Interview: Mr. A. K. Sethi, President of IMI, Indore|Collegedunia

Interview by Yash Panchal

Mr. A.K. Sethi is the President of IMI Indore. He needs no introduction in the field of law. He is a dedicated soul, an undying spirit who works for the goal of bringing about intellectual awakening and the overall development of the people of our country through education. Mr. Sethi topped B.Com. and was ranked 7th in the university ranking of LLB. He was the first person who was designated the post of Senior Advocate at 46 against usual 50.

Mr. Sethi started his career independently in 1991. He made it to the top with his hunger for success and learn. He is an absolute workaholic, yet balances his personal life very well. ’The Journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. ‘’ Having followed this maxim, Mr. Ashok Sethi took the initiative to start IMI to provide the future generation of respectable citizens of India all that is top-notch in the field of education.

A phenomenal experience in the education industry

My experience in the education industry has been phenomenal. Throughout the course of my education, certain teachers have played key roles in bringing out my academic and personal strengths and interests. My mentors helped me completely transform my approach to writing and ultimately instilled in me a passion for the subject, which has had a great influence on my decision to aspire to go to law school, and someday be able to practice law as an attorney.

I started practicing independently after 1990, with very few resources by my side. Of course, there were some limitations and a lot of challenges in my way. I dedicated my 18 hours of the day to work and grew my office from 100sq feet to 2000sq feet. I hereby was designated to Senior Advocate at the age of 46 against usual 50.

After achieving so much, my children and I thought of doing something for society. And all of us unanimously thought the best way to do something for society is to contribute in the field of education.

IMI was founded with the idea of imparting quality education. So, far we have been able to achieve what we thought of. I think I can never be able to comment on the education industry, for me education is not a business or industry for making a, but it’s duty and responsibility which we owe towards society.

Philosophy of leadership

I must say with the changing attitude of human behavior, the leadership style has changed immensely. When I was young, for me the leader was somebody who could dictate terms very well. But as I entered this competitive field of law I realized there is so much more to leadership.

Also, the adopted style is much depended on the sector you are and also what you are aiming for. In most of the institutes, the President gets caught in the entrapments of their titles and entitlements.

They become less accessible to the very students who at the end of the day are responsible for delivering results. My whims and preferences come secondary to the real needs and issues of the students. An institution with happy students can give quality results. As a leader, I will not stop until the task of producing talents has been achieved. I am not afraid of failure; in fact, failure is a stepping stone to success. For me, failure is when you stop. And if I need to be dictating or commanding for the benefits of my student I won’t shy away from that.

Challenges for the President of IMI

The journey was not easy now. But I feel more charged up after facing problems. There was a challenge of making student quality education available at a low cost. But since starting, we were very clear that we will make education affordable all classes. And we are progressing pretty well in that. Of course, there will be more such a challenge but IMI is all ready for it.

A curriculum designed to meet the 21^st-century expectations

IMI’s curriculum has been designed in a way to meet the expectations. My daughters are constantly working on what better can be provided to our students. Recently we introduced courses in digital marketing and data analytics to make students more skilled and proficient.

We offer a dynamic, interactive education environment that engages students in the learning process. We believe in constructive feedback to promote student self- assessment and motivation. Use of modern technology to create effective modes and means of instruction that expand access to learning. As industry demands multi-tasking and multi-talented individual, we provide a number of activities for the overall development of a student ranging from sports to management games.

Positive changes noticed in the Education Industry over the past few years and the qualities that corporates seek in students

The education industry has experienced many positive changes in the last five years. Much skilled pedagogy have made their way to strategically combine several important factors, such as designing a classroom layout conducive to learning, recognizing student achievements, and setting reasonable expectations.

Creating a positive classroom environment encourages student achievement and teacher satisfaction alike

When a teacher has control over a cooperative, collaborative, and respectful group of students, everyone in the room enjoys a more positive educational experience.

Now, the education industry is more organized and flexible. Fortunately, we have many options that are available to today’s youth. Certainly, it has become more student-oriented. Now a day youth is aiming for multiple courses at a time. The online course seems to be very flexible and cost-effective. Also, I have seen that anyone who wants to acquire some knowledge doesn’t have to struggle, the way we had to do with our time. The only time I feel a heavy heart is when I see people making education as a lucrative business. I hope I can work on that aspect with them.

The corporate today is constantly looking for professionals who are:

Organized
Multitasking
Self-dependent

Goals to accomplish

We have set goals for our institute, which we will accomplish soon. There are few things which I am focusing upon:

Desirable lawyers and quality professionals should be produced from IMI.
Quality education should be our motive.
Introducing courses in diverse fields.
Exploring to all the cities
Making students all-rounders.

And of course,the sky is limit. The more we aim high, the more we achieve.

Message to today’s youth

I always think that the 21^st-century generation is so lucky. They are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They have easy access to technology, an easy way of getting loans to study and very wide platform to show their creativity. I do get subdued at times when I see the youth of today running after money. I love technology and feel if you use it right, it could give you power and privacy.

The whole idea is not about the choice between using or not using the technology. The challenge is to use it right. ‘’THINK, PLAN, IMPLEMENT’’ is the rationale on which I worked upon, which has helped me lead a wholesome life. I expect each of my young phenoms to follow the same principle to achieve your goals faster. Although the list of advice and suggestions for youth is never-ending. I would like to mention what once Napoleon said: