Prof. Prithvi Yadav, who joined BIMTECH, Bhubaneshwar September 2013 as Director, carries a rich academic experience of two & half decades during which he taught at premiere institutions like IITs, IIMs and foreign universities at China, UK, USA & SKorea. He also worked closely as researcher and consultant with organizations such as CREED (London), IVM (Amsterdam), World Bank, USAID & UNDP, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of HRD, Army Management Services Board (AMSB), Ministry of Family & Welfare etc.
Talking to MBAUniverse.com, about the unique initiatives to bring academic excellence at par with IIMs & other elite institutions at BIMTECH BBSR, Prof. Yadav, shares his insight on trends in MBA education in India and his vision of making BIMTECH BBSR among the top B-school in the country.
Below are the Excerpts of the interview
Q: You have a long academic & administrative experience. What are your key learnings from your wide experience?
A: Having taught at IIMs, IITs and other management institutions for more than two & half decades, I have learnt to put academic rigour, punctuality, and discipline as top priority to develop overall academic environment.
As PGP chair at IIM Indore, I enforced compulsory attendance norm and it marked significant improvement in academics and seriousness for classroom participation. So, my key learning is that “never compromise with academics” and groom students to face toughest of the tough situation & stress in their professional career.
Q: What makes BIMTECH, Bhubaneswar as one of the most preferred destinations for MBAs in the Eastern region ?
A: Three distinct aspects contribute to making BIMTECH one of the most preferred educational institutions of the country. First of all, BIMTECH borrows the established and esteemed brand of the Birla group with its culture grounded in Values and Ethics. Besides this, BIMTECH-Greater Noida celebrated its silver jubilee last year and in its 26th year opened the Bhubaneswar campus mainly to cater to the Eastern region of the country. During this period, BIMTECH Greater Noida has built up its brand value and created a niche for itself amongst the top B-schools of India. Today, it is a name to be reckoned with amongst prospective students seeking management education and their parents.
Secondly, owing to its association with one of India’s pioneering business establishments, the institute has deeply ingrained corporate culture coupled with the values of an academic environment into its system.
Thirdly, the institute ensures that every student in the campus undergoes the academic rigor required to be successful in the professional world.
Q: What is unique about the pedagogy at BIMTECH, Bhubaneswar compared to other institutions?
A: The institute has adopted best of the best academic practices and has drawn well-qualified and experienced faculty from premiere institutes & corporates like IITs & IIMs having rich experience of industry & academia both. In addition, faculty from Noida Campus & prominent local industry are invited for specialized topics & specializations. International exchanges & scholarships with overseas universities have been to Bhubaneswar campus right from first year itself. BIMTECH, being fully residential campus, emphasizes 60-70% out-of-class learnings through various activities.
Being a fully residential programme, life at the campus itself is a natural teacher. With students from eleven different states, staying on the campus, the first adjustment comes in the form of tolerance towards different cultures. While there is a lot of freedom in terms of self-study, activities and sports, managing time for all aspects of life in a well-balanced manner is a major component of their learning.
In addition to this, students are also responsible and involved in managing all activities on the campus. Learning through these informal practices is an essential part of the operating DNA of BIMTECH, Bhubaneswar campus.
Q: What is the motto and vision of BIMTECH and how does it translate into academic rigour in the campus ?
A: “Excellence with Values” is the motto of the Institute. So, in addition to the academic rigour, the institute also invests in inculcating Social Sensitivity and awareness amongst the students, to enable them to become ‘socially sensitive business leaders’ when they step out from the campus. Students are encouraged to contribute time and effort to CSR activities which involve visiting orphanages, adopting neighbouring villages, conducting awareness campaigns etc., thus creating a ‘pull-effect’ in the process of the growth of the
underprivileged. Activities in these areas also involve the staff and faculty of the institute. This inculcates a sense of empathy, which results in collaborative activities amongst the community on the campus.
BIMTECH has commitment to provide the best of the best academic environment and aims to be one of the best B-school in Eastern region in next 5 years, thus, would be starting Doctoral Program in Management i.e. FPM with international universities from next year in order to create best of the best faculty resource, which is need of the time.
