It has been one year now since I made that life changing decision to join MHRM course of IIT Kharagpur, following my ambition to do an HR course from a top tier institution, so as to develop myself into an efficient people manager. As in the case of every CAT aspirant, taking this decision involved a lot of questions, research, curiosity and doubts prior to it; and also the rejection of many other promising offers. One year down the lane, I am happy that I could take the most judicious decision of that time, and hereby have consolidated my whole experience of the one year:
Like every morning, I took my coffee and was on the way to the office while the notification popped. It read "CONGRATULATIONS" in the subject, I stopped my car and read the complete mail and suddenly I felt like Harry who finally got his acceptance letter to The Hogwarts. I was smiling all day, planning to quit my job, thinking, and dreaming of all the fun that I would have before relocating. I thought of resigning one month early and spend some quality time with my parents, although I had the regret of not able to complete 3 years of work-ex as I would fall 3 months short for 36 months. Anyways, I Dreamt about going to goa on the money I had saved. On the other side of the picture, Corona was in the news but, like all the Indians even I thought it wouldn't enter India. So I did go on a trip to Bengaluru, although official one but had enjoyed this one to the full extent. I reached back to my home Ahmedabad on 21st and then as if God had said "Tathasthu", the lockdown came as a slap on my face. I like everyone was locked down in the house with my FAMILY for 3 months, my student life which was going to begin from June was in doubt. Work from home was another thing to get used to clearing the IT hurdles. I thought of the freshers I'm going to miss, the friends I was about to make, the campus I wanted to walk in. Then I thought how are we going to make friends how will I know a person how will I study in this virtual world. I never thought I would make any friends like this but, Google-meet, Microssoft teams, whatsapp and Zoom proved me wrong. I made friends we did batchmeet every week with umpteen introductions we knew each other to an extent. I also made friend to whom I could vent out everything. I got mentors all of them awesome and ruthless. The committee rounds the induction, life was hectic since virtual class started but one thing was I was still working I didn't resign as I had to work from home. I managed everything for 3 months then on 31st July I hung my boots, I resigned and I had crossed that 36 month mark. So again I felt "Thatastu". This pandemic taught me as human and as a student no matter what Virtual experience can never beat Reality.
Dr. Debapratim Purkayastha, Director of IBS Case Research Center, at ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad, recently had his views published among the 'Expert Views' in 'Dun & Bradstreet India's Top 500 Companies'. Read on to see what he has to say!
COVID-19 has affected the whole educational sector, right from primary education to higher education. For coping up with the current situation, schools and colleges have come upon online platforms. Online classes are being conducted on different portals like Zoom, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, etc with which sessions are being conducted. Though these portals have helped with academics for students who are at their homes, some things can't be done online.
On June 1st, 2020, amidst the COVID scenario and the prevailing lockdown restrictions, the happiest moment of my life occurred when I got the most awaited news from my father that I converted the seat in one of the premier B-Schools of India. I excitedly filled out the application form and confirmed my seat within the next few days. I was eagerly waiting to get onto the campus for I have heard a lot of the most interesting, enthusiastic, and adventurous MBA life stories and wanted to live those hectic but beautiful days of my life.
