More choices for management aspirants

If you try to analyse the major difference between management education just over a decade ago and the present scenario, the one word that sums up the transformation is 'options.'

Today, B-schools are increasing elective subjects and specialisation options while also emphasising on soft skills. Therefore, a management aspirant has a wider range of choices available, ranging from the plain vanilla courses to super specialisations.

Today an organisation expects its management graduates to not just handle their assigned responsibilities but add value to the organisation in many different ways; be it in terms of improving systems or  building the brand image, developing business or representing it at various forums.

Management graduates are also expected to be smart and presentable not just mentally but also physically. Personality development and foreign language learning is also introduced to give an edge to students aspiring for global assignments.
B-schools are also increasingly being seen as 'finishing schools'. 

Nowadays, management students have access to a lot of electives that never existed earlier, like retail or insurance. This is a major shift from the mid-nineties, when there was no such freedom. With autonomous university status and tie-ups with International B-schools becoming a norm rather than the exception, more and more B-schools are in a position to customise their courses. Often, independent institutes or autonomous courses are preferred as they have the flexibility to provide a syllabus that is in tune with what the corporates demand at any given stage.

Course curriculum and internships are being designed to mirror the real business world as much as possible. Plus, healthy ties with corporates ensure that students have exposure to current trends and challenges, in light of emerging career opportunities. Institutes are going beyond textbooks, opting for innovations and a more practical approach to management education, encouraging 'out of the box' thinking and simulated problem-solving.

Also, international tie-ups and faculty and students exchange programs are held to facilitate the process of preparing managers with world class capabilities and understanding of cultural nuances.