Question 1

What is the preferred order among IIM Amritsar, IIM Bodh Gaya, or IIT Roorkee for taking an MBA course? Where should I attend?

Accepted Answer

My brother has offers from Bodhgaya as well as Amritsar but chose the former for a number of reasons. Some of these reasons have been listed below

IIM Bodh Gaya was initially under the mentorship of IIM Calcutta for five years and thus adopts a similar teaching methodology which is phenomenal.
The curriculum caters to various arenas of Management and is updated to meet the changing demand of the industry.
Despite being a new IIM, it has been able to make its mark in terms of batch size, profile, academics, and placements.
IIM Bodh Gaya Placements 2023 has a record of 100% placements. The average salary increased by 33% at INR 16 LPA whereas the highest salary increased by more than 100% at INR 48.58 LPA. 70 recruiters participated in the placement drive. Some of the top recruiters are Amazon, BNY Mellon, Deloitte, HCL, Infosys, and ICICI Bank
Several clubs and committees run by students keep the campus life dynamic and promote extracurricular activities as well.
An E-Cell runs to promote startup culture among the students through summits, events, and competitions since its inception.
IIM Bodh Gaya is known for its academic rigor and thus has collaborations with various international B-schools for an exchange program for both the students and the faculty members.
The ROI is also high around 99%

IIM Bodh Gaya is a perfect blend of academic rigor, and opportunities for growth and extracurricular activities and thus should be preferred over IIM Amritsar. As far as IIT Roorkee is concerned, MBA is best done from a Business School as the environment is an important factor that is lacking in the case of an engineering college like IIT Roorkee.

Question 2

How was the placement of the first batch at IIM Bodh Gaya?

Accepted Answer

IIM Bodh Gaya is fortunate to have the mentorship and guidance of IIM Calcutta, one of the premier management institutes in India. The institute's placement process saw participation from a total of 42 companies, offering internships across a wide range of profiles and disciplines. The major sectors in focus were Consumer Goods, Banking and Financial Services, Public Sector Undertakings, and Strategy and Consulting. Additionally, there were many start-ups that recruited students who were interested in pursuing a career in entrepreneurship.

The campus saw visits from top companies such as KPMG, ITC, Henkel, Airtel, Godfrey Phillips, HDFC Bank, SBI, Shree Cements, Cholayil, Adani Group, Meril, SIDBI, BASIX Consulting, Fujitsu, DAKS, H&R Block, offering opportunities in marketing, finance, and various other roles. Public sector undertakings such as IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, NTPC, Malabar Cements (MCL), and Kerala Minerals & Metals (KMML) also visited the campus and offered general management roles. This rich diversity of companies and roles provides students with a wide range of options to choose from, aligning with their career aspirations.

Question 3

Are the salary packages for IIMs higher than those from JBIMS?

Accepted Answer

IIMs can be broadly categorized into two categories; the first comprising IIM ABC and the second comprising IIM KIL. The total fees will be around 16-18 Lakhs or a few lakhs more for these IIMs. As far as the average package is concerned for IIM ABC, it is around 19-20 Lakhs while for IIM KIL it is merely 2 lakhs less. The highest CTC is around 60-70 (International) for these IIMs.

Coming to JBIMS, we get to witness a much higher ROI. This is because the average package is almost similar to these IIMs while the fees are much less. Also, it is a Mecca for Finance enthusiasts. JBIMS has many notable alumni that carry its brand name proudly. Some of them include

Vinita Bali, Managing Director of Britannia
Chanda Kochhar, Managing Director & CEO, ICICI Bank, India
Nitin Paranjpe, CEO and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Ltd
Ajay Piramal, chairman of Piramal Healthcare

So yes, the salary packages of certain IIMs might be slightly higher than that of JBIMS but considering the ROI factor that slightly differs doesn't really matter.

Question 4

How do I get a package of 30 lakhs in the field of marketing, post MBA from IIMA/B/C, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, and IIFT?

Accepted Answer

While many may shed their philosophies on how getting a high package should not be your ultimate goal and stuff, I am here with a different opinion. When you are investing a huge amount of money it is only right to expect a greater monetary benefit and a better lifestyle. So I have mentioned some techniques that will help you land a package of 30 LPA specifically in the field of marketing post-MBA from IIM ABC, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, and IIFT.

The first thing you need to do is lower your expectations as no marketing placements offer a package higher than 25 LPA. These highest offers are made by top firms like Reckitt Benckiser, HUL, P&G, and Asian Paints.
You need to figure out what you really are after, a good marketing role or a high-paying job. If you are after the latter I suggest you go for big consulting firms like Mc Kinsey, BCG, or investment banks that offer 30+ LPA.
But if it is the marketing role you are after, then make sure your resume reflects your marketing enthusiasm. This will further increase your chances of selection.
Performing well in the competitions conducted by your desired company is another way to get a high-paying job.
If the Final Placements are your last resort then make sure you have a stable and excellent CGPA. Many companies consider this factor while shortlisting.

These points will help you get your dream job but cannot necessarily guarantee it. It all ultimately depends on your efforts and obviously your luck.

Question 5

Is it worth joining IIM Bodh Gaya after graduating from NIT and working in the core sector for a year?

Accepted Answer

There are many students who are Computer Science Engineers who graduated from NIT and worked as Software Developers for months, and then made the decision to pursue an MBA at one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, IIM Bodh Gaya.

The college is mentored by IIM Calcutta and offers a wide range of subjects including HR, Finance, Operations, and Marketing, which are taught by professors from top IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, and various IITs of the country. The Permanent Faculty of the college also has valuable additions across all MBA domains.

As a young IIM, the entire IIM Bodh Gaya fraternity has an entrepreneurial spirit imbibed as a collective mindset. The culture within the institute has taught you to see opportunities in every difficult situation and to work hard to achieve your goals.

IIM Bodh Gaya is definitely worth joining. The college not only provides you with the ability to succeed but also teaches you the character to stay successful. The climb may be tough and challenging, but the view is worth it. As you prepare to leave for your Summer Internship, you are grateful to the college for teaching you more than just management. It has given you the tools to be an innovative thinker and to look at the world through the lens of sustainability.

Question 6

Are the six newest IIMs a good option? (i.e., IIM Nagpur, Vizag, Amritsar, Sirmaur, Bodhgaya, Sambalpur)

Accepted Answer

It depends on your profile. If you are a general category student with good academic records - more than 85 percent throughout 10th, 12th, and graduation, then old IIMs will be better.

If you aren’t getting the old IIMs, you can consider new IIMs like IIM Nagpur, Sambalpur, Vizag, Amritsar, Sirmaur, and Bodhgaya. Being part of any recently established institute is a different experience altogether. You will get to set the culture on campus which your juniors will inherit. These baby IIMs have decent placements. You will get placement opportunities through campus drive if you have a good academic record. Here are the average CTC statistics for these IIMs.

Institute	Average CTC
IIM Nagpur	INR 15.21 LPA
IIM Vizag	INR 15.06 LPA
IIM Amritsar	INR 14.63 LPA
IIM Sirmaur	INR 12.74 LPA
IIM Bodhgaya	INR 12.36 LPA
IIM Sambalpur	INR 12.64 LPA

If you are willing to work hard and want to take advantage of opportunities that come with newly established institutes, then you should join these new IIMs.

Question 7

Which should I select among IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Sirmaur, and IIM Sambalpur? I have an experience of 4 years in power distribution operation as an electrical engineer, but I left the job last year.

Accepted Answer

After scrutinizing the list of colleges you mentioned, I think the most viable option is IIM Bodh Gaya. It is the most suitable among the 3 because it has been growing at a spectacular rate. The 2 major reasons for its rapid growth are

Location: IIM Bodh Gaya enjoys a location advantage due to being situated at a Buddhist tourist spot. The historic pilgrimage site is well connected with an airport just 7 km away. Six connectivity brings in better and more faculty and also top companies for recruitment that don’t visit Sirmaur and Sambalpur due to poor connectivity.
Mentorship: This is another factor that sets IIM Bodh Gaya apart from other baby items. Once under the mentorship of the top IIM, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bodh Gaya still has a similar pedagogy and curriculum.

Both these factors differentiate Bodh Gaya from Sambalpur and Sirmaur extremely well.

Question 8

How is the hostel life in IIM Bodh Gaya?

Accepted Answer

Despite the relatively recent establishment of IIM Bodh Gaya, the hostel life at the institution has thrived in terms of culture, fun, facilities, quality, and competitiveness.

During the orientation period, current students will assist you in adjusting to the challenging environment of Bihar. You will find yourself building a large network of connections in a short period of time.

Once the academic schedule is complete and you return to your new home, exciting activities await you. You can choose from a variety of activities, including sports like basketball, volleyball, cricket, football, badminton, and running, in the various courts and stadiums within the temporary campus. If you prefer indoor activities, there are options such as table tennis and carrom, or you can watch TV in the common room. For those interested in public speaking, there are opportunities to debate, discuss and engage in friendly competitions. The drama club, as well as singing, dancing, comedy, art, and reading clubs, are also available. For those who enjoy cooking, there is a fully equipped kitchen to make your favorite meals. And if you prefer to just eat, the canteen is open 24/7 to satisfy your cravings.

Competitions and events are a regular feature of life at IIM, and you will sense the competitive atmosphere among your peers. However, the more you help others, the more help you will receive, which can help you grow your networks, strengthen friendships, and potentially win competitions. With the diverse cultures represented at IIM, there are many major festivals celebrated throughout the year, which provide the opportunity to experience and learn about different traditions and customs. As a growing institution, you will also have the opportunity to shape the culture of the institution.

In summary, hostel life at an IIM is challenging, yet exciting and fun, hectic but rewarding, and demanding but skill-building. It is a unique and fantastic experience.

Question 9

How would people rank the IIM in Bodh Gaya amongst other management institutes?

Accepted Answer

Judging an institute merely on the basis of rankings is a bit wrong. This is because a newly established institute like Bodh Gaya has very low rankings despite its constant growth. So instead of ranking let’s go through some major highlights that might be more useful than ranking the institute's

Culture: The student culture is very dominant at IIM Bodh Gaya. Various clubs and committees have been established by the students themselves who keep the rigor high with events, competitions, and positive energy.

Student Exchange Program: One major USP of IIM Bodh Gaya is its international student exchange program which enables students to study for a while in a foreign university.

ROI: If you are after the ROI factor, then IIM Bodh Gaya is for you. Not only does it have fewer fees than other IIMs but its placements are almost on par with those IIMs.

Faculty: IIM Bodh Gaya has a knowledgeable faculty pool who are constantly working towards the success of the students and institute. Their pedagogy involves case study discussions and regular quizzes.

Mentorship: Earlier the institute was under IIM Calcutta so its curriculum and pedagogy is quite similar to IIM Calcutta.

Entrepreneurship: The E-Cell at IIM Bodh Gaya works actively to promote entrepreneurship culture among the students through competitions and events.

Placements: The placement statistics given below will give you a general idea of the placement scenario at IIM Bodh Gaya.

Particulars	Statistics
Number of students	200
Number of Recruiters	70
Highest package	INR 48.58 LPA
Average Package	INR 16 LPA
Median Package	INR 15.25 LPA

All in all, I hope the above points helped you rank IIM Bodh Gaya better among the new IIMs.

Question 10

How is IIM Bodh Gaya overall?

Accepted Answer

As a new IIM mentored by the oldest IIM in the country, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bodhgaya is performing well academically and in terms of placements. The campus benefits from its proximity to the airport and railway station, which makes it easier to bring in guest faculties and companies.

The top faculty from IIM Calcutta also teach at this campus, ensuring the highest level of pedagogy and teaching. The campus is located in Bodhgaya, an international tourist destination known for its Buddhist and Hindu significance, and also has the benefit of being located near good markets and hotels. Overall, IIM Bodhgaya is on par with other new IIMs, with some added advantages such as those mentioned earlier.