Making an investment towards business education is certainly one of the most crucial financial decisions in an individual’s life. Numerous aspirants today contemplate about the ROI of the management program to gauge the feasibility of spending such a huge amount on themselves, even though they have a resolute will to make a difference in the business world. In such a scenario, it’s rare to see management institutes stepping up to aid the student community, so that they can follow their dreams and achieve everything they desire.
T.A. Pai Management Institute, located in the beautiful city of Manipal, is one such prominent business school which offers Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarships across a wide range of academic profiles.
In a recent conversation, we spoke to Prof Kedar Joshi, Chairperson (Admissions) at TAPMI to find out more about the program.
1. Sir, what was the vision behind setting up the prestigious Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarship & what does it offer to the potential students?
Getting into a top management programme is extremely difficult, with the best institute usually only accepting a fraction of those who apply. This indicates that successful candidates are mostly high-fliers, who in order to get the degree usually must give up bigger pay. A big financial investment is an MBA, but the returns can be much higher than tuition fees. Fortunately, very few institutions such as TAPMI offer a scholarship to fund a student's education during his/her management education in India, awarded based on academic or other accomplishments.
In 2018, TAPMI has set up its prestigious Dr. Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarships. The objective of this scholarship is:
- To celebrate and appreciate merit
- To financially support meritorious students with limited financial means
For aspiring students, TAPMI provides scholarships up to INR 2.9 crores. Under Dr. Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarship scheme, around 50 students can bag scholarships worth INR 2.26 crores.
Almost one student of ten students gets financial support with this scheme. For more details please visit: https://bit.ly/360WeQ3
2. Which are the most promising accomplishments & behavioral traits, that TAPMI looks for, in candidates contending for this scholarship?
TAPMI invites applications post joining the programme in each category, except category I (purely Merit based i.e. 95 percentile and above score in CAT or XAT). Based on appropriate documents like Income Tax returns of parents for past three years the applications are scrutinized. Further, these applicants are interviewed by panelists to understand their need, background etc. Each applicant except in Category I submits a Statement of Purpose which is also a critical document in selection process. Many times, candidates with high achievement orientation in the past gets importance for the Category II or III during the interview process. For category III and IV, how candidate has faced hard times financially or personally while his or her career becomes more significant during interview process.
3. Has there been an ongoing trend, which you have come across in the past three years among the candidates who have secured this scholarship?
The selection process also tracks candidate’s academic performance for the first year. Each recipient must attain CGPA 6 and above for categories II, III and IV based, whereas for category I, CGPA of 7 and above is necessary. Such performance-based requirements helped all recipients remain to their toes and shine during their journey of two years both academically and professionally.
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Let’s now hear it first hand from two of the recipients of Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarships, who are currently pursuing their PGDM at TAPMI, about their experience of the process.
1. How did you prepare your candidature for your MBA interview & how was your interview experience?
Ms. Sasanka Maganti
My initial candidature was almost a dime a dozen. My first interview with a reputed B- School challenged me to improve the way I was presenting. I precisely remember my experience with TAPMI. It was not restricted to grades and previous experience. We were tested to work in a team of 6 to complete a fun task which went great for me. I had communicated well with my peers and progressed in the task.
Mr. Savio Christen Joseph
Post completion of B Tech in 2016, while working in IT industry for two years, I decided to pursue my career in management domain. I had my TAPMI interview at Bangalore and the process had three stages i.e. a Group Discussion, an Activity Based Round, and the Final Interview. It was interesting but at the same time, a challenging one. Apart from our academic knowledge, our personality, communication skills, presence of mind, managerial skills as well as our level of confidence was assessed by the faculties. Planned and guided preparation aided me to remain positive throughout the process and thus I was able to convert the interview and join TAPMI for which I am proud of.
2. How has securing the Dr Ramdas Pai Merit Scholarship helped you in your PGDM program?
Ms. Sasanka Maganti
I have received Dr. Ramdas Pai scholarship based on merit. This scholarship not only helped me financially but also made me feel empowered. It inspired me to work harder and appreciate the value of education. I am grateful to TAPMI for recognizing and helping students with financial aid for years. This personally helped me soar higher than I could ever imagine.
Mr. Savio Christen Joseph
I am privileged and honored to have received Dr. Ramdas M Pai Merit Scholarship from TAPMI for the batch 2019-21. Being a recipient of this scholarship motivates me to focus and excel in my academics. It also enables me to aim high and be more responsible for my academic growth. I extend a big Thank You to the TAPMI Management, my mentors, and my beloved family whose blessings, support and encouragement lifted my spirit to achieve my goals.
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