I was working as a consultant in Capgemini India Pvt Ltd for around 3 years before I decided to pursue an MBA. Due to the heavy work load I could not dedicate much time for my entrance preparations. I had only applied to a limited number of colleges and received interview calls from Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai and Indus World School of Business, Greater Noida.
I was looking for an MBA which is different from conventional one being taught at most B-School’s in the country. That is when I came across IWSB which was in its first year and having entrepreneurship as its core value. The faculty profile, industry interface and peer student profile was very impressive and shaped my decision to join here. Some of the people associated with IWSB are really big names like Prof. Ishwar Dayal who was the Founding Director, IIM Lucknow. I always believed quality of MBA in India is far better than pursuing it abroad. Also I desire to work in India post MBA which was another factor of not considering a foreign MBA. Management education abroad has also recently been very expensive and in most of the cases do not come with a scholarship.
My journey with IWSB till now has really been an eventful one with learning happening from both inside and outside the classroom. IWSB encourages class room interaction by means of case methodology of teaching. This provides a platform to internalize and apply the knowledge learnt in class rooms lectures to live discussions. Unlike other B-Schools IWSB has a course in ‘Man and Society’ which requires students to do book reviews, researches and come up with a thesis on a wide range of topics. Also students are given opportunities to work as research assistants to faculty in assisting them in their research projects which in itself is a huge experience.
Like most of the top notch B-Schools in the country including the IIM’s, case studies used at IWSB are extracted from the ones written by professors at Harvard and Wharton Business Schools. The cases discussed are complex and comprehensive which provides the students an insight of how challenging management would be in the real world. Every now and then we have industrial leaders from both India and abroad visit our campus and conduct lectures, seminars etc. These interactions are really helpful in getting insights of the journey of some eminent personalities who have made a mark at the global level.
One visible strength of IWSB clearly lies in its industry interface and is seen in the nature of companies that have participated in the summer placement process. Inspite of the effect of slowdown on placements in all B-Schools across the country, the students at IWSB have been able to get the kind of profile they intend to work with. One specialty I see in IWSB is the focus to place the students in the fastest growing companies and not only the largest of the companies. I am looking forward to my summer internship with Q-Equip India, a consultancy firm which promises to be a huge learning experience.
What makes the life at IWSB hot and happening is the series of extra curricular activities and events being conducted in the institute which is in line with the common mantra at IWSB – work hard and play hard. I have been actively able to continue my passion for cricket after coming here in the midst of the hectic work schedule. Students here are also engaged in activities which range from dramatics to debating to rock climbing. IWSB follows an open culture and everyone from faculty to students is addressed by their first name. Students are given enough freedom to decide their own development with our world class faculty also providing ample guidance in this regard.
Although the institute is currently operating out in rented premises, the state of art campus that is coming up promises to be equipped with all the ultra modern facilities. The library is also an integral part of academics having all the books, magazines and journals required for enhancing the subject knowledge of a student. The wi-fi enabled campus and hostel helps the students to get engaged in assignments and projects even after the class hours gets over. Overall I am really happy with my decision to join IWSB and also confident of the fact that I will be able to give back to both the industry and society meaningfully once I pass out from this prestigious institute.
