Interview: Ms. Ankita Gupta, Director of IMI

Interview by Bhawna Rawat

Ms. Ankita Gupta is currently working as the Director of IMI, Indore. As the Director, her main purpose is to develop the creative and imaginative personality of the individuals so as to give significance to not only others’ lives but to her own life too. She is committed to nurturing leaders and entrepreneurs who will empower their organizations in the emerging economies.

Her priority is to instil in students a sense of commitment as managers to have a socially responsible impact; to give them an understanding of how difficult and challenging this often can be; and to expand their knowledge and their intellectual horizons so that they emerge transformed and prepared to have an impact on the world of business and society at large. She supports the idea of teaching which is strategically focused on preparing young managers with a creative mind, a global outlook and a burning desire to undertake ethical actions.

The experience of working in an education sector is satisfactory and rewarding

I entered in this field with the mission to give the students the best without robbing them. Recently, I observed that the institutions are charging students fat amount and providing nothing in return. I am observing the industry closely and learning from it too. Like any other industry, it has pros and cons.

Education has become more about business than a profession and I am here to change this scenario

The education sector, I feel, is very rewarding of course, it rewards in different ways. The perks are in the form of a better nation; better youth which in turn makes the country a better place to stay. It gives so much satisfaction when you contribute to making somebody’s life better. Education is the backbone of any country’s progress. And it gives me an immense sense of pride to be part of such sector.

The philosophy of leadership changes with the sort of problem at hand

As it’s quite obvious I can’t adopt any one philosophy to direct the college, which is full of talents and different types of people. Every day, I have to change my philosophy to address the issues. The problems define my leadership style. I see to it that I follow thefollowing points in the institute as and when required-

A resource provider assists colleagues by sharing instructional resources with their colleagues.
An instructional specialist helps colleagues to implement effective teaching strategies.
A curriculum specialist shares information about content, standards, and their relationship to implementation within specific areas.
A classroom supporter works in classrooms next to teachers helping by demonstrating, or observing and offering feedback.
A learning facilitator offers professional development opportunities to the colleagues, keeping learning relevant and focused on what is important in their classrooms.

I act as a catalyst for change, have a strong commitment to continual improvement, hold the vision for improvement, and tend to ask questions that generate thoughts and make forward movement.

I have welcomed every challenge with open arms

Till now the journey was great and I hope that it would be better ahead. There are challenges for which we, as a team, are very well prepared. We welcome every challenge with open arms. It’s true that they teach us a lot.

Right now, the biggest challenge is to guide the students well so that they can face any situation. On our part, it requires us to study every individual deeply and design a program which suits the individual’s needs. I don’t want any of my students to stay behind. Though we have started to work on it, I hope that we come out with the best.

The classroom teaching involves the use of the technologies and methodologies

We have outstanding faculty members with a rich mix of industry and academic experience. Our faculty is highly acclaimed. Our teaching is strategically focused on preparing young managers with a creative mind, a global outlook and a burning desire to undertake ethical actions. We lay special emphasis on participation & teamwork. This helps the students imbibe the spirit of mutual trust, love and respect.

The focus of our classroom teaching is on learning through the use of the latest technologies and methodologies; cases and live projects are an essential part of interactive learning. Our institute has an aesthetically integrated campus, combining scenic charm with the state-of-the-art facilities including an auditorium, open-air theatre, seminar halls, and conference rooms.

Our students are encouraged to have respect for social ethics and moral value so that they evolve into excellent human beings and responsible citizens. There is an integrative use of the tools of information technology in learning with the (learning) methodologies designed to develop creative and problem-solving mindsets, with emphasis on knowledge applications. I am regularly trying to update the institute to meet current and future demands.

Skill set expected by the corporates

As we say that changes lead us to the better world. It’s best to welcome the change rather than resist it.

As we all know, education has become technology dependent and more practical, today’s educational system, its curriculum, demands and expectations everything has changed in the last 10 years. The face of vocational training courses has also been changed. Every other institute has something new to offer. Interdisciplinary education aims to achieve skill development thus lowering the skill gap. The most salient feature of this learning paradigm is to embrace the disparate features to bolster a multidimensional learning experience.

Different types of corporations are looking for different types of skill set in the individual. Also, location plays a role in defining the skill set. According to my research and knowledge, skill set which is commonly in demand are-

Innovative and creative individual.
Dedication & devotion towards work.
Willing to adopt new things.
Ability to relate others.
Strong communication skills.

An ideal school environment

The theory which says that a person can learn in any kind of environment is an outdated one. It does matter on the environment, the speed and quality of the learning process.

The students nowadays need space to deliver. Now, they just need to be guided and not instructed.

We do have a few theories regarding this-

Value question more than answers.
Enquiry-based learning, project-based learning, direct instruction, peer-to-peer learning, school-to-school all are implemented.

This will be a very good platform to encourage healthy interaction between students. Students with similar personalities will obviously gel very well with each other and will have many common needs and interests to share with each other.

Goals for the Institute for the next few years

The coming years are very important for IMI. IMI has a long way and miles to go. We, as an IMI family, have a few goals for our near future. Some of the bigger goals which I would like to share are-

Expansion in terms of courses.
Preparing our students for the global exposure.
Giving quality education at low prices.
Exploring more streams.
Providing more scholarships.
Strengthening Research programs and Research Centers: Facilitating research orientation among teachers and students.

Message to the youth of the nation

India is so lucky to have a huge working population. We have a big population of youth who are ready to contribute to the national income of the country. If we think right and move in the right direction, we can definitely become a stronger country very soon.

The youth of our country does need to take care of a few things-

Use resources wisely
Do not wait for jobs, generate jobs
Do not rush after money, make your base strong.
Love your nation and work for its upliftment.
Don’t get stressed and depressed. Be strong and every individual is unique in himself.