What Is The Difference Between PGP And PGP-ABM At IIM Lucknow?

IIM L PGP-ABM is not the same as FABM at IIM-A and it certainly doesn’t restrict any opportunity on or off campus.

Here’s how:

A) Campus Life: You will be in the same campus (Lucknow campus, unlike the PGP-SM students who live in Noida campus), same hostels, eat in the same mess and study in the same classrooms.

In the second year, every student has an option of selecting electives. The ABM students have electives ranging from marketing, strategy, and operations to finance and economics, however, all second-year ABM courses will have a rural/agricultural aspect to it (as in the cases discussed in the class will typically be ABM aligned, but the theory and textbooks will remain the same). You can also choose a PGP elective of your choice in the second year. Besides, you also have the option of sitting through any number of PGP courses that you want to.

D) Clubs & Committees: Much like the campus life in general, there’s no differentiation that the ABM students suffer. It’s a level playing field for everyone, ABM or PGP irrespective. The selection criterion doesn’t account for your specialization. Every student body, from clubs & committees to the student senate has a fair representation of the ABM students as well.

E) Student Exchange: When it comes to the Student Exchange Program with International B-Schools, both PGP & ABM students have similar rules. Close to ~5% of the batch gets selected for the exchange program every year from both PGP and PGP-ABM students.

F) Future Prospects: While a B-School is a launch pad into the professional world, your progression thereon depends on how you perform in the corporate world. Whether you are a PGP student or an ABM student, your future career trajectory will purely depend upon your performance in the company that you join.

So, to say the least, I would quote a senior who had summarised his experience at ABM as, “A backdoor entry to IIM Lucknow”, and having spent close to two years in the campus, I believe that the best way to describe it because the boundary of ABM & PGP blurs right after you join Hel(L).

See you on the other side!
Good Luck.