Era Business School Hosts Industry – Academia Dialogue

Era Business School (EBS), Dwarka, anchored by Billion Dollar Enterprise Era Group, successfully conducted Industry-Academia dialogue at its grand campus on Thursday, 12th Jan 2012. The Industry-Academia Dialogue had distinguished personalities like Prof. Raj S. Dhankar (Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University), Prof. Harivansh Chaturvedi (Director-BIMTECH) and Prof. Sanjiv Marwah (Director, Era Business School) on the academia side, and Mr. Rajat Sikka (Head-Talent Acquisitions-North-TCS), Mr. Raj Sharma (VP-HR-Era Group), Mr. Gagan Dewan, Microsoft, Mr. Umesh Sood, GM Finance - Jindal Saw, Pankaj Shukla, Sr. Manager – HR, ONGC, Dr. Jawahar – DGM - Power Grid, Mr. SC Gupta, Chief-HR IFFCO, amongst others, on the corporate side.

The Indian job market in 2011 was adversely affected due to the global economic uncertainty, but emerged out of it rather strong. Experts believe that in the New Year 2012 jobs will continue to be added, albeit at a slower pace. It is estimated that there will be 5 lakh job opportunities in India this year. Era Business School conceptualized this dialogue to address this staggering opportunity by providing right kind of talent, and transform the dreams of aspirating students into reality,. The distinguished gathering shared their thoughts on the changing dynamics of business in which the management graduates need to be equipped to play a much larger role right from their inception in the corporate world.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Raj S. Dhankar, Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, highlighted the issue of commercialization of education. He said, “Country needs professional managers to run but with the increase of random business schools and unavailability of good faculties, the quality of professional education is degrading. Industries grow from B-schools but how many alumni’s come back to share their insights about the industry and give back anything to their education system”. He praised Era Business School and complimented Dr. Sanjiv Marwah, on his success of spearheading Era Business School at the top level, in such a short span of time.

Pror. H Chaturvedia, Director BIMTECH, emphasized on the enhanced role the industry needs to play in meeting the requirements of the academia and also provide internship learning opportunities on a boarded scale. He also laid stress on the need for industry professionals to interact with the academia on live and current issues so that the freshness of intellectual inputs can be taken advantage of.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. G.Jawahar, Chief of HR, Power Grid, raised the issue relating to the need for ethical inputs especially youngsters, likely to take up positions in the corporate world. We need world-class managers who can fit into the corporate world from the very first day. It is not just through classroom learning, but also action-learning. With the economic scenario developing in India, other countries like Germany, Australia, Canada, France & Japan are looking forward to do business here, so there a is huge employment opportunity in 2012”.

Mr. Gagan Dewan from Microsoft mentioned the impact of ethical and professional academia in molding the character the young professionals and cited his personal example of having developed sense of integrity and honesty right at the start of his career. He further added, “The ‘managers in making’ have to shoulder this responsibility and this is possible only through the cooperation and support of our corporate partners. Today’s corporates are operating in a global arena that itself is undergoing major changes because of the globalization of markets and fierce competition”.

Both Mr. Umesh Sood, GM – Finance, Jindal SAW and Mr. Amit Agnihotri, Chairman MBAUnivere, stressed on the need to nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship and role of practicing managers in transferring learning from work place to academic institutions. Mr. Umesh Sood further said that that the new market forces have placed management institutions with the additional responsibility of producing new managerial talent to meet the changing expectations of the corporate houses and the emerging MNCs.

This event will also help in developing course curriculum, pedagogy and academic strategies to make the students industry ready. The event ended with the launch of ‘EraGraph, the newsletter of Era Business School.

IMT Nagpur: The Scene of Placement Activity

“At IMT Nagpur, we believe in equipping the students to meet the challenges that organizations have today. Our faculty and curriculum are geared to guide them in the constantly changing, dynamic and technologically advanced business environment of not only today’s world but of a world that is always evolving, fast forwarding into the future,” says Dr. Rajendra Nargundkar, Director, IMT Nagpur. 


Placements play a crucial role in the way a B-School is perceived. Already in the second month of 2012, IMT Nagpur is a hub of placement activity. More than 40 companies have visited confirmed participation. In fact, 140 students have already been placed in the corporate world, and many of them are multinationals. 


The 2012 salaries average out at Rs. 5.7 lakhs, which is higher than it was in 2011. The highest package offered so far came from Zee Learn at Rs. 9.5 lakhs. The global meltdown is finally showing signs of lifting. 


Dr, Rajendra Nargundkar, Director, IMT Nagpur is delighted with the results of the placements of the 2010-2012 batch so far. “In its seventh year, IMT Nagpur has had an encouraging response from its stakeholders. We have always had a very good academic record, students are exclusively selected through CAT and  a rigorous  interview  process,  and  a  value-add  that  goes  beyond  the  curriculum  into leadership challenges thrown at students at every opportunity. Our faculty can be counted among the best in the country. We have expanded the list of clients for Executive Programs in various areas of management. We conducted four conferences and two industry seminars during the year gone by. We also had 120 guest faculty from the industry speaking to our students. Last year, we were ranked by Business India, Business World, and The Week among India’s top  B-Schools.  We  plan  to  do  an  additional  HR  theme  seminar  and  two recruiters’ meets this year to further our relationship,” he said.


Top companies like Asian Paints, HDFC, CRISIL/IREVANA, SBI Life, Welspun, TCS, Zee Learn, ICICI Lombard, Bajaj Auto Finance, Tata Technologies, Capital IQ, TATA Motors, IDBI, TVS, Bajaj Allianz, Magma Fincorp, Reckitt Benckiser, TCS Eserve, Tata Chemicals, Jindal Power Ltd, IMRB, Aranca, Eveready, Adani, Cheers Interactive, Empower Research and other corporate entities from across varied industries have interviewed and employed a large percentage of IMT Nagpur’s new generation of managers.


“IMT Nagpur has maintained the faith of many organizations over past 6 years and has been named as one of the top B-Schools in India by various prestigious surveys. The institute is committed to excellence and innovation in management learning and developing academic processes which are not only conceptual but analytical and decision oriented,” says Chairperson, Placements at IMT Nagpur, Dr. Harshavardhan Halve. 
IMT Nagpur hopes to continue keeping pace with the requirements of the industry for the benefit of its students and the corporate world.

IMT Nagpur:Mr. Bharat Dabholkar visits IMT Nagpur

With no checks and balances on private enterprise, misleading ads can’t be stopped, advertising guru Bharat Dabholkar told Institute of Management Technology Nagpur students.

“There is no way to stop false advertisements in popular media,” he said. “Government controlled media does have checks and balances, but private enterprises lack that. Also there is no government policy to tackle the problem and all the consumer can do is to complain to the Advertising Standards Council of India, but that too is after the ad has already appeared.”

Noting the unorganized nature of the advertising business and the fact that thousands of advertising agencies operate without any accreditation, Dabholkar said it’s impossible to put a check on advertisements before they reach the public.

“The government has to take this seriously and step in to make a policy, or else nothing can stop misleading ads,” he said.

Dabholkar told the students he believes multinational companies utilize false advertising claims more than their Indian counterparts and outlined two instances when Indian companies refused to compromise their products because then their ad claims would be false.

In the first case, involving the Vicco group’s toothpaste product, he said “I was working on an advertisement for them and I suggested they should add some chemicals for a thicker consistency of the paste, but the owners told me that they use natural products, so the paste has a thinner consistency.

“They refused to add any chemicals since that would falsify their claim to be a company focused on using natural products.”

Dabholkar said of the second case “Even Kurien, the man behind Amul, refused to launch a strawberry-flavoured drink since we could not secure the fruit all year through. Kurien could have used pulp, but then the advertisements would have been technically false so he decided to drop it.”

The Indian economy has really opened up in the last few years with the number of products available growing substantially, said Dabholkar, “So it is bound to happen that the advertisement campaign gets overplayed with the message sought be conveyed also lost in the well.”

Webchutney and 9.9 School of Convergence partner to produce job-ready graduates in Digital Media

India’s leading digital media agency, Webchutney, and innovative Delhi-based media school, 9.9 School of Convergence (SoC), have joined forces in an academy-industry partnership designed to develop and promote SoC’s Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Media Communication (DMC).  The partnership will ensure that the school’s graduates are best prepared for careers in the burgeoning digital media industry.

Webchutney and 9.9 SoC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which Webchutney will collaborate with 9.9 SoC to develop the DMC curriculum according to industry needs and standards, and provide faculty, internships and placements for 9.9 students.

The 9.9 SoC Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Media Communication, a first-ever in India, is a one-year, full-time programme which combines courses in content creation, strategic communication and digital communication to provide students with the broad set of skills and perspectives they need to embark on careers in digital media. According to Rahul Nanda, Chief Operating Officer, Webchutney, the agency will provide a number of four-month internships for 9.9 SoC students during the final term of the academic year and will have the right of first offer to students during the recruitment period. Digital marketing strategists and experts from Webchutney are invited to participate in interviews in the admissions process for the DMC program.

“In the new digitally networked social economy, we understand that 360 degree connectedness is imperative to thrive in a dynamic, competitive landscape. The decision to partner with an innovative academic institution like 9.9 was driven by our objective to enrich the existing value chain and brace for the massive wave of opportunity sweeping the Indian digital industry today.  We’ll be drawing from our rich industry experience and expertise to contribute towards building a robust curriculum which will encourage and foster entrepreneurship as a key learning aspect, while leaning towards a more practical, hands-on learning style with live case studies and strategies to make it more relevant”, added Rahul Nanda.

Under the MOU, Webchutney and 9.9 SoC will work together to develop digital media training programmes and workshops for professionals in marketing and advertising. In addition, 9.9 SoC and Webchutney will work together to develop research capabilities in the digital media space for 9.9 SoC’s research centre.

“Partnerships like this really help to close the gap between studies and practice–giving students both the perspective and the skills they need not only to replicate what is happening in the field, but to become innovators and leaders in it,” 9.9 SoC Dean of Academics, Dr. Eric Saranovitz, said. “Webchutney’s industry knowledge will help 9.9 SoC prepare the future generation of media professionals to exploit the fast-changing world of online and digital media.  Students will learn what it takes to manage online communities, undertake a digital marketing campaign, and maximise audience engagement in the digital media space.”

9.9 SoC Dean, Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha said the partnership would address the need to develop key competences in DMC, rather than simply narrow skills. “Education-business partnerships also address the transition from education to work, a true Achilles heel in countries such as ours, where education and the labour market are often poorly matched,” he said.

Media contact:

9.9 School of Convergence: Inga Butefisch, inga.butefisch@9dot9.in, +91 9958 170 246.

About 9.9 School of Convergence:

Established in New Delhi in 2001, the 9.9 School of Convergence offers world class education in the fields of Media Studies, Journalism and Communication, employing a combination of international and local faculty highly experienced in the media and wider communications sectors to ensure graduates are job-ready. The school’s PG Diploma in Applied Journalism and Media Communication and PG Diploma in Digital Media Communication, together with its programme in Global Media and Communication and Centre for Communication Excellence, bring the best professional and academic practices to the classroom in order to train and educate present and future writers, editors, journalists, communicators and media professionals in the traditional and digital media. For more details log on to http://schoolofconvergence.com/.

About Webchutney

Webchutney works with leading companies in India by developing award winning and memorable experiences for brands to connect, engage and build sustained relationships with their consumers online.

Our clients include Airtel, Microsoft, Unilever, Marico, Titan, MasterCard, Barclays, Nokia and Proctor & Gamble among others. We work with them in areas of online advertising, website design, mobile marketing and social media.

Ranked as India’s Number 1 Digital Agency two years in a row (Brand Equity Agency Reckoner, The Economic Times, 2008 & 2009), Webchutney is committed to leading the interactive marketing industry.

We are a team of over 200 digital marketing professionals across New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Visit us at www.webchutney.com for more information

About the Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Media Communication:

The 9.9 SoC Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Media Communication is the first digital media communications-specific diploma course in India, and in fact globally. Started in the 2011-12 academic year, students learn to create content while developing an in-depth understanding of the strategic application of technology and business methods to distribute this content, making them ready for careers in the fields of online and digital publication, management, marketing and advertising including. The first two terms of the program build a foundation of creative skills in visual and written communication, technological expertise in online and digital software and business strategies and managerial tools needed to start a career in the online space. Students also study the economic, political, social and cultural impact of old and new communication technologies in India and around the world to better understand the driving forces behind the digital media revolution. Graduates from 9.9 SoC have found placements at Network18, NewsX and Walt Disney, among other media houses.

Strathclyde SKIL Business School (SSBS) students enjoy the best of both educational worlds

With a campus ranging from the Indian sub-continent to Glasgow,Scotland students at the Strathclyde SKIL Business School truly experience the best of both worlds.Fifty per cent of the SSBS faculty will be from Strathclyde Business School (SBS) as part of the faculty exchange and, at the start of their second year, SSBS students will spend a term at Strathclyde University’s Business School in Glasgow, Scotland providing them with cross-culture experience along with global exposure while studying with large number of nationalities (there are more that 100 nationalities studying at Strathclyde).

As Dean Bhimaraya Metri said “The long-term partnership between the University of Strathclyde and SKIL is underpinned by the University of Strathclyde’s academic heritage and business acumen, in combination with the thirst for knowledge in India’s booming new economy”. The combination of skills and expertise in Scotland and India gives the partnership a platform to provide excellent education that is wholly relevant to India’s global economic role.”Equal to the top business schools in the world, the focus of Strathclyde Business School’s faculty and research centers on how theory relates to practice and how practice helps to develop theory- the departments are regularly recognized for their contributions to teaching and research.

In reality, SSBS’s campus is global. A student in Noida can chat with someone sitting in Switzerland or the United States and get their views and opinions on the various aspects of management with the online platforms used by Strathclyde: Myplace, Pegasus, Mpegasus, Spider, Mercury, and Nemo. And through the university’s Business Information System (BIS) students have updated information resources at their fingertips, along with personal, informal advice from the BIS team.But not only will SSBS students benefit from the teaching, cross-cultural experience and cutting-edge facilities Strathclyde and Strathclyde Skil have to offer, they will also benefit from their shared international accreditation.

Strathclyde is among the top 20 business schools in Europe and is among only 55 worldwide to have the triple accreditations from Association of MBAs (AMBA), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS). Scotland’s Education Secretary Michael Russell said in a visit to the SSBS Greater Noida campus “Scottish universities are renowned across the world for the quality of their learning, teaching and research, and Strathclyde is amongst our best.”SSBS is not merely a transplant of the Scottish institute into India but has been specifically developed to suit both Scotland and India, he said, noting “It is innovative and I am very much in favour of innovation.”

Era Business School: Earn while you learn at Era

Construction-minded students can literally cash-in on India’s building boom by taking Era Business School’s Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Construction Project Management) programme which features an earn while you learn plan plus numerous scholarships.

Earning while learning is just one of the benefits of the Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Construction Project Management) offered by Era Business School.

Designed to provide students some financial aid as well as hands-on experience, students will work at infrastructure and real estate sites six days a month for 10 months each year of the two year programme – and get paid to do so.

During the summer months, students will also be offered paid internships as part of EBS’s “learn and earn” programme.

Approved by the All India Council for Technical Education, the two-year programme features traditional management courses, along with courses in construction and project management, specialized courses in real estate development and management, infrastructure development and management focusing on transport, energy and power infrastructure. The PGDM (CPM) course is open to both new graduates and mid-career professionals.

A blend of theoretical and applied courses, the programme also includes training through practical experience with the aim of preparing graduates to take on responsibility at all levels of construction, real estate and infrastructure projects and deliver the goods efficiently and on time.

EBS is anchored by the world-class engineering, construction and services conglomerate the Era Group and job placement after successfully completing the PGDM (CPM) program is guaranteed.

The timing is definitely right to move into construction project management – the demand is there for skilled employees and that demand is constantly growing.

A booming economy, favourable demographics, increasing affordability, the growing number of financing options and more foreign investment has made the Indian real estate sector very appealing. It is now one of India’s largest employers.

Building is booming in India and now is the time to start constructing a solid base for a career in the industry. With 65 per cent of the total investment in infrastructure going toward construction, the sector is forecast to undergo high and sustained growth.

Based on the latest growth-rate statistics, it is estimated there will be 83 million people employed in the construction industry by 2022 compared to 36 million in 2008.

It is estimated an additional 47 million workers will be needed by 2022 – 33 million in infrastructure and 14 million in the real estate sector.

The market value of projects under construction in India broke the $100-billion barrier in 2010 and, due largely to huge investments in housing, roads, major highways, ports, water supply and airport development, the annual growth rate has been soaring at 11.1 per cent in recent years.

With demand for CPM grads ever increasing, there is a definite financial advantage to taking the course offered by Era Business School.

In addition to the learn and earn programme and the guaranteed paid summer internship programme noted earlier, Era offers entrance examination based scholarships, Era Business Aptitude Test (EBAT) based scholarships and “rolling” scholarships offered to the top five per cent of the students each trimester.

Young India Fellowships:Overwhelming response to first-round admissions for 2012-13

- Second and final round open in search for 2012-13 batch of Young India Fellows
- Almost 1000 applications already received in first round of admissions for this unique multi-disciplinary post-graduate programme in association with Ivy League, University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
- World-class faculty from various domains of expertise – names such as Andre Béteille,  Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Radha S. Hegde, Vivek Bhandari and UPenn professors, Kenwyn Smith and Dwight Jaggard – expected to return for 2012-13 academic year
- Last date for submission of applications: 28th February 2012


Following the success of the first application round for 2012-13 Young India Fellowships, admissions have opened for the second and final round. A total of 915 applications were received for the 50 places, more than the 750 overall received for the inaugural 2011-12 batch. Applications have come from graduates of institutions including IITs, BITS Pilani, St. Stephen's College, Loyola College and Jadavpur College, and from engineers, lawyers, doctors, architects and social science, humanities and fine arts students. Graduate students now have until February 28 to submit their applications for the second round of admissions.

Run in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), the Young India Fellowship Programme (YIFP) is a one-year, fully funded multi-disciplinary post-graduate course based in New Delhi. It seeks to create India’s next generation of socially conscious business and community leaders by providing them with an education that integrates academic breadth with real-life work experience. A minimum of 50 recent graduates from diverse subject areas, who combine excellent academic ability with an evolved interest in an area outside their field of study, will be selected to be a part of the Fellowship for 2012-13.

Dean, Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha, also founding dean of the Indian School of Business, said YIFP was searching for India’s brightest young people, those who wanted to make a difference and discover their true potential. “I strongly encourage university graduates who have the vision, drive, passion and ability to achieve at the highest level and who aspire to be change agents for India to apply for the Fellowship,” he said. “We believe that YIFP is unsurpassed in its ability to create tomorrow’s leaders. YIFP’s multi-disciplinary academic course, its practical and focused internship project and many opportunities to interact with some of India’s and the world’s finest thinkers and leaders is unrivalled.”

During the first round of admissions, applications have been received from graduates hailing from villages to major metros, and there is an equal proportion of female and male applicants. Online applications were filled out by 865 applicants and an additional 50 applied by mail. Three-hundred are subsequently being called up for telephonic and personal interviews, with in-person interviews beginning January 1 and continuing till January 21, 2012.

Applications are invited from students across the country – from diverse academic and social backgrounds. The rigorous admission process for YIFP starts with applicants filling out a detailed application dossier designed to give an insight into their multi-faceted personalities. “This is followed by a telephone interview and an exercise to test applicants’ ability to work as part of a team before the final personal interaction to select a Young India Fellow,” YIFP Deputy Dean, Dr. Anunaya Chaubey, said.

To ensure it gets the highest-calibre applicants, the YIFP admissions team will resume presentations at higher education institutions this month – at Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati, covering such institutions as St Xavier’s, Presidency, Jadavpur, HRM College of Commerce and TISS. They have already visited institutions ranging from Kashmir University and NID (Ahmedabad) to IITs, Delhi University, St Xavier’s College, Loyola College (Chennai), Christ University (Bangalore) and Symbiosis (Pune), among others.

Meantime, the inaugural 2011-12 batch are completing Term 6 of the year-long programme, having recently studied courses such as leadership, visual communication and algorithms. They are now heavily engaged in their Experiential Learning Module real-life internship projects with corporations and organisations including Genpact, Harley-Davidson, Bharat Light and Power and the Council for Environment, Energy and Water (CEEW). Their attainments since joining YIFP include winning a Fulbright Scholarship, the 2011 World Bank Essay competition and the opportunity to represent India at the UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris.

YIFP Faculty is drawn from UPenn as well as other leading universities in India, the US and the UK. Fellows are mentored by industry leaders such as NR Narayana Murthy (Founder, Infosys), Deepak Parekh (Chairman, HDFC), Kiran Karnik (Satyam), Keki Dadiseth (Sony) and Anoop Prakash (Harley-Davidson).

The academic session starts in June 2012.  Visit www.youngindiafellowship.com and click on “Apply Now”.

Media inquiries: Inga Butefisch, Ph: 9958 170 246, email: inga.butefisch@9dot9.in

About YIFP: The Young India Fellowship Programme (YIFP), in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), is the first academic programme in the country to fill the void in higher education for a holistic, multi-disciplinary course based on the liberal arts. A one-year, fully funded residential scholarship, YIFP has been specially conceived and designed to create the country’s finest, most socially conscious leaders. Each year’s batch of 50-plus Fellows will take subjects including Analytical Thinking, Leadership, Writing and Listening Skills, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, History, Economics and Statistics as well as classes designed to bring out their creativity, such as Art Appreciation and Latin Dancing. They will undertake a unique experiential learning internship, and gain practical work experience through a real-life project. Fellows will be taught by leading thinkers from respected universities both in India and abroad, and will be mentored by some of India’s best known leaders, chosen for their ability to be outstanding motivators and role models. YIFP is the precursor to Ashoka University, a world-class university focused on the liberal arts and sciences, set to open in the Delhi NCR in 2013. Ashoka’s founders, the International Foundation for Research and Education (IFRE), envision the university as India’s finest centre of higher education, comparable to the leading research-based, multi-disciplinary universities in the world.

Nikhil of 9.9 School of Convergence grabs his dream job with NewsX

Nikhil Bhushan is young, talented, and extremely passionate about his job with NewsX. After receiving his PG diploma in Applied Journalism and Media Communication from 9.9 School of Convergence (SoC), Nikhil is eager to share his journey. The enthusiastic Nikhil tells aspiring journalists how to “work smart and write smart” and elaborates on what it takes to be a journalist, reporting for a 24-hour-live channel. After assigning three self-explanatory adjectives - “best, amazing, and wonderful” - to his favourite journalism school, Nikhil’s answers highlight the essence of journalism and 9.9 School of Convergence in particular.


What is the one reason you will always want to come back to 9.9 School of Convergence?

The entire education system here is unique. The way the program is constructed here is a strong reason for one to come back to 9.9 School of Convergence repeatedly. We even asked the core faculty to make the Applied Journalism and Median Communication course a two-year program and convert it into a MA degree.

Everyone related to 9.9 School of Convergence is special. They come from diverse educational backgrounds. One of my colleagues from class, Rateika Dhawan, comes from a food background and wants to be a food journalist. I can learn something about food journalism from her - the connections with other students is interesting. I did my internship in sports, so I was able to contribute to the institute by telling everyone about sports journalism. The beauty of 9.9 School of Convergence is the diversity of different backgrounds.

Tell us a little about your internship experience. Was it given to you through 9.9 School of Convergence?

Yes, we all secured internships through 9.9 School of Convergence. A few of us went to NewsX. We had a couple of exams and short interviews, then NewsX selected four of us to intern with them.

The 9.9 School of Convergence’s curriculum structure includes six months of internship. Our internship contract with NewsX was for six months, but within three months of experiencing our skill set, NewsX hired all four of us.

Our internships were five days a week and one day in the classroom. We shared our internship experiences in class. The learning was as diverse as where people were working, which included the Times of India, Headlines Today, and Hindustan Times among others.

Once you are in one organization, you tend to learn only about that field in which your organization specializes. Here we got a chance to share, learn, discuss different problems and most importantly - solve those problems. We started learning and understanding the market together, as a team.

“I am learning this in my new company. What are you learning?” - these are the things we used to talk about at SoC. Everyone learns the same thing, but in different ways. At SoC, we’re lucky enough to learn in the most enjoyable and interesting way possible.

Where do you see yourself five years down the line? What will you do to try and ensure that you attain your goals?

I am very happy with the way I started my career - thanks to 9.9 School of Convergence and everyone who made it possible. Five years down the line, I see myself in a better position, not in terms of designation, but in terms of quality of work.

Journalism is much more than cameras and stories. Journalism is about how you report these stories. The story could be bad - the story could perhaps even be not worth reporting - but it’s still a story. It’s up to you how you narrate it. That is what we have learnt here at 9.9 School of Convergence.

It is understandable that in television journalism, there are time constraints and deadlines to keep up with, so it can affect the quality of work. But nonetheless, it is important to ensure that you don’t compromise your writing skills. Always keep your story stable. Always keep your story alive. That is very important, because that is what your viewer wants. Always keeping the viewer in mind is something we learnt at 9.9 School of Convergence. We did a lot of projects to develop these particular communication skills, and I will use them professionally from now on.

What is that one thing that you singularly brought to your job?

I’m an avid researcher and I present a lot of visuals, because when we write we refer to visuals. For example, today is the 24th. I will go home tonight and type “25th  September” on the Internet and see what events are happening tomorrow and form a story in my head before I go to office. That’s where you take the initiative, because everybody is racing against time and competing with each other. Before the editor says you need to do this, you should say “Sir, today this thing is happening and there is a story here we could do.” This is what I have brought to NewsX.

Why did you choose 9.9 School of Convergence? What is the most important thing you gained from here?

I chose to come to Delhi, because Delhi is the capital of journalism, not just the capital of India, and the course structure at 9.9 SoC is something I really liked.

I used to run away from writing. When I was about to join 9.9 School of Convergence, Dr. Eric Saranovitz, our Dean, told me that you will have to write a lot here. I was then a little skeptical. I come from an international relations background, so I was already in the habit of reading but I was never a writer. 9.9 School of Convergence gave me an opportunity to learn the art of writing and undoubtedly my writing etiquette and style developed over time. What I was writing when I first came to SoC and what I write now - well there is a huge improvement.

What message would you like to give your juniors?

Don’t think journalism is easy. Don’t think journalism is about making a report and that’s all you need to do. The market out there is very competitive and can be repressive. Maybe your program/story won’t go on air even after you work your heart and soul out for it. They may say, “Okay fine, but we don’t have time. There is breaking news in. We don’t want your story right now” - and you lose your story.

You have to work smart, write smart. If you want to write smart, write short for television, because there are time constraints. You need to keep your package short, only then it will get space on television. From the very beginning, concentrate on your writing and if you choose television, concentrate on your time management.

Time management is nothing but smart work. Don’t think that by getting into details you will do well here. You can do detailed work, but in sections, in parts, when it is demanded. The details cannot come first. If your piece is three minutes long, nobody will air that story. That length of story works for print, but not television. If you want to provide details in television, your work has to be crisp.

So all those who want to join 9.9 School of Convergence or want to go into television or any other form of journalism, don’t think it’s an easy job. The task is hard. Your priority changes every half an hour and you’ve got to decide what to prioritize. Be prepared for a world that is going to let you socialize as much as you would like to. If you can take on the rigors of this industry and come to terms with them, you will do well. You will excel.

SSBS:Prof. Colin Eden and Prof. Bhimaraya Metri of Strathclyde SKIL Business School (SSBS) agree on how accreditation out-ranks rankings

International accreditation, not ranking, is the hallmark of a top business school in today’s global market - and Strathclyde SKIL Business School (SSBS) as a part of University of Strathclyde Business School (SBS) enjoy the status of three such accreditations, putting it in a very select group.

SBS is accredited by the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA), which Prof. Bhimaraya Metri noted in a Times of India article “are three of the most highly regarded international accreditations in the realm of higher business education.”

EQUIS focuses on school diversity and relationships with the business world, AACSB puts emphasis on how a school uses its resources to bring it up to a top level and AMBA concentrates on the quality and relevance of programs.

“Worldwide less than five per cent of B-schools are accredited by AACSB,” said Prof. Metri, “1.05 per cent of B-schools are accredited by EQUIS and 1.5 per cent of B-schools are accredited by AMBA. Only less than one per cent of business schools (55 B-schools) in the world hold ‘triple accreditations’ from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA.”

Prof. Colin Eden, Vice-Dean and Director of the International Division of Strathclyde University says students must give more weight to accreditations compared to rankings, pointing out: “Rankings are very volatile. A university one year can be ranked 50, the next year it can get ranked 80, or vice-versa. Things cannot change that rapidly in the academic world.”

Accreditations are really difficult to come by, says Prof. Eden, requiring lots of paperwork and documentation, followed by visits from a panel of three Deans from across the globe who meet with staff, students, alumni and employers to determine the quality of education being given to students.

But such accreditations assure both students and the corporate world their education was obtained at a school of international acclaim - one that teaches the skills employers require.

Placement Blueprint: An event by IMT Ghaziabad

Placement Blueprint, an interesting event based on the current market scenario, saw students participating in large numbers. It dealt with the difficulties of a retail chain store in a market like India and was designed to test the participants’ knowledge about the retail sector and their ability to gauge the customer's mindset.

The event was designed around the entry of an international retail store in the Indian market- Blue Bazaar- which has been successful in various countries worldwide, is all set to open its branch in India. So it has floated a blueprint of the available store space. At the event, the participants were given this blueprint along with other relevant data like the socio- economic classification of the population, the level of education and the floor plan. As retail management students and future managers in the retail sector, the participants were expected to have an in-depth knowledge of the various available brands, customer profile and the best shelf-space utilisation. They were asked to device the best way of displaying the products on the store shelves, making them easy to locate and attractive.

The participants were asked to come up with 10 product categories with 3 brands in each. These categories and brands had to be decided keeping in mind the target customers. The final round consisted of laying the store’s planogram.

It was interesting to see the way budding managers from various institutes came up with innovative ideas. The efforts and ideas of all the participants were well worth appreciating. The event was judged by Mr. P.Gopalakrishnan from IndusInd Bank and Mr. Ranjan Jha, Principal Consultant at Foresight Group International AG. Team Madmen from IIFT-Delhi were declared the winners.

After the event, the participants too couldn’t stop thanking the organizers for this wonderful opportunity to showcase their talent and learn a lot of things in the process. They found Placement Blueprint to be different from the usual B-school events. As one of the winners put it: “This is a good event, novel idea, probably very different from any other event we have been part of.” At the same time, like another student pointed out: “I knew all the theory but when it came to applying it in this particular case study it was very difficult.” Most of the participants agreed that events like these are better than the routine classroom sessions as they compel the students to think and act in a real time market situation.

The participants also praised the IMT G campus and the arrangements made by the management. All in all, the event was a roaring success.

Strathclyde SKIL Business School launches BBS Admissions

Strathclyde SKIL Business School, the joint B-School initiative by Indian infrastructure pioneer SKIL Infrastructure Limited and Strathclyde Business School, one of the most innovative and largest business schools of its kind in the UK and in Europe is announcing the launch of Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS).

With a sharp focus on leadership effectiveness, entrepreneurial initiatives, multicultural understanding, social responsibility and sustainable development, Strathclyde SKIL Business School (SSBS) is now open for admissions for its academic session 2012- 2015.

Located in Greater Noida/NCR the SSBS undergraduate programme Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) is specifically designed to meet the needs of Indian students seeking a global qualification. The world class BBS course is planned with a curriculum that will be delivered by a carefully chosen and highly qualified faculty. 50% of the faculty is from Strathclyde Business School (SBS), Glasgow while the other 50% are Indian teachers and academicians of impeccable repute.

The three-year Bachelor of Business Studies programme forms an excellent foundation for those seeking a degree in both business and management. Cutting edge research and knowledge in their chosen fields is an integral aspect of this three year BBS course.

Professor Bhimaraya Metri, Dean, Strathclyde SKIL Business School, says, “Upon graduation, students of SSBS will join a Strathclyde’s worldwide alumni network that are performing influential roles in the world of business and management and have attained the pinnacles of success.”

During the first year, students will be taken through a diverse spectrum of subjects, introducing them to various concepts that will build a strong foundation for specialization.

In the second year, BBS students progress to advanced subjects and specialised electives, taking courses at SBS, Glasgow, Scotland.

The third and final year sees students through two additional major specialisation courses and one minor specialisation course.

Students joining SSBS will possess several distinct advantages:

- A degree awarded by the University of Strathclyde

- Over 50% of the courses will be taught by faculty from Strathclyde B School in Scotland

- Study at campuses located in India and Scotland thereby gaining cross cultural experiences and developing into management leaders possessing global perspectives

- Industry interactions will give students the added advantage of practical experience coupled by thorough theory in the classroom

- All academic and intellectual resources of SBS, UK will be available to them

Highly accomplished international museum expert, George Jacob, visited the Young India Fellowship (YIF) campus.

Highly accomplished international museum expert, George Jacob, visited the Young India Fellowship (YIF) campus in South Delhi last Friday evening to reveal to Fellows some of the fascinating secrets behind the global museum sector.

Indian-born, Canada-raised Jacob explained how museums have the potential to drive economies, preserve culture and contribute to the collective memory of a community or nation. The Yale graduate has been involved in more than $200 million in museum projects world-wide, including those for the Smithsonian and NASA-Ames funded Astronomy and Cultural Centre.

Jacob was the 39th notable guest speaker to address Fellows since the YIF programme began in May. He spoke exclusively to Fellows during his visit to India, the guest of a fellow BITS-Pilani alumnus. Jacob had come to the university to deliver a lecture in March last year, when Fellow, Sudheer Marisetty, was student union president.

Jacob started his talk – Creating Cultural Capital: Museum Design-Build Industry – by telling Fellows about various renowned museums and exhibits across the world, such as the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, the Contemporary Arts Centre in China and the Louis Vuitton Fashion Museum. 

In terms of designing museums, the “museologist”, “designing museums is all about communicating stories, because there are a lot of stories that need to be told”.

“Mr Jacob told Fellows about various aspects of project development and the variety of skills that go into designing museums. He also spoke about the whole process of developing museums as being about listening to and thinking with clients, because in the end, it is the client’s culture that you represent,” Sudheer said.
The “museologist” also mentioned the need to marry technology with liberal arts to come up with innovative designs, as museum design involved a blend of engineering and designing.

“When asked by Fellows about the current challenges the Indian museum industry is facing, he expressed concern about the lack of a policy framework both for museums and fine arts, inadequate training, and the need for mentorship to groom the younger generation. On being asked about what he would like to do in India, he said he would like to work on contemporary themes and that he would specifically work on projects that had an impact on the economy,” Sudheer said.

Jacob said the multi-billion investment in recognising and creating cultural capital worldwide was only beginning its early dawn in India, and elaborated on its enormous potential and on India's soft-power in leveraging this untapped sector.

“With a power to strengthen civil societies, transform regional and local economies and enhance ‘Brand India’, to offering out-sourcing opportunities of a different kind hitherto unexplored, India is virtually sitting on a gold-mine of possibilities – perhaps far richer that those held in the vaults of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple finds, that could become the Museum of the Millennium,” Jacob said.

YIF Deputy Dean Dr Anunaya Chaubey said the lecture opened the minds of the Fellows to the power of design and imagination. “It underscored the need to fuse technology and aesthetics to render any vision and also how culture can drive development and energise an economy,” he said.

Fellows have since the inception of the YIF programme, through the YIF Guest Speaker Series, had the opportunity to interact with the “who’s-who” of the corporate, academic, arts and social worlds, almost twice every week.

Some of these eminent personalities include Pramod Bhasin (founder, Genpact), Sanjeev Aga (ex-MD, Idea Cellular), Sir Robert Swan (Polar explorer and leading environmentalist), Kiran Seth (co-founder, SPICMACAY). The speakers share their views about a wide range of issues, including pursuing one’s passion, and the importance of introspection and life- long learning along, with having a vision for oneself.
Media inquiries: Inga Butefisch, Ph: 9958 170 246, email: inga.butefisch@yifp.in

About YIF:

The Young India Fellowship (YIF), in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania, is the first academic programme in the country to fill the void in higher education for a holistic, multi-disciplinary course based on the liberal arts. A one-year, fully funded residential scholarship, YIF has been specially conceived and designed to create the country’s finest, most socially conscious leaders. Each year’s batch of 50-plus Fellows will take subjects including Analytical Thinking, Leadership, Writing and Listening Skills, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, History, Economics and Statistics as well as classes designed to bring out their creativity, such as Art Appreciation and Latin Dancing. They will undertake a unique experiential learning internship, and gain practical work experience through a real-life project. Fellows will be taught by leading thinkers from respected universities both in India and abroad, and will be mentored by some of India’s best known leaders, chosen for their ability to be outstanding motivators and role models. YIF is the precursor to Ashoka University, a world-class university focused on the liberal arts and sciences, set to open in the Delhi NCR in 2013. Ashoka’s founders, the International Foundation for Research and Education (IFRE), envision the university as India’s finest centre of higher education, comparable to the leading research-based, multi-disciplinary universities in the world.

About George Jacob:

India-born Canadian museologist George Jacob has planned, designed and established museums and award-winning educational experiences spanning 11 countries and is among the leading museum thinkers of our times. Former Smithsonian intern and Canadian Commonwealth Fellow, he was educated with Degrees in Museum Studies, Social Anthropology and Leadership at the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, University of Toronto and Yale School of Management.  With a track record of over $200 million in museum projects worldwide, he is the recipient of an unprecedented $19 million in US Federal and State grants and the author of the seminal books Museum Design: The FUTURE and the sequel Exhibit Design: The FUTURE. Diverse museum projects cover a range of academic and popular pursuits. During these years, he has had the distinction of being the founding Director of three museums including the $30 million NASA-Ames funded Astronomy & Cultural Centre, Vice President of OMSI, OMNIMAX facility, Chair of numerous professional committees on museum ethics, policy, museum law, standards and curatorial practices. He was honoured to be the Project Director for the production of the Star Spangled Banner (the 1812 flag that inspired the American National Anthem)  permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington DC dedicated to the nation by President George W. Bush. He is, at present, the Principal Advisor to a $266 million 8 museum cluster project in the making jointly with MIT.

SSBS- Five-day induction program kicks off Strathclyde Skil Business School year

A five-day session from September 19-23 introduced the first program to be offered from the Strathclyde Skil Business School (SSBS) campus in Greater Nodia - the Masters in Management (MiM).

As Prof. Bhimaraya Metri, Dean, SSBS has said: “This two-year Masters builds on Strathclyde's long established excellence in research and teaching.

“Students will be awarded a degree by the University of Strathclyde – a UK institution – one of Europe’s top 20 business schools”

“The MiM provides students with an all-round foundation that prepares them for the world of management,” said Prof. Metri.

“MiM is a two-year degree programme in which students will visit Strathclyde for one semester and will do an extended internship with an Indian company where they can employ their theoretical knowledge to a practical situation,” he said.

“The company-based project will provide an invaluable opportunity of applying the knowledge gained from full-time studying to a concrete business setting. This high-quality mix of theory and practice makes our programme a unique learning experience, ideal preparation for managing in today’s challenging business environment.”

According to Prof. Taylor, the induction program was an invigorating and hugely successful learning event.

“The students very quickly grasped the distinctive orientation of the MiM; for example the relationship of theoretical learning to practical application, the importance of becoming a reflective practitioner,” he said. “Students were also hugely enthusiastic about the innovative and group-based methods of learning which they had not encountered before. The emphasis in this program of studying on active learning was greatly welcomed.”

The five-day induction program got underway with high tea, followed by welcoming addresses by: Prof. B. Metri, Dean of the school;  Prof. Taylor, Academic Director, MiM Prorgamme; Ms Simrat Joshi, Chief Operating Officer, SSBS and Dr. Sanjeev Verma, Chairperson, MiM Prorgamme at SSBS.

This in turn was followed by a presentation about Strathclyde SKIL Business School by Prof. Taylor and a question and answer session for students, along with an address via Skype by Prof. Susan |Hart, dean of the Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow.

The first day of the program wound up with a session covering the library and e-resources facilities, conducted by Prof. Taylor and one on developing the culture of entrepreneurship by Manoj Uthup.

Over the course of the next four days there were presentations on: The Navco Case Study - Decision Making in the Company of Today by Prof. Taylor, Prof. Metri and Dr. Sanjeev Verma; reading research and report writing (Prof. Taylor and Dr. Verma); how to become a corporate leader (Sanjay Goyal, vice-president of Ericsson and Prof. Metri) and case teaching and case analysis (Dr. Verma).

And students were clearly impressed, with one calling the SSBS program “a refreshing sight to the Indian education sector as it not only provides high quality education but also imports real time business concepts and rich cultural experience to India.”

“We as students clearly inferred that this B-school will go a long way in the Indian history.”

The Strathclyde SKIL Business School (SSBS), is affiliated with Strathclyde Business School (SBS), Scotland, (one of Europe’s top 20 business schools) which shares its seal of approval from: AMBA (Association of MBAs) UK; AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) the U.S.A.’s best known accreditation body and EQUIS (the European Quality Improvement System) Europe.

ERA:Largest Chinese University extends Exchange Programme to Era Business School

In a move sure to strengthen academic and cultural ties, Schiuan University in the People's Republic of China and Era Business School (EBS) of Delhi have established an extensive exchange program.

Delegates from Schiuan University, one of the largest universities in China with about 70,000 students, visited the Era Business School campus to formalize a collaborative partnership between two institutions.

The Schiuan University delegation, led by Professor Shi Jian, vice-president and Tang Xuehong director, international office, were accompanied by
officials from the embassy of the People's Republic of China, Delhi for the meeting with Era Business School.

As part of an extensive collaboration, EBS and Schiuan University plan to work together in the areas of collaborative research, faculty development,
student mobility and exchange, cultural awareness, and participation in publication, seminars, conferences and lectures.

It's the latest development in what has been a strong association between Era Business School and the People's Republic of China embassy in New Delhi.

Era Business School has had strong association with the Embassy of PRC, New Delhi. EBS, in association with the Embassy of PRC, organized Indo-China
Friendship Day, commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the world's most populated nations. The PRC Embassy, Delhi, invited EBS students
for an exclusive interactive programme, graced by Indian Prime Minister - Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier - Wen Jiabao. On invitation from the
Chinese University of Hong Kong, EBS students also visited China & Hong Kong to experience the cultural & business environment of China, while polishing
their Chinese Mandarin skills, with the native speakers.

At the recent meeting to formalize the new collaborative agreement, Professor (Dr.) Shi Jian, vice-president of Schiuan University, extended an invitation to Era Business School students and faculty members to participate in the exchange program, and cited the positive experience of
German students, most of who are working with industry in People's Republic of China.

Director of Era Business School, Prof. (Dr.) Sanjiv Marwah said China is India's largest trading partner, however a trust deficit and lack of cultural knowledge between the two great nations exists.

Hopefully, Prof. Marwah said, this program will strengthen the academic links between India and China, and lay a strong foundation for a very exciting and productive future.

Ms Rashmi Bharana, General Secretary, said she appreciated the visit of Prof. Jian and mentioned she had been the beneficiary of an international
program herself. She assured the delegation this visit will lead to formal dialogue in future in the interest of both Indian and Chinese students.

Era Business School, anchored by Billion Dollar Enterprise Era Group, is a leading business school in Delhi offering post-graduate programs in
management and construction project management. Era Business School's PGDM programs are duly approved by AICTE, Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

Sichuan University, one of China's largest, under the direct supervision of Ministry of Education, is located in West China and is a key high-level
comprehensive research university, with many prominent scholars and professors. There are about 4,000 full-time teachers, 1,395 of whom have senior titles and 1,841 have doctor's degrees.

There are more than 40,000 undergraduate students, more than 20,000 master and PhD candidates and more than 1,000 foreign students and students from
Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Since 2003, the university has been honored with 19 National Teaching Achievement Awards, 28 National Excellent Courses
and 13 doctorate students' dissertations have been selected among the top 100 Excellent Doctor Students Dissertations.

Full details about EBS can be found at http://www.eragroup.co.in/ <http://www.eragroup.co.in/>  and for Schiuan University at http://www.scu.edu.cn/

OPERACY 2011: The KIAMS Challenges

It is that time of the year when KIAMS organizes OPERACY – an All India Annual Management Fest loaded with well thought out competitions and several other brain challenging Management related events.

OPERACY 2011 will be held simultaneously on 19 and 20 November, 2011 at both the KIAMS locations in Harihar and Pune.

In Harihar, PROISTEMI is for teams of budding entrepreneurs. KIAMS has invited entries from B School students across India. The response is already phenomenal.
Here’s how it works: Teams of two from B Schools have entered. All of them believe in their skills as entrepreneurs and these beliefs will be put to the test. Because PROISTEMI is all about thinking like an entrepreneur – on your feet, asleep or awake. You are those unique teams who believe in doing the same thing differently and making it all work. You are the leaders and know that the buck ends with you. Phenomenal responsibility, equally phenomenal rewards.

At PROISTEMI you need to behave like an entrepreneur in the different entrepreneurial situations you will be thrown into. The challenge is extraordinary and the reward is great. The winning team takes home prizes worth over Rs. 50,000.

KIAMS Pune throws open it’s gates to the Best Graduate. This contest is open to undergraduate participants from all colleges. Again, it’s the thought, the planning and the execution that are the criteria. Undergrads will be put to the test. In fact they will be put to many tests. The winners take home prizes worth over Rs. 20,000! Each participating team will have three team members belonging to the same college. Many teams from the same college can participate, but registrations have to be made separately.

Another contest happening at KIAMS Pune is the Best Corporate. Like the name suggests only teams from the corporate world can participate in this one. And there’s a twist. They cannot have work experience of more than five years. That’s right. Each team can have two members that belong to the same company. More than one team from one corporate can participate, however, they need to register separately. The Best Corporate wins prizes worth over Rs. 30,000.

All qualifying teams invited to KIAMS will be provided with free accommodation and food. They will be reimbursed for their to and fro travel by second class train or via the shortest bus route.

The last date for registration was 4 November, 2011 for the Best Entrepreneur.  The Best Undergrad teams  and the  Best Corporate teams would have sent in their registrations on 14  November, 2011.

To send applications for participation, B schools should visit http://www.wix.com/operac3/operacy and Corporates should visit http://www.wix.com/kiams01pune/operacy  link for more information. For any query write to us at operacy@gmail.com. Get set teams for the ultimate rush that could win you accolades and prizes that would make your institutes smile with pride!

KIAMS pair lands prime posts at Irevna

Two Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies students have landed final placements with Irevna, a division of Credit Rating and Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL).

Gopal Agrawal and Preeti Agarwal landed the prime posts. Gopal will be joining Irevna as a management trainee and, following training, will be an equity analyst, while Preeti’s position will involve studying the global capital market and performing country, sector and company research.

Irevna is the world's top-ranked research and analytical services offshoring firm. As a pioneer in the finance research outsourcing domain, it offers a range of services that help clients reduce cost, improve efficiency, and increase revenue.

Gopal, pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from KIAMS, majoring in finance and marketing, said he had dreams of joining a research firm.

“I made my mind to join a research firm even before I got enrolled in the KIAMS PGDM program,” he said. “The reason being, I was a B.Com student and I always had been interested in the equity market. For me this was a passion which had driven me for a finance specialization and this gives the energy which keeps me driving to attain more and more information and knowledge as to what happens in the finance community.”

However Preeti, who has a B.Com from Jadavpur University, said: “I developed interest in financial research only after I joined KIAMS and came across various subjects and topics related to finance and research.”

“All the subjects which KIAMS offers in finance specialization helped me get through the Irevna selection procedure,” she said. “To be specific, it was subjects like Corporate Finance and Corporate Valuation Mergers and Acquisition which really helped me. Finance subjects which KIAMS offers, if studied properly, will help a person not only in being geared-up for any kind of finance job profile, but also help in his/her future endeavours.”

Preeti believes companies look for three things when hiring - subject knowledge, confidence and potential to learn.

“One can develop subject knowledge only by studying and being thorough with their area of specialization,” she said. “Confidence is something which will follow if you are sure about your subjects and have a clear roadmap as to where you want to go in life.”

Gopal said: “Corporate valuation, mergers and acquisitions, security analysis and portfolio management were subjects which contributed to my knowledge.”

But when it comes to job interviews, he said “It mostly boils down to basics, for which I will say my firm grip on corporate finance which was taught to us when we started the finance journey at KIAMS, helped me a lot.”

He also believes his thorough understanding of the equity market, learned not just at KIAMS but through an internship at Indiabulls Securities helped him land the job.

Both of them see bright futures for themselves.

“Five years down the line I will be working in a post of equity analyst,” said Gopal. “I would have a gained a lot of knowledge and experience in the domain.” 

He predicts: “I will be handling problems and challenges of company on a higher scale. I will be handling responsibilities and would be accountable for my work. I would also be pursuing my studies simultaneously. By then I would have completed my CFA (Chief Financial Analyst), this will further add to my knowledge and will also give me huge opportunities to grow faster in the organization.”

And Preeti said five years from now: “I see myself working for Irevna handling projects on my own.”

Industry experts share trade secrets with KIAMS students

New Delhi – Alleviating classrooms as an interface with the industry, The Kirlosker Institute of Advanced Management Studies, invites people with real life experience to share their understanding of issues that exist at the ground level. This interaction helps management students have a feel of the challenges that lie ahead and prepare them to face the ruthless world once they are out of the institute.

Among other industry leaders KIAMS management invited Mr Jeevan Rao Sahib, chief executive officer, of Bangalore headquartered INDeLOX Services Pvt Ltd, a third party logistics services, to share his experience of the logistics industry. INDeLOX Services, started operations about 7 years ago, has with branches in Chennai, Hyderabad & is now expanding operations in North India.

Mr Rao, while sharing his experience with KIAMS students in the logistics services domain explained few processes that would help build a sustainable business model. Simplifying the processes (for students’ understanding) that were being followed in the logistics service industry, Mr Rao said, “Best Practice in logistics business will have to consider different aspects of the functions involved and its inter-dependence on the final outcome.”

He also explained as to why certain practices being followed in companies such as CISCO, and Maruti Suzuki are considered the best in the industry. CISCO’s practices in reverse logistics and spares management is the best, while Maruti Suzuki has an unparalleled market service programme. Rao, however, said that companies now need to constantly upgrade their services to remain ahead of competition as the best practices are imitated by others in no time.

Speed of delivery is the first and the foremost criteria in logistics services industry. “In IT infrastructure, spare part is provided in 4 hours to keep the network running. Imagine the loss of Bombay Stock Exchange or Reserve Bank of India network handing for over 30 minutes. Hence, speed becomes one of the critical components to appreciate best practice,” Rao said.

Consistency of services delivered is the key to success. Firms that have developed a strong brand name for themselves, have shown consistency over a period of time. The delivery of services should be irrespective of the individual of who is carrying out the process.

Underscoring the need to be cautious about the image of the company, Rao cited Nokia’s case where the company exchanged the battery of its phone which was found to be defective to convey its intention. “Nokia went through extensive media coverage and replaced the battery at its own cost -- an action undertaken to save the image of the company,” he said.

A process, if made flexible to adapt and accommodate the changes needed, will differentiate the practice from the lot. Certain processes in ERP environment are so rigid that it does not make the system a learning experience for users to fully utilize the potential. Concluding his thoughts, Rao said one has to find the right mix of configuration to form the 'Best in Class'.

KIAMS’ students take teamwork to a new level

Many miles separate their campuses, but Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies students are united in their teamwork.

The KIAMS campus at Harihar was joined by a second one at Pune in 2010 and this year sees the first integrated batch of grads from both locations.

As Director, Dr. Gopal Iyengar, said in a recent edition of The Chanakya, KIAMS is one institute with two totally integrated locations. It’s integrated at the administration level by such things as admissions, faculty, assessment and placement.

But at the student level, uniting the two campuses are such groups as: the placement team, alumni team, The Chanakya (institute magazine) team and  corporate relations team.

“What does this imply for industry,” asked Dr. Iyengar. “In addition to viewing an integrated batch with all the essential KIAMS values, this batch has implemented team working across physically separated locations. This is one of the essential requirements in industry and I am proud to say this batch will effortlessly meet that requirement.

“This batch has added a new dimension to the considerable KIAMS value,” he said, “They have gone out and engaged industry and society in an extra-curricular mode. Initiative and creativity has been a hallmark of this batch.”

And teamwork has also been a hallmark, as Dr. Iyengar pointed out in several examples.

“The institute has undertaken a massive exercise of competency mapping for Kirloskar Brothers involving 1,300 employees across 250 positions,” he said, noting a team of seven students took it on during summer training and carried it through into the term in addition to their academic workload.

Another student found new insights into logistics during her summer placement. “She has moved it to an intervention project for a team of five students, again parallel with term academics.”

In another instance, a group of three students interested in the telecom industry, “approached a leading player, convinced them to commission a research in a rural area, and are now well on the way.”

Noting the close ties KIAMS has with industry, Dr. Iyengar said: “The continued support of industry for our students is a testimony to the relevance of our education and values we impart to our students. The immense goodwill and backing in industry is a major driver of our endeavours of academic excellence that leads to industry-ready professionals-in-the-making.”

Learning experience at FORE School of Management

With a turnaround in the global economy, India has also recovered with an optimistic annual GDP growth rate. This greatly enhances India’s position as the favorite destination for investments. The recovery also has a substantive meaning for us at the FORE School of Management. This is because we nurture and produce talent that will actively participate in the economic growth of India and the world.

Though the slack phase is just over, we, at FORE, always make decisions that will lead to the best possible future for all stake holders at FORE School. This is our main consideration when we develop content for our management programs. This is also the essence that guides us in making our graduating students relevant to the corporate world.

Our mission is to provide contextual learning and help in the holistic development of students to equip them to face challenges as corporate leaders.

Traditionally, about three-fourth of the students admitted at FORE have engineering background. This is a direct reflection of the profile of candidates writing the IIM’s Common Admission Test (CAT). CAT is an important criteria for admission to the two-year full time management programs at FORE. We are actively looking at ways to admit more non-engineering students. We believe that students with art and science background with strong soft skills can make efficient managers in the current corporate scenario.

At FORE, we also believe that students must be socially responsible. Direct exposure to social projects like blood donation initiatives, providing education to the children of the poorest people, sensitivity to the environment and society at large, etc add value to the education at FORE.

FORE aims to cultivate sharp skills and enhance knowledge in students through various extra curricular activities. Exposed to the state of the art technology, contemporary business situation through live projects, hands on experience including business simulation, software based teaching, a FORE student is equipped to make the most of opportunities that come his way.

Fore students are fortunate to have a set of faculty, which has a wide international exposure. The PGDM faculty is among the best in the industry that not just nurture talents in students but also contribute to the expansion of the body of knowledge in their field of expertise.

Shaping future managers at FORE School of Management

Shaping future managers, Dr. Jitendra K.Das, Director Fore School Of Management
Shaping the managers of tomorrow is not an easy task. Management education needs to include knowledge, skills and ability (KSA) that are necessary today and in the future.

When we talk of management education, we are essentially developing students’ competencies to grow an organization as its manager or to establish or grow one’s own business as an entrepreneur. This capability doesn’t come from acquiring a management diploma or degree. It requires developing, in the students, the will and skill to contribute towards self-nourishment and nation building.

Our mission is to provide contextual learning and help in the holistic development of students, which will equip them to face challenges as corporate leaders. The programs offered at FSM enable students to be thinkers of tomorrow while enhancing their conceptual, analytical and critical reasoning skills. They learn to communicate with impact and to be innovative, creative and responsible in dynamic global world.

In this world of competition, where business is not bound by boundaries, a management graduate not only has to survive in it, but also win it. The journey ahead is tough and challenging enough, but can be very rewarding and exciting. The more excitement you get in your job execution, the more rewarding it is likely to be.

Much of Fore’s strength is rooted in its infrastructure - be it the faculty, the supportive staff or the amenities. The computerized library, for instance, has over 25000 titles in management and related areas, 160 journals, periodicals, videocassettes and CD ROMs. The computer centre too has branded servers and 250 desktops and laptops, scanners, 70 printers and cd writers. The institute owes its reputation to its superior infrastructure and faculty caliber.

Fore cultivates sharpening of skills and enhancement of knowledge in students through various extra curricular activities. Exposed to the state of the art technology, contemporary business situation through live projects, hands on experience including business simulation, software based teaching, a FORE student is equipped make the most of opportunities that come his way.

At Fore, we also believe that students must be socially responsible. Direct exposure to social projects like blood donation initiatives, providing education to the children of the poorest people, visiting senior citizen homes inculcates sensitivity to the environment and society at large. This greatly adds value to our curriculum
Our association which some one of the big names in the corporate world give the student an advantage to have a better understanding of the issues and challenges that awaits them in the industry.

The corporate interactions includes corporate supported projects undertaken by students under faculty supervision is considered unique in the sense, that is provides a close hands-on experience to students as part of the curriculum. Thus a student is expected to have an enriching learning experience that should propel him to take advantage of new opportunities in life.

Placement in the institute is student driven and is the result of the continuous interface with the industry – be it for summer internships, live projects or final placements. The Institute carefully tailors and continuously updates its curriculum to develop multiple skills among students. The skills emphasized on are managerial decision-making, problem solving, analytical reasoning, communication, creativity and innovation.

“The business manager’s ability to make decisions out of a set of choices that leads to the best possible future for all stake holders is what we at FORE consider all the time when developing the contents of our management programs”. This is the guiding principle to make our graduating students relevant to the corporate world.