Jayein toh jayein kahaan?

Confused with or without calls- Let’s Discuss

This is the best of time for those of you who are spoiled for choices and are trying to figure out which is the best MBA institute for you while you wait for the IIMs to come out with their results.

This is the worst of time for those of you who despite the hard work and an honest effort of last 15 months are in the unenviable situation of not knowing the way forward, either your MBA dream has broken or you are in a situation wherein you have to compromise and join an institute that you think is less than what you deserve.

The reality is that out of the 4000+ approved MBA institutes in the country just around 100 are worth joining. Out of the approximately 3,00,000 MBA aspirants about 10,000 are on the verge of getting into their desired MBA institute, another 20,000 will settle for an acceptable MBA institute but the remaining 90% MBA aspirants are at a crossroad.

In the last one month I have been receiving a few such questions everyday in my inbox and facebook account and have tried my best to guide the ones who have reached out to me. The questions are typically:

1.   Which of these institutes should I join?
2.   Should I take another shot at CAT and other Indian MBA entrance exams?
3.   Should I consider 1 year MBA from India/abroad?
4.   Should I give up on my aspirations of doing an MBA?
5.   Should I drop a year for preparation?

There is unfortunately no standard answer to these question. The road ahead is a function your academic background, your academic performance, your performance in different MBA entrance exams, work experience and the options available. Getting this data is typically an iterative process that consumes time. So I have attached a form below that those of you who are keen to reach out to me for guidance can fill up and once I have all the necessary information, I will write back to you with my point of view.

Click here to fill the form http://svy.mk/Z0KGA2

770 Comments

  1. Hi Sir,
    General ,Female
    Profile – 10th – 94%
    12th – 92.2%
    Btech(NIT)- 8.88
    CAT- 86.54 (very bad day)
    I took a year gap to prepare(Quit my job in March,2017) .I have 20 months of experience in IT sector. I converted a few calls due to my profile . I have decided to go for IIM Jammu .. Do you think its worth it ? Should I take up Jammu and then prepare for CAT 2018 there? If I take up a job now , it will take atleast a month and then I will start preparing alongwith my job. I think that would be risky .. Could you please guide…

  2. Sir how is doms rgipt? It is showing avg package of 9lac with major oil giant like ioc, bpcl etc coming for recruitment. Which one will be better dsm dtu or doms rgipt? Please help sir

  3. Hello Sir,
    I have converted Scmhrd. I am interested in finance. Should I join it or give cat next year?
    This was my second try and I didn’t perform well.

    • Kanika, please let us know what is your profile and academic details. Ideally, if you have decent acads and work ex you should go for better institutes.

  4. Sir got the calls from ximb(hrm) and kj somaiya pgdm. I have 28 months experience in IT. Which one should I choose ?
    X – 83%
    Xii – 80%
    B.tech – 73%

    • Siddharth, it purely a choice of you. If you wish to pursue HRM then it has to be XIMB otherwise KJ Somaiya. KJS also offers a good location advantage.

  5. sir
    i am selected in nmims mumbai. i scored 94.77 in cat and really hopefull to get through imt and imi. should i join college this year or give cat again next year ? i got a job in a good company recently. i am a commerce student with above 90% in 10th and 12th and 76.27% in bcom(h)

  7. X- 83%, XII-76%, BTECH- 68%, CAT- 70.4 PERCENTILE, WORK EX-19 MONTHS,
    BITS PILANI, PUMBA, DSM DTU ? WHICH ONE I CAN GET AND SHOULD CHOOSE, PRIORITY WISE?
    ANY OTHER DECENT COLLEGE I CAN GET ?

    • Gaurav, ideally you should be continuing with your job and should take CAT again as these B-schools will not add value to your profile.

  8. Respected Sir,

    I have converted SCMHRD, PUNE and IMI, DELHI.
    Also, I want to pursue a course either in FINANCE or OPERATIONS.
    It is known that SCMHRD has direct association with CFA Institute, USA & as per their brochure I can custom design my specialization. On the other hand according to the ranking list released by MHRD, IMI has been placed at 7th rank, which will surely impact the placements after two years.
    Now, I’m in a dilemma.
    Please, resolve my query !!

    Thank you

  9. Hello Sir,
    I am an IT professional working in Bangalore having 6 yrs of experience. I am looking for an accredited college with good curriculum. I am confused which one to pick among SIBM vs NMIMS bangalore for Executive MBA program. SIBM Bangalore provides MBA Degree for 2.5 yrs course however NMIMS gives a certificate for MPE (Management program for Executives). It’s a 20 months weekend course.
    Any other advice?
    Would an Executive MBA be really worth doing from one of these colleges? It would be difficult for me to leave job and go for preperation of CAT.

    • Vipin, since you have experience of 6 year it is suggested to go for executive MBA by top IIMs and ISB Hyderabad. These institutes will not give must boost to your profile. Prepare GMAT as well.

  10. Hello Sir,
    I am a Chartered Accountant by profession.Did B.com (hons) from DU(2012 passed out).Attempted CAT, XAT and SNAP exams this year.Got calls from XIMB and SIMB Pune and converted both .Can you please guide me the right institute to choose among these and why.
    PS-I am interested in finance specialisation.
    Profile:
    10th-90%
    12th-85.5%
    CA (first attempt).
    B.Com(hons)-72%
    (please reply asap as fees deadlines are approaching for both the institutes)

    • Vishwadeep, SIBM P is ideally a better choice for you. It has better placement statistics than XIMB Pune.

  11. Sir, I have to choose between IIM K and IIFT Delhi. Interested in Finance. Engineer background.

  12. x/xii/grad- 85/75/67, 2012 passout – 1 yr honda mech eng exper-ma in political science(ignou- prepare for civils)- is isb hyderabed possible as per my profile in 2017-18- i can get gmat score- 720 about

    • Mohit, given your profile, it is possible for you to get into ISB Hyderbad provided you score good GMAT score.

      • 720 good enough???— 5 yr gap with only 1 yr experience – ma degree(ignou- no classroom mode)— isb hyderabad possible??? or join imt ghaziabad(finance)??could gp sir upload a form given in this page for career guidance??

        • Mohit, GMAT score of 720 is good enough for ISB Hyderabad. You should take up the job to increase your work experience then apply for ISB with GMAT. However, if you inclined towards joining a B-school this year itself then you can go for IMT G. It’s finance program is considered decent.

  14. Hi Sir,
    My Profile by the time i wrote CAT’15
    CAT : 98.35
    10th : 85.5
    12th : 89.4
    B.Tech(IT): 8.65 (2015 passout)
    Work exp : As of now 10 months (joined July’2015)
    I got calls from IIMS, New IIMs, IIT B, NITIE and i am done with interviews. I want to know is it worth joining any of the above mentioned colleges else it is better to go for a retake. I am really confused. Please help me with your valuable feedback.

    • Trivikram, you have decent calls. You should join a college this year itself. IIT B and NITIE are good options.

  15. Hello Sir,

    My Profile is as below:
    Work-Ex – 4years (IT)
    X – 72.86
    XII – 61.85
    Grad – 61.65(BE Mech)

    Targeting MMS course for 2016-18 under the All India Seats in Maharashtra. With MAT-99.84, I have slim chances for KJS, but welingkar could be a decent chances going by the trends. I am interested in Finance and Operations. I have heard that NL Dalmia is good for Finance.

    If there arises a case where KJS is out of reach and Welingkar and NLD are the options, which one shall prefer. Welingkar has no clear placement stats. But, I am confused to go with the WE brand name or NLD ?

    Please help me make this decision which surely relies on my efforts but then your guidance will only make it worthwhile.

    P.S – I could not make it to the MICA waitlist 🙁
    Thanks and Regards,
    Laxmikanth

    • Laxmikanth, call from KJs is quite possible at this score. In case you are unable to covert the call from KJs then Welingkar should be the preferred option.It is advised to retake CAT and the other MBA exams and aim for the top B- schools.

  16. Sir, I have completed my btech CSE in 2014 and after working only for 3 months i left my job.Then take Cat 15 -84.5%ile.
    Please throw some lights on these colleges-(SPM PDPU-E&I), (NIT trichy) and (DSM DTU).
    For Which I should go?

  17. Hi Sir,

    BE in 2012, 30Months of experience in Collabera Technologies Pvt Ltd as Technical Recruiter for 400Fortune clients. 65%+ through out my acads & 97.36%ile in CMAT. Till now 5 college has given confirmation. Please suggest best suitable option for me to do MBA specialization in Marketing. Colleges are as follows.
    1. ITM Navi Mumbai-PGDM
    2. IBS Hyderabad- MBA
    3. Great Lakes Gurgaon- PGPM (1 Year)
    4. IMT Nagpur- PGDM Marketing
    5. SCIT Pune- PGDM

    • Pradeep, you can go for IBS Hyderabad, Great Lakes and IMT Nagpur. Since you already have an experience of 30 months, Executive MBA should be preferred. Good luck!

  18. Sir, 2012 Eng Pass out, 30months of Experience in Collabera Technologies recruitment for IT Companies. 65% through out my academics & 97.36%ile in CMAT. I have 5 conversion till now. Which one you think is best too go and join.
    1. ITM Navi Mumbai- Kharghar- PGDM
    2. IBS Hyderabad- MBA
    3. Great Lakes-Gurgaon_ PGPM
    4. IMT Nagpur- PGDM Marketing
    5. SCIT Pune- PGDM

    Please reply
    Thanks in Advance

  21. Sir,
    Could you please tell which is a better institute, KJ Somaiya or TAPMI. I haven’t decided my specialisation yet.
    I shall be highly obliged.

  22. Hi Sir,

    I converted Nmims and I am wait-list no. 14 at SP Jain for Finance. Should I leave Nmims as the deadline to fill the fees is 18 March. Will the List move up?This is an Urgent request I need to book Mumbai tickets in case the wait list doesn’t clear.

    • Sagarika, the chances are high that you’ll convert however, NMIMS will charge just 1000 bucks to withdraw. Thus, you can go ahead and pay at NM and withdraw later, if needed.

  23. Hi,

    I have converted NMIMS MBA program.My other calls are LBS,IMI Delhi and IIT-Kgp MHRM program and UBS Chandigarh. Good academics and work ex of 15 months in IT firm so which college would you advise me to join looking at all the factors.Please arrange them in order of preference.

    Thanks.

    • Is IIT kgp MHRM program worth going because it is considered at par with FORE and LBS and what about NMIMS because although the figures of average placement are 16.5 LPA I would be taking huge loan for it.So, is it actually worth risking keeping in mind the averages are exaggerated ones.

      • Cannot give another attempt .This is my last attempt so considering it what would be the wise choice NMIMS or IIT kgp MHRM ?
        Also ,the figures by IIT kgp MHRM are inflated like NMIMS or the average package is 9 lpa ?

        • Shweta, NM Mumabi Core should be preferred over others despite the cost as it will provide you with the best placement opportunities. However if you are keen on HR specialisation then go for IIT Kgp MHRM, its average salary is likely to be in the region of 9 lakh pa.
          Please refer to the article Jayein toh jayein kahaan 2016: Which Institute? for the preference of institutes.

  25. Sir, I have about 33 months of work ex in TCS..I have calls from GIM KJsomaiya and greatlakes Gurgaon PGPM. Which is a better option to join?

    • Somya, you should be looking at Great lakes as it offers 1 year course and they provide system placements.

  26. Sir
    I have a call from Narsee Monjee IIT KGP and XIMB…
    Among these colleges which college should i choose
    ROI is not that much of a concern but placements and quality of education are

  27. Hello sir
    I am a final year student of Bachelor of Management Studies from Keshav Mahavidyalaya, DU. I will be graduating in summer of 2016. I took entrance exams this year and my scores were as follows-
    Nmat-213
    Snap-97.2
    CAT-82.3 ( a bad day, maybe)
    XAT-97.5

    I got calls from NMIMS , XLRI ( both hr and bm ) , XIMB , SCHMRD , IMT G .
    I have converted NMIMS (Mumbai) and am not too optimistic about XL. So I was confused between opting NMIMS or trying next year.

    I not placed yet but am not in a hurry to do mba right now.
    Please help me out.

    My past academics are –
    10th – 9.6 CGPA
    12th- 94.6%
    Grad – 83%

    Thank you !

  28. I have converted SCMHRD and NM MBA core , confused between these two. It is marketing vs HR dilemma for me. From what I know, if HR-SCHMRD and mktng- NM, but then not able to decide between HR n Mktng, open to both. I would appreciate if I can call you to discuss this.

  29. Sir,
    I have converted NMIMS and have interviews for XIMB, IIT-D and IIT-M remaining. How would you rank these for finance and operations?

    • siR, I Have converted sims pune (im drom def background), i have call from ximb hr, kj, and fore. Since sims have asked for a nonrefundable fees before 21 march, when my interviews wont be over by then, i would like u to rate these colleges> XIMB HR seems to be too expeisve, the total fees is coming out to be 17.55 lakhs. CAT- 86.4%, XAT 88.2%, 12th- 9.6,10th-95, btech- 67%. No work exp. ALso if its advisable to drop a year or not
      Thankyou!

      • Inayat, since it was your first attempt, you should be looking at CAT’16 and try to convert better b-schools. To fill in the gap you can take up a job and prepare for CAT.

  30. Sir, I have an IT experience of almost 2 years.. have received admission in PGDM BIMTECH,please suggest between BIMTECH, TAPMI, GIM

    • Purvee, ideally with 2 years of work ex you should be looking at better B-schools by taking CAT next year. Between these TAPMI would be a better option.

    • Hi Sir,
      I have 3+ years of work ex. in cisco as s/w eng. i have converted great lakes chennai PGPM, TAPMI and probable to convert XIMB-BM/HRM and IMT- gaziyabaad also.I have no prior managerial exp. so not sure which specialization will i pursue(but surely not finance).
      Please suggest the best choice among these for me.

  32. Sir, I’ve got ~90% in X & XII (CBSE), 6.8/10 in graduation (in 2012) with no extracurricular and no work ex. Is there any point in applying to SP Jain if I’m not getting more than 95%ile in CAT? TIA!

      • Sir,

        My academic profile is:
        1. Class 10 CBSE 93%
        2. Class 12 Maharashtra HSSC 70%
        3. Bachelor of Design (Product Design) NIFT, Gandhinagar (CGPA 7.6)

        I have done well in CAT 2015 (slot 1) and preparing for SNAP 2015. Will it be worthwhile for me to appear in XAT 2016 as well?

        Presently I am working in an E-commerce company as Visualiser and Merchandiser. Which stream of management ( HR/Marketing/Finance etc) will be suitable for my profile?

        I am from defence background so can opt for SIMS, Pune as well. Please advise.

        • Manasi, irrespective of everything you must appear for XAT. Scoring a 97-98 percentile in XAT is not that difficult and you can easily get a call from XLRI.

          • Sir,

            Thanks for your encouraging reply.
            Since XAT 2016 was not on radar, will solving previous papers and model papers from “XAT 2008-2015 (Gautam Puri Sir)” in addition to my preparation for CAT 2015 be sufficient for cracking XAT?

            Regards.

          • Manasi, include XAT mocks as well in that list. You must aim to take around 4-5 XAT mocks to solidify your prep.

          • Manasi, Till 20th December focus on SNAP and from 21st shift to XAT and yes solving old XAT papers and the Mock XATs by CL will be enough. Do ensure that you practice about 10 papers each of SNAP and XAT. A post on how to tackle XAT will be released today, hope you have checked the article on SNAP – SNAP Shot!!.
            If you have a Mumbai/Maharashtra domicile then Maharashtra CET should also be taken you. SIMS can be your back up option.
            Baed on your

  33. Sir, will only 5-6 months of work ex after graduation (no year gap, rest of the year went in preparation while i could work only for 5months) be a disadvantage for me during interview stage, because i know this work ex will not be of any advantage either.
    pls guide, i am pretty worried about this.

    • SG, many students make it to IIMs and other top MBA institutes despite dropping a year so this work ex pf 5-6 months will not be a disadvantage. Your CAT score and the performance in the interview will primarily determine the outcome.

  34. Sir,
    I belongs from NC-OBC background, my class 10th marks-60%; 12th- 77.8%; Graduation-67% (B.com Accounts Hons.) & now i’m taking admission for M.com,,How much %tile in CAT, i can get call from an IIM?? please sir reply as soon as possible,

  35. sir i have call from dsm dtu , srcc du and also from uiams , pu plz tell me which is better and shall i prepare for cat again percentile being 79.31 also plz tell the best college from these as well as in which way is it better thank you sir

    • Himanshu, in our opinion you should prepare well and appear for CAT and other exams again this year. Even in the worst case, you’ll receive calls from these colleges again next year.

  36. Sir, How does previous academics matter during MBA placements from colleges like SIBM, IIFT, SIIB etc? do companies put any cut-off percentage criteria like throught academics 60% etc.
    Pls throw some light on this issue as i have low score in my 12th exams.

    • Murthy, placement after MBA is mostly a function of your performance in MBA and is not dependent upon your past academic performance.

  37. Dear GP sir

    I have been short listed for IMT, GBD IMI(HR) and wait list 28 for MBA(BE)/MBE DU besides wl at IMI for main PGDM. I am a final year B.Tech ECE student and have scored 93.16 in CAT with following academics
    X 90.2
    XII 87
    B.Tech 80

    What are my chances for MBA(BE)/MBE DU and what should be my preference keeping in view my good background at analytics. Should I think of a retry for CAT 16.

    Thanks in advance.

  38. Hello Sir,

    I have 4 years of Workexp with Godrej Group in SupplyChain and Global Procurement Domain.
    10th – 79.46 %
    12th – 73.18 %
    BE Production – 65.18 %

    I have Converts from Great Lakes PGPM, SIOM, IMT Ghaziabad Finance, XIMB BM, XLRI HR, GIM (with scholarship of 4 lacs), KJ Somaiya PGDM and SPJIMR PGCIM.

    I am interested in pursuing MBA with majors in Operations Management or International Management. With the above options in hand and considering my profile, what would you suggest ?

    To take up one option from above (If yes, then which ?)
    OR
    To try for Entrance exams once again next year for IIMs (Consider my mediocre past acads) ?

    Best Regards,
    Omprakash Jha

    • Omprakash, problem of plenty!
      Among the options mentioned, the best one is XLRI HR and if you were okay with the specialisation then it would have been the best by a margin but since it is operations/international management that you are looking at we need to ignore it and consider the others.
      In terms of order of ranking the order the top three would be XIMB BM, IMT G Finance, Great Lakes Chennai PGPM and given your 4 year work experience I think GL Chennai PGPM is the best option. It will offer good opportunities in Operations (e-commerce, manufacturing) and tech consulting and also save you a year.
      Call me at 9811155160 after 7 pm in case you want to discuss this further.

  40. Hi Sir,
    I scored 97.56 this year. Converted MDI (HRM) , IIT Kgp/M.
    With a 2 yr exp in IT and looking to switch my sector (to finance possibly). What would you suggest, considering MDI-HRM having good chances of upgrading to PGPIM.
    Thanks in advance.

    • Raunak, among these IIT Kgp will be the best option. IF you get upgraded to MDI PGPM or IM then these should be preferred. THe only factor that goes against IM is its higher fee.

  41. GP Sir
    My profile is as follows
    10th- 93.4
    12lth- 86
    grad- 77

    CAT14-95.5
    XAT -96.5
    SNAP-95
    TISS score-71
    NMAT score- 202

    I was called for XLRI HR, IIT kgp, IIT Kanpur and IIT Kgp MHRM. Did not applied for MDI and SPJAIN and IITD.

    I have converted IIT Kgp MBA and MHRM, and IIT Kanpur but could not convert XLRI.

    Now I am confused that shall I join IIT Kgp MBA or give another shot at CAT.

    I am not afraid because if I fail I will try for Global colleges after 2 years. Also I am not hopeful for any IIM because of being general engineer male.
    Is it worth leaving IIT Kgp targeting only XLRI, TISS, MDI, SPJAIN in my next attempt.

    • Urmanpreet, general-engineer-male is not an issue, many GEMs do make it to top IIMs and you have a good academic record. So the question that you need to ask is can you get a 99.6%ile in CAT for IIM A, C, FMS or over 99%ile for the other top IIMs & IITB or over 97%ile for new IIMs, SPJain, MDI and XLRI?
      If the answer is a no then go for IIT Kgp else go for a retake, In case you decide on a retake then do take GMAT for the global MBA schools.

    • Dewansh, it has to be MDI PGPM because it will open all areas of specializations while NITIE will restrict you to operations.

  44. Respected sir….i have converted sdmimd mysore, bimtech noida, bimm pune….out of these i chose bimtech noida pgdm core as my option…now i am having welingkar’s gd pi call….i heard alot of negative things about welingkar….as its batch size, placement n all…what is ur take…..what should be my choice among bimtech n we…..my cat score 2014 is 79 percentile….and want to go for mba

    • Shashank, if you are from Delhi/North then stick to BIMTECH but if you are from Mumbai then Welingkar can be considered. Placements are similar in both the institutes and if you include all the programs then both have around 450 students.

  45. sir, please tell ehich one is better: welingkar mumbai, kjs mumbai, lbsim delhi and imt ghaziabad in order.

    Thanks

  46. GP Sir,
    I have converted MDI PGPM and i am currently waiting for IIM Indore results. If fortunately i convert IIM-I, which one should i prefer MDI or IIM-I considering all the factors. WHich would pay better in the long run? Given, i want to pursue with major in marketing….. plz help!!!

  48. Sir,
    Please will you be able to rate mfc ,scmhrd and imi pgdm as to which one to join.
    I am not particularly inclined towards any specific specialization as such.

    Thank you in advance.

    • Ragini, SMHRD is the best option among these as it is the highest ranked, has the best placements, will allow you to choose your area of specialisation and has a reasonable fee.
      If however you are keen on specialising in finance and fee is an issue (around 12-13 lakh for MBA in SCMHRD) then MFC should be preferred as it has a very low fee (total cost for MBA would be less than 2 lakh) and decent placements (average/median CTC of around Rs 9 lakh pa)

  49. Prerna, XIMB RM has not really been able to establish itself and has poor placements. My suggestion is to go for IMT Nagpur.

      • Prerna, IMT Nagpur has okay placements and its average/median salary would be around Rs 6 lakh pa.
        IBS Hyderabad has a batch of 1000+ but the top 250 odd get good placements, especially in fiance, if you are confident of being in the top 250 then you can consider it favourably. The high fee of IBS Hyderabad is another aspect that you need to consider.

  50. Sir
    I have got a seat for PGDM at BIMM pune with CAT 70 percentile. Now i have a call from BIMTECH Greater noida for PGDM(IB). Should i join BIMTECH; it will work out costly. Will it be worth

  51. Hi Sir,
    PLease suggest what to opt for between NMIMS MUMBAI(MBA core) and IMI delhi( PGDM/ B&FS)…considering the overall scenario…placements+brand value+faculty…overall ranking

    • Raunika, XIMB HR should be preferred over IMI HR as XIMB HR is an older program with a better placement record.

      • Sir XIMB has just doubled its intake and their s 50% reservation for the state domicile students.
        Will this is any way affect the placements?
        Whereas IMI has a batch strength just half of XIMB, i.e 60

          • I am sorry Sir. I mean is there a marginal difference or a significant difference between the HR program of these 2 colleges.

          • Raunika, I don’t think that the increased intake and 50% reservation will impact XIMB placements adversely. Going by the placement reports the gap between IMI and XIMB HR is not much and if you belong to Delhi then you could prefer IMI HR also.

  53. sir please guide should i opt for nmims hr or imi pgdm/hr… not sure about specialization and no financial constraints

    • Shubhangi, since you are not sure about specialisation you should go for IMI PGDM. If you are sure about specialising in HR then you should join NMIMS Mumbai HR.

    • Pratik, both are equally good and you can go for either of them. The advantages of NMIMS are location and slightly better packages while SIBM Pune gains in terms of smaller batch size and lower cost of MBA by about 5-6 lakhs.
      If batch size and money do not worry you then go for NMIMS else SIBM Pune should be your preference.

  57. Sir from various sources i hav heard that acads do matter during placements time also. Students with low acads in 10th,12th or grad suffer a lot during summer as well as final placem even in premier B schools.
    Sir my 12th score is 59% only. Does that mean i will not be able to secure job in campus placmnts. Plz throw some light on this.
    i hv no work ex,10th is 82 while grad is 7.5 cgpa.
    What is the advantage of securing seat in such premier colleges if then also one is not able to get good job.

    • Sandarbh, past acads can impact your summer placements as till then you would not have taken any of your semester/trimester exams. However when it comes to final placements it is your performance in MBA that is the most important thing and very few companies will worry about your marks in X, XII and graduation.

  58. Hello Sir,
    I am working in TCS ,will complete 2 years in july ,completed Engineering in 2013 with 78% ,10th 86% & 12th 78%.I scored 98.51 percentile in XAT,Have converted PGDM TAPMI & IMT-G Marketing.Waiting for XLRI results for BM & HR.
    Considering this as my last chance to pursue MBA whether I should go for the colleges I converted,and in case which one to choose & why? What are the Placement scenarioes at both the places.How good Institutes are? Are they worth joining.Please reply

    • Amita, hopefully you will convert XLRI and this question will be redundant. If this is your last chance for pursuing MBA thn IMT G should be preferred as itg has a good placement record. However I am not comfortable with recommending IMTG and TAPMI to a 98.5%iler and my suggestion will be to take GMAT and try for ISB Hyderabad 2016-17 batch.

  59. Hi GP Sir,
    I have offers from SIBM Pune and IMT Ghaziabad. Could you please advice me on which one to go for?

  60. Sir,

    I have converted NMIMS and have a waitlist of 97 for finance in SP Jain, I understand that is a negligible chance of conversion. I ranked in the 98.29 percentile in CAT 2014. I have 91.83% in 10th boards( CBSE), 76.41% in 12th board( SSC), which is why I believe I haven’t gotten as many calls as I should have, and a CGPA of 8.75 in B.Tech. I am a fresher. I am inclined to take up NMIMS. The only other option I see is, writing CAT again in 2015 and hoping to make the cut for FMS. I would really like your guidance in the approach ahead.

    Thank you.

    • I forgot to mention, I also have calls from all the 6 of new IIMs. Please suggest the optimal course of action.

      Thank you.

    • Sambhav, you can join NMIMS. Go for a retake only if you are reasonably sure of a CAT score of over 99%ile and in this case you should pick up a job also.
      What about MDI, NITIE, IITs and new IIMs?

      • I did not get a call from MDI and applied to IIT-B, and no call from there either. The new IIMs, I was shortlisted for all 6 and had a decent interview. With NMIMS, a major concern is the placement. It definitely has a great reputation but is it worth the investment? Also considering CAT 2015 is 8 months away and I graduate in May’15, I can have experience of maximum 5 months, will that considerably change my profile? Another apprehension I had towards giving CAT again is my 12th score. I strongly feel a low 12th score is one of the major reasons I haven’t been able to successfully convert even the calls that I had or was not shortlisted for. Is it really hampering my profile that much?

        • Sambhav, no calls from MDI and IIT B despite a 98.29%ile will be due to poor score in one section or your marks in XII. While a score of over 80% would have been helpful, 76% is not bad and I am surprised with no calls from MDI and IIT Mumbai
          A 5-6 month work experience will not give you any major advantage and should not be considered. A retake will be useful only if you can get a score of around 99.5%ile in CAT or 98%ile in XAT and if you are not confident of the same then joining NMIMS or the new IIMs would be the right step. Placements at NMIMS Mumbai are good and even if you discount the figures in the placement report by a third it is a good number to look at. Cost is definitely an issue as NMIMS will set you back by about Rs 20 lakh.
          My suggestion is to go for NMIMS only if you do not get into the new IIMs.

  64. Sir,
    I have converted MBA-HR and MBA-core at NMIMS. I personally prefer HR, but since I have an IT background, I am confused about MBA-IT. Is NMIMS-HR comparable to MBA-IT(job prospects). Kindly help.

  65. Hi 🙂
    My academic profile is as follows:
    CBSE 10th : 90.1%
    CBSE 12th : 88.2%
    B.E E&C CGPA : 6.3
    GMAT : 710
    Work Exp : 23 months ( Middle East)
    I’m interested in the MBA program at SIBM Pune or Bangalore (Applying through the SCIE without SNAP). Do you think I have a strong enough profile? What about for IIMB? Can I expect a call?

    • Matt, You have a good chance in SIBM Pune and SCMHRD but with your work experience, GMAT score and marks in X/XII you can target the top IIMs.

  66. GP sir,
    I m a fresher of doing engg. and will give cat this year my acads are as follows-

    X-79.2%
    XII-59.2%
    UG-67% (till now)
    Category-NC-OBC
    Looking at the previous cat papers (and solving one of them) i am pretty confident of scoring upwards of 95%.what would be my chances considering my low acads in top iims.how much should be my actual target to convert any of the iims and a sureshot score in fms(taking into account it’s high cat weightage and my category) with decent gd/wat/pi?iims website show shortlisting cutoff at 81 but how far does the merit list cutoff extend?

    • Ashutosh, with your academic record (especially 59.2% in XII) will make the top IIMs difficult unless you have a CAT score of over 98%ile. For FMS a CAT score of 95%ile will be required for a final call.

  67. hello sir,
    I am having less than 60% in 10th n 12th but in btech I hav 8cgpa…
    Will it affect my admission in top colleges under xat and placement if I get selected
    Do reply fast as I have to fill up the forms

    • Ritu, you will have a problem in admission to IIM B and C but the others are not a problem. Placement is a function of your performance in MBA and does not depend on your marks in X and XII.

  68. Hello Sir,
    Sir i want to know how much weightage essay and gk have in gd and pi round in this year??
    n sir my % in 10th is 54 n 12th is 52 and btech is 7.8
    is there any problem in admission and placement if i clear xat??

    • Rituparna, most of the IIMs have about 35-40% weight for CAT score and bulk of the remaining is for the Personality Assessment stage.
      XLRI has a 65% weight for XAT score and around 5% weight for past academics. Hence if you get a high score in XAT then it will not matter.
      For placements the companies evaluate you on your performance in MBA and not on your past academics.

        • Ritu, all institutes consider academic record but for most weightage is low. I do not have the specific information for TAPMI but know of many students with average/poor academic record who have made it to the institute.

  69. Hello Sir,

    My academics are as follows:
    X – 74.4%
    XII – 58.6 %
    Graduation – 66 %
    Experience – 2 years in Happiest Minds Technologies
    I am targeting top 25 MBA colleges. What do you think I should aim for so as to be sure about calls ?

    Thank you in advance.
    Preparation I am doing, but worried about academics

    • Shantanu, your academics are fine and most of the B schools have a low/no weight for past academics. A score of 97%ile can get you calls from almost all MBA institutes but for top IIMs you should target over 99%ile.

  70. Respected sir,

    im interested in jbims admission in batch 2015-2017.

    i would be glad if you provide complete details for oms candidates.
    im interested in giving mat and cmat. so please tell me about safe score in both the exams and also which month mat exam is considered for jbims, also inform me about procedure to apply to jbims.

    thanking you in advance.

    • SHP. OMS candidates have 18 seats in JBIMS and you can apply based on CAT/XAT/CMAT/Feb MAT/ATMA/CET scores. One needs a 99.99%ile to have a chance of getting in to JBIMS. My suggestion is to go for Feb MAT or ATMA since these are the easiest and the least competitive papers.

    • Sajal, at present VGSOM should be preferred over IIM Indore Mumbai Campus as it is yet to establish itself. The placement data of Mumbai campus has not been released separately and hence difficult to comment on it also the IIM Indore batch of 2016 will have 650-700 students and placements could be a problem for those in the bottom 33%. The cost of MBA is also low in VGSOM and has good placements.

  72. Can u suggest me , is it worth applying for NMIMS bengaluru & hyderabad..I work in TCS with 3 years of exp.

    Class X – 93.8 %
    Class XII – 90 %
    BPUT – 82.5 %

    What should I do ?

    • Udit, given you profile NMIMS Blr and Hyd is not recommended. However if you have to necessarily do an MBA this year then Blr can be considered as a back up.

  73. hi sir ,
    I had joined LBSIM ..today i got call from kj somaiya pgdm IB ..I have 41 months of experience in INFOSYS and have alread spent 20 days in LBSIM .Around 1 lakh would be deducted and rest would be returned by college…What should I do ?please suggest …

    • Piyush123, KJ Somaiya will be a better option. The loss of Rs 1 lakh is likely to be compensated by a significantly higher salary and better placement opportunities.

  74. Sir…currently I am working in jindal steel and power wid 4 yrs work exp and package 7.2lpa…I hav converted GL gurgaon PGPM,LBSIM Delhi,UBS Chandigarh…left other options n nw hav only UBS Chandigarh in hand…
    I hav 90.32 percentile…don’t hav good acads…
    X-67.2,XII-65.6,b.e(mech)-58…
    I don’t hav coaching options where m staying rt now…doubtful about scoring high next year(can achieve 95percentile)…
    I want to change my job profile n location…please suggest me Wat shd I do…sir I hav very less time…ur valuable suggestion vl help me a lot…

    • Ashish, my suggestion is to drop UBS Chandigarh, continue with your job and go for a retake of CAT/XAT. You should also take GMAT and target ISB Hyderabad and other good 1 year MBA programs. UBS Chandigarh is unlikely to provide you with a good career/placement opportunities. Even if coaching is not available in your city you can go for online programs. Smart CAT Cracker Comprehensive which includes online sessions, test series and test gym should take care of your preparation for retake. Similarly online programs are available for GMAT also.

      • Sir…I want to ask about vich good colleges can I get (target) next year if I score 95 percentile (not sure) with such low overall acads…if I can get good colleges(as acads matter a lot in good colleges) den it vl b meaningful to prepare and to go dere after 5 yrs of work exp next year…plz guide me

  75. Hi Sir,
    I have converted IIT delhi (DMS) and IIM Shillong.
    Please advise which one to go for.
    My profile :
    X 93.8 (cbse)
    XII 90.4 (cbse)
    Engineering 79(hbti)
    Work Ex 1.5 years in IT

  76. Sir are there any scholarships available to new iim;s students..
    I have secured admission in IIM raipur but ITS total fees of 9.8 LPA is very high..Please guide,

    • Deepika, all IIMs have scholarships for meritorious/needy students and IIM Raipur too would have one. Suggest you contact the admissions office for the same. Education loans are also available for students with IIM calls.

  77. Sir,
    I have converted VGSOM and WL in new IIM’s.. Below is my profile,

    X – 87.18%
    XII – 90.91%
    B.tech – 77.39%
    CAT 2013 – 86.52 %ile (First Attempt)
    Work EX – TCS (34 months )
    Category – NC OBC..

    I’m in a dilemma whether to join VGSOM or trying next year for IIM’s..And I’m bit worried about my work ex. because next year i’ll be having 46 months Wrk-Ex..
    Please advice..

    • Kumar, VGSOM is an excellent institute and will provide good placement opportunities but the new IIMs should be preferred over Kgp.
      TO me work experience is not a very big issue, as a NC OBC candidate retake will make sense only if you are sure of getting a score of around 95%ile as it will allow you to get calls from the top IIMs, IIT Mumbai and FMS, If you are sure of this then go for a retake else join IIT Kgp or the new IIMs.

  78. SIr,

    I have converted a call with UBS @ P.U. I am currently working with TCS, have a work experience of about 3.5 years and get a package of ~5 lpa. Please guide me as to I should join MBA here or give it another attempt.

    • Dear Neha,

      Average placements at UBS are in the range of Rs. 5-6 lakhs p.a. Thus, in your case, it does not make any sense to go for UBS. Continue with your job and prepare for b-school entrances again. With your work experience, you may also consider GMAT/GRE and go to b-schools abroad.

  79. Dear sir,

    I converted DTU DSM and UBS PU for mba.
    Sir, Please guide me to select the best option, as i am unable to find out, even after consulting teachers.
    DTU:-
    Fees 1.5 lakhs
    Avg pakage according to student studying there 5.5 – 6 lakhs
    Exposure is more delhi
    But its a new institute

    UBS:-
    Fees 60,000
    Avg pkg 6-7 lakh
    It is very old institute.
    Expose as conpare to delhi is less.

    Sir, i am aware of all these points, but not able to decide as m getting different and conflicting reviews from different teachers.
    Sir please help.
    Thankyou.

    • Suraj, despite being a newer institute DSM DTU should be better than UBS Chandigarh. In the next couple of years DSM-DTU should overtake UBS in terms of placements.

  80. Dear Sir, I have a work ex of 5.5 years and I have converted calls from all new IIM’s ..am planning to join IIM Ranchi…intersted in consulting and IT..so i am planning to quit job ..please share your thoughts on this ..can my placements be affected owing to higher work ex..

      • Sir , i am working in Infosys as tech lead in senior programmer role and my sal is arnd 10.5 lakh ..

        • Mahesh, IIM Ranchi may not be a good option for you. Ideally you should look at the 1 year MBA program of ISB Hyderabad or the PGPX of top IIMs.

  81. Dear Sir,

    I have converted IMT G (FT) and IMI , I have done my graduation in biotech and I am aiming for pharma companies.
    Which college should I join?

    Thanks and Regards
    Ankit

    • Ankit, IMT G is the higher ranked institute but has a batch size of 600 (including DCP) and if you are among the bottom 1/3rd then you may not get good placement. The top 2/3rd in IMT have good placements and there is a good variety in the kind of companies/jobs that are available.
      IMI is a safer option since it has a similar average salary but a lower batch size. If you want to play safe then IMI should be preferred else it should be IMTG.

  82. my profile:-
    10th- 89.6%
    12th- 82.2%
    B.E.- 80% (electronics and telecom)
    CAT- 87.4
    fresher
    I am selected for LBS-PGDM general also I have a call from TCS so should I go for LBS or have some work ex in tcs and then do mba after 2-3 years??

    • Shikhar, with your academic profile and a good job at hand you can consider dropping LBS and go for a retake. Do not wait for 2-3 years, go for CAT’14 itself.

  84. dear sir,

    I have received a call from SIBM Pune for its new program I2MBA. Please advise if I can opt for the course. I’ve more than 3 years of experience in a leading MNC right now.

    Thank you! 🙂

    • Vivek, while SIBM Pune is a known and respected institute, I2MBA is a new program and it is difficult to comment on how good it is likely to be. With more than 3 year work experience you should consider GMAT for ISB (and other 1 year MBA programs) along with CAT/XAT.

      • sir I would request you to please go through the i2 MBA program link on sibm …they have mentioned the course structure….batch size will be 40…. will students have equal shot during placements…

        • Amrit, the program appears to be good but it is silent on placements. Also the industry acceptance is difficult to estimate. Given that it is SIBM Pune, I am hopeful that it will provide good placements especially if the placement of both the programs is clubbed, which I am hopeful of. If you do not have the enthusiasm to go for a retake then this program appears to be good option.

          • Even I’m in the same confusion. I have about 2 years of work experience. I’m not sure if I should join SIBM I2 or wait for one more year and apply abroad(Only if I get a scholarship). Parents are forcing me to join for this one coz they’re not ready to spend on me and they think this is a safer option!

          • Rahul, what were your scores in CAT and XAT in the last attempt, your X/XII/graduation marks and current job profile?

          • Cat 78 xat 77
            X-84, XII-78, BE – 67
            1.5 YEARS WORK EXP at oracle
            6months at an ngo

          • Rahul, your CAT/XAT scores are not encouraging and you should consider joining SIBM I2. However if you are sure of a GMAT score in excess of 720 then dropping it can be considered.

          • Hi sir,

            Scores from my first attempt are:
            CAT 78
            XAT 79
            X 84%
            XII 78%
            BE 67.4%
            1.5 years work experience at Oracle
            0.5 years at an NGO.
            Do you think I can get a good university abroad for my profile?

  85. Sir, i got 93.5%ile in CAT 13. converted dtu-dsm and UBS(HR) . IS UBS HR any good? Or should I take CAT again. (Not sure about whether I would score more than 93 again in CAT)

    • GSingh, UBS has been struggling for placements in the last coupe of years and hence is not recommended. Suggest that you consider DSM DTU or a retake.

  86. sir, i have converted iim shillong but i still doubt if iim shillong is worth the 13 lac of fees or not . should i join this yr or give one more shot for iim A,,B,C,L,fms as am from ST category therefore not so high percentiles needed for having calls

  87. Sir, i have converts from IIM Raipur and NMIMS(Core), Mumbai. I am waitlisted at trichy and hope to convert it too. Kindly let me know what should be my sequence of preferrence. Thank you very much Sir

    • Aditya, the institutes are at par but my suggestion is to go for either Raipur of Trichy based on your location preference.

  88. sir I secured 94 percentile in may mat 14.. I got selected for upes lscm programme. is this a right choice as per the investment.

    • Hi sir,

      CAT 2013 : 97.5 (Quant 81, Verbal 99.5)
      10th/12th/Grad: 94/96/93
      Calls: IIM B,L(ABM),K, new IIMs
      Expected admits: new IIMs
      WorkEx: 2 years at a top IT company with a package of 12 lakhs

      Should I join a new IIM this year or should I give another attempt considering my profile?

      Thanks,
      Veena

      • Veena, the new IIMs are not recommended for you. My suggestion is to go for a retake of CAT/XAT and also take GMAT. Your target should be A,B,C,L, XLRI and ISB.

        • Thanks for the reply. As you have suggested, I’m planning to take GMAT this year. Can you please let me know the top institutes in India which accept GMAT scores?

          Thanks,
          Veena

          • Veena, for you the only GMAT institute in India that is relevant is ISB Hyderabad.

  90. Sir, I am a fresher and am confused between some colleges to choose from. I have NITIE, IIM – Trichy in hands. And I have been waitlised by IIM Indore at 95. I don’t have a particular choice of a vertical like finance, ops, marketing etc right now. I don’t know what to choose as I am not sure about my IIM I getting converted at all. Please help me with your suggestion.

    • Sir, it would be really helpful if you can give some indication regarding whether my W/L 95 at IIM I can get converted or not..

      • Abhishek, W/L 95 has a good chance of converting in IIM Indore.
        Between NITIE and IIM Trichy, my preference is NITIE IM, since IIM Trichy will take some time to establish itself. Obviously IIM Indore should be your first preference.

  91. Sir, I have converted MDI and am on the waitlist of IIMs Trichy, Rohtak, Raipur and Kashipur. Shoud I go for MDI or rather wait for these since they have the IIM tag? Also, my preference is finance, which among them would help me?

    • Sheldon, join MDI, it is better than the new IIMs for all areas including Finance. MDI is not an IIM but an equally good brand which is highly respected in the industry.

  92. Hello Sir, I have converted IIM Rohtak, Udaipur Tricy n waitlisted for Shillong (rank-3) also converted SIBM PUNE.
    Which one should i go with? Sir, Please help me. I am really in Dilemma . Thank u in advance 🙂

  93. Sir,

    I want to know about the defence quota in B-schools… I am son of ex-service man. I am planning to appear in CAT-14.

    Please guide me about the ex-service man (Defence) quota for MBA.

    • Chetan, SIMS Pune is only for wards of defence personnel, to the best of my knowledge no other institute has reservation for defence personnel or their wards.

  94. sir,

    i have converted IIM udaipur , raipur and kashipur. Got a reject from trichy. Ranchi and rohtak are asking me to wait. ( Do not know the waitlist number). Kindly give the order of preference. ( i am from hyderabad and have got 3 years of work exp, cat 97.7).

  95. Respected Sir,

    My Profile
    10th: 67.4%
    12th:63.0%
    Grad:78.7%(Computer Science Engineering)
    CAT:86.09

    Please rate among LBSIM(PGDM-GENERAL) and NIRMA MBA(FT).NIRMA is having a good brand and is ranked higher than LBSIM in nearly all the rankings.Sir,will it be a risky decision to choose NIRMA over LBSIM ? or should i take another attempt next year.

    Regards.

  96. GIM vs FORE(IB)…. Have 34 months of IT experience. Want to go for MBA this year.

    Have little inclination towards FORE as it is in my hometown and will have to spend less on fees.

    • Jain90, GIM is my preference sine it will provide better placement opportunities in terms of the kind of companies and also in terms of salary.

      • Is FORE that bad?

        Because Both GIM & FORE claims avg Pckg of arnd 8lacs. I don’t see major difference.
        Also FORE has compulsory International Immersion Programme, which is included in Fees, i see it as an adv over GIM.

        • Jain90, FORE is not bad but the quality and variety of companies in GIM is usually better. However you can choose to go for FORE if you are sure about IB specialisation, the gap between the two institutes is not much.

  97. I have converted IIM Raipur..waitlisted in IIM Udaipur (145)..
    I am an OBC candidate..had 89.6% this year..am placed in TCS with a pkg of 3.2lpa..
    I am not sure if I shud join any IIM this year or give CAT again after 2 yrs..because I believe that with some more efforts I can get into the old IIMs..plus after 2 yrs I will hv decent workex as well.
    Male Engineer
    92% 10th
    87%12th
    78%btech from uptu

    I am also slightly concerned by the fact that with no work ex and a btech degree from uptu might go against me during the placements in IIMs where I have seen that abt 65% of the class has over 12months of exp.

  98. Sir, I have converted Tapmi. I have a work ex of 35months and people are saying that I shouldnt try next year because a work ex in excess of 3yrs in IT will be a disadvantage because then I will be shortlisted only for IT jobs in b schools. Is it True? Please suggest.

    • Ria, another year of work experience will only compound the problem so you might as well join this year. IT, Telecom and Consultancy companies are likely to give you full credit for your work experience while the others will at best give you a credit of only half your work experience. You can get openings in all functional areas in these companies.
      Go for a retake only if ou are confident of over 99%ile in CAT/XAT. Also do take GMAT and target ISB Hyderabad also.

  99. Good Morning Sir,
    For Finance specialization, which one should I take amongst
    sibm pune vs iim trichy vs iim raipur vs iim udaipur?
    Thanks in advance

  100. Sir i have converted NMIMS and IIM Udaipur, and want to pursue MBA in finance specifically… which would be the better choice ??

      • Sir can you please state the reason for the same . As far the placement report says, many prominent names from BFSI are missing in iim-u placement report and nmims has a location advantage. Please give the positives of iim u over nmims ..

        • Ashish, the IIM name will stand you inn good stead in the long term. Also we need to look at the likely placements in 2016 when the situation is likely to be different.

  102. Sir i have converted ximb BM nd Mdi IM awaiting results of new iim’s wat should be my preference order??

  103. Hello Sir,
    I aspire to do MBA in HR. As of now, I have converted XIMB MHRM. I am also waiting for IIM Ranchi PGDHRM results.
    My profile is as below:
    CAT : 97.11
    Graduation: 84.1 % (B.Tech)
    XII: 90 % X: 91.4 %
    I have a work experience of 35 months in Automobile in technical profile.
    Will waiting yet another year and trying for XLRI/TISS be a wise decision? My XAT OA percentile was 79.Is XIMB a good option considering its location and relatively new MHRM course?
    Please give your opinion.

    • Prachi, given your profile XIMB HRM is not a very good option. Hopefully IIM Ranchi will happen and resolve the issue but if it does not happen then go for a retake of CAT/XAT/TISS and also tale GMAT to target 1 year program of ISB Hyderabad.

      • Thank you Sir, but how will ISB fulfill the ambition of specializing in HR? As far as I know, they offer a general management course. Also, will the work experience of 4 years in technical hinder my opportunities during placements?

  104. Sir,
    I have converted DSM-DTU, BIMTECH, IIFM-BHOPAL. Which of these is better and offers more pacage? In great confusion…plz help

    • Deepak, DSM DTU is new and yet to establish itself hence it is not recommended.
      The PGDFM of IIFM is a variant of Rural Management or ABM programs with placements in the Development agencies, Project finance, Micro finance, Consultancies, NGOs and Agro/ Industries. Its average/median salary will be in the region of Rs 6-7 lakh pa with about a third of the batch above Rs 7 lakh pa.
      BIMTECH on the other hand is a regular MBA program with a similar salary range. However the cost of MBA from BIMTECH is likely to be twice of IIFM.
      My suggestion is to go for IIFM since it is likely to provide better career/placement opportunities.

  105. Hello Sir,

    I wanted your opinion regarding making a choice between NMIMS and IIM Shillong. Further my profile is 93%,97% and 61% in 10th,12th and graduation in BCom from SRCC. I also have 20 months experience in Deloitte. I scored a 96.7 in CAT. Would you suggest that I take another shot at CAT this year? I do know that I am ruled out from a few IIM’s du to my graduation score although.

    Any advice which you have for me would be of great help as I am in dire need of it.

    Regards,
    Harsh

    • Harsh, my suggestion is to join IIM Shillong and not go for a retake. Its placements have picked up significantly and by the time you graduate they would have improved further. The small batch size as compared to NMIMS, higher ranking and the IIM brand name are the other reasons in favour of IIM Shillong.

  106. Hi Sir,
    My Profile 10th/12th/Grad – 89.8/82.4/8.06GPA
    Work Exp – 31 Months in an IT Company as a quality analyst.
    I have converted MDI and SJMSOM and I am more inclined towards consulting roles post MBA.

    Please suggest me which one of the above two colleges will suit me the best?

    Thanks in Advance.

    • Pushp, this is a difficult one and you will have to choose based on your requirements.
      While both the institutes have a similar average salary, in terms of ranking or reputation MDI is marginally ahead but in terms of quality of students (work experience and CAT score) SJSOM is ahead. both provide good opportunities in consulting but SJSOM is a bit biased towards tech/IT/operations and MDI is likely to provide more width in terms of consulting companies. Low fee is a big advantage of SJSOM.
      The default option is MDI but based on the factors listed above above you could choose SJSOM.

  107. Sir, I have 3.5 yrs of work ex in IT and I have IIM Shillong and NITIE in my hand, awating for new IIMs. I want to build my future in IT consulting/analytics. Acads average. Which will be better IIM Shillong or NITIE?
    Thank You.

  108. Dear sir,
    I have a dilemma in choosing between SITM and IMNU(NIRMA). Nirma is undoubtedly ranked higher as per the various ratings but the reviews at few places reveal that placement scenario is no more as healthy as it used to be.
    I’m an engineer with 2 years of work exp. in an IT company. Which one do you suggest as per the package offered and also the job guarantee?
    Thanks in advance

    • Amrita, purely in terms of ranking/reputation there is no difference between the two and hence it is okay to choose SITM over Nirma. It does appear that there are issues wrt placements at Nirma and hence SITM should be your choice.

      • Sir, thank you very much for addressing my query. further to this, choosing sitm shall limit the future scope only to the telecom sector. So,could u pls suggest if this could become a hinderance/drawback in future?
        Regards.

        • Amrita, while most of the placements in SITM are in IT, Telecom and consultancy companies you could move out of these companies into other sectors after a couple of years of work experience.

  109. Hi GP sir

    I have converted MDI PGP-HRM(as of now),NITIE,IIT Delhi,SIBM Pune and am awaiting IIM Indore and new IIMs result.Please help me chose among these.

    • Akansha, IIM Indore and New IIMs are obviously the top two options for you followed by MDI PGP HRM. The remaining three – NITIE, SIBM Pune and IIT Delhi, are at par and you can choose the institute based on your preference of specialisation or the fee.

  111. Hi sir
    I am General engineer male. I have converted IIFT kolkata campus and VGSOM(merit rank 6).I have a work ex of 19 months as of today…Which college should I join or should I give CAT one more time
    Please suggest

    • Sagar, purely on the basis of ranking the two are at par and you could go to either of them. Go to IIFT Kolkata if you are sure about specialising in IB but if you want to keep your options open than IIT Kgp should be preferred.
      Go for a retake only if you are sure of making it to the IIMs, MDI, XLRI or FMS.

        • Hi sir…taking forward from my previous query can you please tell me about the industry perception of VGsom and IIFT kolkata as far as ur experience in the corporate sector…
          How different are they in view of the firms??
          Will doing mba from Vgsom hamper my career as far as perception is concerned??

          • Sagar, the placements of the two are the best indicator of the industry perception of the two institutes. The difference between the two is essentially in terms of the kind of program they run and the industry perception/placements flow from there. MBA from VGSOM (or IIFT Kolkata) will not lead to a negative perception.

  112. sir which one would be a better option IIM SHILLONG or IIM RANCHI and reasons for it
    i have converted shillong and waiting for new iim results

  113. sir,
    I have converted IIM, Kozicode and waiting in NITIE which will get cleared.
    I am a fresher.
    Can you help me choose between the two institutes??
    and the basis of ur ansr

    • Mansi, there is nothing to choose – it has to be IIMK without any doubt, it is ranked higher and has better placements. Also NITIE is essentially known for MBA Operations while IIMK is good for all specialisations.

  114. sir i am a fresher, with cat-92.17. i did not apply in many colleges..just imt, imi, fore and kj somaiya.
    got imt dcp, fore pgdm and waitlisted in kj somaiya. out of this i thought FORE pgdm to be decent enough. i have already paid the fee but still have second thoughts about it. what is your take on FORE? although i have an option of appearing for cat next year again…but i wish to take admission this year only if get a good college..so is FORE worth?? what is the exact scene of placement, if you have any idea..?? expecting a quick reply..

    • Shefali, FORE is a decent college and you should continue with it. It is reasonably well known in North India and will ensure good placement and career opportunities.

  115. Hi Sir
    I’m in a dilemma. I have converted Narsee Monjee (core 2 yr MBA).
    My profile: X- 87%, XII- 82%, B.E.- 8.46/10 CGPA, MSc (from the UK)-65% with 38 months work experience in research and consulting in India. I had excellent scores in XAT (99.5) and NMAT (99.5), but couldn’t convert XLRI or SPJIMR (WL).
    Looking at the previous years’ batch profile at NMIMS, I noticed that most students have <3 yrs of work ex, with an average age around 24-25. Having also spoken to some select alumni from top Indian MBA colleges, I have gathered that highly experienced and older candidates face issues during placements in terms of salaries and profiles offered. Is this true?
    My interest would be to get into consulting or pharmaceutical marketing after MBA. Will my experience affect my chances of getting such jobs adversely?
    Having done some research, I found that ISB's one year programme would probably be better suited to my profile and now I am confused as to whether I should go for Narsee or wait out a year, give GMAT and try to get into the exec programs in India.
    What should I do? Any suggestions? I'm having a tough time trying to decide!

    • Dhruv, given your experience and XAT score you should be in top IIMs, XLRI, SP Jain or ISB Hyderabad. NMIMS appears to be a compromise. Most of the top institutes have a parallel placement process for students with more than 30 month work experience and the companies that visit these institutes for placements typically have openings for freshers and also candidate with work experience. However candidates with over 3 year work experience typically do not get full credit for their work experience at the time of placements. With your academic and work background getting a job in consulting should not be a problem and it is likely to give you full credit for past work experience. However in case of marketing you are likely to get credit for around 2-2.5 years only.

      Coming to the issue of NM Vs GMAT to ISB, this is a difficult one because it is a case of a bird in hand vs one in the bush especially because NMIMS Mumbai is among the top 20-25 MBA institutes in India. A 99.5%ile in XAT indicates that you can get a very good GMAT score and with your work experience can also possibly make it to the final list. However you inability to convert SP Jain and XLRI possibly indicates an area that you need to work on. My feeling is that you can possibly leave NMIMS, take GMAT and target ISB Hyderabad but this decision has to be based on your confidence of doing well in GMAT. It would also be prudent to identify a few other 1 year programs (outside India) that you could target along with ISB.

      If you make it to the final list of SP Jain then you should join it. Call me at 9811155160 in case you want to discuss this further.

  116. Sir i hav confusion in KJ somaiya PGDM Retail or communications vs Welingkar PGDM Core or Ebusiness wich one to take

    • Nikhil, KJ Somaiya is ranked significantly higher than Welingkar and should be preferred. However the placements of Retail and Communications are not as good as that of other programs and are likely to be lower than that of Welingkar. hence Welingkar should be preferred over Retail and Communications of KJ Somaiya.

  117. Dear GP Sir,
    I have a convert from IIM-Lucknow and SPJIMR. Of course most people would tell me to join L, but I was wondering if IIM Lucknow would be really good enough solely for the simple reason that it has considerably lowered its fees among all the IIMs. I wonder if an institute which aims to be world class lowers its fees so much, how will it be able to bring in world-class excellent faculty to teach its students? How will it be able to maintain excellent training centers and placement facilities and bring in quality placements? Because of this reason, I was wondering if SPJIMR might be better since by charging higher fees, it can bring in better quality faculty in the long run. Kindly clarify me on this sir. Your inputs most eagerly awaited and appreciated!

    • Manik, fee is a complex issue for government institutes and hence should not be used to determine the worth of IIML. Both in the long and short run IIML will be a better option.

  118. Sir,
    I am currently in my semester-6 pursuing Bsc.Programme from University of Delhi and a General category candidate!My C.A.T.2013 percentiles in QA and VA were 95 and 30 respectively.My NMAT Score was 190(66 in quant, 59 in verbal and 65 in L.R.).I have started my preparation again with full throttle for C.A.T.2014 and will be taking all other entrances as well!I can’t do a job right now as I would like to finish my education first!My acads are decent:89 in 10th,88 in 12th, 79.07 in graduation(till now)!I have a question post-C.A.T.Related:
    Will I face difficulty in selection due to my Bsc.Course, No job experience and taking C.A.T. 2nd time?

    • Karan, you will not face any difficulty due to B.Sc or due to dropping a year for CAT preparation. You will be questioned about dropping a year in all interviews but it can be handled.

  119. Sir I have converted imi-Delhi pgdm and liba which one is a better option?
    I am also awaiting the new iims result could u please rank all the 6 new iims with whichever is better amongst the above question.
    Thanking you

    • Himanshu, IMI PGDM is my preference among these due to better placements but is has a significantly higher fee and of finance is an issue then LIBa should be considered. Among the new IIMs my order of preference is Ranchi, Rohtak, Raipur, Trichy, Udaipur and Kashipur. All the new IIMs should be preferred to IMI and LIBA.

      • Sir even I believe in keeping all the iims above imi but my only doubt is iim kashipur. There has been much negative words about the college be it placement or the infrastructure

  120. Hello Sir,
    I have converted NMIMS Mumbai and IIM Shillong.
    Which one do you suggest for Finance?
    Thank You

  121. Hello Sir,

    CAT-90.66
    14 months work ex in electrical consulting
    X-86.88
    XII-69.2
    B.Tech-81.16
    Calls-LBS, NIRMA, TAPMI, FORE(PGDM & IB), IMI-HR
    MBA this year only. Kindly guide which is the best option among these. I belong to Delhi.

    • Niharika, if you are interested in HR then go for IMI-HR else your best bet is TAPMI. In case you want to do a general management MBA from Delhi then you can choose either of LBSIM and FORE, the two of them are at par. Ideally you should go for either TAPMI and IMI HR.

      • Thank you sir…How are placements in FORE?? Also, is it worth leaving Delhi for TAPMI??
        The confusion is between FORE and TAPMI..:(

        • Niharika, FORE has decent placements and one can expect a CTC around Rs 7.5 lakh pa which is slightly lower than that of TAPMI but in terms of quality of placements TAPMI might be better. However TAPMI has a bigger batch size and a higher fee and hence if you are willing to compromise a little you can consider FORE over TAPMI.

  122. Sir,

    I have converted MDI and am awaiting results of IIT-B, IIM Shillong and other newer IIMs.

    Could you please suggest me which one should I opt for?
    Thanks.

      • Thanks a lot Sir for your insight.

        But could you please explain why have you placed IIM shillong before MDI?

        I was thinking that MDI has better placement, is an older institute so has better alumni network also enjoys a healthy teacher student ratio and not to forget the locational disadvantage of IIM Shillong.But this was my thought.

        Please let me know yours.

        Thanks in advance.

        • Pushp, the placements at IIM Shillong have picked up significantly and are now almost as good as that of MDI, in the next couple of years I expect IIM S to be at par with, if not ahead of, MDI. The IIM brand and the smaller batch size are my other reasons. However the gap between the institutes is negligible and if you are more comfortable with MDI then go ahead with it.

  123. Hi Sir,

    I did my B.tech in Biotech in 2006. Worked in technical domain for 1.5 yrs, but then due to unavoidable circumstances had to leave and have 5 years of work experience in family business (retail shop) with a total of 7+ year work. Although doing a 2 yr program is not at all recommended but I have converted NM bangalore, but am waitlisted for NM mumbai at merit no. 1284, imi (pgdm hr 97), gim and have got a call for admission in IMT Ghaziabad (executive) without even filling its admission form. I am also awaiting my results for pgpm from SP jain. Could you please recommend the best course to be followed?

    • Himanshu, my order of preference for the calls that you have it SP Jain, NM Mumbai, NM Bangalore, IMI HR. However if you are keen on HR specialisation then IMI HR should be preferred to NM Bangalore.

  124. XIMB – Master’s in Human Resource Management (MHRM) or BITS Pilani MBA or Welingkar PGDM. Which one should I go for given the fact that I am not particularly inclined towards a specific stream ?

    • Dinesh, XIMB is way ahead of the other two in terms of ranking, reputation, placement etc and should be your first choice.

  125. Plzz suggest between ximb bm and iit kgp vgsom ?? Considering a large batch size (600) and an underdeveloped new campus,I am worried

    • Sajal, in terms of ranking and reputation XIMB and IIT Kgp are at par and hence my preference is for the smaller batch size and lower fee institute i.e. IIT Kgp.

  126. Sir, What do you think about NM vs. MICA for marketing? Mechanical engineering graduate with 20 months of Sales and Marketing experience in Construction Equipment segment. More inclined to work in core marketing roles in the usual sectors (FMCG/Auto/Telecom etc.) as compared to Advertising/Media.

    Thanks.

    • Dhagash, MICA has a narrow focus of advertising/communications while NM Mumbai will look at all aspects of marketing and hence my preference is for NM Mumbai. The location is an added advantage in case of NM.

  127. Hello Sir,
    My profile
    1. Xth 89%
    2. XIIth 83%
    3. Graduation 81% (2013 passout)
    4. No work ex.; already one yr drop
    only conversion: XIME bglr
    result awaited: welingkar mumbai

    I want to pursue hr or marketing as my specialisation. If i dont convert Welingkar; is XIME a decent option? since i have to do MBA this yr itslf.

    Thankyou in advance sir 🙂

    • Puja, XIME Bangalore is a decent option and if you do not get into PGDM of Welingkar Mumbai then you should join XIME.

  128. Sir i have converted dsm dtu and fms bhu as per now.
    Can you please help me out with which one should i opt out of these two?
    Also an you please compare and rank dsm dtu, fms bhu, ubs and nit trichy.
    It will be a great help.
    Thank you.

    • Suraj, given that DSM DTU is a new institute and will take a few years to establish itself and with UBS Chandigarh struggling for placement my preference is for FMS BHU.

  129. Sir, I am an economics(H) fresher from Delhi, converted LBSIM (finance) and GIM.
    Could you please help me choose between the two?
    I know GIM is ahead in ranking than LBSIM but GIM is famous for marketing and LBS for finance and I would like to do in fin only.
    Also LBS has delhi factor plus the most imp. difference between the two ROI. Much better in case of LBS.
    Your suggestion is GIM worth the extra penny spent? considering my choice of specialization being finance!!

    • Arjit, GIM is preferable not only for marketing but but also finance. While the higher fee of GIM over LBS is an area of concern and the average salary (CTC) higher by only about Rs 1-1.5 lakh the quality of placement (kind of companies and profiles) in GIM will more than compensate for the higher fee. GIM has offered scholarship to candidates with family income below a certain level, do check if you are eligible for it.

  130. I have converted following colleges DSM dtu, LBSIM,GIM,BHU …I have 3.4 years of IT experience in Infosys…Please prioritize the best option for me…..As I have to take whole amount as loan plz take that into consideration as GIM fees comes out to be 15 lakhs irrespective of what they have mentioned on website….waiting for ur response….

    • Piyush, with your work experience, ideally you should look at a 1 year MBA program from ISB Hyderabad or in the worst case from GL Chennai. However if you have to do an MBA this year then despite the high fee only GIM should be considered as the others are unlikely to provide you with good placement opportunities.

      • do people with high experience like me face difficulty in getting placed in lbsim or gim ?My experience is also increasing as my release date is in june ….so despite of very high fees should I go for gim ?as repaying the loan may become issue for me

        • Piyush, in GIM it should not be a problem but in LBSIM it is possible that there may not be too many opportunities for lateral placements. In GIM about 1/3rd of the batch will have over 2 years work experience.

          • I talked to a gim person he told me people with 3 + work ex do face difficulty in internships and chances for guys like us with IT background will end up in IT only …so other good companies become somehow irrelevant to us …he told that IT companies give around 7-9 depending on experience…and I found out IT companies visiting lbsim and gim are same….but in lbsim I came to know that hardly 20-30 people got above 7 whereas in gim 20-30 got above 9.5 …is my information correct..plz take into consideration that lbsim will cost me around 8.5 only as I may stay in delhi at my relatives whereas gim will cost 15-16 ..

          • Piyush, your information even if not fully correct is likely to be close to the reality. Chance of IT guys getting back into IT companies is very high but in a different profile. After a couple of years in a function in the IT company you can shift to another sector. Also IT companies are more likely to give you full weight for your work experience. On the GIM Vs LBS issue, take a call based on what you are comfortable with. If possible visit the two institutes and decide.

  131. I have converted IMT (DCP), FORE PGDM and I’m waitlisted 50 for IMI D PGDM. I’m a fresher and i want to specialize in marketing. ROI is not an issue. Retake is not an option. Please suggest me what to do. I’m slightly inclined towards DCP.

    • Rizwan, since fee is not an issue you can consider joining DCP but my order of preference, based primarily on ROIis IMI followed by FORE and finally DCP.

      • Sir,
        Apart from ROI and less batch strength any other positives of joining IMI? Becoz i’ve heard its good for consulting and finance.

        • Rizwan, ROI and batch strength are the key differcences. Placement in IMI and IMT are similar and yes you will be able to get decent consulting and finance openings.

  132. Sir,
    I have converted NMIMS-core and awaiting new IIMs results.
    my profile:
    X-87%
    XII-93%
    grad-77%
    no work ex.
    Need advice on which institute i should choose if i do convert new IIMs.

  133. no sir i am a btech biotech 2013 passout, i am a fresher with no job experience, and there are no other good options for me now leaving some of the cluster 8 colleges and i am waitlisted in xiss marketing.

    • Shanky, strictly speaking picking up a job and going for a retake of CAT/XAT is the right option but if you have to do an MBA this year itself then ITM Navi Mumbai can be considered.

  134. sir, i have converted itm navi mumbai pgdm i connect program, and hav already paid a sum of 25000, but after reading some reviews i got pretty confused, the fees is around 7.5 lac, and though the average lands somewhere around 5 lac, I cannot decide whether to join or not for is it worth the money??

    Plz suggest me as per your experience, how do you find this college and how would you consider the i connect program with 5 months of internships. i have been shortlisted for welingkar gd pi but not sure will convert it so plz guide me….

  135. Sir,
    CAT SCORE-87.7
    B.Tech CSE FRESHER
    CATEGORY-SC
    I have converted MBE,MIB,MHROD,SIBM-banglore & SIOM nashik.I am confused which one to choose.Please Help.

    • Vipul, if you are interested in operations the SIOM is the best option. Among the others the order of preference should be MBE, SIBM Blr, MIB, MHORD.

  136. Hi sir,
    I have converted IMT G(marketing) and IMI delhi pgdm as of now.Its really hard to pick one institute between the two.The batch size at imt this year is 600 while imi has 180 students.I have a work ex of 12 months in IT industry.Talking with the seniors at imt i have got a mixed response as many are still unplaced while imi has completed 100% placements.Placements are an issue for me as fees for both the colleges is around 15lpa and will have to take a bank loan and i come from a financially weak background.Seriously confused sir………..

    • Gautam, IMT G and IMI are both good institutes and you should choose the one that you are more comfortable with as both will provide good placement opportunities. IMTG and IMI have similar average salaries but IMT G has a batch size of 600 (including DCP) and the bottom 1/3rd struggle for placements (Rs 7-9 lakh pa), IMI on the other hand is a safer option because of its smaller batch (around 300 including HR and Banking & Insurance) but is ranked lower.

  137. sir , with 88 %ile i have no place to go , filled many institutes but got either huge w/l or not short-listed so taking another try but plz suggest something.plz…:(

  138. Hello Sir,

    I am a 2013 passout. Fresher , Decent academic profile and had my first CAT attempt this year. I could not perform my best in CAT and have landed up with a score of 86.XX.
    I converted LBSIM Finance but Finance is not my preference, so i wont Join.
    What would your views be for FORE (IB), SRCC GBO (Score 254), BIMTECH, UBS Chandigarh.
    Also, Considering the delay in GD/PI process by UBS Chd, Do i stand a chance for MBA Gen?

    • Sonia, FORE IB should be the preference among the institutes you have mentioned, SRCC GBO should be considered only if the fee of FORE is unaffordable. UBS Chandigarh is a good institute with low fee but has been struggling with placements and hence is not recommended.

        • Sonia, given the IIM name it can be considered but it is too early to comment on how good it will be. What are your options?

          • Sir, i had narrowed down to SRCC GBO ( GD/PI result awaited) and UBS Chandigarh.
            But coz of the unexpected hike in the UBS’s cut off. I dont have many options.
            Plus, while i visited SRCC campus during GD/PI. i was not much impressed by the reputation GBO people have there.
            Neither did i join the offers i had via campus placements.
            This breaks almost all of my eggs.

            What do u suggest sir?

          • Sonia, while GBO is not a top notch institute it is not a bad option either. Your options are to join GBO or to pick up a job and go for a retake and given your past academic performance and expected CAT score I would suggest a retake. What were your CAT/XAT/IIFT/SNAP scores this time?

          • my academic details are:
            class 10 : 91%
            Class 12 :90.6%
            Grad : 75%

            I didn score well in CAT. but my expected percentile acc to the mocks was 97%ile.

          • Sir, my scores are CAT : 86.xx
            SNAP : 95.xx

            I had only applied to SCMHRD (didn convert) and SIBM.

            Sir, could you please elaborate your views on SRCC for me?
            Placements are a negative point here and DU+SRCC a positive point.
            Anything thing else?

          • Sonia, SRCC GBO will be a big compromise for someone with 95%ile in SNAP, if possible pick up a job and go for a retake of CAT/XAT/SNAP.
            The placements at SRCC are not great and primarily offer jobs with an average salary of around Rs 5 lakh pa, as correctly pointed out by you its advantage is the low fee due to the DU norms.

  139. Hello GP Sir,
    I have converted BIM-Trichy but confused on whether to take it or try CAT14 as I want to do my MBA in one of top 10 institutes. I have 3.3 yrs experience in TCS as of now and my doubt is whether my work ex which will be 4 yrs by next yr, be a hindrance as many are advising me against 4 yrs work ex. I’m confident of trying CAT14 but this work ex concept is confusing me to the core. Also is it true that MBA placements will completely depend on your work ex (means if you are IT experienced you’ll get job only in IT related companies and not in FMCG or Manufacturing) . Please help me out in this regard.

    • Arulrajan, BIM Trichy is a good institute and you can consider it favourably but if you are confident of making it to the the IIMs then you should go for a retake. This however should be your last attempt for a 2 year MBA and you should also take GMAT and try for 1 year MBA from ISB Hyderabad and other top MBA institutes outside India. While your past experience plays a role in placements but it does not necessarily restrict you. IT experience can lead to IT/Telecomm/Consultancies or marketing/HR/business development in these sectors. Even with a 3 year work experience these companies are likely to give you almost full credit for past experience so starting from these company types may be prudent.

      • Sir,
        I have converted both BIM Trichy and FORE currently working with Infosys Ltd for past 2.8 years.
        Interested in Operations/Mareting.
        Pls suggest which one to choose between BIM-T and FORE

        • Abhijeet, my preference is for BIM Trichy as it has a lower fee and almost similar placements as FORE. It is also ranked higher but the placements are likely to be South based.

          • Thanks Sir for your feedback.
            Excluding fee as a factor and weighing on Faculty, peer/Senior Students, Study Environment, Exposure and Intern/Placements,what would you suggest?

          • Abhijeet, if fee is not an issue then it should be FORE for students from North and BIM Trichy for students from South.

  140. Sir,
    I had got 96%tile in CAT and have converted IMT G(FT) and IMI Delhi. I have got good acads and am currently working in an IT company for the past 2 yrs. I also have calls from IIM K and I but the interviews din’t go that well.
    I am unable to decide whether I should go for MBA this year(either IMT or IMI) or should try next year.
    Please guide.
    Thanks in advance.

    • Akansha, if you do not make it to IIM K and are confident of improving your CAT performance to 98%ile then go for a retake else join IMT G.

  141. Sir, I am selected for IMT Gzb Finance and IMI PGDM and IMI PGDHRM. pls help me to make an informed decision to choose btw these colleges. I am inclined to specialize in Finance however mu work ex is in IT.
    My profile:
    CAT : 97.91
    Work Ex: 2.6 years(IT field)
    Appreciate your help.

    • Sumit, if you are inclined to specialise in finance then PGDHRM is ruled out. IMI PGDM can be preferred if you want to keep your specialisation option open else you can go for IMTG.

  142. Hello Sir,

    I am in a dilemma. I have 2 years work ex and require a preference list among the following colleges:

    imi, great lakes gurgaon (1 year pgpm), fore, lbsim, gim, kj somaiya and tapmi.

    I haven’t yet decided on the specialization. Program fee and campus location do not matter.

    I would appreciate if you could arrange the above mentioned colleges according to preference keeping in mind my work ex.

  143. sir,
    my profile
    cat: 95.32
    x: 66.6%
    xii:73%
    b tech : 72%(2013 passout)
    no work ex

    i have converted lbsim pgdm and fore pgdm(waitlist 66)…….fore might got converted as previous year waitlist upto 100 got converted ……….i am interested in marketing so which college to chose ………….

  144. sir ,

    i have convertetd dsm dtu,bhu and lbsim ….plz help me decide the best…even bhu and lbsim have stated that both have 7 but fees of bhu is very less makes it tempting…but surely these stats are inflated and lbsim being in delhi has an advtge but fees being 8 + hostel and avg same as bhu (i am not sure if it is true just saw on website) ….plz help me sir in taking a decision

    • Piyush, as per the informal feedback DSM and BHU are able to provide provide a placement of around 5-6 lakh pa but I have not been able to verify.
      If possible go to Varanasi and have a word with the students to get a realistic idea of the current placement scenario.
      However given that LBSIM is ranked significantly higher than the other two and is also based in Delhi it should be preferred.

      • Thanks for ur reply sir…..what I heard in bhu top 20-30 people get above 6 highest being 10 and in lbs most of the people got 6-7 highest being 12 so I did nt find much difference in placements…but fees being significantly less I am getting inclined towards bhu….but I alsi have kj somaiya,iit khrpr hr results pending,,,so what should I do?should I deposit money in lbs as well and wait or results to come or should I leave lbs and only have bhu as last option…I have 3 + work ex in Infosys…

          • Piyush, I was in a flight hence the no response.
            With a decent 3+ year work experience I am not sure if you should be going for any of these institutes but if you have to do an MBA this year itself then KJ Somaiya and IIT Kgp HR should be preferred over the other two. Your data about LBS and BHU is correct but due to its location you may not have many companies visiting the campus for placement while LBS has the advantage of being in Delhi and may provide better opportunities for lateral placement.

          • Yes sir definitely go for iit khrpr or somaiya if i convert but its look very difficult….thanks for ur response sir …

          • Piyush, DSM DTU has the advantage of location which should result in better placements in a couple of years. At present the two can be considered at par.

    • Sir,i have converted imt dual country program and lbsim pdgm general,sir as you know the fee of imt dcp is about 23 laks whereas that of lbsim is 7.5,sir my prime concern is the starting package as i am a fresher.what would you suggest i join if fee is not a concern.also i hav heard that the students who perform very well and are in the top positions in an mba college get a comparatively high pay package….is that true sir?

      • Nikhil, if fee is not a concern then go for DCP but you will have to be in the top 1/3rd of the batch to get the best placements, around Rs 12-15 lakh pa. The bottom 1/3rd in IMT struggle for placements and are likely to get a package of around Rs 7-8 lakh pa.

  145. Dear gp sir
    I converted bimtech retail.,.ibs mumbai..will opt for finance..if chosen,amity noida….skipping amity bcse of high fee….not sure abt retail at bimtech…wat r the job profiles for it…and is there a scope of career progress in..it….or should i opt for ibs mumbai…but ibs mumbai not recognized by any body…will it be a hindrance in in placement…wat r ibs Mumbai true placements scenario…heared it good..pls reply asap sir…thanks

    • Ashok, BIMTECH retail is close to marketing and hence not recommended for someone wanting to do finance. IBS Mumbai has a better chance of getting you finance placements due to its location. Do not have confirmed data but its average salary is around 5-6 lakh pa. In case you join IBS Mumbai do join the correspondence MBA program of IGNOU or any other distance learning university because (to the best of my knowledge) IBS does not offer a degree or AICTE approved PGDM.

  146. Hello Sir,

    I have converted NM but I’m sceptical whether I should join it or try CAT/XAT another year.I have no other calls.

    I’m currently working at Tata Motors with a decent(5+) salary and hold a 20 months work-ex.

    My Acads are : X-85.6(ICSE) ,
    XII – 91(ISC) &
    Grad-Btech(78.1% UPTU-Mech)

    CAT 13- 95.5 ( QA-99.8 & VA-47) percentiles

    Kindly tell me if I should join or wait another year.This was my first serious attempt at CAT.
    I am interested in finance so would it be a disadvantage if I have 3 year work-ex ?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Naman, you can definitely look at going for another shot at CAT/XAT because your CAT VALR score looks out of place. It is not possible to get a NM call and have a negative raw score in CAT VALR. You have a good academic record and around 30 month of work experience will improve your chance of getting/converting interview calls. Work experience will not be a disadvantage.
      However NM is a top notch institute and leaving it is not going to be easy and being in Mumbai NMIMS will give good opportunities in finance. If you leave NM then you should get into the IIMs, XLRI, FMS, JBIMS, IIT Mumbai, SP Jain, NITIE and MDI to make dropping worthwhile which means a repeat of your QA performance and getting VALR to around 95%ile. If you are confident of this the drop NM, continue with your job and start preparing for CAT’14 else join NMIMS.

  147. Hello

    Actually i have been selected in some mba colleges. Can you please guide me regarding what college i should prefer.

    1) XIME
    2) IFMR
    3) SITM
    4) SCIT
    5) IIIT Allahabad
    6) UBS Chandigarh
    7) IBS Hyderabad

    Also like what would be rating of all these colleges

    • Somya, SITM is the best among these by a significant margin and should be your preference for MBA. My order of preference is:
      1) SITM
      2) IFMR
      3) SCIT
      4) XIME
      5) UBS Chandigarh
      6) IBS Hyderabad
      7) IIIT Allahabad

  148. sir,
    XIMB(hr) or tapmi?
    i am not sure whether HR is the specialization which suits me well…should i opt for tapmi so dat i can choose the specialization which suits me during 2nd year or i should choose XIMB HR course since ximb is better ranked than tapmi?..please give your suggestion sir

  149. Sir , My 10 and 12 scores are 91 and 84 ,I`m currently in my final year of Engg , I have a aggregate of 81 .Wrote CAT and XAT ,converted IMT and XIMB
    1. Will I get calls from IIM ABCL with my academics
    2.What is the XAT percentile at which XLRI BM interview is called
    3.should I forget all of these and join XIMB ?

  150. Sir, I have converted NM Core and SIBM- Pune. I will complete 2 years of work experience in June now.

    Which college would you suggest me to take admissions into since NM has incresed the batch size to 500.

    • Aditya, while NM has the advantage of being in Bombay and will provide a greater variety of placement opportunities it has a bigger batch size (500 in NM Vs 180 of SIBM Pune) and also a higher fee (approx 17 lakh + hostel Vs 13 lakh). Since the overall ranking and the average placement of both are similar my suggestion will be to go for SIBM Pune.

      • Thank you sir for the reply, I am actually staying in Mumbai itself, so are the placements in both the colleges same? Especially for the top profiles…

        And the following is my profile:
        X- 90.26
        XII – 92.50
        B.E. – 78.12

        Shall I wait for another year or take admissions this year itself…

        • Aditya, since you are from Mumbai you could choose NMIMS over SIBM Pune.
          Regarding the retake please let me know your CAT/XAT/NMAT scores and if this your first attempt for MBA institutes?

  151. Hello sir, my feb. cmat rank is 8…I don’t know whether I would convert JBIMS. The other options I have are K.J and Sydenham. Which one should I prefer? I know Sydenham is better in placements, faculty, ROI, etc. Then why Sydenham is ranked slightly lower than K.J in most of b-school rankings? Is infrastructure the reason?

    • Falak, hopefully you will convert but in case you are unfortunate then go for Sydenham, it should be ranked higher than KJ Somaiya but since it is a low key institute people tend to ignore it.

      • Thank you sir. What exactly do you mean by a low key institute? I thought Sydenham was a well-reputed college in Maharashtra as it’s very old and renowned.

        • falak, by “Sydenham is a low key institute” I meant that it does not promote itself like many other institutes and hence is many a times ignored by the students. Sydenham can be considered the 3rd best MBA institute in Mumbai, the first two being JBIMS and SP Jain.

  152. Dear Sir,

    I have converted MFC DU .I am an electrical Engineer working in purely technical job. I will have 4 years of in august2014. My package is 7LPA. Should I join the course?

        • Sam, MFC is a very good institute and is recommended for anyone who wants to specialise in finance. However with your 4 year work experience and and your current salary it may not be worth joining MFC. The average salary of MFC will be in the range of Rs 8-8.5 lakh pa. My suggestion is to drop MFC, take GMAT and target 1 year MBA from ISB Hyderabad and top IIMs.

  153. Hello Sir,

    I have converted IMT- G (marketing), GIM (PGDM) and wait listed for XIMB BM. I have 2.4 years of work ex with Goldman Sachs. Could you please advise if i should go ahead with IMT -G or pursue the XIMB wait list movement.

    Thanks,
    Shreya

  154. I want to know which college is better between GIM ,BHU ,Nit trichy ,dsm dtu ,LBSIm …I have converted lbs only till now…but when i saw bhu website it said that avg package is 6.8 and highest is 15 it is almost same as LBSIM …so i am confused what to take as bhu roi is very high (if given information is correct) but its location has a disadvantge …and please arrange all colleges in sequence also consider ROI factor and me who has 3+ work ex in mnc

    • Piyush, the ranking on the basis of placement will be GIM, LBSIM and finally FMS BHU. Among these there fee is the highest for GIM and least for FMS BHU. Keeping all factors in mind my order of preference will be GIM, LBSIM and FMS BHU, the first two are very close to each other and you could choose either of them. The salary as per the informal data available fo FMS BHU is lower than what is claimed and the placement opportunities are limited hence it is significantly lower and not recommended.

      • sir what i heard that lbsim avg package is only 6.2 this year but they have shown it as 7 in their ppt at time of GD PI….GIM I have heard its about 8 but not very sure…as I have not being selected for GIM but only have LBSIM in my hand i cant talk abt gim….can u also throw light on NIT Trichy and BIM Trichy
        …also on delhi school of managent DTU

        • Piyush123, I will not be able to confirm the LBSIM package but it is safe to assume that almost all MBA institutes tend to exaggerate their salary packages. NIT Trichy is avoidable but BIM Trichy is a good institute and should be preferred over LBSIM. The average salary of BIM is likely to be around Rs 8 lakh pa.

    • Kranthi, if you are sure about specialising in HR then go for XIMB HR else go to GIM. Another way to decide is on the basis of reputation/rank of the institute – XIMB is ranked significantly higher and could be preferred.

  156. Hi Sir,

    I have converted IMT G (Marketing) and XIM B (BM). I am confused which course to choose. Can you please guide me what I should opt for?
    I have 18 months experience in Service Industry.

    • Ashish, XIMB is my preference due to its smaller batch size. It also has a good placement track record in all areas/specialisations.

    • Sir,
      I have got thru Tapmi and GIM. My prefrence is HR.I do not have any work ex. Which institute would you suggest me?
      Aakriti

      • Aakriti, while on the basis of ranking TAPMI is ahead but the gap is not much. My preference is for and you can choose GIM also. On the average salary front TAPMI is marginally ahead but for HR GIM is likely to be a better option.

  157. Hi Sir,
    I have converted IMT g (FT), Tapmi, ,GIM..
    Which one should i go for.
    I have 33 months experience in an MNC.

    • Jahira, IMT G PGDM is my choice due to better placement opportunities. The students in top 1/3rd have very good placements but the bottom 1/3rd struggle for good placements so do ensure that you are in the top half of the batch.

  158. Hi Sir, I have converted IMT-G (Full time) and TAPMI PGDM Course. 3 Years of experience in Accenture . Which one should i choose sir..please let me know your thoughts sir…got to pay fees…not sure of your email to drop in the details…

    • Dear Ali,

      Between these two institutes, IMT is preferable. However, the fee for either of these institutes is in the range of Rs. 11 to 13 lakhs while their average placements are in the range of Rs. 8.5 to 9 lakhs per annum. Thus, you need to consider your current pay package/earning potential and then judge whether either of these institutes will add value to you.

  159. Sir ,
    I have 3+ year of Exp, I am in dilemma in picking the college Please suggest which one would be the best choice if converted , Great lakes PGPM (converted already), IMT G , IMI delhi.

    Thanks

    • Ankit, while IMT G is a higher ranked institute with a 3 year experience GL PGPM is likely to be the best option for you since it will save you a year.

    • Sir, I have 4 years work ex. in finance ( back office operations to middle office within investment banking).Current salary is very low compared to MBA’s in my office. My acads are low-10th 63 12th 56 (sci) grad- Bcom 72. My age is 26.
      I have not got any call from a good Bschool.

      Should i search for other options or still try for 2 years MBA. I don’t have managerial experience.
      Is it difficult to get placed after having lots of work ex after MBA ?

      • Longshort, lack of managerial experience makes the executive MBA difficult so you should focus on both the 1 year and 2 year MBA programs.

  160. Hi Sir,
    I am currently working and Cat 2013 was my first attempt in cat. I got 97.45 and got a call from New IIMs.. I converted NMIMS core. Should I take up either of these or wait for another year and then give my CAT again. I have a good academic profile also

  161. sir , i m Btech 2012 pass out , got 72 and 62 %ile in 2011 and 2012
    84%ile in xat 2012 ,should i go for retake
    no job exp

    • Ajay, less than 75%ile in CAT in two successive attempts does not inspire confidence for a retake but XAT looks promising.
      However your first task is to pick up a job and start working. With graduation in 2012 you will struggle to explain zero work experience even if you make it to the interview stage of any good institute. My suggestion will be to pick up a job, work for a couple of years and then go again for MBA entrances.

  162. Sir
    I have converted MDI (HR) and IIM Rohtak. I am not keen on doing HR and I am hopeful of an upgradation in MDI. So please rank the following three courses in your order of preference.
    1) MDI (PGP-IM) 2)MDI (PGPM) 3) IIM Rohtak (PGPM)
    A few points to be considered about me
    1) I am a fresher.
    2)Fees is not an issue.
    3)After few years of job I will move into my family business which is my long term goal,
    Sir also please provide the reasons for your order

    Ps I am a CL student and owe the success of my CAT percentile and the subsequent converts to you and to the whole team career launcher. Thank you very very much.

    • Sahil, since you are not keen on specialising in HR and would like to join your family business in the long term, my suggested order of preference for you is: MDI PGPG > MDII IM > IIM Rohtak

  163. hello sir
    cmat feb score- 314, rank -128. Delhi student, general category.
    cat-97.3
    any chances of making it to JBIMS ?

      • Thanks sir. I had converted SCMHRD,VGSoM,IRMA. i have declined scmhrd, and now have to decide between VGSoM and IRMA. i took cmat mainly because of JBIMS. kindly suggest what u feel is best for me.

    • Ram, it is difficult to predict since this is the first real year of CMAT.
      With 272 marks your AIR rank will be around 1500 and as a HU OBC candidate you should be able to get admitted to JBIMS.

  165. sir i got

    10th=86%
    12th=81%
    grad=70%
    CAT2012=87%
    just wanted to ask that is there any chances for me to get calls from IIM A,B,C,L in CAT 2013 if i bring very good percentile this year???

  166. sir,
    i have just converted IMT-GZB(full time). I am a fresher with 96% in cat and 90 above in X and XII. I have no other converts. Kindly tell how IMT is- placements and all and whether I should join or not?

  167. Hi Sir,

    I have converted IIM Raipur, Rohtak & Kashipur. Please guide me as to which one should be preferred?

    Thank you

    • My preference is Rohtak > Raipur > Kashipur.
      Rohtak and Raipur are older than Kashipur by a year and Rohtak has a location advantage of being close to Delhi.

      • Sir,
        Thanks for the prompt response. I have also converted IIM Udaipur now. So what should be my preference? considering that I am a fresher.

  168. Hello sir,

    Greetings!

    I am a final year student from ECE branch.
    I have optained 87 percentile this year , and this was my 1st attempt of CAT.My 10th and 12th are both above 90%.
    I converted TAPMI- Manipal, and the feedback about this college is okay!.With an average of around 6.5 lpa in 2012.
    I do not have a job in hand,
    1) Should I search for job and give cat next year to secure seat in better cllg.
    2) Should i join Tapmi?
    3) Should I explore options like Indian Army, Navy…with SSB in hand?

    Waiting for reply!

    Thanks a lot!

    • Gaurav, I have a soft corner for the Defence Services and hence option 3 is a viable plan. However MBA and the defence services offer different types of careers and you will have to take a call on it.
      With respect to MBA, with good marks in X, XII if you are confident of increasing your CAT’13 score to over 95%ile then you should go for a retake. Do pick up a job and prepare simultaneously.However if you think that the second attempt will also result in a score in the region of 90%ile then it will be better for you to join TAPMI.

  169. Sir

    Please tell what shud I prefer?

    IIM Trichy/XIMB-MBA(PGDM)/NM(Core)/SIBMP..

    I have 3yrs of exp….gave this yr CAT wiodout prep…scored 96%..Should I drop for better IMs/FMs/XL??

    Academics are above 70 in X,XII and Grad

    • Abhi, the current ranking of these b schools will be:NM Core = SIBM Pune > XIMB > IIM Trichy
      However my recommendation will be to join IIM Trichy because it will most probably overtake the others by the time you complete your MBA in 2015.

      With 70% in X, XII and graduation the top IIMs are ruled out and hence you should consider a retake only if you are confident of scoring around 98-99%ile in CAT with a minimum of 95%ile in each section.

      • Thanks Sir, but why are u ranking XIMB below SIBM as I have heard XIMB is very good in academics as well as placement..the only disadvantage is its location else it is above NM and comparable to IIT-B/D….Please elaborate..

        PS: My very close friend is preferring XIMB over NM and I don’t want her to take wrong decision.

  170. Hello,
    Sir I have to choose between FORE and IMI Hr.I am keen on doing HR What I want to know is if the HR prrogram of IMI will be a safe and good option or not.

    Thanks
    Sandeep

  171. Sir , i am confused between NM core and IIFT Kolkata . NM core has better companies but bigger batch size (approx 400) . IIFT Kolkata has Bigger brand name , smaller size but no exposure as compared to mumbai .Please Help .

    • Pratik, My preference will be for NM Mumbai because it will allow you to specialise in your area of preference and is likely to provide better/more placement opportunities.

  172. Hi Sir,
    I am B.Tech 2011 passout. a fresher. got around 60%le in cat 2011 and 2012. In CMAT feb 2013- 199 score.
    I wish to get good placement.
    1. Should i get into any ok college in mumbai or pune through DTE .
    2.OR try again for cat 2013.
    3. OR Should i drop idea of mba and try for any small job whichever i get.
    4. OR try to fight govt. jobs.

    Sir, kindly help me. What are my options.
    Thank you.

    • Raj, based on your score in CAT and other entrances you should not go for a retake. My suggestion is to try for MBA from a decent/okay college thru DTE but if ytou are unable to do so then pick up a job/start working and simultaneously prepare for Govt/PSU/Bank jobs.

  173. hi Sir,

    Tapmi has increased its intake to 360.
    I had converted IFMR earlier, got a call from TAPMI now…

    What should I consider and ur rationale behind the suggestion?

    PLz Guide me!…
    Thank u

  174. Hi Sir. i got CMAT feb score-262 AIR-1845……. doin engg final year…….. i am an OMS candidate…what are the best colleges in which i should apply in Maharashtra….? Do i stand a chance for good clgs thru DTE CAP round?

  175. Sir,

    I have converted IIM Indore and will most probably convert IIM Kozhikode in waiting list movement. What would you pick between the two?

    Thank you.

    • Skiti, my preference will be for IIM-K since IIM-I has faced some placement issues due to increased batch size.

  176. Hi Sir,

    Can you Rate PGDISEM Of Nitie ,LBS dwarka core according to job prospect and overall value of the two courses.

    I am inclined to both ISEM and general pgdm.

      • Aditya, apologise for missing out on your query. Hope it is not too late, my suggestion will be to go to NITIE. The gap between NITIE and LBS is too much to ignore.

  177. I have 81.23% in SSC and 53% in HSC and 55% in Graduation(just got my results).
    I am planning to go for CAT and CMAT 2013 and start my MBA term from 2014 batch in Marketing(this will mean a gap of 1 year)
    Should i not do any job right now and just concentrate whole-heartedly on getting best in CAT and CMAT and get into Top Bschool or do a full time job(as there are just 4 months remaining for CMAT exam)
    I want a very good B-School.
    Please help.

    • Neel, my preferred option is to work and prepare simultaneously since it reduces the pressure. In your case keep looking for a job while you prepare nd whenever you land one you can start working.

      • Okay Thanks Sir!
        I am looking out for jobs in Marketing profile. Most of the jobs i am getting are consisting of Field Work which will leave me exhausted. I will have no time left for my preparation of CAT and CMAT. Will telecalling jobs and selling on the phone jobs be relevant as a work experience? Please help!!!

  178. Hello Sir,
    I was a CL student and gave CAT 2012 under CL faculty’s guidance. I wanted your valued opinion on the choice between IIM Ranchi and MDI, Gurgaon. I have been selected for all the new iim’s(iim ranchi considered best) and MDI Gurgaon (PGPM course for both). Please let me know your opinion. Below are some points to be considered:
    1. I dont have an inclination towards any specialisation.
    2. Fees not a concern.

    Please guide me as you have always been guiding thousands of students.
    thanks
    Jaskiran

    • Jaskiran, at present MDI is rated higher than IIM Ranchi and also provides better career opportunities so MDI should be preferred.

    • On the basis of ranking FORE will be marginally ahead of IIT Roorkee but given the fee differential my preference will be for IIT Roorkee since the placement is similar in both.

  181. do i have anyychances in IIM C,I,L,K?????if i score more than 99 percentile in cat’13????? 50 X,62% XII,65% in 3 semester of BBA

  183. PROFILE
    10TH – 77%
    12TH- 83.4%
    B.TECH (E.C.E) – 83%
    2 YEARS OF WORK-EX TILL DATE (JAYPEE GROUP THERMAL POWER PLANT)

    Sir at present am through with CL funda books, most of SIS and right now taking previous year(only 2012 & 2011) proc/unprock mocks and after it i will be taking this years unprocks and procks with a fixed strategy in mind and confidence in approach. I am getting 13/19 (va) &12/15 (qa) on an avg. which i feel is not enough. Sir pls tell me how to inc. my attempt and accuracy in both sections. Is my strategy correct? if not what approach/strategy u think is rightfor cat 13. Also tell me good colleges and course for my kind of profile and min. %ile req. for it??
    Thanks in advance.
    CL id – 5786926

    • Mohit, hope you are analysing the papers and also revising regularly. To improve your score you need to practise, analyse and revise regularly. Please refer to my blogpost “Things you must-do after every mock you take” http://www.gpkafunda.com/?p=205 for details.

  184. first of all ….thanks a lot!
    for giving your valuable time to my query n for prompt reply.

    sir, i almost lose my confidence regarding cat retake. But you give me a new hope.
    i appreciate ur suggestion.
    you are indeed a bona fide personality…:)

  185. hello sir,
    i have filled up the form last night. I have to rectify one thing in the form that the two calls i got, one from imt nagpur and 2nd from mbe( du), during cat 2011. But during cat 2012, i didnt receive any call. Sir, please take this change into consideration and please answer my query as soon as possible. I m eagerly waiting 4 ur suggestion/advice.

    thanks n regards

  187. Hi Sir,
    CMAT Feb score – 237/400
    Rank 3800
    1 year workex and good academics
    OHU student but South Indian
    I heard SIES has south Indian quota.I also wanted to know which college is better PUMBA,SIES or JDBIMS?
    I couldn’t find any info about JDBIMS on forums across.
    Thanks for your time.

    • Dear Geet, PUMBA is avoidable and should not be considered. At 237 marks you should be able to get admitted to SIES as it has a reservation of 50 per cent seats in all programs for Maharashtra domiciled South Indian speaking students (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu, Konkani).
      I am also not aware of any institute by the name of JDBIMS. I hope you are not mixing it with JBIMS (Jamanalal Bajaj)?

  188. Dear sir,

    I am having a call from IFMR chennai.
    Profile- CAT- 85
    10th,12th- 90, 91
    I am a fresher(final year Btech)…not yet placed…do u suggest me to join or try out next year?

    • Rohit, you have a good academic record and the gap between 85%ile and calls from good B schools is not much. So you should go for a retake but only if you are confident of increasing your CAT/XAT score to around 95%ile. Also do pick up a job. MBA entrance preparation is not a full time occupation.

  189. sir i graduated in the year 2012 with 86%. i got 85% in 10th and 67% in 12th. I dropped 1 year and got a mere 66.67 percentile in cat 2012. I want to study in IIM A. I know my academic profile is not impressive. Should i drop another 1 year and take cat exam or should i take up a job now? If i gain 2 yrs of work ex will i be able to make it to iima ? please suggest sir.

    • Pooja, do not drop another year. Pick up a job and prepare simultaneously. IIMA is ruled out for a general category candidate with less than 80% marks in X or XII or graduation but other top B schools and the other IIMs are all possible.

  190. Sir, MICA or SIBM Pune? Totally confused. Interested in marketing. I am waitlisted in both and have a decent chance of converting both of them as per trend.

    • Sajid, my preference is for SIBM Pune since it will allow you to explore other areas a well. Also it is ranked higher.

  191. How is XIMB-HR? How are the placements for this course? XIMB is extremely famous for BM but I have no idea about HR. PLease guide.

    • This is the only convert I have. I have 90 above in X, XII and graduation. I scored 96 in CAT. Being a fresher should I consider leaving XIMB and giving another chance next year? However I am keen on doing MBA this year itself.

      • Mansi, Retake is recommended because you are not sure of HR specialisation.

        You have great academic record and good CAT score. If you are reasonably confident of increasing your CAT score to over 98%ile then I will suggest a retake but only if you can pick up a job and prepare simultaneously. The work experience will give you some extra marks and also be helpful in the interview.

        If however you are upgraded to XIMB PGDM from XIMB HR then should not go for a retake.

    • Mansi, XIMB HR is a decent course and should be considered favourably but only if you are very sure of wanting to go for HR specialisation. If in doubt you should consider a retake.

  192. I am getting calls from GIM Goa ,TAPMI and LBSIM.Kindly rate the three colleges on parameters of pedagogy and placements.I am confused due to the high fees of GIM and TAPMI.I am interested in marketing and have 10 months of IT experience

    • Suneel, On the basis of ranking the order of preference would be TAPMI > GIM > LBS. However there is only a marginal gap between TAPMI and GIM and you could join either of them. LBSIM while lowest on the fee aspect is likely to provide placements that are a notch below the other two. The opportunities at GIM and TAPMI will be higher. My preference is for GIM.

    • Can you please tell me your academics and your Entrance exam marks as i am too interested in these schools 🙂

      • X – 61% with 50% in English and Hindi
        XII – 65% with 48% in Maths
        Pre Engineering – 72%
        BE – 72%
        Entrance exam marks were not disclosed when I took these papers.

  193. sir , i am a second year student currently pursuing bba and looking forward to taking cat 2013.. my average semester marks are around 83 % and i had secured a 94% and 93.33% in my tenth and twelfth examinations.. i have started with my preparations but i really get demotivated when i encounter rc and di questions. also i am finding it difficult to strike a balance to allocate time for my preparations due to my college.. and this is getting me all tensed up and i do not want to ruin my chances in my first attempt itself. help !!

    • Pooja, with your excellent academic track record, gender and subjects you are at an advantage over most of the students (some of the IIMs give extra marks to girls and to non engineers) and you have to build up on this advantage. As rightly mentioned by you time management is critical and you have give sufficient time to BBA and to CAT preparation.
      On MBA preparation my suggestion will be to consider spending about 2-3 hours on MBA preparation on very working day and about 5-6 hours on holidays. With respect to your college, do not bunk any classes and whatever you study in college should be revised daily. This will mean that for the next 6 months you should stop all movies, parties etc.
      In case you want to discuss this further you can have a telecon with me.

  194. Sir,I have got 296/400 in Feb’CMAT.
    Rank – 390.
    OHU student.Open category.
    3 years work-ex
    Interested in finance.
    Do I stand a chance for JB? and whats the best option for workex junta,KJS or SIMSree?
    Thanks for your time

    • Rahul, This is the first year of CMAT and hence it will be difficult to estimate. However my estimate is that an All India Rank of 390 in CMAT could convert to OHU rank of around 100 and hence JBIMS may not be possible.
      SIMSREE will be ranked higher than KJS but the gap is not much and you could join either of them.

  195. sir i have got 50 in 10 and 62 in 12 th, 63 in 3 semester bba graduation. What are my chances for top 10 colleges under cat,xat,cmat,nmat,iift.

    • Shank, The top IIMs have a high weightage for marks in X, XII and Graduation and are almost out of question for you but all the other IIMs and other top B schools are not a problem.

  197. i have 95 %ile in cat 12 , dont want to appera again for cat 13 , have converted the following and have to take a decision asap
    my options
    1. MBE delhi university south campus [ fees = 50k , avg package 8.3 lakhs]
    2. MIB delhi school of economics [ FEES 50k , avg package 7.3 lakhs]
    3. LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI [ FEES 7-8 lakhs , avg package 7.4 lakhs ]
    4. IMT gaziabad DCP [ FEES almost 20 lakhs average package 8- 8.5 lakhs ]

    * looking for quality and decent ROI -> fees is not a problem till 10 lakhs , after that its starts to pinch …. what should be my order of preference ??

    • Go with IMT-DCP keeping in mind with 10-15 year time frame.IMT is going to make it its flagship program sooner than later.MBE and MIB are specific courses and DCP offers foreign exposure and placements at IMT-G at 1.5 rates of IMT-G ,this whole package is greater than LBSIM.

    • Jitendra, UBS has been facing placement issues and hence my order of preference is MIB, UBS (Gen), UBS (IB) and finally MHORD.
      MHORD is the last because of limited placement opportunities but if you are keen on HR then it would move up.

  199. Sir, confused between KJ (PGDM), GIM, TAPMI, LBSIM?? Fees of KJ is low as compared to others.

    • Girish, the ranking of the institutes would be TAPMI > GIM > KJ Somaiya = LBSIM
      TAPMI and GIM are likely to provide better opportunities and placement as compared to the other two and you should prefer these two to the others.

  200. My profile
    x-70.40
    xii-72.20
    B.tech-73.20
    work ex-32 months

    Converted SIBM Bangalore??? should i go for it.??
    Really confused considering my work ex and ROI??

    • Aashish, given your work experience SIBM Blr is not the best option but am unable to comment further since more data about your current employment status, scores in various exams etc is required. Please fill up the form at http://svy.mk/Z0KGA2 for me to give appropriate suggestion.

  201. sir i have taken admission in xime??? how is xime in the long run???
    i have taken a break for a year and prepared for cat. should i join xime or give cat again??? at present i dont have work.

    • Sri, this is insufficient for me to advise, please fill up the form in the link given at the end of the post.

  202. sir i have taken admission in xime??? how is xime??? is it good in the long run???

    i have already taken a break for a year. should i try for cat again???need your suggestions sir

  203. Dear Sir, have filled the form twice but received no acknowledgement, hence asking via comment. I have only 2 calls- IMNU (NIrma) and XIMB-RM. I have 33 months of experience in the non-profit education sector (left the job 6 months back). 5-10 years down the line, I wish to set up a social enterprise. Keeping all this in mind, what will be a better choice for me? Location wise, Ahmedabad is very convenient for me and Bhubaneshwar very inconvenient. Trying for another year will be very very tough in the family situation I am in. For me, learning, placement packages and faculty all are equally important.

    Thanks in advance.

    Regards,
    Ritik Bansal
    CL ID- 5392256

  204. Hi sir,

    Can you rate KJ (IB),LBS core and BIM T. Have Converted LBS In waiting for KJ and BIM.

    • Aditya, KJ, LBS and BIM Trichy are similar institutes with very little to differentiate between them. Among these three I will ignore KJ because it is offering you IB while the other two are offering PGDM which allows you to specialise in your area of interest.
      If you are from North India then go for LBSIM and if you are from South India then BIM Trichy should be your preferred choice.

      • Thanks Sir for your valuable reply and you taking out time for us.

        And am from Delhi itself so most probably will take admission in LBS. 🙂

  205. Is MDI worth double the fees of NITIE? Also if one intends to do MBA in Ops, one should prefer NITIE right?

    • Kamini, while most of the rankings will suggest a ranking of IIM Indore > Khozhikode > JBIMS, it is not easy to write off JBIMS because its placements are as good as that of IIM I and K and it costs a fraction of what you would pay to IIM I and K. So this really is about reputation and brand name (IIM I & K) vs ROI (JBIMS). On the flip side, due to 85% reservation and the delayed admission process JBIMS tends to lose out on good students and its average quality of students is lower than that of IIM I and K.
      My preference will be for JBIMS over IIM I and K.

  208. Sir,i have got through LBSIM and waitlisted in GIM.Which one should i join considering i am interested in marketing and my work-ex is just 10 months in IT?

  209. Dear Sir,

    At the outset I would like to thank you for rendering such a noble service to the society. I am an electrical engineer (B.E) having 7 years of work experience. I have 4 years of experience in manufacturing quality field then 3 years of work experience in power plant and power transmission project and SAP- Project system module and SAP- Quality.

    My profile is B.E – 59.45 %
    12 th – 73 %
    10 th – 86 %
    I am married. I have passion for MBA. Which MBA I should do ?
    I am 29 years of age. Should I appear for CAT,XAT or GMAT.?Should I opt for MBA coaching ?Considering above details please advice me for which I’ll remain obliged

    • Sandip, given your work experience you should go for a 1 year MBA program from ISB Hyderabad or from outside India. CAT/XAT etc are not relevant for you. Please send a mail to Mr Rajat Choudhary at gc.rajatk@gmail.com for guidance on 1 year MBA programs.

  210. Sir, with 263 in Feb CMAT and OBC Mumbai University. Do I stand a chance for JBIMS?

    I have converted MBE and waiting for IIM Kashipur and Sydenham. What should be my prirority? Pls help. Thanx

    • Kunal, My order of priority will be: JBIMS > IIM Kashipur > Sydneham > MBE

      Score of 263 in CMAT gets you a rank of around 1800. Till last year a CET rank of around 400 was required to get into JBIMS in the NC OBC Home University category. However CET was taken primarily by students from Maharashtra and CMAT is all India. My estimate is that 1800 in CMAT could convert into a CET rank of around 400 – 500 so you have a chance.

      • Than you Sir 🙂

        I guess the final rank will be given after GDPI so I need to perform well for it and improve my rank a fair bit and also hope that May Cmat doesn’t play a spoilsport!

  211. Sir

    I want to go for HR.
    CAT: 92.53
    XAT: 94.38
    2 years of work ex in Big4 consulting.
    I have to choose from
    XIMB (HR), IMT (FT), IMI (HR) and DSE (MHROD)

  212. Sir,
    10- 80.8%, 12- 82.6%(state board), grad- 69%(2012 passout)
    I have a 2 year gap between graduation and 12th.
    This is my 1st year in job(completed 6 months) and my prep is going on okay, but time and again I fear that my gap after 12 will become the reason of my undoing and top b schools will reject me outright . Because of this I sometimes become demotivated. Please show me the right way! Thanks a lot

    • Arun, you will be questioned about the gap and you will have to explain the reasons but it is not a ground for rejection. Just focus on your preparation and your work.

  214. Sir,
    I m a mediocre student.
    10th -73(CBSE)
    12th-61(CBSE)
    Graduation in Hospital Management 2012 -74 (DGPA)
    CAT2012- 40%ile
    No job exp. till date. should I give up hope for MBA?
    But started preparation For CAT-2013 and for other Entrance exam. Plz suggest What to do now? Thanks in advance.

    • Sudipto, continue with your preparation but pick up a job, at least a part time job. It will help you in your preparation.

  215. Sir I forgot to mention that I applied for PGDM(IB) in KJ Somaiya.
    Kindly rank between LBSIM (PGDM) and KJ Somaiya (IB).
    Thanks in advance

  216. I have 93.90 percentile in CAT 12 and I am having Work Ex of 2 Years.
    I have these converts TAPMI BIM-T LBSIM and waiting in IMI.
    Along with this waiting for result of KJSOM
    What should I opt which is best in term of ROI,placements,Curriculum.

    • Shadab,
      1. the order in terms of placement will be: TAPMI = IMI > BIM Trichy = KJ Somaiya > LBSIM
      2. the best institutes in terms of ROI will be: BIM Trichy and KJ Somaiya

  217. sir, i scored 202 in feb cmat..is it possible to convert sies,dalmia pgdm with this scores? thanks in advance..

  218. Sir,
    10th -90%
    12th- 89.4%
    Under Graduation-75%
    Fresher(2013 passout)
    looking forward to give cat 2013 .
    Should i be focusing only on cat 2013 or managing cat preparation with my job.
    Also do i have any chances of making into the top iims like iima and iimb.
    Waiting for your reply.

    • Gaurav, IIM A and B are ruled out due to less than 80% in graduation but all other IIMs and other top institutes are possible for you.

  219. Sir,
    I have converted IMT G(DCP) and FORE(PGDM). Please suggest as to which would be a better option to take?

    • Ashmita, IMT G DCP is an expensive program but it provides good exposure and its placement is clubbed with that of IMT G which is a mixed bag since the effective batch size for placement is around 600. FORE on the other hand has a smaller batch size of 240 but its average salary is a lower by about 15%. Also the fee of FORE at around Rs 12 lakh is significantly lower than that of IMT DCP at around 18 lakh.

      So if you are looking at a better brand name and exposure and the extra amount is not a problem then go for IMT else you should settle for FORE.

  220. Sir
    my profile:
    10th- 86
    12th-86
    B.tech-76(2009 passout, Marine engineer)
    Cat- 88.31%ile
    please rank the following colleges for me LBSIM(PGDM, Nirma, Kj Somaiya
    Thanks
    Reply ↓

    • Rohit, LBSIM and KJ Somaiya are at the same level, go for the one with the lower fee. My preference is KJ Somaiya due to its location – Bombay.

  221. Sir,
    I have converted BIM and a possible convert of IIM-Ranchi(HRM program). Which would be a better option to take?

  222. Sir, I am confused with NITIE (IM) and MDI … wch is better in terms of palcement and profile … i am more bent towards consulting firms …

    • Sir ,
      Please rank these three colleges.
      TAPMI-Fees-10L-seats-360
      GIM-Fees-9.5L-seats-240
      KJSomaiya -Fees-5-6L-Seats 360 PGDM + MMS
      I got TAPMI converted and GIM and KJ possiblity is there.

      Thanks,
      Pankaj

      • Pankaj, based on the placement track record and reputation my order of preference will be TAPMI = GIM > KJ Somaiya.
        Between TAPMI and GIM I will prefer GIM despite it being ranked marginally lower because of its smaller batch size and the fact that it has moved up in the last 7-8 years while TAPMI is at roughly the same position.

  223. Sir, please arrange these colleges for me…lbsim fore nirma gim ubs chd

    i am having 3 years work ex and scored 89 in cat…
    I am giving pref to lbs among these..but confused btw ubs and lbs due to fees difference..and have doubt about placements of ubs..please help

    • Amit, GIM, LBS and UBS are almost at the same level and which one to be preferred is a matter of individual choice.
      Average salary: GIM 8.5-9, LBS 7.5, UBS 6-6.5 lakh.
      However the fee of UBS is negligible and hence it gives the best ROI.

  224. Sir I got 90.7 OA with 97.3 in QA and 64.5 in VAL. My VALR is not that bad. I need to get into top 10 institutes. Need your advice whether I should retake it this year and is it worth the time spent. I scored 89 and 90.4 in X and XII respectively. I have secured 7CGPA in college.

    • Go for a retake this year itself, except IIM A and B all others are possible. You will need to push VALR to above 95%ile to get into one of the top 10-12 institutes.

  225. Hello Sir, I have filled the form and sent you my query. Confused between choosing between LIBA/ IFMR/ BIM-T and NIT-T. Can you please arrange these in the order of preference? (I am interested to pursue HR)

    • Nandini, among the institutes that you have mentioned BIM Trichy is the best by miles and the others should not be considered.

  226. Dear Sir,
    Thanks for taking this wonderful initiative and to help students in making their career choices.
    A brief summary of my profile:
    Xth: 86
    Xiith: 85.6
    Graduation: 76 (2009 passout, Marine engineer)
    Work exp: 2 years in merchant navy
    Converted calls: LBSIM, XIMB(RM)
    Expected converts: TAPMI, KJ SOM(IB), NIRMA
    Kindly rank these colleges in order of your preference. As for XIMB ,is it advisable to go for rural management compared to a normal BM program keeping in mind future career growth.
    kindly reply.
    Thanking you,
    Rohit

    • Rohit, my order of preference is: TAPMI, KJ Somaiya, LBSIM, XIMB RM, NIRMA.
      XIMB RM has at present restricted career opportunities and hence is rated lower. Given your profile you should not go below KJ Somaiya.

  228. Hello sir
    My profile:
    CAT(2nd attempt)- OA:98.84, QA:94.65, VA:99.18
    Acads: Xth-86, XIIth =71.2, Grad – 62
    Work ex – 20 months
    I hate my job.
    Only calls left: New IIMs
    Age : 24
    Should I give CAT another shot or take whatever I get this year?

  229. Hello Sir,
    I have converted SCMHRD, IMT-G(FT) and got waitlist 156 Gen in IIM Shillong. Sir will I be able to convert IIM shillong??

  230. Sir, I am confused with NITIE (IM) and MDI … wch is better in terms of palcement and profile … i am more bent towards consulting firms …

    • Sahil, this is a difficult one. The two are neck an neck but I will go for NM over SIBM Pune due to its location.

      • But Sir, NM doesn’t have own campus and hostel and total investment would be 16 lac whereas in SIBM, it would be 11-11.5 lac including all.

  233. Sir
    my profile:
    10th- 85
    12th-86
    B.tech-74.2(fresher)
    Cat- 88%ile
    please rank the following colleges for me LBSIM(PGDM),FORE(PGDM), Nirma, Kj Somaiya
    And also the reason behind your sequencing??

      • Thank you Sir..
        Can u please also tell me the reasons behind your sequencing??..putting lbsim ahead of Kj..and nirma at the end..Though i have convert from all of them and waiting for Kj Somaiya’s result..It would be a real help for me sir..

  234. sir as i told u earlier,i hav 248 marks in feb cmat but as dte notification is takin a long time,in ordr 2 b safe,shud i need to fill forms of colleges like itm mumbai,ibs mumbai,alliance banglore or pgdm form of any mumbai clg??

  235. sir i hv filled up d questioner and send it to u 8 days back….i hv received d acknowledgement for that as well…..but i hv not received any ans frm ur side… i hv forwarded u 2 mails regarding the same. sir, can u plz be kind enough to ans my query.thank you.

  236. Sir, I have converted IMT Ghaziabad and IMI delhi.
    Really confused on which one to join as both has its pros and cons. Please help.

  237. Sir , I have got 93%ile in CAT.
    I have LBS(9 lakhs) and IMT-DCP (18 lakhs)as my converts..i am interested in finance.what should i do..I had a talk with few seniors in IMT and they said that IMT is trying to make DCP as its flagship programme.
    Thanking you in advance.

    • Ayushh, while the cost of DCP is high it gives good exposure and its placements are clubbed with IMT-G PGDM so it should be preferred over LBS if you can afford the extra amount.

  238. Sir ,
    Firstly many many thanks for all the guidance and support to get me here. Hope to touch your feet someday.
    Sir I am spoilt for choice between FMS, Delhi and IIM, Lucknow. Have gone through the cat-fights on various forums but still don’t have a clear head. Am hoping to go for Finance, but not sure. Please suggest.

    Gratitude,
    Manish

    • Manish, Congratulations, many other students will be envying you.

      You have a battle between ROI (FMS) and brand name (IIML) andno one can decide it for you. From a placement perspective both are similar, especially if you consider Finance, Marketing and HR, but a few companies may not come to FMS. Unfortunately I cannot help you on this issue as the decision has to be yours.

      • I understand sir. Could you please let me know how much of an effect a difference in brand names of IIML and FMS can have in the career growth in long term.

        Whichever I join sir, I’d always be grateful to you and other people in CL for the life I have in future.

  240. Hello sir,
    I have calls from iim indore, NITIE, new IIMS and possibly JBIMS(CMAT rank 68). Please rate these for me in general as well as for an mba in finance.

      • thank you Sir. But can you pls give a few points on why Indore over JBIMS considering the recent negativity around indore and large batch size.

  242. Thanks a lot for your feedback sir.
    I have converted XIMB HR and waitlisted at XL HR(now I think I may convert). I think HR will not be a bad idea for me.
    But with respect to profile and work exp will I do good when it come to placements? and more importantly on long term career shall I do well? Please guide me sir.

    • Congratulations Sam,

      XIMB is a good institute and it is okay to join it with your profile.
      What is your HR waitlist number?

  243. hello sir
    My profile CAT 2012 82.72
    XAT 2013 92.36
    X 89.6, XII 82.75 BE(Hons) 77.8 (NIT Nagpur)
    39 months of work ex already in IT. Package 7.5 lpa …
    Did not convert XLRI….what should I do?

    Please reply sir.

    • Sam, based on your profile, if it is not XL or IIM then you should consider 1 year MBA fromISB or 1 year MBA outside India. Please contact Mr Rajat Choudhary at gc.rajatk@gmail.com for guidance on International MBA programs.

  244. sir,LBSIM or FORE(IB) or IFMR-FE?
    i am a delhite and 2012 passout and have to do mba this year only.please reply

      • THANKS a LOT.. as always you made decision easier for me.i have to admit that i am student of your competing institute starting with “T” but the session you guys hold before cat,snap and xat were superb and they were free of cost mostly.I found that decisive cutting edge lacking in my institute.I recommend career launcher for all future aspirants.again thanks a lot

  245. Sir, which is better between NMIMS(core) Mumbai and SIBM-P. The fees of NM is upto 16 lakh including hostel and mess whereas for SIBM, its 11.5 lac including all? Plz suggest. Totally confused.

    Also, how much rank in CMAT is required for JBIMS? I am general, Maharashtra candidate from Pune University.

    • Ibad, NMIMS Core MBA and SIBM Pune are at the same level and given the fee difference SIBM Pune will be preferable

    • Karan, NMIMS Core is preferable to IIFT Kolkata but if you are upgraded to IIFT Delhi then it becomes the first preference.
      IIFT Delhi > NMIMS Core Mumbai > IIFT Kolkata

  247. Sir,
    B. Com hons DU , Graduation – 55%
    Got offer letter from Icfai hyderabad and XIME bangalore , which has better reputation and placement record ?

  248. Sir,
    Got offer from IMT Nagpur, XIME Bangalore and ICFAI hyderabad. which has better placements ? pls advise…

  249. CAT: 87.25
    Converted Calls: Fore Tapmi Imt DCP Nirma
    And SPJAIN School of Global Mgmt MGB Program
    Grad: B.tech Mech 70% 2011 pass out
    Exp: 18 months core R&D engine design
    4 months in sales n marketing in Bosch Rexroth
    Current Package: 4.5lpa

    Should i go for an mba this year? Next year i dont think i’ll be able to go for a 2 year program. 1 yr program can be the only possibility next year.
    If yes what would be your order of pref?
    Is increased intake in TAPMI a point of concern?

  250. Sir,
    i have converted BIMTECH, Noida(International Business) and i am going to give Welingkar’s GDPI.
    My CAT score was 82.83. I am a fresher and i am in the final year.
    I am little bit confused about what shall i do. Shall i take drop or shall i join?
    Profile-
    10th-84.2%
    12th-84.8%
    No work experience
    No job in hand

    And sir, BIMTECH vs WELINGKAR, which one is better?

    • Vineet, BIMTECH and Welingkar are at par but possibly Welingkar should be preferred due to its location. Given your CAT score and lack of job I suggest that you join one of these two institutes.

  251. Sir I am a fresher with Xth-84,12th:84 cat:91.5,i have converted tapmi and hoping to convert k j somaiya,i have campus placement with ctc 3.4 in accenture.should i join one of these colleges or join accenture n try next year?if i join college then which one is better(i am from delhi n want to do finance)?

    • Navjyot, TAPMI will be preferable to KJ Somaiya. You have good acads track record and should consider a retake but only if you are confident of increasing your CAT score to at least 97%ile. The 1 year experience will also be helpful in increasing your chances of getting into the top institutes.

  252. Sir, which is better between NMIMS(core) Mumbai and SIBM-P. The fees of NM is upto 16 lac including hostel and mess whereas for SIBM, its 11.5 lac including all? Plz suggest. Totally confused.

    Also, how much rank in CMAT is required for JBIMS? I am general, Maharashtra candidate from Pune University.

  253. Dear sir
    Have converted XLRI BM and IIM Bangalore. I am a CA and want to go for corporate finance. Which institute should I join?

    • Congratulations Siddhartha, my recommendation will be Bangalore. The city in which the B school is located plays an important role in Industry interaction and on this aspect Bangalore scores over XLRI.

  254. Sir, which is better between NMIMS(core) Mumbai and SIBM-P. The fees of NM is upto 16 lac including hostel and mess whereas for SIBM, its 11.5 lac including all? Plz suggest. Totally confused.

    Also, how much rank in CMAT is required for JBIMS? I am general, Maharashtra candidate from Pune Uni.

  255. MNNIT ALLAHABAD, ISM DHANBAD, IIFM BHOPAL, MIB-MHROD,UBS CHANDIGARH,PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY NIT CALICUT WHAT SHOULD BE PREFERENCE ORDER?

  257. cat 12 -> 95 percentile
    fresher
    converted -> LBSIM , DSM DTU, MIB DELHI SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS , MBE SOUTH CAMPUS

    expected converts ->
    i dont want to give another try next year … what should be my order of preference ?? i am interested in FINANCE , then IB
    DSM DTU Is very new , but is promising … please help

  258. sir
    i m a b.tech 2nd year student, my home and college are in different city so i daily go to other city and return at 7 pm from monday to friday. so i m unable to hve coaching for cat-2014. please guide me on this as soon as possible.
    thank you.

  259. Sir,
    I have 98.84 in CAT and would love to join NITIE. But in case I don’t convert, which of the following would you suggest?
    1)NMIMS
    2)IIM-Ranchi
    I have converted NMIMS – Core. I hope to convert Ranchi as my process was very good. I am doubtful regarding NITIE as my interview was not up to the mark.

      • Thank you sir for your suggestion. Could you state the reasons for IIM-Ranchi?

        What would your say be if I add MDI to the list? Would you still prefer IIM-Ranchi? Please rank MDI,NITIE,Ranchi in order of preference.

        • Then my preference order will be MDI, NITIE, IIM Ranchi, NMIMS

          IIM Ranchi over NMIMS because is has come up fairly fast with good word of mouth and decent placement and by 2015 when you will pass out I expect it would have firmly established itself as a top notch b school.

  261. Sir,

    I filled the form on 4th April. By when can I expect a reply from you?

    Thanks a lot for this initiative. You always come to the rescue of us students.

    • Smriti, I have finished around 575 queries and am on 4th April only so you should get a response by Monday or Tuesday.

      Apologise for the delay.

      • Not at all Sir. This initiative wherein you are replying personally to all students is a gargantuan task to say the least. Thank you very much for this.

  262. Hi Sir,
    I have offers from NMIMS Mumbai(MBA Core) and XIMB(PGDM). Please suggest which is better. I am really confused.
    Regards,
    Sarthak

  263. Sir,

    I filled up my profile……

    One doubt…how i will get your feedback……….through mail or this post….

  264. CAT: 87.25
    Converted Calls: Fore Tapmi Imt DCP Nirma
    And SPJAIN School of Global Mgmt MGB Program
    Grad: B.tech Mech 70% 2011 pass out
    Exp: 18 months core R&D engine design
    4 months in sales n marketing in Bosch Rexroth
    Current Package: 4.5lpa

    Should i go for an mba this year? Next year i dont think i’ll be able to go for a 2 year program. 1 yr program can be the only possibility next year.
    If yes what would be your order of pref?
    Is increased intake in TAPMI a point of concern?

    • posted the same querry in the form as well. Would request you to go through the entire profile in the form.
      Thanks and Regards

  265. sir i am a 2012 passout, took a break and prepared for cat managed to get 68 in cat , 77 in xat, 98 in mat and 240 in cmat
    i have got through insurance business management program in bimtech.can i join this course or should i take a break for another year and prepare for cat. currently i dont have a job sir. please guide me !!!

    • Akshay, join BIMTECH, if you can be upgraded to PGDM it will be better. Based on you CMAT score you should apply for Mumbai University colleges when DTE comes out with its notification.

    • I too s in a similar situation as I hv got retail at Bimtech, but as told by GP sir as I spoke to the Bimtech authorities it isn’t possible for us to get upgraded to their flagship crse or h IB as they wld already offered h seat to a larger no of candidates as their prescribed intake as there is no waitlisted system this time around.

  266. sir ,
    i did fill up the form today. In a great deal of confusion.Looking forward to your reply soon.
    Thanks in advance for your help.

  267. Sir i have converted IMT Hyderabad….
    X-82, XII-83, B.Tech-73(NIT DGP), Work Ex- 31 months….
    CAT-79.67, XAT-70.89
    Please tell me whether to join IMT Hyd or not..? OR I should try for IIMs (CAT 2013)…I am in big dilemma…!!!!!!

    • Your CAT/XAT scores show that you haven’t tried hard enough this year. You surely can do better than this. I would recommend giving it at least one serious go next year.

  268. sir, my profile:
    10th-91.1%
    12th-88.9%
    Btech-70.3%
    Work ex- 0
    CAT 2011-90.6
    CAT2012-91.76
    Sir, should i give another shot at cat 2013 nd please suggest that even with a good cat score do i stand a chance to make it to any of iims or any top bschools. The problem is that i completed my graduation in 2012 nd dropped an year for cat preparation .Though right now i m involved in my family business but will it be considered as a work ex or not??? Is there any need to look for a job or my family business can compensate for that?? please suggest me the way out.
    Please do reply ….

    • Devesh, You need to get at least 99 percentile to have any kind of chance of making it to the IIMs. Even for other top B-Schools, nothing less than 97-98 percentile would do. “Family business” thing should not be problem if you are genuinely involved in it and can talk about it confidently.

  269. Hello sir,

    I am in a bit of dilemma. I have converted NMIMS for MBA Core and am now in the wait list for HRM at XLRI. But Im not sure if I want to HRM as I don’t know much about it. What should I do?

    Please do reply

  270. Dear Sir,
    I have converted Tapmi and IMI -D (PGDM) ; Confused between both ; 2.5 yrs Work ex in Energy sector(mechanical Engg)
    Tapmi is just 5 KM from my house. So if I join there then advantage of going home frequently.
    Confused now:( please suggest
    Regards

    • The two would be almost at par. An advantage with IMI would be its location. But you may choose to join TAPMI in case staying near to your place is very important.

      • Thank you Sir,
        Tapmi batch strength would be 360 to 400 from this year and IMI is 180(PGDM) sir, So even then same opinion is it Sir?

  271. Sir, I am interested in MBA-finance. I converted IMT-Ghaziabad (finance) and IMI-dellhi (PGDM). I have decent acads and 8 months work ex in Fin sector… which clg should i choose. ?
    Thanx in advance

  272. Dear sir, My profile is:
    10th: 86%, 12th: 81%, BE: 62%.
    I have appeared only for SNAP and CMAT this time, got calls from SIBM-P and SCMHRD and converted SCMHRD, waitlisted 22 at SIBM-P (hoping for a convert).I would like to have some suggestions/views from you that should I join SIBM this year or give an another shot to CAT next season? I am interested in Mkt. I know that as per my profile, chances of getting calls from top IIMs are very bleak/NO.
    Kindly reply soon. Your valuable suggestions are most welcome.

    • SIBM is a good institute and you should consider joining it. As you rightly said, IIMs would be difficult at your marks.. However, you can look at other top B-Schools such as XL, FMS, MDI, SPJIMR, NITIE etc all of which would be better than SIBM, and don’t focus so much on the academic record.

      • Sir, what should I do then? Should I join SIBM-P this year? According to me, only FMS and XL are above SIBM. Baki MDI/SP Jain/SIBM/NM are in a same league and cluster and all have similar companies and placements and profiles atleast as far as Mkt. is concerned (which is my area of interest). Do I have any chance from IIMC and L?

        • My suggestion will be to join SIBM Pune, while IIMs (except A & B) are possible there is no surety.

          You will be taking a chance and unless you are sure of getting at least 99%ile in CAT (to have a realistic chance for C & L) you should not think of a retake.

  273. Hi Sir,
    I will be appearing in CAT_2013 exam.
    My Profile is as below
    10th: 66% (2005)
    12th: 62% (2007)
    Training for Commercial Pilot (Philippines): 2007-2009
    Currently hold commercial Pilot License
    2009-2012 BBA( Distance learning) 68%
    along with BBA from 2010-till now working in a private Firm.

    Queries:
    1. After having this low academics profile is there any chance to get though any IIM obviously other than A,B,C.
    2. Being a student of Distance learning, will it be a drawback.
    3. My extra curriculum of being a commercial pilot will it even provide any edge .
    4. Apart from IIM what all colleges i Should concentrate on and my chances of getting through, with the above profile. Provided if crack CAT with good percentile.
    5. Last but not the least my work-ex from 2010 will not be included, as per my knowledge Work-x after your graduation is only counted. But my question is, working in a small private firm, will it leave same impression as working in a companies like TCS, Infosys and all or i will be have to face challenge here also.

    Looking for your reply to help out on the above queries.

    Thanks
    Gaurav Khatri

    • 1. You are right; IIMs is going to be very tough at your scores unless you do something sensational in CAT.
      2. Not specifically, but you may have to justify in the interview as to why you choose to go for distance learning over the regular programs.
      3. It may, as they always want to add diversity to the batch; but only if you are able to handle questions regarding the matter adeptly.
      4. You should target other top B-Schools such as FMS, XL, SPJIMR, MDI, NITIE etc (and may be even the layer below this) which don’t stress on the academic record the way IIMs have been doing recently.
      5. Any work-ex, irrespective of the size of the company, and whether it is acquired before, along with or after graduation adds a lot of value a person. Don’t worry; it will be good for you provided you are able to speak confidently about it.

  274. hello sir,
    i have got the call from IMT hyderabad . but as it is a new college thats y i m confused whether to join or not . i had the work exp of 24 months in manufacturing industeries. i m thinking of applying in CAT2013 but till admissions my experience would increase to 36 months . Is this much experience would cause problem for me in placements after doing MBA.
    my weaker section in CAT is VA . how to improve VA within 6 months?

    please reply

    • I think you should target CAT 2013 with a better score and thus better converts. Work experience would not cause any problems in placements at a top B-School. In fact, your work experience means that you shouldn’t be looking at IMT Hyderabad at all. Lesser B-Schools would probably not be able to do justice to your work-ex.
      For VA, apart from practising the expected question types, I would strongly recommend a lot of reading for you from eclectic subjects.

  275. Hello Sir, I am a 2012 Btech (ECE) passout.I am interested in mba fin or hr. i gave cat this year, with a fairly poor 68%ile .I have got a chance in iiswbm kolkata (mhrm) course.Should i go for it or give cat another shot with a better preparation? I dont have any work experience,will a certificate course in Business Analytics makeup for that?Considering i will be 24 this may i am really confused.Please help.

    • Go for CAT 2013. Meanwhile see if you find yourself a job as well. CAT preparation can be managed along with the job. Won’t advise sitting idle for another year.

  276. Sir, I have filled the form. Could you please have a look at the query and reply back? I would be really grateful if you could reply back soon. I am really stressed:(

  277. Sir i have converted both IMT Ghaziabad and XIMB..both PGDM(full time) …IMT Ghaziabad however has a huge batch strength which is a cause of concern…….hence kindly suggest

    • If 55%ile is after putting in effort then look at options outside MBA if you did not prepare seriously then pick up a job and start preparing for entrances.

  279. Dear sir, My profile is:
    10th: 86%, 12th: 81%, BE: 62%.
    I have appeared only for SNAP and CMAT this time, got calls from SIBM-P and SCMHRD and converted SCMHRD, waitlisted 22 at SIBM-P (hoping for a convert).I would like to have some suggestions/views from you that should I join SIBM this year or give an another shot to CAT next season? I am interested in Mkt. I know that as per my profile, chances of getting calls from top IIMs are very bleak/NO.
    Kindly reply soon. Your valuable suggestions are most welcome.

    • SIBM Pune is a very good institute and unless you are confident of getting at least 98%ile in CAT you should not go for a retake.

  280. Hello sir,

    I am in a bit of dilemma. I have converted NMIMS for MBA Core and am now in the wait list for HRM at XLRI. But Im not sure if I want to HRM as I don’t know much about it. What should I do?

  281. sir,
    i got selected in xavier institute of management jabalpur,but am very confused whether i should go for it or give cat/xat once again.

  282. Hi Sir,

    I got admit in IMT Ghaziabad PGDM(IB). I have a decent 95%+ scores in both CAT and XAT but only applied for IMT and XLRI. Rejected in XLRI shortlist. So please suggest if joining IMT is a good move or can I wait for next year. I am working in an MNC.

    Thanks in Advance.

    • You may look at giving CAT/XAT another shot for a “better than decent score”. Since you didn’t apply to most of B-Schools this year, we have reasons to believe that you can do better than what you did this year. Since you are already working, giving it another year along with your job shouldn’t be such a problem..

  283. Sir, can u throw some light on TISS Globalisation & labour course placements? how are the future aspects for the course in the long run? thanks in advance…

  284. Sir i am waitlisted -5 for spjimr (pgdm-operation)
    & had fantastic gd/pi at mdi. So hoping spj & mdi(pgpm) convert.

    Which should i go for??? Means both are equally good inst.

    Due to diverse profiles+mumbai adv(placement) spjimr seems good.
    But at the same time mdi gives option to choose spec after year (as i m not 100% sure of specialization), better infrastructure & good student exchange program.

    So what do you suggest?
    It will be helpful if you give guidance with reason.

    • Alex, while SPJain is marginally better than MDI but if you are not sure about Operations specialisation then it has to be MD as it allows you to keep your options open.

  285. Hello sir,
    10th–87.4% (cbse)
    12th–78.8%(cbse)

    scored 74.25%ile in CAT2012
    58.56%ile in Quant Section (overconfidence…hence lack of practice)
    84.06%ile in Verbal Section
    Fresher (will pass out in 2013 BE)
    Thinking to give another shot this year…….

    Should I take another shot at CAT and other Indian MBA entrance exams?
    or
    Should I go for a job..(2.5lpa)..?(personally not interested to go for this job)
    or
    Should I give up on my aspirations of doing an MBA?

    Waiting for your reply…..sir
    Plz help

    • Go for the job and start preparing for CAT 2013.. Won’t advise sitting at home and preparing.. You can manage it along with your job like so many others do..

  286. cat 12 -> 95 percentile
    fresher
    converted -> LBSIM , DSM DTU

    expected converts -> MIB DELHI SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS , MBE SOUTH CAMPUS [ if waitlist moves ]
    i dont want to give another try next year … what should be my order of preference ?? i am interested in FINANCE , then IB
    DSM DTU Is very new , but is very promising … has high potential according to me … please help

  289. Sir,
    The only options i have, as of now, are as below :
    1) SRCC GBO
    2) UBS, Chandigarh
    3) ICICI Asst Manager
    Kindly suggest what’s best amongst the three above. I have already dropped for a year. My CAT did not go well this year.
    Will it be a prudent idea to take up a job at ICICI and work for like 15 months or so and then again give a shot at CAT OR should i take admsn in GBO/UBS this year itself??

    • Pam, between these three the best is UBS Chandigarh followed by ICICI Bank. UBS is among the old well regarded B schools in India with a decent placement track record and the location,Chandigarh, leads to good industry interaction. By virtue of being a part of the University it has a low fee.
      If you are confident of increasing your CAT score to over 97%ile then you can consider a second attempt at CAT.

  290. Sir,
    Which institute to join amongst these three ITM navi mumbai(core),BIMM,pune .MITSOB &IMT nagpur..In a fix….

      • M actually offered finance in ITM which is my domain & retail in IMT….That’s why I am willing to go to ITM .Am I doing right GP?

        • I need to rectify my answer..offered marketing in IMT & Finance in ITM (which is my domain) & also ICFAI hyd apart from BIMM & MITSOB..Keeping all aspects in mind like fees ,intake,ROI,pedagogy etc which one to choose?

  294. sir i am going to appear for cat 2013 and xat 2014 and i have 84% in class 12 and 93 %in class 10but 7.4 in graduations .do i have any chance to make into IIMs?

  297. Sir,
    I have converted Bimtech-retail mgmt, SICSR-MBA(I.T.), Bimm pune-PGDM, AIM Kolkatta……sir what should be my order of preference for these colleges…..I am a 2012 pass out….fresher…plz help…….as the dates are approaching for all of these colleges soon….

  298. Sir, I have 27 months’ exp in TCS . CAT : 88.63 (QA : 98.29 VA : 46.09).. I am still in cloud 9 abt my mistakes in VA .
    XAT : 98.12 with decent sectionals.
    haven’t applied to XL, as heavily banked on CAT bcs I was somewht confident.
    XIMB – rejected.
    Till now convert : Great Lakes 1 yr PGPM .. even no other good call..

    Now please suggest me what to do.. I paid initial few installments to GL .. but it’s huge -15L .. So I need ur suggestion urgently..

    • Aditya, your scores should lead you to top 15-20 institues and if you are not desperate for an MBA this year and can afford to wait I would suggest a retake of CAT and XAT. VALR of CAT is an aberration and is unlikely to happen again. Consider GMAT also for next year.

      • Hello Sir,

        sir i am going to appear for cat 2013 and xat 2014 and i have 86% in class 12 and 89 %in class 10.
        but only 55% in graduations(1st and 2nd year) .
        do i have any chance to make into IIMs or FMS?

        which institutes can in target in India??

        • IIM A and B would be tough to clear with your kinda marks since they have been allocating substantial weight to the academic record in the last few years. The other IIMs will not be a problem.
          In FMS, the minimum requisite percentage of marks in different disciplines is as follows:
          Arts, Commerce or Social Sciences – 50%
          Sciences – 55%
          Mathematics or Statistics – 60%
          Medicine, Engineering or Technology – 60% / CGPA of at least 6.00 in a scale of 10.00
          Just make sure that you get enough marks in your final year to be eligible to apply and then the low marks shouldn’t be as big an issue as it is in IIMs.
          You should also target other top B-Schools like XL, MDI, SPJIMR, NITIE etc.

  299. Hi Sir,
    I have converted NMIMS Mumbai(MBA core), IMT Ghaziabad (DCP) and XIMB(PGDM full time). Which one should I join?
    Regards,
    Sarthak

  300. (Already filled the form with same query)

    Hello sir,

    CAT 2012 : 90.42 (Quant 97.XX, Verbal 65.XX)
    calls / expected converts : LBSIM, BIM-Tirichy, NIRMA, KJSom
    WorkEx (Till date) : 33 months in Infosys

    Shall i join this year ? or should i wait for next year for b-schools like NITIE, IIT – B,D , IIFT, NMIMS, XL, XIM, SIBM/SCMHRD.

    Additional Info : i will have 43 mnths workex by Jan 2014. I am interested in Operations. So how do my workex (43 mnths) gonna hamper my chances for both BSCHOOL ADMISSION and PLACEMENT AFTER MBA ? Kindly suggest whether my workex(43) looks OK for each of the above institutes.

    Main Worry :
    1) Clearly i need to improve in Verbal (65.8).
    2) I am interested in Operations. But Institutes good for Ops like NITIE, IIT-B will consider CAT. I am too worried about CAT’s unpredictability to wait 1 more year.

    Sir, Please Help !!!!

    Thanks in Advance

  301. Hello sir,

    CAT 2012 : 90.42 (Quant 97.XX, Verbal 65.XX)
    calls / expected converts : LBSIM, BIM-Tirichy, NIRMA, KJSom
    WorkEx (Till date) : 33 months in Infosys

    Shall i join this year ? or should i wait for next year for b-schools like NITIE, IIT – B,D , IIFT, NMIMS, XL, XIM, SIBM/SCMHRD.

    Additional Info : i will have 43 mnths workex by Jan 2014. I am interested in Operations. So how do my workex (43 mnths) gonna hamper my chances for both BSCHOOL ADMISSION and PLACEMENT AFTER MBA ? Kindly suggest whether my workex(43) looks OK for each of the above institutes.

    Main Worry :
    1) Clearly i need to improve in Verbal (65.8).
    2) I am interested in Operations. But Institutes good for Ops like NITIE, IIT-B will consider CAT. I am too worried about CAT’s unpredictability to wait 1 more year.

    Sir, Please Help !!!!

    Thanks in Advance

  302. this has come like a gods way to guide us.

    Sir pls do reply.. eagerly waiting for ur opinion.

    Very confused.

  303. sir i hv converted symboisis institute of management studies. n confused between indian school of mines n sims. plz sir suggest me

  304. Sir is there a chance of converting Finance waitlist of 55 of Sp Jain.
    Thanking you in anticipation

  305. I messaged in fb my query and i saw this post. I was filling this form and I got my query cleared even before i completed the form. Thanks GP sir for your quick responses inspite of your busy schedule.

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