On Professionalism, IIM Raipur, and why you shouldn’t rely on naysayers’ opinions
It is that time of the year again. CAT results are outMisconception #1: New IIMs are leeching off the brand value of older IIMs
It is true that the newer IIMs have not yet established themselves. Although there is a considerable level of effort from the campuses, it will take a while before there is some traction.
The main difference between an IIM Trichy and an IIM Ahmedabad is the 50 years between them. The older IIMs have the benefit of experience. As the saying goes, “Power is gained by sharing knowledge, not by hoarding it”.
SO WHAT if there are more people each year that call themselves IIM alumni? We should be proud, as a country, that there are so many capable individuals who will become the Ratan Tatas of tomorrow. More IIMs do not dilute the IIM brand value – it reinforces it, and makes it a force to be reckoned with on a global scale.
Misconception #2: Faculty crunches and quality of education
Once again, it is true that the faculty are sometimes asked to perform administrative duties that lie above and beyond their basic job description. But we are young. We are learning as we grow, and wrinkles in administration will quickly be ironed out.
This added pressure on the faculty does not, in any way, affect their academic excellence. The professors are experts in their respective fields, and teach the core concepts with extreme clarity. They set aside time for answering queries and writing research papers with students.
That said, there are always those few petty faculty members that cannot handle the workload, and proceed to write long-winded articles blaming EVERYTHING. I highly advice you to stay away from such jibber-jabber, as it is immature and banal, and not expected of professionals.
Misconception #3: Students at new IIMs are sub-par as compared to those in older IIMs
Here’s a question for you – Does one percentile point in the CAT exam separate the genii from the also-rans?The CAT exam is a metric, and nothing more. I could fail at it three years running and yet end up more successful and better off than everyone around me. I know people from new IIMs that consistently beat all competition in national- and international- level events.
Misconception #4: Infrastructure woes plague new IIMs
We live in 2- or 3- bedded rooms, and there is some shortage of living space. But then again, none of us are here to sleep for two years. We are here to work. We are here to study. We are here to become managers of tomorrow. The lack of space in our rooms may in fact be considered a boon, rather than a curse – we spend more time doing productive work outside our rooms as a result!!Apart from the slightly congested living quarters, there is little left for wanting – we have a large ground, a well-equipped gym, 24-7 geysers and washing machines, a round-the-clock canteen and – this is my favorite part – 1 GBPS broadband internet Wi-Fi facility available anywhere within the campus (Also, there is a very special pleasure in having classrooms just one floor below your room – you can wake up and be present in class in under five minutes!).
I have seen my batch grow over the course of the last few months. They are well on their way to becoming astute managers of tomorrow.
I look forward to seeing you here, in my campus. I promise that it will be fun, and a great experience.
- Vishnu KC,PGP16, IIM Raipur
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