<div>XAT is a national level management entrance exam that is conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur on the behalf of Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI). In this video, meet Deep Pandya, who scored 99.23 %ile in XAT 2021. Deep is sharing his strategy to crack the XAT 2022 for the aspirants who are preparing for the same. Let's hear out his strategy.</div>

XAT Preparation strategy by Deep Pandya | XAT 2021 Topper | Success Story & Strategy

Make your preparation for the Common Law Entrance Test (CLAT) exam easy with these expert tips from Mr. Amit Poddar (TIME Education) who is here to guide the aspirants on how to prepare for CLAT in 3 months Find out how to strategize your study plan, which sections to cover first, important topics and number of days required to crack CLAT entrance exam. These tips will not only help you crack the exam but will also aid you to score high percentile in CLAT 2020.

How to prepare for CLAT 2020 in 3 months? | Expert Speak | Amit Poddar

MBA Group Discussions are an important part of the B-school selection process. Therefore, for candidates to appear in the Personal Interview, which is the final step of the selection process, it is necessary that you perform like a pro in the MBA Group Discussion (GD) round. Here are some expert tips from our counsellor Mr. Alok Bansal who will highlight the types of GD, how to prepare for the GD and crack it in the first go. Find out practical tips to enter the Group Discussion like a leader and ace it to make it to the next round of selection.

MBA Group Discussion: Experts suggest strategy, tips to crack GD Round in MBA Interviews

Pursuing MBA is a million dollar decision especially when one thinks of getting a degree from a Foreign University. An array of questions related to which entrance exams is relevant, which university has the best MBA placements, is there a scholarship scheme or not, and why study abroad when there are institutes such as IIMs in India. To help you get an overall understanding of the MBA degree option from a foreign university, our expert Mr. Alok Bansal will throw some light upon the major pros and cons of pursuing Business Management (MBA) from Abroad.&nbsp;

Study Business Management (MBA) Abroad | GMAT vs. GRE | Expert Speak | Alok Bansal

The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section in CAT MBA Entrance exam is considered to be one of the scoring sections by the aspirants. A good score in VARC can help candidates' secure overall high CAT percentile with good CAT score, thanks to the relatively high number of TITA (non-MCQs) questions that do not attract negative marking. With 24 questions in Reading Comprehensions and 10 Questions from Verbal Ability, a few tips and tricks can surely come in handy for CAT aspirants to crack CAT VARC section in 60 minutes. Our expert Mr. Alok Bansal shares what it takes to crack VARC section and how you can score 75 out of 100 in this section.

CAT 2019 - Tips to prepare for VARC Section | Alok Bansal

CAT Quantitative Aptitude section is one of the toughest sections to crack for the candidates. Quantitative Aptitude is one section that not just tests the speed of solving questions but also accuracy in the CAT exam. Provided there is sectional time limit of 60 minutes added with negative marking, the level of difficulty poses challenges for the aspirants to score well in the exam. Therefore, it is important for the aspirants to understand a few tips and tricks that help you score 99+ percentile in the CAT Quant section. Our expert, Mr. Alok Bansal at Jagranjosh.com shares practical tips and tricks that will help you streamline your preparations to score 70+ marks in the CAT Exam's Quant section. Find out how to crack the Quant section of the CAT Exam on the D-day i.e. 24th November.

CAT 2019 - Tips to prepare for Quant Section | Expert Speak | Alok Bansal

When it is about the CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) section, aspirants need to be extra cautious to gain 99 percentile in the CAT 2019 exam. Given the past trend, it has been observed that the difficulty level of the questions and the time constraints in solving them, takes a toll on the overall CAT percentile. Therefore, apart from the thorough revision of the topics that come in DIRL section, there are a few handy tips that will help you score well in the CAT 2019 exam. In this video, find out tips from our expert, Mr. Alok Bansal, to attempt DILR section effectively. With barely a few days left for the D-day i.e. 24th November, these tips will make sure that your CAT Preparation with regards to the DILR section is on the mark.

CAT 2019 - Tips to prepare for DILR Section | Alok Bansal

NMAT is a unique MBA entrance exam that requires special preparation and attention from aspirants. With the unique examination pattern and format, it is natural for candidates to have &lsquo;exam day jitters&rsquo; before appearing for NMAT 2019. Add to that, the fierce competition of being pinned against the best MBA aspirants vying for a very few seats on offer at NMIMS, the NMAT Test Day is sure to be full of anxiety for the aspirants. To help candidates overcome the NMAT 2019 test-day anxiety, our expert Mr. Alok Bansal shares some effective tips to manage the exam day stress and be ready to appear for the NMAT by GMAC MBA entrance exam. In this video find out tips to avoid the last-minute rush and come out with flying colors of success.

NMAT 2019: Test-Day Preparation Strategy

Aiming for the 100 percentile to seek admission in the IIMs is undoubtedly a mandate; however, your preparation strategy plays a vital role in ensuring your admission to the top B-schools of India. Whether you should join a coaching to prepare for CAT 2019 or not is a choice. There is no black and white rule that says getting training from coaching institute guarantees your entry ticket to the IIMs. Instead, our expert Alok Bansal, shares an effective and practical study plan that can help you strategise your studies and score 100 percentile in the CAT 2019 exam. Find out in this video, practical tips and tricks to prepare for the CAT 2019 exam without joining coaching institute.

How to prepare for CAT 2019 without coaching? | Alok Bansal

With CAT 2019 scheduled to be held on 24th November, 2019, MBA aspirants now have merely 3 months left to face one of the toughest MBA entrance exams of the country. For those who have still not finalized their CAT 2019 Preparation strategy, it is high time to freeze one now and put their best foot forward. If you are also one of the 2 lakh CAT aspirants wondering How to crack CAT 2019 in 3 months; worry not! Mr Alok Bansal, CAT Expert and Mentor helps you chalk out the right plan for the next 90 days. Be it handling tough VARC, or the tricky DILR or the extensive QA section, Mr Bansal&rsquo;s tip will help you build a holistic study plan to &lsquo;Bell the CAT&rsquo;.&nbsp;

How to crack CAT 2019 in 3 months

Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi is one of the top B-Schools that holds the record of achieving 100% placement before the completion of the MBA program. The Institute has been able to achieve this feat with the help of various stakeholders who participate vigorously in making Placement season a successful event. In FMS, placement is collaborative approach wherein Alumni, faculty and students focus to enhance the employability of the final year batch. In this video, let's hear from some of the students of FMS (Delhi) about how to prepare for the MBA placement season to get hired in the top companies at their dream packages.

MBA at FMS: How to prepare for the Placement Season?

MBA internships have become an important and integrated part of management education. Internships marks the first interaction between the students and their future employers i.e. corporates. MBA Internships are also considered to be a very crucial part of the curriculum in management education, as they equip the students with the practical know-how about the industry. In this video, Students from FMS Delhi explain the importance of MBA internship for MBA students. They also highlight how internships have helped in their personal and professional development at FMS.

MBA at FMS: Student Internships | Importance of MBA Internships

MBA Interviews are a tough nut to crack, especially when it comes to the admission interviews conducted by top B-schools in India. The MBA interview panel which comprises of professors and alumni assess different aspects of an MBA aspirant&rsquo;s personality starting from their personal details, academic details, professional work experience and general socio-economic and political awareness. To help you understand the key focus areas that an aspirant must work on for MBA interviews, students and toppers from FMS Delhi, University of Delhi, share tips to crack MBA interviews.
Extracts from the Interview:
<img class="lazy img-responsive" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Thanmay-Krishna-Finance-Secretary-MSA.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Thanmay-Krishna-Finance-Secretary-MSA.jpg" />Thanmay Krishna Finance Secretary, MSA FMS Delhi
MBA Interviews are all about identifying the future leaders and help in training them. So, what do B-schools look for in future MBA candidates?They look for leaders! How do you be a leader? For that, you have to be ready in terms of your knowledge in Current Affairs, Business, Global Affairs and also understand their impact on the Indian market. A particular tip that helped me during my interview preparation is that all the MBA Interviews usually happen around the same time when the (Union) Budget is prepared. So, if you are ready with your Budget, it will help you with your Current Affairs as well.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: right;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/LeenaKiro-President-Vihaan-Social-Service-Cell.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/LeenaKiro-President-Vihaan-Social-Service-Cell.jpg" />
Leena Kiro President, Vihaan Social Service Cell, FMS Delhi
In order to prepare for your MBA interview, you need to ensure that you know yourself the best.&nbsp; You need to understand what are your motivations for doing an MBA? What is your educational background, and the kind of work that you have done previously. You need to be thorough with all these aspects. Secondly, you need to practice a lot. You can practice alone with a phone recorder or with a video recorder, so that later, you can refer to it and understand where you are lagging. In MBA interviews, it doesn&rsquo;t matter if you are confident with your English, or not, there are lot of students who are from a non-English background and yet make it to the IIMs, FMS and other top MBA institutes. You just need to be confident and the best version of yourself to crack MBA interviews.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shivani-Joshi-1st-Year-Student.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shivani-Joshi-1st-Year-Student.jpg" />
Shivani Joshi 1st Year Student, FMS Delhi
For MBA Interviews, the most important thing is to keep up with the latest news and happenings. This is then followed by your academic and professional profile. To put it straight, you should be thorough about everything that you have done in terms of your educational background and work experience. You also need to be thorough with everything that you have listed on your CV. Lastly, practice how to speak on different topics and be confident while expressing your ideas.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: right;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/RezvinBasheer-General-Secretary-MSA.jpg" alt="" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/RezvinBasheer-General-Secretary-MSA.jpg" />
Rezvin Basheer General Secretary, MSA FMS Delhi
MBA Interviews are mostly conducted by the faculty members and alumni of the colleges. The key thing that they try to assess during an MBA admission interview is to check if you are capable of taking the brand identity of the B-school ahead. For this, the first thing that they check is your communication skills. Because, irrespective of your grades and talent, if you are unable to communicate it clearly you will not be a good manager.
Secondly, they will check your knowledge about current affairs and latest happenings related to topics of national and international importance. Thirdly, they will question you on your academic and professional profile. This includes every single thing that you have mentioned in your CV. So, you should be thorough with all the basic things. If you are thorough with all things that you have done till now in the past then that means the interviewer will also feel confident that whatever you will be doing in the two years, you will be able to represent the brand and be a torchbearer.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Ravi-Kumar-1st-Year-Student.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Ravi-Kumar-1st-Year-Student.jpg" />
Ravi Kumar 1st Year Student, FMS Delhi
For MBA interviews, the most important thing is General Knowledge and not just Knowledge, but you must also know the implications of what is happening around you. Because, knowing what is happening is one part, but as someone who is doing Business Administration, you should know what are the implications of those things on the macro environment. So, your opinion matters, your knowledge matters and the way you express both of them, also matters, when it comes to cracking MBA admission interviews.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: right;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Rahul-Philip-President-Systems-and-Operations-Society.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Rahul-Philip-President-Systems-and-Operations-Society.jpg" />
Rahul Philip President, Systems &amp; Operations Society FMS Delhi
For MBA interviews, the most crucial thing is that you should come across as a very aware person. You should know a lot of things about what&rsquo;s going on, especially around the economic environment. For instance, the MBA interview panel will not only expect you to be aware of the &lsquo;farmer distress&rsquo; they will also expect you to know, understand and be able to explain the basic reasons behind it. So, for MBA interviews, you should be able to define the problems, analyse them in depth and also be able to offer pragmatic solutions for them.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shubhangi-Jain-1st-Year-Student.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shubhangi-Jain-1st-Year-Student.jpg" />
Shubhangi Jain 1st Year Student, FMS Delhi
Preparing for MBA Admission Interviews is a step-by-step process. As a first step, you need to prepare answers to the typical HR questions such as tell me something about yourself or why you want to pursue an MBA. Secondly,&nbsp; the interview panel will also assess you on academics and your educational background. Thirdly, it is important to be thorough with different aspects related to your work experience. Fourthly, you should also be aware of the current affairs and the latest happenings that are of national and international importance. For this, it is very important for you to read newspapers on a daily basis.

How to crack MBA Interviews? | Tips by FMS Delhi Toppers

Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi or FMS Delhi conducts GD and Extempore rounds as part of MBA admission process to screen aspirants seeking admission to the MBA programme. While Group Discussion is a round held by different B-schools as part of its screening mechanism, only FMS Delhi conducts Extempore Round as part of its admission process. To help future aspirants understand the process, students and toppers from FMS Delhi share their experience and tips about how to crack GD &ndash; Extempore Rounds for admission to FMS Delhi. They will share specific tips; inputs and advices that will help them understand and prepare well for GD and Extempore Round for MBA admission to FMS Delhi.
Extracts from the Interview
<img class="lazy img-responsive" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/LeenaKiro-President-Vihaan-Social-Service-Cell.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/LeenaKiro-President-Vihaan-Social-Service-Cell.jpg" />
LeenaKiro
President, Vihaan Social Service Cell,
FMS Delhi
In order to be a part of FMS, there are three different stages of selection.&nbsp; First one is GD, the second is extempore and third one is PI.&nbsp; For GD, you need to ensure that you are thorough with all the activities, all the news events that are currently going on, for that you can go through newspapers, you can have your own group discussion with your peers. For extempore, the topics are basically on the basis of your work you have done and on the basis of your background, so be thorough with that. And, you need not need worry about how you are going to go there, just be very confident and crisp and clear in whatever you speak over there. And, for your PI as I previously said, for any interview, you need to be thorough with yourself, what kind of work you have done and be very confident and firm in whatever you speak.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: right;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Thanmay-Krishna-Finance-Secretary-MSA.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Thanmay-Krishna-Finance-Secretary-MSA.jpg" />
Thanmay Krishna
Finance Secretary, MSA
FMS Delhi
The extempore round as part of the MBA admission or selection process is unique to FMS Delhi. By the very nature of this round, it gives aspirants a unique opportunity to shine through and beat the competition through their knowledge and talent. During an extempore round, aspirants will be given about 60 or 90 seconds to prepare for a brief talk on any topic of national importance or related to current affairs or from the business world. For this, the best approach is to be ready with your current affairs by reading newspapers regularly. This will help the aspirants stay aware with the current happenings. While articulating your thoughts in an extempore round, candidates must ensure that they are confident, crisp and articulate.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: left;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/RezvinBasheer-General-Secretary-MSA.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/RezvinBasheer-General-Secretary-MSA.jpg" />
Rezvin Basheer&nbsp;
General Secretary, MSA
FMS Delhi
When it comes to the extempore round, the topics could vary from abstract to very specific topics. Therefore, while preparing for the Extempore Round, aspirants need to be very thorough with their CV. Simply put, you must thoroughly know everything that you have pursued or accomplished in your academic, professional and personal life so far. For instance, if you are from an Army School, you might be asked a question related to that. Or, you may get questions related to your home state or the region that you belong to. Similarly, you also might get to face questions about your work experience, the industry that you have worked in and other similar questions. &nbsp;Through such questions, the interviewers try to assess the awareness of the aspirants.
The general tendency of aspirants during a GD round is to be aggressive and start the conversation, thinking that it will get them more points. However, the GD assessment panel, which comprises of professors and alumni are aware of such tactics and therefore do not pay heed to them.&nbsp; The posture of a candidate plays a very important role when it comes to cracking Group Discussion Rounds. So, try and be calm, composed and confident during your GD and Extempore Rounds and you will surely sail through them.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: right;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Ravi-Kumar-1st-Year-Student.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Ravi-Kumar-1st-Year-Student.jpg" />
Ravi Kumar
1st&nbsp;Year Student,
FMS Delhi
Generally, the best way to crack GD round as part of the MBA selection is by guiding the discussion. The general approach of being aggressive in a Group Discussion often works against the candidate. Therefore, instead of trying to be loud or aggressive, it is better, if you try and drive the discussion ahead towards a constructive consensus or a common agreement point. The GD assessment panel will evaluate your contribution to the discussion on the basis of these factors.
For the Extempore round, in which you have to express your views about any topic in a limited timeframe, the key lies in having a clear mind, staying calm and having composed thoughts. During an extempore round, you get around 2-3 minutes to express your thoughts and opinions on a given topic. Therefore, continuous flow of thoughts is very crucial to succeed in Extempore Round.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Rahul-Philip-President-Systems-and-Operations-Society.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Rahul-Philip-President-Systems-and-Operations-Society.jpg" />Rahul Philip
President, Systems &amp; Operations Society
FMS Delhi
For GD rounds and Extempore rounds, the important thing is that you should be able to structure your basic argumentation or your opinion. In addition, you should also have some kind of a factual backing to your argument or the point that you are trying to make. Backed by statistics and data, your argument sounds more credible and makes more sense. So, try and add some facts and figures to your argument, it will make it more understandable and also help you impress the GD and Extempore panel.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: right;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shubhangi-Jain-1st-Year-Student.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shubhangi-Jain-1st-Year-Student.jpg" />
Shubhangi Jain
1st Year Student,
FMS Delhi
Extempore Round, as part of the MBA admissions screening process, is unique to FMS Delhi, while GD round is conducted by many other B-schools as well. To prepare for Extempore round, you should jot down a few points and hot topics that are trending and then practice talking and expressing your views on it in front of a mirror. Alternatively, you can also take 15 seconds to prepare yourself for the topic and then record yourself on a cell-phone. This will help you not only to evaluate the points that you are making in your extempore speech but also highlight the weaknesses in related to your posture, speech and composition of thoughts. For GD as well, aspirants can follow the same approach to prepare a logical chain of thoughts of arguments that can help drive the discussion towards a constrictive consensus.
<img class="lazy img-responsive" style="float: left;" src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shivani-Joshi-1st-Year-Student.jpg" width="100" height="100" data-original="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/Shivani-Joshi-1st-Year-Student.jpg" />
Shivani Joshi
1st Year Student,
FMS Delhi
For GD and Extempore Rounds, you need to practice speaking about different topics related to current affairs and general awareness. For this, you should practice to prepare your speech content or arguments and enrich it logical points and datain about one minute. You should practice regularly to build confidence which will help you to express your thoughts effectively.

How to crack GD – Extempore Rounds for Admission to FMS Delhi?

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For MBA aspirants who are preparing to join top B-schools in India, it is very important to understand two aspects about management education i.e. the skills they must possess in order to join an MBA programme and what will they learn during an MBA programme. Clarity about these two aspects will help aspirants understand and develop more pragmatic career plan for the future. Prof. Rajeev Kumar, Faculty &ndash; Operations Management Group at IIM Calcutta, explains these two aspects in detail.
Extracts from the Interview
<h2>Cracking MBA Admission Interviews</h2>
Generally, MBA aspirants are often influenced by the feedback that they get from their peers, coaching centres and such other sources about how they need to carry themselves in an interview. However, despite proper preparation, what an Interview panel often finds amiss among the MBA aspirants is authenticity and genuineness. Especially when it comes to describing ones strengths and weaknesses, it is better if candidates try and be genuine in their approach. No one on an interview panel expects a candidate to know or understand everything. Therefore, being candid and honest in an MBA interview can go a long way in helping you impress the panel.
The panel, doesn&rsquo;t focus much on things like how a candidate is dressed or how they present themselves. Because, it is natural for any candidate to be a little anxious and nervous during an interview, so, generally, a panel would not hold that against a candidate. &nbsp;
At the same time, Interviewers will want to assess your academic prowess and professional experience as well. On the academic front, the panel will try and probe, how well have you done in studies and if you are capable of handing the pressure of that an MBA students undergoes during a programme.
Similarly, the Interview panel will also pose questions related to your work experience to assess how involved were you in professional life. Candidates are expected to share vivid experiences from their work life such as the challenges you faced and the strategies that you employed to overcome them. In addition, the panel will also try and evaluate how familiar are you with the organization and the industry in which you have worked.
An important part of the definition of being a well-rounded individual is that not only you take care of your career interest or job interest but you also are open to what&rsquo;s happening around you. If you, do not show that evidence in an interview it tells me that you are little narrow in your approach
<h2>Skills B-schools look for in an MBA aspirant</h2>
The most important thing that B-schools try to assess in an MBA aspirant is their ability and competence to go through with the rigorous and demanding MBA programme. In this regard, the first thing that they check is the academic prowess of the candidate. Students who have proven academic track record, it tells the B-school selection committee that you, most likely, have the capacity to withstand the pressures and pace of an MBA programme, both, in terms of curricular as well as extracurricular aspects.
Secondly, B-schools also try and look at the other aspects, especially beyond academics, in which you have taken keen interest or earned some form of expertise or achievement. This could be some hobby or very simple General Knowledge and know-how about the things that are happening around you. Having demonstrated interest and some form of expertise in any extracurricular area, shows that you are not only a &lsquo;bookworm&rsquo;, but are also interested in life around you.
Similarly, if you possess work-experience, the B-school would like to know how much interest you took in your work, the company where you worked and the industry in which you worked. The b-school would also try and assess your awareness about the broader economic or business trends that are related to the domain you have worked in.
<h2>Skills students learn during an MBA programme</h2>
There are two broader categories of skills that a student acquires during an MBA programme. The first is technical or functional skills. These skills are related to the core business fundamentals like Finance, Accounting, Operations and Marketing. At a B-school, you will come to know an overall or overview of all these business fundamentals and also understand their operational importance in running a business.
Second aspect, and the one that is often ignored by MBA students, is behavioural aspects which are also referred as soft skills in general parlance. Behavioural skills are very important for business managers, as they help enhance your capacity to work with a number of people, who don&rsquo;t necessarily possess the same thought process as you. Soft skills also help managers to manage conflicts, negotiate well with others, especially when they are in an interdependent situation.
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<img src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/rajeev-kumar-iim-calcutta-profile-thumb.png" alt="" width="156" height="156" />Prof. Rajeev Kumar is part of the Organizational Behaviour Group at IIM Calcutta. He also holds a fellowship from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (equivalent to Ph.D.). As a faculty at IIM Calcutta he teaches various compulsory as well as elective subjects such as Business Research Methods; Human Behaviour at Work; Designing Effective Organizations, Interpersonal Skills &amp; Leadership. Prior to shifting the academia, he worked as an HR consultant for Hewitt Associates. Prior to that, he has also worked for 3+ years with an NGO i.e. Society for the Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD) in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
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MBA at IIMs: Skills B-schools Look for | Skills B-schools Impart

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MBA in India or MBA Abroad, this is one dilemma that has haunted MBA aspirant at one point or the other. There are many advantages of pursuing MBA in India, like getting a more grounded understanding about the Indian business environment and how businesses operate in the country. At the same time, doing MBA Abroad provides a more global and cross-cultural exposure to the students, preparing them to take upon the challenges of global economy. To help MBA aspirants understand the different facets of this debate, Prof. Rajeev Kumar from IIM Calcutta shares with us the key advantages of pursuing MBA in India as well as MBA Abroad. He also talks about the different opportunities that both the options open up for the aspirants after completing their MBA.
<h2>Benefits of Pursuing MBA in India</h2>
Students who plan to pursue MBA in India will be able to develop a greater understanding of whatever is being taught in the context of Indian businesses. Moreover, they will also have the advantage of being able to relate their classroom learning with the real life scenarios that are occurring in the Indian business environment right now. Students will also be able to have more grounded discussion about the Indian Business Environment and will be able to relate the concepts and theories that are being taught to what is actually happening in India right now.
Also, most Indian B-schools have 30 to 35 per cent of students who join MBA programmes without any work experience. Being freshers, these students bring-in their own unique perspective to the problems and cases that are being discussed in the classroom. Perspectives shared by students without work experience often tend to be out-of-the-box and offer distinct solutions to common problems, which, generally, students with work experience are unable to come-up with.
<h2>Advantages of MBA Abroad</h2>
While pursuing MBA Abroad i.e. from a foreign university, students will get global and cross-cultural exposure, which is missing in the academic culture at various Indian B-schools. Students pursuing MBA Abroad will be able to meet and interact with students from diverse backgrounds, coming from different countries and having varied experiences. Therefore,&nbsp; Indian students pursuing MBA Abroad will get exposed to new perspectives and also get to see how their peers, having different academic and socio-cultural backgrounds, are able to see and analyse problems. Similarly, in foreign B-schools, students, generally, come-in with certain amount of work experience, which will further add to the flavour in OB or HR kind of classes where, things are by in-large not really totally black or white. When people come with work experience then by in-large they are able to bring out what they saw happening in a company, in a classroom discussion. And, that adds to the richness of discussion in a class.
So, cross-cultural exposure, especially in today&rsquo;s globalized world, plays a very important role in the success of a business manager. And that is exactly what students get when they pursue MBA Abroad.
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<td><img src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/rajeev-kumar-iim-calcutta-profile-thumb.png" alt="" width="156" height="156" />Prof. Rajeev Kumar is part of the Organizational Behaviour Group at IIM Calcutta. He also holds a fellowship from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (equivalent to Ph.D.). As a faculty at IIM Calcutta he teaches various compulsory as well as elective subjects such as Business Research Methods; Human Behaviour at Work; Designing Effective Organizations, Interpersonal Skills &amp; Leadership. Prior to shifting the academia, he worked as an HR consultant for Hewitt Associates. Prior to that, he has also worked for 3+ years with an NGO i.e. Society for the Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD) in Rajasthan and Gujarat.</td>
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MBA in India vs. MBA Abroad

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IIM Calcutta &ndash; one of the top MBA colleges in India, offers One Year MBA Programme in addition to its flagship PGP programme. Prof. Amit Dhiman shares important information about the One Year MBA Programme at IIM Calcutta including eligibility, selection process and preparation strategy required to get into the PGPEX Programme. He also shares the career path of the opportunities that students will get after completing the One Year MBA Programme at IIM Calcutta.
Extracts from the Interview
<h2>PGPEX - One Year MBA Programme: Overview</h2>
The One Year MBA programme at IIM Calcutta i.e. PGPEX is Full Time Residential Programme meant for Executives with more than five years of professional experience. It provides mid-career professionals the ideal platform to augment their existing skill sets as they endeavour to armour themselves for senior and top management roles in the industry.
<h2>One Year MBA Programme &ndash; Eligibility Criteria</h2>
PGPEX or the One Year MBA Programme at IIM Calcutta is for participants who have worked in the industry for a significant amount of time. Typically, students, who on an average, have worked for a period of 9 years, join this course. Although, the eligibility to join the programme requires mere 5 years of work experience, the institute gets students who possess work experience of 14 to 15 years and sometimes even going beyond that.
<h2>One Year MBA Programme - Eligibility</h2>
IIM Calcutta has prescribed the following eligibility criteria for selection of students to the PGPEX or the One Year MBA Programme:
<ul>
<li>Work Experience: Candidate must possess a minimum 5 years of work experience, prior to joining the programme</li>
<li>Exam / Screening Test: Candidate must appear and clear the GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) with a minimum GMAT score of 680+ out of 800.</li>
</ul>
The institute screens candidates on the basis of their GMAT score to be part of the further selection process i.e. the Personal Interview for One Year MBA Programme.
Personal Interview Round
Candidates are shortlisted for the Personal Interview round on the basis of their GMAT score. The Interview for selection to PGPEX programme is conducted by the faculty members and industry professionals, typically alumnus who have completed this programme. The Personal Interview of the candidates is mostly based upon the &lsquo;Statement of Purpose&rsquo; that they provide as part of their application for the PGPEX programme. Interview panellist, generally, ask questions in the interview on the basis of the information provided in the SOP.
<h3>Importance of Statement of Purpose</h3>
In the &lsquo;Statement of Purpose&rsquo;, what interview panellist are looking for is the clarity of thought with regards to the why do you want to do an MBA and what do you want to after an MBA. Candidates need to be very clear about these aspects while drafting their SOP and support their ideas through pragmatic and action oriented career paths. For instance, instead of merely mentioning that you want to shift from engineering to MBA, one needs to specify the career paths or areas which aligns with their past experience as well as meets their areas of interests and also mention how do they want to evolve in their professional careers.
In addition to this, candidates can also mention their other aspects that offer a glimpse into their personality such as hobbies and extracurricular activities. The selection process for PGPEX is competitive, and therefore, when candidates are matched evenly, panellists often look for that extra edge which can be provided through these personality traits. However, candidates must ensure that they only mention those hobbies or extracurricular activities which they actually do or are genuinely interested in. Panellists, typically look for candidates who have accomplished some level of expertise or achieved some level of achievement in these activities, as it showcases their seriousness about things which are beyond their formal work-life.
Similarly, panellists will also quiz you about your industry experience and assess your achievements at workplace. These will help them understand if you were really engaged at the work place and also give them a glimpse about the subject matter knowledge that you possess.
<h2>Preparing for the one-year MBA programme</h2>
IIM Calcutta considers GMAT score to screen students for the PGPEX or the One Year MBA programme. The GMAT exam consists of the following key sections or the type of questions i.e.
<ul>
<li>Quantitative Section</li>
<li>Language Section</li>
<li>Reasoning Section</li>
<li>Logical &amp; Data Analysis Section</li>
</ul>
The knowledge aspect that is covered in the GMAT exam is not of high difficulty level, which means that candidates don&rsquo;t need to study anything new to crack the entrance exam. However, what the test requires is regular and extensive practice and brushing up on the different concepts that students would have studied at elementary level. As a prospective candidate who is appearing for GMAT to secure admission to PGPEX programme, the prime emphasis should lay upon practice. Candidates should try and increase their speed and accuracy through regular practice in order to clear the GMAT exam. One advantage that candidates have with GMAT is that the exam is held more than once a year. This gives candidates an opportunity to improve their score by reappearing for the GMAT.
For Personal Interview, in addition to the aspects that we have discussed before, candidates can opt to do a few mock interviews with their peers or through a coaching institute. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and brush-up your weak areas. But in general, if candidates possess good antecedents and stay true to themselves, they can easily crack the interviews.
<h2>Opportunities after One Year MBA Programme</h2>
There are, typically, three kinds of career paths or career aspirations that participants can fulfil after completing the One Year MBA programme.
Career Advancement: This path is for candidates who want to continue on or in the same career path as they were prior to the programme. For such students, the PGPEX programme will help them to transition to senior management roles within the same industry.
Career Change: PGPEX or the One Year MBA programme also opens up several opportunities for candidates who want to change their industry after the completing the course. Candidates who are trying to change their careers will find it difficult to convince their recruiters that they are ready to join a senior management role in a completely new industry. However, PGPEX programme grooms, prepares and helps such candidates&rsquo; switchover to new industry and career roles. This is done by helping the participants undertake certain projects related to the industry they want to move to or by asking an institute alumnus to facilitate and mentor the career transition process.
Entrepreneurship: The One Year MBA programme also helps candidates who harbour entrepreneurship dreams to star their own venture. The thriving incubator and entrepreneurship centre at IIM Calcutta helps them not only to work with start-up firms but also helps them learn from other entrepreneurs. It also provides a very fertile networking ground for such participants.
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<td><img src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/amit-dhiman-profile-png-transparent-min.png" alt="" width="90" height="94" />Prof. Amit Dhiman is part of the Faculty - Human Resource Management Group, IIM Calcutta. Currently, he also chairs the PGPEX or the One Year MBA Programme at the B-school. He teaches a variety of courses and programmes at the B-school including Human Resource Management; Human Resource Management and Labour Laws; Strategic Human Resource Management in Services. His research interests lie on topics such as Performance Appraisals &ndash; role of Politics, Strategic HRM, HR flexibility, Accountability in decision making and evolving challenges in management education.</td>
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MBA at IIMs: One Year MBA Programme at IIM Calcutta

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Getting into an MBA programme, especially at one of the IIMs, is surely a tough task. But what&rsquo;s even tougher is to excel and emerge as a course topper in a PGP Programme at an IIM. During your time IIMs, you are pitted against the best brains of the country and exceling among them needs special effort and real talent. IIM Calcutta &ndash; PGP Rank One, Mr Anish Patil shares with us his strategy that helped him overcome the fierce competition and emerge as the Class Topper at IIM Calcutta.
Choosing IIM Calcutta over Other IIMs
IIM Calcutta, being the finance campus of the country, was the obvious choice for Anish, as he wants to pursue a Career in Finance after completing his MBA. In addition to this, he also considered various other factors such as the academic culture as well as feedback from alumni and seniors which convinced him that IIM Calcutta was the right B-school for him. To top that, facilities such as the Financial Research &amp; Trading Laboratory further also makes IIM Calcutta an ideal choice for anyone interested in Finance.
Strategy to Emerge as Class Topper / PGP &ndash; Rank One
Sharing tips and strategies that helped Anish beat the competition and emerge as the PGP &ndash; Rank One at IIM Calcutta, he emphasises upon:
&bull; Attending Classes:&nbsp;Attending classroom lectures, participating in discussions and paying attention to the minor details that are discussed in the class are pivotal for students at IIMs. Doing this will lays a strong conceptual foundation about new concepts which will go a long way in helping you excel.
&bull; Pre &amp; Post Class Preparation:&nbsp;Similarly, preparing for the topics that are going to be discussed in the class in advance and revisiting them after it also goes a long way in helping you master management principles and concepts in the long run.
&bull; Discipline &amp; Consistency:&nbsp;Excelling at IIMs need discipline and consistency in everything you do; be it regular study or projects or research. Therefore, unlike engineering college, where one would study a day or two before the exam and score good marks, at IIMs, one has to make a consistent effort to stay at the top of their game.
&bull; Managing Peer Pressure:&nbsp;Another challenge that students at IIMs face is of the peer-pressure. Being surrounded by the best brains in the country can be overwhelming at times. The key to this lies in managing peer pressure and this can be done by focusing on one&rsquo;s strengths and priorities. This will help students not only to be good at their studies but also ensure that they focus on the right things at the right time.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jagranjosh.com/articles/mba-at-iims-campus-life-at-iim-calcutta-1545387039-1" target="_blank">MBA at IIMs: Campus Life @ IIM-Calcutta</a>
Extracurricular at IIM Calcutta
IIM Calcutta is known for its infrastructure and facilities that it provides to the students. These combined with the research oriented academic culture at IIM Calcutta, makes for a unique learning experience for the students. In terms of extracurricular activities, IIM Calcutta has several student led initiatives and clubs including the Finance Club. The B-school also has its own Investment Fund i.e. JOKA Advantage Fund, wherein students collect investment amount from campus community and invest them in the stock markets. Coming to facilities, IIM Calcutta has very good sports facilities including a well-equipped gymnasium as well which all the students use regularly. Simply put, there are a lot of things to do on campus apart from academics that keeps students productively engaged throughout the year.
You can also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jagranjosh.com/articles/mba-at-iims-student-exchange-programmes-1548412582-1" target="_blank">MBA at IIMs: Student Exchange Programmes</a>
Being part of Finance Campus of India
Anish feels that IIM Calcutta has proven itself to be the Finance Campus of the country because of the following reasons:
&bull; Academic Culture:&nbsp;The overall academic culture at IIM Calcutta is focused on Finance. Be it the faculty, recruiters, facilities or the general interest of the students; all of these factors showcase a preference towards Finance. For instance, the Financial Trading and Research Laboratory is one of its kinds across all B-Schools in India and it is only available at IIM Calcutta. Add to that the alumni, which are placed at consequential positions in the field of finance, enriches the academic culture at IIM-Calcutta more suited towards the study of finance.
&bull; Faculty Members:&nbsp;IIM Calcutta has some of the most accomplished names in the Finance sector as its faculty members in the Finance department. The faculty members have respectable accomplishments that make them stand at par with their global counterparts.
&bull; Student Interests:&nbsp;Being the finance campus, IIM Calcutta attracts a lot of students who are deeply interested in finance or those who plan to pursue a career in it. Consequently, one can find a large group of students at IIM Calcutta who share their passion for Finace and learn from each other.
&bull; Recruiters / Placements:&nbsp;IIM Calcutta also attracts a lot of recruiters who are looking for talent in the field of finance. Be it for summer placements or the final placements, recruiters look for and hire talent in the finance field from the B-school. This makes it an ideal place for students from finance background to be.
Plans After IIM Calcutta Being interested in the field of Finance, Anish&rsquo;s immediate career goal is to pursue a Career in Finance in India. Backed by government impetus, Indian economy has showcased strong signs of economic and financial revival. Consequently, the field of Finance is also expected to see consistent growth in the coming year. This makes it the right time to start a career in finance which can be groomed in the coming year. For this, the placement infrastructure at IIM Calcutta has provided him internship opportunity with Goldman Sachs and he is expecting a final placement call from them as well. As of now he is not planning to explore any other interest areas including entrepreneurship or start-ups.&nbsp; &nbsp;
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<td><img src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/iim_100x100.png" alt="" width="100" height="100" />Anish is the topper of the first year, PGDM programme at IIM Calcutta.
He is currently pursuing 2nd&nbsp;year at IIM-C.
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MBA at IIM Calcutta: Interview of Class Topper  Anish Patil

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MBA at IIMs offers many opportunities to the students and one such unique opportunity are the student exchange programmes. Simon Muller, a foreign student at IIM Calcutta through CEMS programme shares his experiences and observations about MBA at IIMs and how do top B-schools compare against their international counterparts.
<h2>Experience in India</h2>
I am really honoured to be here. India as a whole has been one big surprise, wherever you go, you find new things and huge diversity, it&rsquo;s such a variety of country. So, it&rsquo;s really been a pleasure travelling around.
<h2>Studying at IIM Calcutta</h2>
CEMS &ndash; the Global Alliance in Management Education, formerly known as &ldquo;The Community of European Management Schools&rdquo;, is a club of 30 premier business schools from across the world. Together, these B-schools offer CEMS MIM Programme i.e. Masters In Management Programme. As part of the CEMS MIM programme, students get to spend one semester abroad. Given a choice of 30 premier B-schools across the world, I choose IIM Calcutta because it is the farthest away from home i.e. Germany. In addition, being part of a B-school in a developing world also gives me expose to a variety of different things and aspects that I wouldn&rsquo;t get normally.
Starting out from Germany, I didn&rsquo;t know anything about the standing of Indian B-schools. Back in Europe, we don&rsquo;t really know much about IIM Calcutta and other Indian MBA Colleges. So, coming here was one big surprise for me. But, in the 6 &ndash; 7 weeks that I have been here, I am amazed by the quality that this institute holds up within. IIM Calcutta is a really high quality institute when it comes to management education. Add to that the various clubs and cells that operate on IIM Calcutta campus enrich our academic experience further.
<h2>Gender Diversity at IIM Calcutta</h2>
I had some previous experience with students from IIT, Kharagpur and all of them were male. So, coming here, I subconsciously had a expectation. And, although there are more guys than girls here, IIM-Calcutta is trying to achieve a balance. There is a general trend of having more girls studying here. Also, some of my greatest teachers like Leena Chatterjee and Smita Mishra, they are both women, working here with a faculty and giving great courses actually. So, that&rsquo;s something, I am really happy to see.
<h2>Activities involved in the Foreign Exchange Student Programme</h2>
As part of the CEMS MIM Programme at IIM Calcutta, International students get to discover new things every day, whether on campus or off it. The Foreign Exchange Student Programme gives you a lot of inter-cultural experience and international sensitivity. As part of the programme, every participating B-school also has a CEMS Club which conducts unique activities for the international students. For instance, in one such activity, CEMS Club Calcutta had organized a field trip to a local village to do a research project on healthcare in rural India. That is something which I wouldn&rsquo;t have exposure to back home. So, the Foreign Exchange Student Programme exposes you to a variety of things and helps you learn from them.
<h2>Faculty at IIM Calcutta</h2>
The quality of faculty at IIM Calcutta is top-notch. Having studied in different countries in Europe including Germany, Poland and Sweden, I can say that the faculty at IIM Calcutta follows the global academic standards followed internationally. However, each B-school has its culture and focus areas and at IIM Calcutta a lot of emphasis is given on the Quant and Harder Business Topics. Compared to that, European B-schools are more focused on Softer Business Topics. But, when we compare the academic standards and quality, IIM Calcutta can definitely match up to the standards followed by international institutions.
<h2>Campus Life at IIM Calcutta</h2>
The most interesting thing that I have come across in terms of Campus Life at IIM Calcutta is its residential campus. Mostly, in European B-schools, students rarely have residential campuses, in-fact students there stay scattered across the city. Here, because there is so much to do and so many activities happening on the campus, students prefer to stay on campus. Another interesting aspect about Campus Life at IIM Calcutta is the hostel life. For International students coming to IIM Calcutta, hostel activities act as a great catalyst helping them to forge new bonds and make new friends here.
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<td><img src="https://www.jagranjosh.com/imported/images/E/Articles/simon-cems-thumb-final.png" alt="" width="153" height="157" />Simon is an Exchange Student through CEMS International Programme. He is part of the PGP 2 batch at IIM Calcutta.</td>
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