‘Enhancing students’ managerial skills’

Management course makes students acquainted with the tools and techniques strategically used in improving business practices and performance, says ANKIT KAPOOR

While all the management aspirants in India dream to pursue a degree from IIM but given the level of competition in the CAT exam, it is a known fact that getting into the prestigious group of institutes is not a cakewalk. Those concerned and looking for solutions need to know that there are IIMs that offer five-year integrated MBA programmes for getting into IIM right after class XII.

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore and Rohtak conduct its National Aptitude test (IPMAT) every year, which has now been joined by IIM Jammu, Ranchi and Bodh Gaya. The aptitude test facilitates admissions to their five-year integrated programme in Management, where around 20,000 students appear for the exams annually. The admission process is carried out in various stages, starting with the IPM Aptitude test (IPMAT), Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).

Apart from IIM, there are various other institutes that also offer this five-year integrated programme, like NALSAR, Hyderabad, has recently started the course and it is also expected that Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is all set to launch this programme from this academic year.

Why is it useful?

A five-year integrated MBA programme is for class XII pass-out students who look forward to a career in business management. It stimulates students’ managerial skills and knowledge based on ethical considerations. Students who wish to pursue an integrated MBA shall have an added advantage in terms of the syllabus as there is no repetition of courses or subjects. In the Integrated programme candidates need not appear for the entrance exam and selection process twice (at UG and PG level), hence saving one year that goes into preparation for entrance exams.

A management course makes students acquainted with the tools and techniques strategically used in improving business practices and performance. A management aspirant has to clear the entrance exams to get into this course. Once the course is near completion, they can look out for employment profiles in the service sector, the manufacturing sector, IT sector, banking sector, etc.

Students are aiming for a five-year integrated programme because it offers the following:

• Contribute to the learning and introduce them to approaches for knowledge assimilation and skill acquisition.
• Provide strong foundations of management, law, philosophy, and psychology to the young managers for all-around personality development.
• It emphasises a more holistic thinking ability than just a process-driven approach to boost innovation and logical decision making
• It creates opportunities for gaining practical exposure in diverse decision scenarios, realities, and complexities as a part of their summer internships and live projects so as to develop deepened and contextualised understanding.
• Nurturing the entrepreneurial aspirations of the students and guiding them towards tangible milestones during the programme.