Commencement day at IIM Bangalore on June 15 was marked with the welcome 428 students comprising 405 for PGP 2017-19 batch and 23 FPM students. 80 percent of the students in PGP 2017-19 batch have prior work experience. There are students with international work experience also and average international work experience stands at 3 years 4 months.
The batch has 88 per cent of the students from engineering backgrounds with 50% of them coming from IITs and NITs. The remaining 12% batch comprises the students with background in Commerce, CA, ICWA and CS while Arts and Humanities could not make any substantial contribution to the batch strength.
Students who have been able to get admission in IIM Bangalore on the basis of GMAT scores, have obtained an score in the range of 720 to 760. The average GMAT score of the batch is 737.
Prof. M S Narasimhan, Chairperson, Post Graduate Programme in Management and faculty from the Finance & Accounting area, welcomed the FPM and PGP students.
Mathew Cyriac, an IIM Bangalore alumnus and gold medallist from the PGP batch of 1992-94 and Founder and Chairman designate of Florintree Advsiors, a Mumbai-based Alternative Asset Manager was the chief guest on the commencement day at IIM Bangalore and delivered the keynote address.
Addressing the incoming doctoral and post graduate students at IIM Bangalore Cyriac said “It is important to find good mentors as they help you take tough decisions and guide you through tough times.” Cyriac was Senior Managing Director at The Blackstone Group till February this year. Describing IIMB as ‘IIM Best’, he encouraged students to look beyond grades to see what best they could get out of their time on campus. “Build relationships as that may prove valuable later in life. Engage with each other,” he advised in his keynote address. Observing that it was very important to master written and oral communication skills in today’s global world of business, he said to the students: “Your journey is your destination. Your time here will pass quickly, so get the best out of every single day.”
Prof. Rajendra K Bandi, Chairperson, Admissions & Financial Aid, and faculty from the Decision Sciences and Information Systems area, shared the batch profile and dwelt briefly on the admissions process. “Apart from the entrance exam -CAT, the institute attaches a lot of importance on other factors to grant admission, like past academic and extracurricular achievements, work experience, if any, in terms of both duration and quality, social sensitivity, etc. We want students with well-rounded abilities,” he said.
Wishing the students well, Prof. Bandi said: “We have tried to bring in the best possible batch. We are confident it is going to be an enriching and exciting journey for all.”
Dr. G. Raghuram, Director of IIM Bangalore and Professor in the Public Policy area, urged the students to explore the opportunity to think in a sharp and problem-solving manner, discover their potential to stretch themselves and appreciate multiple perspectives.
Highlighting the skills and expertise required of managers of the future, he said it was imperative to have an understanding of the reality of the large grassroots-level population in India. “Accountability and responsibility are no longer limited to customers, shareholders, and employees, but also to the society and the government,” he added.
He said his expectations from the new batch were zero food wastage, a clean campus and participation in the International Yoga Day, to be celebrated on campus on June 21. “Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment. So increase your self-awareness and avoid fatigue. If you manage to beat fatigue, work will be joy.”
On the occasion, PGP2 students received the Director’s Merit List awards, the section-wise and term-wise topper awards and awards and scholarships instituted by the alumni.
Students Affairs Council (SAC) President Velagala Vivek offered a brief overview of life as an IIMB student to the incoming students. The evening came to a close with a cultural event.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on IIM Bangalore
