‘’Nervous, legs shaking, head a bit heavy, as you are at your wit’s end, not sure what to do and how to progress when you are going to face your first examination of your MBA life, the midterms of the first semester. “Ting!” rings a familiar ring of your mobile phone indicating an email notification. I pick up the phone and there it is, a ray of hope amidst all the darkness of confusion and fear. Unlocking my phone and I read the mail, “A peer learning session has been scheduled. The venue is so and so” I breathe a sigh of relief. I continue with studying the basic concepts for the next few hours and ready with my doubts, I head out to attend the peer learning session. I notice I am not alone and soon the classroom fills with the students. I see my own classmate, in the middle of the room, my eyes usually habitual of seeing a faculty there blink a little. But, this time it’s a bit different. It’s not a position of power but it’s more about having a reciprocal and collaborative session. Soon, he starts and explains all the concepts clearly, one by one and then followed by a doubt solving session. Some more peers of my batch join him and start solving each other’s doubts. With most of the doubts solved and the confidence level at a much higher level, I head back to my room with a bunch of my friends, we continue our discussion and solving each other’s doubts, we meet in the common room and resume our studies.’’

Well, if you think this is all that consists of Peer learning, then let me tell you that it’s just one part of it. The curriculum of the subjects in IIM Kashipur set carefully by the expert faculty which includes case-based pedagogy followed by the students in the classroom which helps in the exchange of ideas with an equal contribution by students. Imagine yourself in a classroom full of students from various parts of our diverse country coming from various cultures, with distinct professional backgrounds, education streams, different months of work experience, etc. Such a diverse set of students often bring about different perspectives and contribution to the table and achieve more objective and balanced classroom discussions. It is a setup where often faculty points out that they are just the facilitators and it is the students who should analyze the case together in groups before coming to the lecture and then involve in a discussion involving all the students of the classroom. It is a comprehensive process where the case study is taken up and everyone participates together bringing diverse ideas, thoughts, viewpoints and try to identify the case dilemma. They soon move to find the various alternatives and determine the possible solutions to the given case study. A student might share key insights on a particular case if someone has faced a similar situation at his/her previous workplace or comes from a similar background that might have been discussed in the case. All these activities involved in the process are similar to the practical business environment and make the students ready for the corporates.

Planning your peer learning sessions amidst the hectic schedule of an IIM requires a set of skills and one develops on his/her organizational skills. When studying for cases or a particular subject, it puts you in a situation of responsible learning where everyone puts in their points at the discussion. Such discussions are sometimes called the biggest takeaways for an MBA student. It is interesting how your peer learning group impacts your thinking style and with such bright minds, clearing one of the toughest examinations in the world, who come to IIM Kashipur it becomes one of the best brainstorming sessions you can ever have.

‘Your network is your net worth.” One of the first key lesson that any student learns here at IIM Kashipur and it can be applied to any MBA program is also facilitated through some informal discussions that might happen at a Sunday brunch or late-night weekdays over a tea or coffee when students debate over the current news affairs, government policies etc. weighing their pros and cons while sitting at the canteen. Imbibed in the core values of IIM Kashipur, ‘mutual respect’, where the peer learning is not just about the cases and various subjects or courses but also about learning about the various cultures of different states and ethnicities from which the students hail. The groups formed as you become a part of a club, committee or cell where you learn from each other and at the end of the day, one not just hones his skill and performs on his KRA but also assists others in various aspects and become an all-rounder.

Nitin Motwani

Learning Together At IIM Kashipur