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Are there any drawbacks for choosing an integrated course at IIM Indore (IPMAT)?
Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) is a program aimed at students who have passed out of class XII/Higher Secondary or equivalent from schools across India.
IPM is a 5-year program launched in 2011 by IIM Indore. The program has been accredited by the Association of MBAs, London.
Despite its high accreditation, it has some major drawbacks that definitely need to be considered before joining
Fees
The IPM is the most expensive graduation course in all of India. The fees for the first 3 years alone are INR 1500000. If you consider the additional cost and the total fees the approximate fee is INR 3500000.
Future Scope
The program offers a very limited scope. This is because even if you decide to leave after 3 years, you will want to pursue Management itself. But leaving after spending so much on graduation is not easy. Also, people usually leave if they get a call from a better IIM. In that case, why did you even pursue graduation at such a high cost?
Lack of Academic Diversity
Most students who come to IIM for MBAs has diverse background. Some are engineers while some are in Law. But an IPM student has been in the same institution for 5 years pursuing the same course. So they lack the much-coveted academic diversity by the recruiters.
No Specialization
While most MBA students have a specialization in graduation, IPM students have no specialization at all. They have been studying Management right after 12.
Placements
The placement scenario of IPM students is average. The IPM students and freshers whereas the PGP students have work experience. Both batches are put on an equal scale during placements. Obviously, top companies prefer experienced students over freshers.
What are the benefits of studying at IPM IIM Indore?
IIM Indore is one of the top management schools among the group of 20 Indian Institutes of Management which is located in the city of Indore.
The IPM program is a unique program offered here. Some major benefits one can avail of studying at IIM Indore are
Curriculum
The intensive and rigor-filled curriculum offers a deeper understanding of business concepts than the regular 2-year MBA. It aims at instilling concepts that constitute the bases of Management. These include Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Humanities & Social Sciences. These programs help in acquiring strong analytical skills and gaining specialized business knowledge.
Network
The elaborate 5 years at IIM will give you ample time to make lifelong friends. These friends will serve as a powerful network in the future and help you in your career.
Ambiance
The general ambiance with top-notch infrastructure and facilities, the best faculty, and some most intelligent peers adds to the unique experience of studying at IIM Indore.
Overall Development
The IPM course does not just focus on Management but also business etiquette, soft skills, foreign language training, social internships, and international exchange programs.
You can avail world-class facilities by studying at IIM Indore.
What is your review of IPM course at IIM Indore?
Every coin has two sides. Similarly, every college has its pros and cons. My review of the IPM course will list the pros and cons of IIM Indore and its IPM course. Fortunately, the pros overshadow the cons to a large extent
Pros
- Early admission - The eligibility criteria of the IPM program allows students who have passed out of class XII/Higher Secondary or equivalent from schools across India to apply. So even a 12th pass-out gets the opportunity to get into IIM.
- Comprehensive Curriculum - The uniqueness of the curriculum lies in the fact that it teaches many areas and not just management. The course is coveted by many due to its high rigor and worth.
- Brand name - The IIM tag can be attached to an individual's profile right after the 12th without having to do a separate undergraduate course in any other field of study.
- Placements - The placement scenarios are much better than that of engineering and law colleges. Even as a fresher you land a job of around INR 12-15 LPA. Whereas engineering students start their careers with nothing more than 3-7 LPA.
- Division of courses - The Programme consists of 15 terms spread over a period of 5 years, with each year having 3 terms of 3 months. The subjects of the initial 3 years focus on the foundation and the last 2 years have core subjects that focus on Management.
In addition, there are humanities, literature, and skill-building courses, along with an option to pursue a foreign language. The IPM also has a group of subjects called ‘bridge courses’. They comprise courses related to information technology, intellectual property rights, or introduction to corporate law.
Cons
- High fee structure - The biggest con of any IIM is its extremely high fees. The IPM is one of the most expensive graduation courses. Its fee is INR 500000 per year for the first 3 years. Approximately the total cost of this program is INR 3500000.
- Limited Scope - The program offers very little future scope. This is because even if you decide to leave after 3 years, you will want to pursue Management itself. But leaving after spending so much on graduation is not easy. Also, people usually leave if they get a call from a better IIM. In that case, why did you even pursue graduation at such a high cost?
- No specialization - The IPM course offers no specialization in Graduation.
Choose wisely after weighing the pros and cons according to your convenience and interests
How tough is it to get into IIM Indore as I am preparing for IPM?
If you want to decide the toughness on the basis of the availability of seats then yes, it indeed is tough to get into IIM Indore. The seats available for the IPM program are 150. So the competition is pretty tough.
But in reality, the majority of the students just are writing the exam casually. Some students even give up after looking at the test structure, difficulty, and other confidence issues. So the ones who are serious about and have seriously prepared for the exam are competing with a much lesser number of students.
IIM Indore makes around 800–850 calls for an interview for IPM, which means one of every 6 good candidates gets a call for an interview. Around the top 180 students get a final offer (main list + waiting list).
So probability-wise you have a good chance of making it into IIM Indore provided that you are self-motivated and well-prepared.
Will poor marks in 12th (around 68%) and a drop year have any affect on IPM IIM Indore interview?
Obviously, a low score may affect your interview but only a little. The key is to justify your low scores confidently and also answer any questions that are asked from your 12th syllabus.
Another way is to highlight your extra-curricular activities and achievements. Mention your other strengths but don’t lie about anything.
As far as the drop year is concerned I don’t think it will be much of a hurdle in your selection process because a major chunk of IPM students has taken a drop year. Still, you should be able to specify the reason for the same if asked.
How was your experience in IPM IIM Indore student exchange programme in the third year? What are the details of your trip (expenses, study, travel, etc)?
My friend had the opportunity to get selected for the student exchange program in the third year. She shared her amazing experience.
She was sent to the University of Latvia. Studying in Europe gave her the freedom to explore it, make new friends from every corner of the world and most importantly gain knowledge about different economies.
Expenses
The total expenditure amounted to approximately ?4–5 lac for the five months she spent there. However, she was lucky to get an ERASMUS+ grant which covered most of her expenses.
Study
You are free to opt for any course of your choice provided that you complete the minimum credits criteria of IIM Indore. It’s recommended that you go for such a course that satiates your interests and is unavailable in your country. Some of them include International Law and Culture.
Travel
You can travel to most of Europe if you have a Type-D Visa. The climate is extremely cold and you will not be able to adjust initially.
Food
There are no mess facilities, only college canteens. The taste of the food is not up to our taste. But spending much on food is futile. You can spend the maximum on traveling and you won’t regret it.
My friend had a great time as an exchange student at the University of Latvia thanks to its relaxed ambiance.
Is there any bias against IPM students during placements in IIM Indore? Are they considered equal to PGP students?
Yes, there indeed is a certain level of bias that IPM students face during the placement process. But the reason is well justified. Being a newly established course, IPM lacks the certainty of success. The industries are only gradually developing their trust towards this course over the years. So the recruiters are still a bit hesitant in investing in an IPM student.
But if you look at the figures, you can see that the course has been gaining trust and climbing the ladder drastically over the past few years. Also, I don’t think it’s justifiable to draw a comparison between a 7-year-old program that has already been recognized (PGP) to a newly established course (IPM).
People usually compare these 2 programs because they see IPM as a means to join IIM by escaping CAT. This is not the case at all. IPM is much more than that. It needs no comparison to any other program. It is a full-fledged integrated course that is way ahead of other undergrad or integrated courses across the nation both in terms of the kind of education it offers and the placements.
What is the view of a student who got into IIM, Indore through CAT towards an IPM student? Can you give me a deep insight into IPM? Is it worth taking?
A general PGP student is someone around 22-24 years of age, with an Undergraduate degree in Core engineering stream and work experience of 6-22 months in IT.
Whereas a typical IPM student would be someone of age 20-22 with an Undergraduate degree from IGNOU and no work experience at all.
Some general opinions regarding PGP students are as follows
- PGP students are way more mature and devoted to their careers than IPM students. This is because of the age gap and exposure to the real world.
- With prior work experience at hand, PGP students understand management concepts more quickly. This industry exposure lacks on the part of IPM students who are freshers.
- The fact that 2 batches with different criteria of admission get to sit in the same class learning the same courses is a bit difficult to understand for some students. Many are against this idea of both the batches sharing facilities like campus, professors, and placements.
- The placement scenarios at IIM Indore are still not on par with other IIMs owing to its recent establishment. The PGP students claim that the increasing batch size due to IPM admissions has resulted in a drop in placements. Many offers are made but in similar roles and with low packages.
- The IPM students prefer a carefree lifestyle despite the rigor of the course. They can be seen partying late at night and participating in other fests.
Not all IPM students are carefree and uninterested in their goals. There are some exceptionally good IPM students who are even better than PGP students from top engineering schools.
Moving on to the next part of your question, if IPM is really worth it, I would say no. Personally, I don’t think one should invest so much money in a course that has no certainty. The newly established course is yet to instill trust in the industry. The recruiters are not yet ready to undertake the risks of recruiting an IPM student so they face terrible placement demerits. But the final decision is yours to make.
How tough is IIM Indore IPM program entrance?
Math Section
This section is the trickiest as the given Maths problems are difficult even for the Maths students let alone the nin math students. The key lies in the approach to the question which is not at all easy. The questions can be asked from any topic and from any level. You need to be exceptionally talented at least for this section.
English Section
Try to attempt this section first as the questions are quite lengthy. But this section is comparatively easy, you can surely clear it.
Overall, the paper pattern is definitely tricky, after all, it is IIM, and the competition needs to be tough.
What do you have to say to a student who just got into IIM Indore's IPM program?
My friend is a senior at IIM Indore for the same course. As a senior, he has the following pieces of advice and recommendations for his juniors.
- Spend quality time with your family and friends before joining. Do things you have been willing to do for a long time but couldn't. This is because once you begin your hectic life here, you won't get time for anything else.
- Refrain from being a part of any clubs and fests in the initial year. Rather focus more on academics.
- Your peers will be from diverse backgrounds. Some may find it difficult to interact with them. It's okay if you don't befriend them just don't look down on anyone. Everyone here is a genius who has made it into an IIM after many struggles. On the brighter side, peers from all over the country add to the experience and fun.
- Try to make the most out of the library of the institution. You have a prior subscription included in your fees so you are free to explore the huge variety of books here.
- Read the IPM Manual given in the orientation thoroughly.
- Inculcate some extra skills like Excel or typing that might come handy in the future.
- Don't hesitate from approaching the professors for any kind of doubts. They are very humble and cooperative.
- Seek help from our seniors as they are more than ready to help in any situation.
- Last and most important, learn basic E-mail writing etiquette before the actual program begins. This will save you from embarrassing yourself in the future.
All these points will help you avoid some major blunders committed by seniors. But remember everyone makes mistakes in their college life. What matters is how you tackle it and what you learn from it.
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