Carrying many firsts and milestones, the premier deemed university on management education, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is ready for big overhaul in its MBA entrance exam pattern this year under the leadership of its director Professor Manoj Pant who is tirelessly working for IIFT to realize the vision of placing IIFT as the top research institute in the country.
For MBA admission 2020, IIFT will conduct its entrance exam on Sunday December 1, 2019 as a computer based test. Till last year IIFT entrance exam was held as a paper based test of two hours duration split into six sections carrying varying scoring pattern.
Prof Pant an eminent Academician joined IIFT (A Deemed University) as its Director and Vice Chancellor hardly two years ago in September 2017. In his leadership IIFT has initiated the launch of another new campus at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh with an aim to make available the IIFT management education to the southern part of the country as well. Prof Manoj Pant, apart from discharging the responsibilities as the Director of IIFT is a renowned Professor in Economics. His interest specialization areas are International Trade Theory, International Investment and Finance, Development Economics among others.
Prof Pant has authored many books and articles which are used as key reference material in top institutes in India and abroad. Some of the prominent books areFDI in India; Indian Economy; India’s Foreign Economic Policy; Evolution of the Indian Economy since 1991. He has publishedmore than 40Research papers, studies, reviews and articlesin prominentjournals and publications.Prof Pant has delivered lectures and presented his papers at Nationaland international forums.
Prof Pant holds Masters in Economics fromDelhi School of Economics, Delhi University and also is a Master of Arts in Economics, & Ph.D. Economics from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.
MBAUniverse.com has recently interviewed Prof Pant to know about his priorities for IIFT, proposed changes in the IIFT MBA entrance exam for admission 2020, USPs and future vision for IIFT. The excerpts of the Interview are shared below:
MBAUniverse: IIFT has achieved many milestones under your Directorship. What are the key factors that make IIFT a preferred MBA destination?
Prof Pant: The key factors making IIFT a preferred MBA destination are the cutting edge it has over other business schools in terms of its curricula for MBA programme placing thrust on international business which is the key to global trade in this era of multilateralism and the world order based on open trade.
IIFT has a robust alumni association which makes IIFT a well networked Institute. The alumni strength of IIFT is about 8000 which through continuous process of interaction with the present students and faculty, enriches the knowledge bank of IIFT.
IIFT is repository of knowledge in the area of international trade and business. With its specially designed curricula for MBA students and also with the inputs its students get from leaders of the industry, IIFT makes itself a preferred Institute.
MBAUniverse: How has been the IIFT campus Placement in 2019?
Prof Pant: IIFT students are the first ones to be placed among all its peer institutes. This year in 2019 IIFT has broken into the league of a few 4-5 business schools whose students received an average annual package of Rs.20 lacs.
MBAUniverse: How is the IIFT new campus at Kakinada doing?
Prof Pant: IIFT campus at Kakinada is yet to commence its operations.
MBAUniverse: When is IIFT MBA (IB) entrance exam for admission 2020 proposed to be held?
Prof Pant: It will be held on Sunday, 1st December 2019.
MBAUniverse: When will the notification be released for the IIFT entrance exam?
Prof Pant: The notification will be issued sometime in the mid of August, 2019.
MBAUniverse: So far, IIFT Entrance test has remained paper based. Will it change to computer based this year?
Prof Pant: Yes, IIFT MBA (IB) entrance this year will be a computer based exam.
MBAUniverse: IIFT entrance exam has seen many changes during last two years. Will the forthcoming IIFT entrance be on same pattern or further changes are proposed?
Prof Pant: The question paper of the admission test of IIFT is prepared by an admission committee chaired by a Professor. No body other than the Admission Committee has access to the question paper prepared by the admission committee. Not even the Director intervenes in the functioning of the Admission Committee. The confidentiality maintained in the question paper for IIFT’s examination is remarkable. IIFT takes pride in holding its unique entrance examination for many years together without ever being questioned about its fairness and transparency.
MBAUniverse: Will IIFT entrance exam be applicable for admission to Dar-es-Salaam campus as well?
Prof Pant: No, since the Agreement with IMF Tanzania has not been renewed the IIFT entrance exam will not be applicable for admission to Dar-es-Salaam campus
MBAUniverse: Does IIFT propose to launch any new management course in 2020?
Prof Pant: There is no such proposal as of now.
MBAUniverse: Who is a preferred candidate for IIFT MBA (IB) programme?
Prof Pant: IIFT follows a rigorous process for admission to its full time MBA programme. The question paper is meticulously designed to measure knowledge of the aspirants in terms of their comprehension of English grammar and vocabulary. The aspirants are put to test for their general knowledge and understanding of current affairs. Their aptitude for logical reasoning, data interpretation and quantitative analysis is also evaluated. Candidates who get into the consideration zone for the next stage of admission process are subjected to group discussion and personal interview to assess their overall personality and worthiness to be an IIFT student. Hence, the preferred IIFT student is the one who has the required skill set in the domains detailed above.
MBAUniverse: Please share your vision and future priorities for IIFT
Prof Pant: No doubt IIFT over a period of time has evolved as one of the best institutes in terms of management education. However, it is still to realize its true potential as a leading research institute, the primary cause for its setting up in 1963.I would like IIFT to be placed on the top of the research institutes in the country. As a step forward in this direction, we have incentivized the research work undertaken by IIFT faculty. We also see IIFT playing a pivotal role in promoting the flagship programmes like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ by providing the intellectual support for these initiatives.
MBAUniverse: Your message for IIFT aspirants
Prof Pant: To be in the IIFT there is no other choice but to work hard and harder.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
