India's Top MBA Schools: What every MBA aspirant should know about IIM Calcutta

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MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
July 21, 2009
IIM Calcutta campus gives complete freedom even while staying within the boundaries of the management education system

A campus holds a very important part in a student’s life, no matter how good the curriculum or the faculty is. If the campus life is not happening enough, students don’t feel the charm of studying in that institute. Especially in the top MBA schools, where the students are made to work hard and study 24x7, a free and refreshing campus life is like oxygen in their muted life. 

In this exclusive series by MBAUniverse.com, we take you – the MBA aspirant and also other students of top MBA schools – for a tour of the campus lives at top MBA schools in India. We start the series with Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta. IIM Calcutta, one of the leading MBA schools in India, was established in 1961 in Joka, situated in the southern outskirts of Kolkata. Being the oldest of all IIMs, the IIM Calcutta campus is a unique combination of tradition and modernity. The campus is one of the greenest campuses in India apart from housing top-class faculty and the cream of students.

All in a day’s work
When asked about a regular day in the IIM Calcutta campus, Jit Ranjan Bannerjee, an ex-student of IIM Calcutta (2007-2009), presently working in Bank of Baroda, Mumbai said, “Twenty-four hours in IIM Calcutta will faze away in minutes. One of the best things that happen in our campus is you are given complete freedom to do whatever you want while staying within the boundaries of the management education system.”

Talking about the daily routine, Bannerjee said, “Classes are held for a maximum of four to five hours which leaves one with ample time to do other things. In the evening students can hit the gym or hang out with friends. After 8 pm, students generally go to the library and toil themselves with assignments throughout the night!”

Owing to the fact that IIM Calcutta is a residential MBA School, students spend most of their time inside the campus. “The campus is fully self-equipped, so there is no need to get out of the campus even once during a month,” Bannerjee said. If at all students go out, they do so for shopping or for hanging out with friends, he added. 

Hangout zones in IIM Calcutta
Bannerjee feels that the ‘jetty’ is the most popular hangout zone at the IIM Calcutta campus. “Sitting there idly with friends and watching the fishes in the water just under your feet makes a complete sync with nature.” Howrah Bridge is also one of the favorite hangout zones for the IIM Calcutta students. Talking about personal favorites, Bannerjee said, “My favorite one was going for a stroll in the middle of the night and have a 360 degree overview of the whole campus.” At night after a hard day’s work students hit the night canteen to nibble on alu paranthas and maggi.

Hostel life
IIM Calcutta hostel has four wings and they are self sufficient when it comes to providing facilities that a student requires. Every room is single-sitter with 24 hours internet connectivity. Printers and photocopy machines are also there in each hostel wing. “Students never stop having fun and one can always hear loud music being played in the hostel wings. The best thing about the IIM Calcutta hostel is that it never sleeps,” recounted Bannerjee. 

Events to look forward
Intaglio is the biggest event held in this MBA School. It has an ISO 9001:2002 certification of quality. Intaglio includes competition from all spheres of management such as the Finance expo, the Marketing expo, the Strategy expo, the Consulting expo and the Systems expo. “Intaglio is by far the most prestigious event of IIM Calcutta and it is the biggest management fest in India with students from a number of MBA schools across the world participating,” another IIM Calcutta student said. Carpe-Diem is the annual cultural fest of IIM Calcutta held in December every year, he added. The marketing event of IIM Calcutta known as Census is held in January every year. Nostalgia, the annual alumni meet of IIM C, happens across the world in the second weekend of May every year.

For the IIM Calcutta aspirants
For the MBA aspirants who are looking forward to bag a seat in this prestigious MBA School, Bannerjee suggests, “Work hard and get into IIM Calcutta and you will reap the benefits of your hard work. Having spent two of my best years in IIM Calcutta, I'll say that it is an experience all together and I’m sure each one who gets into this MBA School will have the best times of their lives there.” The MBA School indeed imbibes its culture and heritage among its students, he added.

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