In the last couple of years, considerable evolution of management education has paved the entry of a large number of public and private institutions to offer MBA programmes across the country. Even though we have several B-schools around us, choosing the right one has never been an easy task for students. Some students say that B-schools are supposed to be a combination of the right mix of academics and corporate connect, while some say it should just be a gateway to a plethora of job opportunities in the corporate world.
Experts from management institutes participated in an MBA counselling seminar conducted by Careers360 and shared some thoughts on how students could select an MBA college. The panel included Himanshu Mishra, Dean of Student Affairs, Jaipuria Institute of Management; Tejpavan Gandhok, Vice-Dean at Jindal Global Business School, and Chanchal Kushwaha, Chairperson, Admission at Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH).
Peers, Faculty And Alumni
The alumni and the faculty of each institute play an important role in deciding whether to take admission into a particular MBA school or not. Faculties help students as they struggle to survive the routine traumas at college: Coping with a pressure; managing heavy reading burdens; and dealing with class anxiety-- to name a few. Teachers encourage students to reconnect with their resilience and self-confidence.
The panel agreed upon three basic elements that influence the choice of a candidate while selecting the MBA schools. They are peers, faculty and alumni.
Younger Institution
As per the experts, the younger MBA institutions are aiming to attract the young generation who is a risk-taker. They are constantly in competition with the older and more popular MBA institutes. “Try and find a point of differentiation that matches between the MBA programme and what you aspire to be. The interesting point is that the early risk-takers, the ones who are willing to be a part of creating a new path are usually the ones who stand out of the crowd,” Mr Gandhok said.
Right Course
Another common question for young MBA aspirants is whether to choose a general MBA or PGDM programme or specialised one such as a PGDM-Finance. Mr Gandhok said, “If a candidate is a fresh graduate without any corporate exposure, he should go for a generic MBA. In case a candidate has some work experience, he/she must try to do an MBA in their field. A banking professional may pursue an MBA in finance.”
Placement Record
Various MBA candidates value the institute based upon their placement records but Mr Gandhok suggested looking beyond placement statistics. He said, “I would recommend thinking through a longer-term career outcome parameter. My advice would be to not look at the average number, look at the range of outcomes. If you are a smart person, would you rather go to a programme where you can stand out in a smaller cohort of 60-80 people or to one where you need to stand out among 900 people? I think that comes from looking ahead and trying to find less crowded paths”.
