Numerous B-schools make tall but fake claims related to their MBA programmes, their USPs, placements, infrastructure, teacher student ratio among others but the only document that can help you out of this dilemma is AICTE mandatory disclosure which has to be displayed by the B-school on its site.
Thoroughly go through the document
Avoid taking admission to MBA/PGDM 2016-18 programme in the B-school that does not display the AICTE mandatory disclosure on its website. The details given in the Mandatory Disclosure document are important and an MBA aspirant should go through them before taking decision to choose the right B school.
The regulatory power for MBA/PGDM programmes run by various B schools across the country is assigned to AICTE. Therefore the uniformity in the process of MBA admission 2016 and on other important aspects in MBA education are expected to remain same in the B schools running AICTE approved programmes.
Each of these B-schools have to display the facts which they have submitted before the AICTE for the next session. If these B schools do not highlight the key facts or they hide them and at a later date you find the truth, you can sure get the help of AICTE to get the things in order. But before getting plunged into the mess, it will be better to check the updated details.
The AICTE mandatory disclosure restricts the B-schools from concealing those facts which may go against their USPs and thus may not further confuse the MBA aspirants with their boastful publicity since they have to place ‘Mandatory disclosure’ a pre requisite from AICTE on their site.
In fact despite having MBA admission offers even from good B schools candidates are in a dilemma which B school to choose. Mandatory Disclosure as prescribed by AICTE displays all the relevant information related to the B school and can guide you well in choosing the best B school.
How does the process work
The process is that all the B schools have to apply to AICTE, the regulatory body to obtain various approvals on continuance like extension and expansion of the course, intake, number of faculty, infrastructure sharing realistic facts. The B schools have to share these facts along with all the details of the institute on the B school website.
Is current AICTE approval in place? Check
The institute might bluff in any form but it has to submit the facts before the regulatory body, exaggeration or concealment of facts may pose trouble for the B school in the form of cancellation of approval, suspension of a particular course temporarily or permanent. The B schools therefore try to avoid both the situations.
Before taking a decision on admission, it will be a very good idea to spare a few minutes to read the mandatory disclosure well to find out that the B school enjoys the AICTE approval for current admission session also-overall as well as for the programme in which you are going to seek admission in particular. If satisfied you may go forward. If confused contact the B school as well as AICTE.
Be careful on Placement data; not included in disclosure
The placement data is not mentioned in the Mandatory Disclosure form of AICTE. The regulatory authority asks the institutes to upload their fee structure on their respective website. This can be understood as placement figures get changed and once the same is posted on the site, the institute has to abide by it. It may not be possible for the B school to update it after taking approval from AICTE every 2-3 months. The placement data as displayed on B schools website should be trusted as no other option is available.
Apart from this, the placement data as published by the B school is supposed to be the only source to know about their placement. It’s quite possible that the B school has calculated its average placement taking into account domestic and international placements giving a rosy picture. To get to know this fact, it’s better to contact some student of the B school who has been the part of current placement process.
Check, if Programme AICTE approved
It is surprising but true that even before seeking and obtaining approval from the regulatory authority AICTE, a few B schools start taking the admission to various proposed MBA programmes. It is also possible that more than permissible strength is allowed to take admission to a particular course. Please remember that in case of non approval by AICTE, it will be difficult to take back the deposited money from these institutes.
Please thoroughly read in the mandatory disclosure about the approved Courses running at the institute, year of launching the course, number of shifts for the course, whether full time or part time whether the programme is accredited and the permissible intake in each programme.
Check the legacy
How old is the B school? When did it start functioning? This fact will let you decide better on admission criteria. Mandatory Disclosure carries this fact and if there is some mismatch between what’s available in ‘about us’ and ‘Mandatory Disclosure’, believe the statement in latter.
It is a fact that usually B schools established in some year may not be able to start functioning in the same year due to one or other problem. This gap between year of establishment and year of functioning could be of a few years also. The alumni base, corporate connections, learning experience, ROI all could get adversely affected if the B school is not old enough. It is advisable to cross check this fact also.
Check the Core Faculty
Different type of faculty members are mentioned on the site of a B school like core, adjunct, guest, visiting and in some cases the administrative staff is clubbed to project better teacher student ratio at the institute. Sometimes you may find the number only without any segregation. This remains confusing to know the facts. AICTE Mandatory Disclosure by the B school has to carry this information on permanent faculty strength.
It will help you to assess the learning experience with teacher student ratio you are going to have at the institute. Higher the strength of core or permanent faculty better will be the learning environment at the institute
Check the academics & Infrastructure
Any institute can claim to have state of the art campus featured with many USPs but the fact could be, it may be running courses in hired campus. Even many new IIMs do not have their own campuses and are operating from hired campuses. Their campuses are neither ready nor operational till date although you may find great pictures of these campuses on their site. This fact can be ascertained by visiting the site of the institute and reading the mandatory disclosure available there.
According to AICTE regulatory directions, the B schools have to publish the entire open and covered area of the institute, number of lecture theatres and halls, class rooms, computer lab with number of available computers and their configuration, library with available number of books and national & international journals, its working hours and about its administrative block.
This will guide you to know how much the library and computer lab is used by the students. More they use them, better would be the learning environment at the institute. Some of the institutes keep their Library open till late in the night which indicates that the Library is rich with well collected books and periodicals and the students use the facility to the optimum level. It also reflects the B school’s vision of imparting education.
Lodging & Boarding: All in Mandatory disclosure
The good infrastructure may not necessarily mean availability of on campus hostel facility. It could be the off campus one, or you may have to search the accommodation on your own. The exact information may not be available on the B school site but Mandatory disclosure will contain this information about on campus/off campus or no hostel facility apart from other information like hostel accommodation capacity, number of 1,2,3 and 4 bedded rooms.
The institute which is old and has on campus hostel facility should be preferred. Next could be the one whose campus is going to be ready in a short time. On campus hostel facility has its own advantages as they are equipped with numerous facilities like wi-fi, common room where recent periodicals and recreational facilities are available.
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