Looking back at the recent history of Indian Management Education, last two decades have seen the rise of IIMs and private B-schools like SPJIMR, MDI, NMIMS, TAPMI and many others. With few exceptions, Public University MBA institutions, who pioneered the management education in India in 1950s, have been left behind. One such exception is University of Delhi’s Faculty of Management Studies, popularly known as FMS Delhi. Its alumni list is the who’s who of corporate India and it offers an MBA at less than 10% of the cost of MBA from Top 10 Indian B-schools. No wonder, each year, FMS Delhi sees a beeline of thousands of brightest of CAT takers, ready to take admission here.
A few months back, FMS Delhi got a new Dean – Dr ML Singla. Dr Singla is a Professor of Information Technology Management and Re-engineering and has been with FMS for the last 29 years. He started his career with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), New Delhi as a Software and Management Consultant post his MBA in 1983. He has also worked with the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon as well as has taught and researched at the College of Business and Economics, California State University, Fullerton, USA.
Dr Singla has been associated with FMS Delhi not just as a faculty member, but he did his MBA from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi in 1983 and also Ph.D. in Management from the same institution. Before taking over as the Dean of FMS, Dr. Singla has a rich administrative experience. In the past, he has worked as Dean (Alumni) of the University of Delhi (2006-2008) and Dean (Examinations) of the University of Delhi 2006-2009).
MBAUniverse.com recently interviewed Dr Singla and asked him about how he sees FMS Delhi’s current status and his vision for future. Edited excerpts from the interview follows:
MBAUniverse.com: You have recently taken over as the Dean of FMS Delhi. How do you see the institution?
Dr ML Singla: For more than half a century, Faculty of Management Studies, part of University of Delhi, or simply FMS Delhi, has been playing a seminal role in the growth of corporate sector and management education in India. One of the early proponents of a formal degree of Master of Business Administration in the country, FMS over the years has produced very successful business leaders, management thinkers and wealth creators.
Today FMS has consistently ranked among one of the Top 5 B-Schools of the country for the last 2 decades or so. As a matter of fact, it is the Top University Based B-School in the country. Given the meager infrastructure that University department work from, this is no small a feat. Our alumni, faculty and students have done wonderfully well in terms of performance to resources ratio. Many a times, I have heard that FMS is the highest ROI B-School not only in India, possibly in the world.
MBAUniverse.com: How do you see the current state of management education?
Dr Singla: Management education is at an inflection point. We at FMS are conscious of our responsibility as a premier business school of the country. Therefore, we groom future business leaders by following a judicious blend of theory and practice. Our endeavour is to produce systems thinkers and problem solvers, who go on to make this world a better place to live.
MBAUniverse.com: While most Public University B-schools are languishing, what makes FMS distinct?
Dr Singla: I think, it’s not just FMS but many more University based schools are doing quite well in terms of Management Education.
We can definitely talk about FMS doing better because of factors like:
• Global Brand Equity of the University of Delhi
• Extremely supportive academic leadership at the University
• Locational advantage and industry support
• Unmatched faculty resource – both permanent as well as guest
• Outstanding Alumni Network
• Excellent students who take admission at FMS
• Rich traditions and institutional values
MBAUniverse.com: FMS Delhi entrance exam was quite a distinct exam, but was discontinued? Any plans of bring it back…
Dr Singla: Yes, FMS used to conduct its own entrance test for the last few decades. FMS Entrance Test had its own personality which was quite established nationally.
The same was discontinued three years back, when we joined CAT.
For the current years for admissions of 2015-16, we have decided to continue with CAT. Subsequently, we will be reviewing the situation and a decision would be taken in consultation with all stakeholders in this regard.
MBAUniverse.com: What will you say are the five USPs of FMS?
Dr Singla: We all know that FMS is the Top University based b-school which has consistently ranked among the Top B-Schools of the country.
Five USP’s of FMS, as industry recognizes, could be considered as:
• Integral part of the Best Indian University
• Produces “down to earth” graduates
• Very transparent processes of admissions, examinations, placements
• Ethical school known for creating value based, socially aware MBAs
• Highest ROI B-School
MBAUniverse.com: One of the USPs of FMS Delhi is your alumni network. How do you see it?
Dr Singla: Yes, alumni are one of our strategic assets. They are heading some of the biggest public and private sector organizations in India and abroad. Corporate world has developed such a deep rooted faith in brand FMS that it comes back year after year, and offers the best salary packages to our students in the country.
MBAUniverse.com: Please share your vision and future priorities.
Dr Singla: To my mind, what needs to be done at this juncture is do more of what we have been doing. That’s creating excellence in all activities of FMS, be it Teaching, Training, Research or Consultancy. We are very seriously working on getting more serious about the business of education at FMS.
An initiative termed as “ADD” – Ambience, Discipline and Delivery is driving our efforts at FMS at present. Excellence in delivery is the pull factor.
