A few of my friends graduated from IIM Ahmedabad and Athena School of Management. From whatever I have heard from them, I can say that the answer is no. IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore & IIM Calcutta are considered the Trinity of India's Best Business Schools for around 50 years.
Athena School of Management is a much younger Business School with a lot of innovation and inspiration. It is ranked as India's Best Emerging Business School with multiple internships. The faculty is from across the world with global exposure.
But the Athena School of Management is not better than the IIM Ahmedabad. IIM Ahmedabad is the gold standard for B-schools in India. The institute is ranked Top 1 in the NIRF ranking (2020).
Particulars | IIM Ahmedabad | Athena School |
Total fees | 23 Lakhs | 13.5 Lakhs |
Placement percent | 100% | 80% |
Highest salary | INR 75 LPA | INR 13 LPA |
Average salary | INR 25.5 LPA | INR 8.5 LPA |
Median salary | INR 23 LPA | INR 10 LPA |
Lowest salary | INR 12 LPA | INR 6 LPA |
Top recruiters | BCG, McKinsey, HUL, CitiBank, P&G | Vito, Infoedge, Samco, Tresvista |
Ultimately the decision is yours. But it is suggested that if you get an opportunity to study at IIM Ahmedabad, do not ever let it go out of your hands. This will pave the way for your career. With IIM Ahmedabad’s guidance, your career will be sorted.
Among many unique factors, the one thing that makes IIM Ahmedabad stand out is the people. If you go through the IIM Ahmedabad faculty profiles on Linkedin, you will be overwhelmed by the positions they hold. IIM Ahmedabad peer group is diverse. There are people from engineering, law, commerce, medicine backgrounds. Being among such a diverse set of people will make you open to new perspectives. Many students joining IIM Ahmedabad have years of experience in the industry. You can learn a lot from their experience.
At IIM Ahmedabad you get to learn from the faculty members when you get to assist them. There are lots of discussions, planning, execution that go into the work of Academic associates. Yes, it is one lot of overwhelming experience at IIM-Ahmedabad.
So, this is the job profile of an Academic Associate at IIM A:
This is an amazing experience to not only know your peers but also your teachers. This creates a bond and understanding between teacher and students. You get to learn the tricks and techniques from the faculties about teaching.
IIM Ahmedabad or even the top IIMs have very strict rules and regulations regarding the admission process. They strictly adhere to these rules. As of now, there is a rule that the average result combining class 10th and 12th should be at least 80 percent (for Science Students) and 87 percent (for Commerce Students).
If you are a general category student then it is less likely that you will be selected. Even if you get 100 percentile in CAT, you will not be shortlisted because of these criteria. However, you have other alternatives such as FMS, MDI Gurgaon, SP Jain, etc. These are some of the popular B-Schools that select students based on their CAT scores.
During my sister’s graduation, she was considering both IIM Ahmedabad and ISB for MBA. At last, she chose IIM Ahmedabad. Also being a student there myself, I can assure you that it is a far better institution than any other in India.
Here are some things that make IIM A stand out.
Categories | MBA at IIM Ahmedabad | MBA at ISB |
Course Fee | 23 lakh | 31.35 lakh |
Highest CTC | 45-60 LPA | 30 LPA |
Average CTC | 23-25 LPA | 24 LPA |
Many top recruiting companies participate in the placement program at IIM A. They include Microsoft, Google, Mindtree, Nerolac, Loreal, Capgemini, Asian Paints, KPMG, HSBC, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra, CitiBank, Godrej, Mercedes, etc. So if you are fortunate enough to get selected in both IIM A and ISB, choose IIM Ahmedabad without any second thought.
If you're considering pursuing a career in product management, it's important to choose the right business school that offers the best program and opportunities for this field. While both ISB and IIMs are well-known institutions for management education in India, there are some key differences to consider when it comes to their product management programs.
Here are some factors to keep in mind:
If you're set on pursuing a career in product management, and you have a choice between ISB and IIMs, then ISB may be the better option. However, if you're open to other fields such as finance, then IIMs still have a lot to offer.
Your life success is determined by your abilities and luck. When you are chosen for IIM Ahmedabad, you have met the minimum requirements, which means you are competent. So it makes no difference that you received affirmative action for your support.
A study was once conducted at the University of Michigan Law School to determine whether students who received the highest score on their standard test were more "successful" than those who received affirmative action-based admission. They discovered that ten years later, there was no difference in their performance and that they were all equally good lawyers.
More than half of IIM Indore students, and even more at IIM Ahmedabad, would admit that luck plays an important role. You should go to IIM Ahmedabad. The peer learning factor would be superior to IIM Indore.
Yes, many of my friends have enrolled at IIM L after completing a year at one of the new IIMs. Your only requirement is a strong profile, a high CAT score, and a compelling reason for quitting your current business school.
However, the opportunity cost should be considered while making this decision. This option is only practical if you come from the second generation of a new IIM or a 3 tier B-school. But you should not leave FMS or XLRI for IIM A after studying for a year in these universities. Since the opportunity cost would be too great in this circumstance.
Never consider leaving because the two years you spend there will change your perception. Newly established IIMs may, without a doubt, admit students with a lower percentile. But this is not an indication of inferior quality.
An MBA is not a course that can be taught. According to my friends at IIM Ahmedabad, the institute offers the students an official learning platform that helps them in learning management in a curriculum structured for around 18–19 months.
The students enrolled are:
In conclusion, the overall experience that the institute offers can teach you a lot about the various aspects of management along with what the curriculum offers.
As an undergraduate, you must complete the following tasks:
Better 10th and 12th-grade point averages, at least above 80% in both.
Maintain your academic focus.
Choose a non-engineering subject for your undergraduate studies. It will help your profile.
Attempt to score above the 99th percentile on the CAT. If you want, you can do coaching during your undergrad.
Enhance your communication and writing abilities. This will be beneficial in WAT and GD/PI. If you want, you can join Toastmasters or start a blog.
If you want, try to participate in some extracurricular activities. This will not improve your IIM chances (unless you have a national-level certificate), but it will add some vibrancy to your profile. Activities can range from being a member of a club or placement cell to creating your own YouTube channel.
Perform some internships or work as a freelancer on a project. It will provide fodder for conversation in interviews.