Who Should/Should Not Apply For SPJIMR’s Admission Process? - Shakshi Sodhani

The last date to apply for the admissions process of SPJIMR’s PGDM course for 2021 is 27th November,2020. With this deadline only a month away, I would like to provide some clarity to my peers about the uniqueness of the programme and the B-school as a whole. My journey with this place started just 3 months ago and I can recall vividly how I went about choosing this particular B-school over the other calls that I had. SPJIMR was recently placed 3rd in India and 36th worldwide as per Financial Times Masters in Management ranking. This itself is representative of the legacy and the potential that the place carries.

The sole purpose of writing this article is to ensure you make an informed decision because it is as important for you to choose the right b-school as it is for a b-school to pick the right candidates.

There are several reasons why SPJIMR stands out from other B-Schools which is why it is important to see the following-

• Alignment of personal goals with the values of SPJIMR
• Cultural fitment 

These are the 2 major factors that this place considers over and above just academics or scores. They believe that offerings of the B-school should be in line with the expectations of the candidates and vice-versa to make this journey a fruitful and wholesome experience.

Eligibility for PGDM-

• An applicant is required to have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent (10+2+3) from a recognized university. Students in the final year of graduation can also apply.
• Work experience is not a mandatory requirement for this program. Fresh graduates and those with up to 5 years of work experience may apply.

The selection criteria-

The applicants are shortlisted on the basis of their profiles. They are also expected to meet the qualifying scores in at least one of the following entrance exams- CAT or GMAT. XAT will no longer be accepted for admissions into SPJIMR.

The profiles are scored and the applicants are sorted into two categories: Profile based and Profile plus Score based. Factors considered -

• Overall profile (read: goal-oriented)
• Academic background (read: consistent)
• Work experience (not a mandatory requirement)
• Entrance scores (keep in mind, the level of competition)
• Versatility (read: areas of interest and contributions to society)

SPJIMR Admission Procedure-

• At the application stage, the candidate needs to fill two comprehensive forms and opt for two specializations. Applicants who are not shortlisted for the first choice of specialization may be considered for the second option.
• Based on their profiles, the candidates are sorted into two shortlists.
  Applicants are shortlisted in the first phase list based on their profile. The second shortlist is based on their profile along with their performance in the entrance tests.
• On the day of the interview, they are supposed to take a written test prior to their interview rounds. The test includes a write-up as well as a psychometric test to gauge the orientation of the applicant.
• The shortlisted candidates then go through two rounds of group interviews. The first round being technical and second round based on ethics and values of the candidate.
• Final Merit List is released based on a composite score, which takes into account the candidate’s academic record, entrance test scores, relevance of work experience (if any), written tests and performance in the two rounds of interviews.

By now you must have sensed the weightage this B-school places on your overall profile and personality. They have quite literally acknowledged the fact that “one sheet of paper does not decide your future”. I have come across people with a bare minimum cut off scores studying in my batch and 99 percentilers getting rejected. The fact that you over/underperformed on a particular day does not get priority over the consistency and grit that you have shown all these years.

Here, the personality and cultural fit seems to take precedence over several other factors after all they are building us into skyscrapers (metaphor) and for that they need to test how strong the foundations are. The importance of social initiatives cannot be emphasized enough. The overall vibe of this place speaks clearly of positivity, value addition and social impact. The various opportunities this place has to offer, right from its projects and committees to the international experience at ivy-leagues and mind-blowing placements, are attractive enough for every B-school aspirant.

However, I being on the other side of the table have seen a lot more that is there to it. Our professors are available and eager to help at any time of the day, whether it is a subject related doubt or self-doubt and under confidence- they are always there to rescue us. Even our Dean sir is easily approachable, the open-door policy followed here is something I have never seen elsewhere. We are always encouraged to come up with new ideas and initiatives, there is no bad idea here. Lastly, like most of the readers even I had my doubts about the importance of psychometric tests and the second round of GI but when I joined this place and began with my classes, I could feel that instant belongingness. My peers are from different states, backgrounds and streams yet we have so much in common, there is no nasty competition or desperate class participation that most B-Schools are famous for. The environment is collaborative and everyone is very supportive of each other. Everything just seems to fit like pieces of a puzzle.

By now I am sure you would have come to a decision. If you do decide to apply for SPJIMR, stay tuned for 3 sets of articles by next week-

• How to fill Form A and B for SPJIMR
• The best approach towards WAT and Psychometric tests
• How to ace group interviews (both the rounds)

I hope this added some clarity to my readers. Looking forward to sharing more of my experiences and taking up other doubts and queries. All the best!