A Rehearsal Of My Future Managerial Journey || Ft. Kamal Sood, IIM Nagpur '22

Along with studying at IIM Nagpur, acting as an interface between the administration and the students through the Class Representative's role came as a bonus. A jumble of responsibilities and lessons, the role of a CR helped me mold my personality and connect with my peers in a way that might not have been possible without this role.

The Process Of Selection

The process of CR selection was in itself an amazing feat to witness. Deciding on whether or not do I find myself appropriate for this tag and the responsibilities it entails, framing down my course of action if I am selected for the role of CR, and then winning the confidence of my classmates so that they vote for me in the final phase of selection, and finally winning the voting to be officially declared as the CR- I discovered myself on a whole new level.

Then Comes the Role of Class Representative

As an individual, in the past few days, I have transitioned a lot. The CR tag has helped me build my confidence level and instilled in me the mettle to talk through matters concerning our class as a whole. Moreover, I feel a sense of vibrancy in assisting my peers. A major chunk of MBA routine is influenced by how good you are at making connections. And being the CR, I think I’m doing it the right way. Also, since the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to carry on with the online learning mode, I feel that fostering these connections has been made easier by my role.

For a course like MBA, practical experiences have an edge over theory. Frankly, the role of CR is proving to be a rehearsal for my future managerial role. I am getting to hone my negotiation skills by proving to be the medium of communication between teachers and students. Getting deadlines extended, discussing things on both teachers’ and students’ sides, and reaching a common unbiased verdict is not easy.  But with every passing day, I’m learning to do it efficiently.

This is not just about me but also about my peers who come from diverse backgrounds, different cultures, and might have a totally different perspective than mine. But my role involves communicating with each one of them and maintaining the class's integrity in the best possible way. I joined IIM Nagpur as a student. But now, when I have been bestowed upon with the responsibilities of CR, my perspective includes not only the interest of students but also the administration of IIM Nagpur. This helps me make informed decisions.

Role of CR and Being Attentive In Class

On a lighter note, being attentive in class is even more important because being someone people look towards for assistance, I cannot afford to miss anything that takes place around me.

All in all, the role of a CR is not as simple as it might look. From coordinating between the students and teachers to assisting everyone in solving their queries/problems while managing one’s own hectic MBA routine is not easy. However, the silver lining is that it comes with many lessons, responsibilities, and self-discovery, which makes it wonderful.

About the Author - Kamal Sood is a PGP 2020-22 student at IIM Nagpur and executive member of the Students Affairs Council and is elected as a Class representative. He has 37 months of work experience in the Production Planning and Control department of a manufacturing firm. In his leisure time, he loves to cook and follows cricket and Football diligently.