There is no definite cut-off score for GRE/GMAT when we talk about the PGPEM course at IIM Bangalore.
This is because there is a separate test that is conducted by officials for those who have more than four years of experience. The selection of a candidate depends upon their overall profile and the SOP that they submit. They also take into consideration that they have enough diversity in their batch.
IIM Bangalore belongs to the holy trinity of MBA colleges in India, i.e., IIM A,B,C. PGDBA is meant for people interested in the field of Business Analytics or Data Science. It is also a good option for working professionals who wish to progress in their Business Analytics career.
The curriculum is designed to make the students understand important concepts related to Data Science and Technology, and their role in Business Management. All the PGDBA candidates at IIM Bangalore are eligible for placements and summer internships.
The demand for Business Analytics is only growing, and IIM Bangalore is the best brand to learn such a high demand course.
For elective course selection, IIMs usually have a course bidding system. Every student receives 1000 points and has to choose 6 courses. The institutes organize a bidding day. At the scheduled time, everyone needs to login into the system and starts bidding. Each course takes a maximum of around 75 students. On average 200-300 students bid on popular courses such as Finance, Marketing, Strategy, etc. It isn’t wise to use all the bid points on one/two courses. As there are many options to choose from, students usually get a course of their preference.
IIM Bangalore comes under the top 3 B-Schools in India that are IIM ABC. MDI too enjoys the status of being in the top 10 B-schools by IIM Bangalore is a brand bigger than MDI and also specialized in consulting.
Here is why IIM Bangalore is better than MDI
Considering the huge brand value that IIMs have, it’s illogical to even compare it with MDI Gurgaon.
PPPM or Project Program & Portfolio Management is an excellent short-duration course offered by IIM Bangalore. This executive education program selects only 20 candidates each term. The course is for
The program comprises faculty dinners, case study discussions, case study analyses, discussions about real-life management issues, group presentations, and other problem-solving discussions.
The faculty for this program is extremely supportive and helps you throughout the course.
Yes, many students with backlogs have been admitted to IIM Bangalore. Here is a brief description of one such case in which the student passed the CAT on the first try but had one backlog from the seventh semester, i.e. the fourth year. The backlog and CAT were cleared on the second attempt.
According to the student, the interview was quite interesting and a little surprising to him, but if you are well prepared, it is not difficult to pass any exam. He was interviewed by the same panel that remembered him and the previous questions and answers. He was expecting a tough interview with difficult questions, but they let him off with great ease.
Each of these IIMs has developed its unique personality over the years, and each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.
IIMB intakes people with good and relevant work experience, IIMA seeks a good academic record and a bit of humbleness in a candidate, and IIMC looks for strong analytical skills (it has the highest CAT cutoffs).
During placements, companies that want experienced professionals prefer IIMB, IIMA is visited by companies because of its strong alumni list, and IIMC is preferred by the Banking Sector because of the perception that its students are more quantitatively oriented.
The three of them receive almost the same companies during placements. So for a candidate seeking good career opportunities in a certain field, all three IIMs are equally good. It is just that each one has a certain image associated with its brand, and ranks accordingly in the preference lists of recruiters.
The craziest story I got to know about IIM Bangalore is from my friend who pursued his MBA from IIMB. He told me about how he and his friends accomplished the mission to climb up to the water tank, which was shown in the 3 Idiots movie.
He told me that during his last 10 days of the college, he and his friends decided to climb up the water tank and they even managed to get through but they couldn’t climb it as the main gate was locked tightly and it was full of metal grills making it seemingly impossible to jump as the tower is quite high.
So, what they did was, the next day they went with preparation. They bought a toolkit consisting of a cutting plier, a metal cutter to break the lock. They all reached the gate by 3 am and started filing the lock of the tower tank. And suddenly they heard the footsteps of someone which made them completely freak out. It was the guard on his daily patrol. But the guard was distracted by something else and he went sideways. And these guys continued with their process of filing the lock and they made it.
And finally, they climbed up the water tank. The moon-lit night, spent with friends during the last few days, was the craziest thing he ever did in IIMB.
No, I wouldn’t recommend you apply for a PGPX course at IIM A B or C if you have completed a part-time MBA from IIM Lucknow. The reason is the huge overlap of electives in almost all the programs offered at IIMs. Leaving a few courses most of which are repeated in all the programs be it part-time or full-time.
Towards the end of the course, you might end up spending a hefty fee and lots of time and yet not learning anything new. If anything you might just get placed at a better firm. But that too will be useless if you are unable to harness the acquired knowledge and skills in the open market. The question is if your job will be worth your year lost, your lost opportunities, and 25-30 lakhs of loan.
Still, if you want to pursue the course go for a top MBA course abroad. That might make a difference in your resume and job prospects.
The choice of B Schools depends on your interests and priorities. The school you choose depends on
Some people consider placement statistics for making their decision but personally I find that a bit misleading. One other good way is to talk to the alumni of the schools and make a list of pros and cons. This will help you analyze the worth of each college and thereby make a sound decision.
Every B School has a specialization. You need to identify that and match it with your own goals and aspirations. For example,
IIM Ahmedabad is known for its strategy, IIM Bangalore is known for its marketing, IIM Calcutta is known for its finance, and FMS is known for its high ROI and location (Delhi).
So make a choice that suits your inclinations and don’t adopt the sheep mentality.