Q. Apart from entrance exams, please explain the importance of other selection criteria that play an important role in the admission process of a reputed B-School.

A. I feel that the present system of shortlisting candidates is inadequate. Since management is all about application of certain principles, the current selection process must be overhauled on the lines of defence services selection process or the IAS/IPS interview processes, to test an aspirant’s capability of delivering tasks.

Q. Many students get confused when it comes choosing between an MBA degree and a PGDM course. How should they go about it?

A. In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter, which programme you have done. The most important thing is the delivery of key inputs and pedagogy and whether it can make you a competent professional. A management course that encourages you to rise up to the challenges you face is what you must opt. Many individuals are doing very well in the industry, irrespective of PGDM or MBA they hold.

Q. What factors must a student base his/her choice of college on?

A. A student must look at placement history, academic rigour, industry-institute connect, industry-academia platform and availability of latest learning technologies. However, you must not relate an institute’s offerings with your career graph. Your performance completely depends on how well you’ve utilised the opportunities given to you.

Q. Students usually get confused when it comes to choosing between course and college. What should be the correct approach?

A. Any course or B-school will only facilitate your entering. You can pick up any specialisation, on the basis your interest and choose the college carefully. After you join the industry you become a member of a team and thus become a generalist rather than specialist, therefore one should not be overtly obsessed by the choice that you exercise. 

Q. What, according to you, are emerging careers in MBA?

A. Many specialised courses are being introduced, but entering the industry is where your focus should lie. The emerging trends may change, so you must evaluate your area of interest, when taking up a course e.g. what started as the e-commerce specialisation is now transformed as the digital business platform hence course corrections are required from time to time. Remember Peter F. Drucker said, “Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation”, which means innovation will continue to drive emerging careers to perpetuity.

Q. What would you suggest? Doing MBA one time or to taking up different management courses over the years as per industry requirement?

A. I think it is important to know your area of specialisation when you’re starting your career. You may take an MBA course that interests you so you can at least enter the industry. Once you’re there, you know the sky is open. You can take up any management course that compliments your job profile once you have entered the field.

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