Business schools need to fulfil corporate expectations

B schools have literally sprouted all over India in recent years and the options available have multiplied exponentially.

However, what management aspirants need to realise is that the bookish knowledge that is typically imparted can only take a management career so far.

In fact, chances are that it may not even get aspirants a basic campus recruitment interview.

With the post recession recovery process in full swing, corporates are in fast forward mode and no longer have the time to groom management interns the way they used to earlier.

They are clearly seeking people who understand the industry mindset, have a good grasp of the deliverables expected and can contribute right from day one itself.

This is why Mumbai’s leading B schools score over most of their counterparts across the country when it comes to providing a strong foundation for fast track management careers.

They facilitate the transformation from college studies to the corporate world and provide management aspirants with an edge.

Multiple benefits
Faculty members having vast industry experience ensure that the knowledge imparted is not just theoretical in nature, but also relevant and in tune with the current corporate scenario.

Their excellent infrastructure in terms of comfortable classrooms, libraries well stocked with reference materials, updated curriculum with real case studies, personality growth and soft skills development plus above all prime placements, make for a winning combination.

Flexible options
Similarly, while typical distance learning programs in India comprise a set of thick books delivered by mail, the lack of interaction and resulting inconvenience forces a substantial number of students either drop out of the course or give exams half-heartedly.

In comparison, Mumbai has B schools, which offer a variety of programs under the distance learning mode, using technology to make the process more student-friendly.

Even working management aspirants can get a comprehensive management education by attending weekend lectures either in person or virtually. Since the study topics and themes are in sync with the working environment, the scope for fresh entrants as well as existing employees is vast.

Corporate city
Dr Debashis Sanyal, Dean, NMIMS, points out that the first advantage of having a business school in Mumbai is that being a corporate city, there are plenty of industries and companies in and around it.

“We take our students for industrial visits so that they can have a good experience of the corporate world. Our B-School provides among the best faculty. We also invite experienced people from various industries at the CEO level for guest lectures to our management students. Being in Mumbai, they also get to see a lot of live projects.

"We also provide mentors from various industries in some of the courses. A number of NGOs are working for social development; our students also work and interact with them. Mumbai provides a wide range of facilities and it is a cosmopolitan city. In addition to our existing MBA and weekend Diploma programmes on Saturday, we also have management courses for family business. We have also introduced an innovative programme in 2011,” he shares.

Easy access
Prof. P L Arya, Director, N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies concurs.

“Mumbai is said to be one of the most corporate cities so management aspirants have greater access to a wide number of industries here. We provide regular industrial visits to our students so that they can gain a better experience, observation and actual feel of the corporate world. We also have courses for working executives who have started their career after graduation without completing MBA. Most of the B schools in Mumbai provide part time MBA programmes, which are based on industry requirements. Mumbai is a city where everything required for a management career is easily accessible,” he emphasises.

Natural anchor
Ranjan Sarkar, Head Corporate HR, CEAT Ltd., underlines that Mumbai, being the biggest business hub of the country, is a natural anchor to management education.

“However, for bigger infrastructure needs, today campuses are shifting to suburbs, satellite towns or B-class towns around Mumbai. Traditionally, we at CEAT have been recruiting from top tier colleges like IIMs, XLRI, MDI, etc., irrespective of the day status at the campus. But we also experienced that top 20% from tier 2 management schools, are also great talent. After all, management is not just about IQ but also EQ,” he says.

Entrepreneurial hub
Mumbai offers an environment that is conducive to entrepreneurial efforts. This has enabled many people to develop and grow their business, which in turns, opens up additional jobs and scope for aspirants.

Rishi Jain, Managing Director, Rajesh Metal Industries, explains, “Our business has moved from the traditional B2B approach to branding, product management, retail, merchandising, etc. This has necessitated recruiting management graduates. Mumbai B schools have provided an ideal platform for us to recruit because the students’ exposure and adaptability as well as go-to-market potential are much better.”

So be it fresh management graduates or existing managers looking to upgrade their skills, Mumbai is an established centre for education of the highest calibre. Its leading B schools adhere to enviable quality standards, benchmarking themselves on par with the best globally.