The vast campus of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore, IIMB) welcomes a fresh batch of 405 Post Graduate Programme (PGP) and 23 Fellowship Programme in Management (FPM) students on Thursday. Chief Guest at the inauguration Mathew Cyriac says choosing the right mentors and developing communication skills are important in today’s business world.
About 88 per cent of the students are from engineering background with more than 50 percent of students from IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and NITs (National Institute of Technology). The remaining students are mainly from commerce background, CA, ICWA and CS.
Among those who are joined PGP course this year 2017-18, 80 percent of the batch have already professional experience. The Students also have an average international work experience of 40 months. The average Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score of this batch is 737, scores ranging from 720 to 760.
“It is important to find good mentors as they help you take tough decisions and guide you through tough times,” said Mathew Cyriac, Founder and Chairman designate of Florintree Advsiors, a Mumbai-based Alternative Asset Manager, to incoming doctoral and post graduate students at IIMB on Thursday.
Mathew Cyriac, a gold medallist from the PGP batch of 1992-94 at IIMB, was Senior Managing Director at The Blackstone Group till February this year. Describing IIMB as ‘IIM Best’, he encouraged students to look beyond grades to see what best they could get out of their time on campus. “Build relationships as that may prove valuable later in life. Engage with each other,” he advised in his keynote address.
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Observing that it was very important to master written and oral communication skills in today’s global world of business, he said to the students: “Your journey is your destination. Your time here will pass quickly, so get the best out of every single day.”
Prof. M S Narasimhan, Chairperson, Post Graduate Programme in Management and faculty from the Finance & Accounting area, welcomed the FPM and PGP students.
Prof. Rajendra K Bandi, Chairperson, Admissions & Financial Aid, and faculty from the Decision Sciences and Information Systems area, shared the batch profile and dwelt briefly on the admissions process. “Apart from the entrance exam (CAT), the institute attaches a lot of importance on other factors to grant admission, like past academic and extracurricular achievements, work experience, if any, in terms of both duration and quality, social sensitivity, etc. We want students with well-rounded abilities,” he said.
Wishing the students well, Prof. Bandi said: “We have tried to bring in the best possible batch. We are confident it is going to be an enriching and exciting journey for all.”
Dr. G. Raghuram, Director of IIMB and Professor in the Public Policy area, urged the students to explore the opportunity to think in a sharp and problem-solving manner, discover their potential to stretch themselves and appreciate multiple perspectives.
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Highlighting the skills and expertise required of managers of the future, he said it was imperative to have an understanding of the reality of the large grassroots-level population in India. “Accountability and responsibility are no longer limited to customers, shareholders, and employees, but also to the society and the government,” he added.
On the occasion, PGP 2 students received the Director’s Merit List awards, the section-wise and term-wise topper awards and scholarships instituted by the alumni.
Students Affairs Council (SAC) President Velagala Vivek offered a brief overview of life as an IIMB student to the incoming students. The evening came to a close with a cultural event.