.

The very basic difference between an MBA and a PGDM degree is that MBA can only be offered by a University whereas PGDMs are offered by autonomous institutes. In India, colleges offering MBA must have an affiliation to a university that is duly recognized by UGC. This is not so in the case of autonomous institutes offering PGDM. 

The affiliation to UGC necessitates the approval of the program’s curriculum by the UGC, which brings in the second difference – the curriculum. An MBA program follows a guidelines-based curriculum which remains very rigid and hence, provides very little room for flexibility and eccentricity. A PGDM program follows an industry relevant curriculum; it aims to make the students ready for the job market.   

The course curriculum plays a quintessential role in helping students deal with the business environment which they’ll be facing immediately after graduating. 

The business environment is dynamic and unpredictable. An evolving curriculum will help the students to understand, control and mould the turbulence arising in the business arena to their advantage. 

An MBA program, with its rigid curriculum, will lay most of the focus on academics and examinations, which is somewhat different to what a PGDM program aims to do. PGDM program follows an evolving curriculum (industry-oriented, to be precise), which aims to cultivate soft-skills in students. While MBA provides a holistic approach, PGDM offers a wider scope to master specific areas of management and understand its nuances. If the cost factor is taken into consideration, the fee for MBA programs is relatively lesser than that of PGDM programs. 

Which is better?

It depends on what one wishes to gain from the course. A PGDM course is beneficial to those who wish to specialize in a certain domain while an MBA program is beneficial for those looking for a general overview of the business administration. 

University affiliated colleges have established curriculum and have expert faculties on board to provide direction to the students while PGDM also offers eccentricity and wider scope for aspects like innovation, flexibility and specializations.

The employers only look out for talent possessed by the individual regardless of whether the degree pursued is MBA or PGDM. 

What actually matters more than the name of the degree is the reputation of the management schools awarding it. The institutes known for producing extraordinary talents are the ones visited by big multi-national business establishments. The top management schools in the country such as the IIMs, ISB, XLRI, MDI, MICA and IMI offer PGDM degrees which are highly valued in the industry. Even if the placement records are taken into considerations, institutes offering PGDM courses display a better picture, such as the ones mentioned above.

One must take all these points into consideration while deciding between an MBA program and a PGDM program.

Scope of one-year MBA in India

One year MBA programs have gained a lot of prominence in India in the last few years. Working professionals are increasingly moving towards opting for one-year MBA programs rather than going for two-year MBA programs offered at premium business schools. One year MBA programs are seen to be more appealing to the working professionals because in just a year they are given all the necessary training to take up senior managerial roles in organizations.

One-year MBA is a power-packed program which is very carefully crafted to expose students to the complex and dynamic world of business and help them explore and develop their managerial skills. The course moves extremely fast (faster than a regular two-year MBA) and this keeps the students to think on their feet. 

Advantages of one-year MBA program:

1. The experience earned prior to the commencement of the one-year MBA program is appreciated and accepted by the business schools. Since the schools give prominence to diversity inside the classrooms, it emphasizes on selecting individuals with the most diverse set of skills and experiences. This pool of diversity will increase the probability of exploring multiple nuances in the business arena.

2. Going for a one-year MBA saves up on the opportunity cost. Saving one year’s post qualification salary and early entry into work are the benefits of joining a one-year MBA program.

3. One-year MBA graduates are given a global exposure and are also hired for senior managerial roles with higher salaries, while two-year MBA graduates are often selected for entry level profiles such as management trainees because of the lack of work experience.

Limitations of one-year MBA program:

1. Students pursuing a one-year MBA program might lose-out on extra-curricular activities. Since the one-year program has the same curriculum as that of a two-year MBA program, the whole course is squeezed into a single year. This lays a lot of pressure on the students which results in minimum active participation in extra-curricular activities. 

2. The cost of one-year MBA program is generally higher than that of a two-year MBA program. Premium b-school Indian School of Business (ISB) charges about 25 lakhs for its PGP programme. One-year programmes at IIMs will also cost between 14 lakhs and 21.5 lakhs whereas the fee for two-year MBA programmes at IIMs (subsidized by government) is between 10 lakhs and 15 lakhs. 

Top Business Schools offering one-year MBA programs in India:

• IIM Ahmedabad

• ISB Hyderabad

• IIM Bangalore

• XLRI Jamshedpur

• IIM Calcutta

• IIM Lucknow

• Great Lakes Institute, Chennai

• IIM Kozhikode

• IIM Indore

• SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai

When Distance MBA is Valuable For You

MBA aspirants are often stumped thinking about questions regarding MBA and amongst many bizarre questions lie an often seemingly trifling, but crucial one – the relevance of going for Distance MBA. Kampuzz decodes the ‘real value’ attached to acquiring an MBA degree through distance mode of learning.  

    

Distance MBA is acquiring management education through distance learning. The difference between a regular/full-time MBA and distance MBA is ‘the element of distance’. In distance MBA, students have the flexibility to study from anywhere-any time. They are not restricted by any means and can also work while studying. 

• Benefits of Distance MBA to working professionals 

Working professionals will benefit significantly by pursuing a distance MBA programme. Individuals already working can maximize their area of knowledge and master new skills without compromising on their work front. A distance MBA program will help them to acquire a master’s degree in management while concentrating on their work. The distance MBA program will also help them to apply the newly learnt skills in real-world business/office environment. Instant application of the skills, learnt through the distance MBA programme, in real-life business scenarios will prove to be a great boon in future for the individuals opting MBA through distance mode. 

Many individuals also choose to go for distance MBA to gain promotions at work front. For getting promoted to managerial positions, requirement of an MBA degree is a prerequisite. In such cases, individuals choose a distance MBA over regular MBA to save time as well as money.  

• Benefits of Distance MBA to students already engaged in studies  

The students already engaged in studies can also benefit from distance MBA. An MBA programme through distance mode will allow students to continue their regular studies and gain managerial skills and understanding through the flexibility that the programme offers. 

The value of a distance MBA degree also depends on the reputation of the institute that offers it. Since the course ware and coursework in a distance MBA course is largely similar to that of a regular one, the institute providing the degree matters a lot too. 

Some of the reputed institutions in India providing distance MBA programmes are Symbiosis Centre of Distance Learning (Pune), ICFAI Business School (Hyderabad), Indira Gandhi National Open University (New Delhi) and Institute of Management Technology Centre for Distance Learning. 

Pursuing MBA through distance mode of learning will also save up for your cost. For a regular MBA program B-Schools charge hefty amounts and students often end up taking educational loans with high rates of interest. The cost of the completing the programme through distance learning will be significantly lesser.