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How is the mess at IIM Calcutta?
It's fine unless you're not used to eating mess food. In that case, you may grow tired of the same dishes. Food isn't an issue if you don't mind spending a little money – now and then to eat out. You could also pay extra and have a few extra items made from the mess for yourself.
The mess is run by the student body, and you can bargain over the prices and menu items. The real problem is that mess workers are members of the local union and thus have some bargaining power, which is common in West Bengal.
How do students at IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta choose their elective courses? Is there any system?
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.
What is it that only IIM Calcutta has, but no other IIMs do?
IIM Calcutta provides you with a second chance in life. Nowadays, most IIMs place a high value on your previous academic achievements.
If you go to Ahmedabad, you will find people with exceptional academics, brilliant 10th, 12th, and undergraduate marks, and toppers in every phase of their lives who have never failed.
Except for the high CAT Percentile, everything is the same in Bangalore.
However, at IIM Calcutta, the majority of them failed in life. After achieving a high CAT percentile, IIM Calcutta is the only top college that provided them with the opportunity to prove themselves once more in life. Failures and struggles have occurred in the students' lives. They understand how to work with limited resources. The best thing IIM Calcutta has done for them is given them HOPE. It is the only place that believes in you and provides you with the necessary opportunities. People, not profiles, can be found there.
You'll meet people who have faced disappointments in their lives, learned from them, and risen above them. People who are compassionate and steady. Individuals who understand how to function with fewer resources.
Why did you choose IIM Calcutta over IIM Ahmedabad ?
Students interested in Finance specialization choose IIM Calcutta over IIM Ahmedabad. IIMC is known as the finance campus of India. During IIM Calcutta placements 2021, around 17% of the placement offers were from the Finance domain. It offers more front-end core finance job profiles.
IIM Calcutta is among the only 108 business schools in the world to have triple accreditation (AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS). Other reasons for preferring IIM C over IIM A can be ascribed to personal inclination and location.
Should I choose IIM lucknow over Calcutta for marketing?
You should choose IIM Calcutta. It is better in terms of peer group, faculty profiles, ranking across the country and abroad, location, alumni base, and placements. You will get better opportunities at IIM Calcutta.
As per the recent statistics, IIM Calcutta placements for the sales and marketing sector are pretty good. Almost 14% of students received placements in General Marketing and Marketing sector. The average CTC offered by the companies in this sector is INR 29 LPA.
IIM Calcutta also has a better brand value compared to IIM Lucknow. In the long run, you can benefit a lot from that.
Does IIMC consider work experience?
Yes, every IIM considers the work experience of the candidate during admission. In fact, work experience carries a certain weightage in the selection procedure. The final selection for admission at IIMs depends on the CAT score of the candidate, past academic scores, and other factors.
However, in the PI shortlisting criteria, the requirement of work experience is not mentioned. But you can expect several questions relating to it in the interview session. And during the final selection, a certain weightage is given to your past word experience. Although it may not be a significant contributing factor, work experience is definitely evaluated for admission at IIMs including IIMC.
In the following, some facts for IIMC are highlighted regarding the points according to the months of work experience. It is not definite and can vary a little.
|
Months of work experience |
Points |
|
<6 |
0 |
|
6 months to 12 months |
1 |
|
13 months to 18 months |
2 |
|
19 months to 24 months |
3 |
|
25 months to 30 months |
3.5 |
|
31 months to 36 months |
4 |
|
37 months to 42 months |
3 |
|
>=43 |
2.5 |
Considering the above facts, it can be stated that besides the CAT scores students should also give preference to their work experiences as it matters for admission to IIMC. The weightage of work experience of a student is normally 4 out of 50 at the time of final selection, however, at the initial stage, there is no such significance.
How can I prepare for my interview on IIMC?
Any interview including IIMC is basically a thorough explanation of your thought process. Discussed below are a few tips which may come in handy during the interview.
- Focus on your strengths and try to highlight your strengths.
- Keep your attitude positive and show that you are a go-getter.
- If you have any specific talent do not forget to mention it.
- Keep yourself updated with the current affairs.
- Have a clear idea about your educational qualification, and the future plan.
Besides this, you should also work on the following topics for an interview at any B-School.
- Your UG subjects along with the specific areas of interest.
- Focus on reading daily Current Affairs.
- Hobbies
- Personal questions
- Brush up basic Mathematics Skills
So, try to be yourself and do not exaggerate. How the interview will go depends entirely on you. No matter the questions asked try to turn the table to your side. Hope the answer was helpful.
Does it make sense going for a 2-year MBA from IIM-Ahmedabad/Calcutta at 29 years of age?
The answer to your question depends on the reason why you are willing to pursue an MBA and if the reason is strong enough to go for an MBA at the age of 29 years. See, age should never be a restricting factor especially when it comes to education. But your purpose should be well-defined and crystal clear. Pursuing MBA vaguely just to venture on new opportunities or career options might do you more harm than good. So the primary step in deciding if an MBA at 29 is good or not is to analyze your purpose. If you are changing streams for instance moving to Finance or MC, you need to know that your pay scale might see a new low.
I have another suggestion for you. Why don’t you compare the two programs;
- Regular 2-year MBA
- Executive MBA 1-year program
Compare the curriculum and prospects of these two programs. The reason why I suggested to you research the Executive program is that many experienced professionals (almost 95%) prefer the Executive program over the regular program. It suits their needs better.
The 2-year program is suitable only if you are looking for an internship and I Don't think that is the case for you. Moreover, if you consider the major aspects like classroom experience, rigor and placements, the Executive program is far more a viable option in your case. It will also allow you to reap the maximum benefits in less time. So do your part of the research and make an informed decision.
What are the books IIM A, B, and C follow for finance, marketing, strategy and operations management?
At IIM ABC, textbooks aren’t the primary source of learning. Textbooks are used more as reference material. Students mostly learn through classroom and case studies. Here are the books that are generally recommended for Finance, marketing, Strategy, and Operation Management.
- Accounting by Anthony, Hawkins, and Merchant
- Principle of Marketing - Philip Kotler
- Operations Management - Stevenson
- Economics - Paul Samuelson
- Microeconomics - Paul Krugman
- Macroeconomics - Dornbusch, Fisher and Startz
- Competitive Strategy - Michael E Porter
These are the reference books used in the first year.
Which one is better, IIM Calcutta or IIM Bangalore? Why?
IIM Calcutta Vs. IIM Bangalore debate is a never-ending one, and there is no clear winner. Both of these institutes are among the top in management education and have their advantages.
- Faculty wise there are no such differences between the two IIMs.
- In terms of location, IIM Bangalore is definitely better. The city is a hub of industry houses, so you will get better placement opportunities and exposure.
- Contrary to the various rumors, placement at IIM A, B, and C is almost similar.
- IIM C offers a wide array of electives. You are free to choose from a huge variety of courses depending on your interests and career plans.
Both institutes are at the top of their game and will offer you many opportunities to grow.
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