IIM Ahmedabad welcomes 2020 MBA Batch: More Arts but less Commerce, Science students amongst 390 final admits

After holding weeks on pre-MBA classes, IIM Ahmedabad formally inaugurated its MBA and MBA FABM Batch of 2022 on August 2, 2020. In total 390 students have been admitted to MBA Class while 47 students have been admitted to MBA FABM program. In a shift from past, there are more students with Arts background, but less number of students from Commerce and Science backgrounds could make it to IIMA this year.

In a virtual ceremony, attended by many IIMA faculty members and admitted students, Professor Errol D’Souza, Director, IIMA said, “We at IIMA are delighted to welcome the batch of 2022. Even though we are awaiting the government directives to open academic institutions, we will make sure that our students feel the campus learning experience in our online classes.”

This year more students with Arts background, but less number of students from Commerce and Science backgrounds could make it to IIMA. Percentage of Students with Arts background rose from 3% in 2018 to 5% this year. But, the percentage of students with Commerce background dropped from 23% in 2018 to 18% this year. There was also a big fall in candidates with Science background. Only 1% students with Science Backgrounds could make it to IIMA this year, which in 2018 this number stood at 7%. 

IIMA MBA: Changing Educational Profile                                  

Source: IIM Ahmedabad

Commenting on the trend, Professor Vishal Gupta, Outgoing-Chairperson, Admissions, IIMA, said, “Our admissions policy helps us admit students with diverse perspectives to contribute greatly to the discussion-based learning that we employ at IIMA. We believe that having a broad mix of participants without compromising on quality will enrich the academic experience of IIMA students even further.”

MBA-FABM programme, one of the world’s top-rated agri-business management program, also had a diverse entering class of forty-seven students.

MBA 2020-22 Student’s perspective
So why do students from diverse education backgrounds like MBBS, Mass Communication and Psychology join IIMA or for that matter an MBA Program? Professional and personal growth seems to be attracting the best talent to IIMA.

Dr Manav Mehta, who is part of IIMA’s MBA 2020-22 class said “During my MBBS, I realized that I couldn’t envision myself being a clinician all through my life. I was more interested in the business and managerial side of healthcare. Hence, I decided to do an MBA. IIM Ahmedabad was naturally my first preference owing to its astounding reputation, unmatched alumni network, and the plethora of opportunities it provides. I consider myself extremely lucky and blessed to have been selected for its flagship PGP Programme.”

Speaking about the COVID 19 outbreak and impact on MBA program, he added, “The recent COVID outbreak created a lot of doubts about doing an MBA this year. The major points of concern were the cost of an MBA in the current times and the idea of remote learning. Yet I decided to join the course this year because the outbreak has shifted the global attention towards the healthcare sector, and the industry is expected to grow leaps and bounds in the coming years. There’s long-term value to doing an MBA that won’t be impacted by the coronavirus. The recent COVID outbreak has made this need even more apparent and urgent, which would translate into more opportunities in the near future.” 

Another student Prachodaya Das has a degree in Mass Communication and is part of the 2020 Batch. She said, “The entire media industry is going digital, and the pandemic has bolstered this growth, to operate in such a competitive market one needs to have a holistic approach. It is becoming part of a bigger phenomenon which demands not only a balance of creativity and analysis but also dynamism since it is evolving at an exponential rate. I feel PGP at IIMA with its rigorous curriculum will help me broaden my perspective and deepen my understanding.”

Parul Gupta, who has a background in Psychology, and is a part of IIMA’s 2020 Batch said, "What started as a tiny spark of interest in psychology during childhood turned into a blazing fire of passion for realizing my true potential. The deeper I delved into the field, the more I recognized my calling. Social Psychology happened to add fuel to the flame. I was intrigued by the study of why humans think and behave as they do in social settings. I worked in multiple marketing internships across different domains. This experience became the final surge turning the flame to a fire and I landed here, at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, to continue learning from the best.”

In these challenging times, along with IIMA, many other B-schools have also commenced their 2020 batches in e-learning mode. A new education experience will emerge. MBAUniverse.com will continue to share updates from India’s leading campuses. Stay tuned!

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on IIM Ahmedabad