Term VI - Paradigm Shift

The electives and placements posed a significant trade-off in Term-VI, and priorities shifted quite visibly towards the latter. The placement committee, the placement policy document, associated processes, career counselling sessions, email invitations, cold calls etc were the terms bandied about within the class. It helped that some of the professors offering electives were open to formulating the evaluation criteria based on the class’ opinion – and it so happened that few of our batchmates had only one end-term examination, while majority of the people had multiple project submissions. So that gave us some breathing space in terms of getting things going on the placement front.

Preparations are also on for the inaugural EPGP reunion in mid-December, which is primarily being driven by the IIM-B alumni association (IIMBAA). The alumni office also arranged for a photo session (which for once, didn’t require a pinstripe suiting up) for the annual yearbook that would feature all the graduates of 2011 from IIM-B.

The much awaited director’s merit list (top 5 students from the first three core terms) was also announced, which carries a scholarship amount of Rs.5 Lakhs. Kudos to the deserving winners, who showed tremendous focus and enterprise in coming up trumps. The class is counting on a few parties from these hotshots over the next couple of months.

The academics committee, in response to fervent calls to get more electives offered, went into an overdrive. Now, the number of electives on offer for Term-VII has been quite mind-boggling and one has to make a conscious choice of balancing the final project (Comprehensive project-CP), the placements, exams and project submissions. There is a heavy overdose of finance courses on offer in Term-VII, and this sure would send some shivers down the spine of “finaphobics”.

The placement brochure was finally out and is being sent out to various firms, over email and regular post. The early signs of placement have been very encouraging, thanks to the students as well as faculty pulling their weight in making a collective effort to improve upon last year’s placements. Meanwhile, the official word on last year’s placements are out and could be found at http://epgp.in/EPGP%202009-10%20Placements%20Snapshot.pdf

Term-V - The Beginning

With an option to choose between 4-6 electives (credit courses) from a list of 13 for Term-V, one was spoilt for choice to say the least. Students could also take up non-credit courses which will also require the mandatory attendance, exams, assignments etc and even grades; the difference being that the non-credit grades will appear in the final grade sheet but wont be factored for arriving at the CGPA. The non-credit option helps students to take as many electives as they want, given the constraint on maximum of 18 credit electives one can take.

Another notable feature is the option of auditing courses (except for visiting faculty in most cases) offered by various professors, who offer a course only when there are minimum of 10 takers. Unfortunately there were few courses where we couldnt muster the required number and hopefully these would be offered again in one of the remaining terms.

There was a mad-cap rush to identify our faculty guide for the Comprehensive Project (CP) and submit a signed project proposal to EPGP office before the fixed deadline. Inspite of a divided house, we saw the inception of "Preferred" group formation this term, given the fact that the entire 65 weren't going to take the same set of courses.

The Shade of their Affection and Light of their Wisdom

Education indeed is the cornerstone of IIMB, as it should be. Time and again, sitting in the class has given me the experience of being transported to a different space where I felt the professor was leading me by hand into the real world of business, consumers, national politics and global markets. The classroom lecture would turn into a theater where the real business drama was enacted with its several players and we would be the partakers and the spectators of the drama alike.

The lectures on Macroeconomics by Prof Shyamal Roy, Marketing by Prof DVR Seshadri, Operation Research by Prof Dinesh Kumar, Corporate Strategy by Prof R Srinivasan, Sustainability by Prof PD Jose, Social Entrepreneurship by Prof Trilochan Sastry, Creativity by Prof Shekar to name a few, have made us all marvel at the wit and wisdom of these professors, the depth to which they understand their subjects, and the ease with which they convey their insights.

But there is more to education at IIMB. It's stupendous culture. The affection that we receive from professors, their friendliness, their going out of their way to help us and teach us, their sympathy, and their sensitivity, makes the place more like a community, imbuing us with a comforting feeling of being at home. It is so easy to walk to any professor's office, and hold a discourse with him or take guidance about one's career: irrespective of the fact whether the professor has taught us or not. They are infact happy that someone has approached them for help and offer more help than we actually ask for.

When for the first time I approached Prof S Raghunath to request him to be my project guide, not only did he willing agree, he also stopped me from committing myself to a wrong project which could undo me in my placement and career. Come to think of it, Prof Raghunath, had never taught us and had never seen my face before. But in the very first meeting, he not only asked me to changed the theme of my project, but also volunteered to connect me to the directors of some companies who would help me execute the

project. And he did!

Ofcourse we had Prof Roy taking classes after the term was over just to fulfill our request of learning more about Macroeconomics. Who can forget Prof J Ram taking 3 hour lecture on a Sunday to fulfill his commitment to the class, and then hosting a dinner in MDC at his own expense for the 70 of us. Prof Mahadevan arranging a trip for us to Toyota's plant in Bangalore, Prof Seshadri's willingness to battle with the management for not giving students grades lesser than "high B", Prof Krishnamurthy's gifting away of books and sweets to students (he offers cigarettes too, to those who smoke!), Prof Vaidya's affectionate and witty demeanor, Prof's Jose's passion for protection of environment and common people's interests, Prof Sastry's devotion to upliftment of the poor, the ever smiling Prof Vasanthi and her spontaneity in indulging in little conversation by the corridor with students....these are glimpses of a consciously cultivated culture at IIMB. Admittedly, I'd not expected this when I joined IIMB. I was only expecting a great faculty, a lovely campus, and modern infrastructure to aid students in education.

But the culture of the institute has instilled and reinforced the virtues of goodness, humaneness, sensitivity, sacrifice, affection, selflessness and compassion in me. I shall not forget the last class taken by Prof Vaidyanathan (Corporate Finance), when he said that "always strive in life to share a portion of what you have with those who don't have anything to live by. I donate a one third of my income with the have-nots of the society." Prof Jha (Marketing) told us in his last class that "make yourself indispensable like a cardiologist. Make your life and profession to be of such priceless value." Prof Mahadevan takes lectures on Gita painstakingly when he has no obligation from the institute to do so.

It is not just the education, but these human values of affection and compassion, humility and endeavour, that I shall carry more importantly than the lessons in Business Administration from this noble institute of ours.

Yogesh Kumar Singh

Student, IIMB EPGP 2010-11