The First Not So Ordinary B-School is IFMR, Chennai

The Institute of Financial Management and Research offers a 2 year full-time ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Management’ program recognized by AICTE. This Chennai based institute has a fee structure of Rs. 10 lacs (the fee covers tuition, laptop, books & materials, examination fee, IT charges & institute’s formal wear) for the entire 2 years. The living expenses need to be borne by the student over and above the fee, charges for the hostel if opted for are Rs.9000/month. IFMR considers CAT 2013 / XAT 2014 / CMAT – Sept 2013 and GMAT GRE scores (taken in the last five years)

IFMR provided CL with complete placement details of 110 students passing out from IFMR in 2013 for audit. The data passed CL audit standards and hence, IFMR is now a member of the league. With an exact 70% students getting placed with CTC’s of 6 lacs per annum and more, IFMR is a good option for students wanting to pursue further studies this year.The highest salary for the 2013 was a CTC of more than Rs. 11 lacs per annum. The majority employers at IFMR are from the banking & finance domain or the IT / ITES domain with students getting placed in analyst, team leader and management trainee roles.

The cut off for IFMR Chennai is 80%ile in CAT, however students with just short of the cut off can apply as the institute also gives profile based calls based on past academic record and work experience. Shortlisted students are invited for the second stage selection process held in top 12 cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Bhubaneshwar, Lucknow, Bhopal, Jaipur& Ahmedabad). The second stage process includes an on the spot writing ability test followed by a personal interview.

Application deadline extended to 22nd February 2014. For more information you can visit :http://www.ifmr.ac.in

To hear from the institute please leave your contact details here:

All the best
Niharika Mittal

275 Comments

  1. Sir I got 89.45% in cmat score 206,
    cat-75%
    10th 90%
    12th 75%
    Bba 75%
    I have to do mba this year only plz tell me decent colleges to apply
    Can I get call from kj,welinker,ifmr,great lakes

  3. Sir I have been offered admission from ifmr and bits pilani.Which one to join? I’m inclined towards marketing.I want to do MBA this year itself, I have 6months of exp but currently doesn’t have a job.

    • sir,i have been selected in ifmr and bits pilani.looking at bits pilani placement stats i noticed that they dont assure 100% placement whereas ifmr does.Also,bits pilani’s fees are way lower compared to ifmr’s.So,on what basis should i select a college?on the basis of placement stats or ROI Factor.And also,do names like “Bits pilani or nit and all” really matter a lot in future when we are trying to shift jobs.are they added advantage?…or no?…i am a fresher with 80% throughout acads.

      • AB, BITS is a better brand as compared to IFMR for MBA. It has better placements, facutty, growth opportunities as compared to IFMR. However, if you are inclined towards forest management then you should go for IFMR. The brands do matter when you do an MBA from top institutes. Since you are a fresher, you should consider taking CAT’16. Try to aim for better B schools.

  4. I have been sleected at simc pune and Ifmr. Welingkar interview is coming up. I am confused with the specialisation to go for though HR would be something I’ll be good at. Considering good placement and ROI which one should I go for.

      • Hello, I am offered provisional admission by IFMR-Chennai subjected to availability of seats and time when my cheque reaches their office. I have secured admission in IMT Nagpur and Hyderabad campus. I have got GDPI call from Welingkar. I have work experience of 10 months and still counting. I am presently working in finance sector and interested in finance. Should i join IFMR or should try answering CAT and CMAT next year. I got 74.83 % and 69.50 % in tenth and twelfth respectively (both state board). I secured 62.50 in engineering (Goa University). Please help me deciding. Thank you

        • Varad, you should try to better your score. Aim for better B-schools. Retake CAT and the other MBA exams.

    • Hi sir. I have to do an MBA this year since I quit my job. CAT-80%ile, 10th-84%, 12th-94%, 17months experience. I have converted LIBA and IFMR and wait listed at BIM Trichy. I am looking at finance. Please advice which is the best option. Thank you.

  5. sir. i have got selected in ifmr in finance. but is it worth for the fees it is taking. is the placements good enough for clearing the loan…

    • Sherin, IFMR is reasonably well known for finance and hence you should consider it if you would like to specialise in Finance.

      • Hello sir,
        I have scored 86.17 percentile in cat. Xth 79.40 ,12th 78.40 b.tech 67.55 and 32 months of experience in ITES sector. I have converted nirma and awaiting result from kj and ifmr. I would like to know should I opt for nirma or wait for kj and ifmr. Further should I write Cat again as next year I would be having around 3.6 years of experience at time of interviews would it create a bad situation for me ?

        • Sachin, since you have a decent experience of 32 months you should be looking at executive MBA. Also prepare for GMAT,try to target ISB Hyderabad.

  8. Sir,

    I have a CAT %ile of 72. Also, i have 2.5months experience in Cognizant with a CTC of 3.8 lpa, class 10 – 86%age, class 12 – 88%age, graduation(b-tech) – 80%age. I have got calls from BIMTECH. I have already converted in SITM pune and i have applied for IFMR, BITS pilani, and Welingkar. I have heard in IFMR, they give profile based calls as well. Can you please suggest which college to opt for? I have a preference for marketing mainly. Thanks in advance.

  9. Hello sir
    My score in xat is 75percentile. I need to do operation management. Please could u suggest best college to choose

    • Navya, a better option would be to go for another attempt at CAT and XAT next year as nothing great will happen at this percentile. Advice you to pick up a job and prepare simultaneously.

  10. Hi!
    My scores in entrance exams are
    CAT- 70.49%ile
    CMAT- 97.53%ile
    MAT- 98.99%ile
    XAT- 59.3%ile

    Academics
    10th- 89.4%
    12th- 92.4%
    Graduation- 85.5% (B.Sc. Economic Honours)

    No work experience
    Plz suggest which colleges should i apply for???
    Will prefer specialization in finance.

  12. Sir I have score 60% in B.Tech (Mechanical), 68.80% in M.Tech Aerospace from BIT Mesra in 2012. I have one year experience as production engineer and one year experience as workshop superintendent in an engineering college. I am planning to give GMAT and targeting a score of 750. Please advice apart from ISB which other good Indian institutes accept GMAT scores from Indian applicants. I am also planning to take cat xat and snap.

    • Udit, you are most likely targeting the one year executive programmes. You must target ISB, Great Lakes Chennai, and the executive programmes of the IIMs.

  13. hello sir,

    my cmat 2016 score is 179 and percentile is 93.92.
    can i get a call from kj somaiya, GIM, IFMR. NIBM?

    pls help

    • Vijay, I suggest you to focus on the other more important MBA exams coming up like NMAT, IIFT, CAT, SNAP and XAT.

  15. Sir,
    Now I have to select between BIM & IFMR . Though I could not decide on specialization yet, if Finance / Marketing / IT operation Which to select

    • Raghav, BIM Trichy is my preference. It is higher ranked, better placements and will allow you options in all specializations. IFMR is finance focused.

  18. Hi Sir,
    I have a work exp of 2 yrs with TCS and with a CTC of 4.5L PA. Is it advisable to quit my job and go and pursue my MBA in IFMR ? Please help.. Thank you

      • I had given my GRE sir. Scored 300.. Got a call from IFMR. Yet to attend my interview. But just wanted to know whether it is advisible to quit my job and pursue my MBA in IFMR. Please help me out. Thanks

          • Sir,
            I’m currently working in TCS and my CTC is 4.60L PA. I took GRE 3 years back, since i wanted to pursue my MBA abroad. But then that plan didnt materialze. I took CAT this time. Got 75%ile. I applied to IFMR with my GRE score as well and got shortlisted for interview as well. So wanted to know whether it is advisible to quit my job and pursure my MBA at IFMR. I’m looking for either finance or IT/Operations. Please let me know your opinion on this. Would be really helpful. Thank you

          • Srinath, if you have to do an MBA this year itself then it is fine else go for a retake of CAT/AT and also take GMAT and to target ISB Hyderabad, Great Lakes Chennai PGPM should also be considered,

  19. Which is the best institute for PGDM in sales & marketing.
    I got 60% in MAT.
    Alliance Business School/BIMTECH/ITM/Xavier institute of Management & Entrepreneur/ BIMM/Fore School of management.

  20. Sir, my CAT score is 79.57 %ile OA and 74.24 in Verbal, 78.62 in Quant. B.Tech. With 75.32% in 2014, 12th 68.3% and 10th 76%. I have not given any other entrance exam for MBA except CAT’14. And dropped this year for it. I want to do MBA in Finance preferably or can say only. If I apply to IFMR, is there any chances to get call? I am from GEN category.

  21. Sir i have CMAT September 2014 Score of 157,
    Percentile-: 81.22,Rank-: 8114.
    Please suggest some good colleges on the basis of my score. Thanks in advance.

  22. Sir,
    I am an engineer and have 3 years of non-technical experience in start-ups mainly e-commerce
    My CMAT %ile is 95.98
    10th : 86.4
    12th : 88
    U.P.T.U.(grad.) : 63%
    Current salary: 4.2 lpa
    Is K.J. Somiya or GIM a good bet for me? And is there any hope for Sydenham call?

    • Nikhil, these are good bets. Since you belong to OMS category you will need over 99.5%ile for Sydenhan. Suggest that you take MAT and CMAT in Feb and try to increase your score.

  23. Sir, what is the expected cut off for the Bschools- IFMR,Chennai and LBS,Delhi ? If estimate can’t be made, then may I know the exact cut offs at which students get a call for MBA/PGDM for the above listed B-schools? I had appeared for CAT 2014 and the result will be out anytime soon.

  24. Sir,

    I have 18 moths experience as SAP Supply chain management Consultant in IBM.

    I have scored 84 percentile in CMAT.

    Current CTC is 3.8 LPA.
    Am awaiting for CAT results and will appear for XAT.
    Please advice if this CMAT score and profile will fetch me a call from IFMR or any other good institute

    • Abhishek, you can try for KJ Somaiyya and GIM but hopefully you will get a better score in CAT/XAT. IFMR is also possible and it is an acceptable institute.

  25. Hi Sir,

    I Have Scored 176 in cmat sept-2014
    do i have any chance in ifmr?
    if any,should i opt for it?
    I have work ex of 1.8yrs in tcs with CTC-3.7

    Thanks
    Ankur

    • Ankur, you should be able to get a call from IFMR. I am not sure if someone with your profile should consider IFMR. Suggest that you take a call after CAT/XAT results are declared.

      • Thanks Sir

        ok, yes I am Waiting for my Cat result,have to write couple of more exams as well.
        Also,as you mentioned on abhishek’s query
        can i also expect a call from gim and KJ?
        heard there cut-off is around 240!

        • Ankur, a score of 90%ile in CMAT should get you an interview call from GIM and KJ Somaiyya. The cutoff could go down to 85%ile.

  26. Sir i hv got CMAT score 108 marks i.e 60 percentile..which colleges i cn apply too??
    XISS PGDM Finance,Rural managmnt or IT?? And any odr colleges??

  27. Sir with 175 marks and 88 percentile in cmat..10th-89, 12th-90 and bcom honours 75%.Is there any chance of getting a call from ifmr,wellingkar(Mumbai) and kj somaiya??

  28. Sir, I got 90% in sept CMAT With a score of 185.
    10th – 85%
    12th- 75%
    B.tech ECE (final year) – 60%
    Do i stand a chance for PGDM in Finance in IFMR??

  29. Hello sir,
    It’s good to see your keen support towards student’s querries and it’s highly appreciable .

    My Profile:-

    SSC
    71%
    HSC
    72%
    GRADUATION
    B-TECH (TEXTILE ENGINEERING)
    67%
    WORK EX. (Sales & Marketing)
    Till now – 18 months and will be 24 months till may 2014 if i continue the job .

    CMAT : 82% ile in September and currently preparing for cat 2014
    Please suggest me that which colleges i can apply for through my CMAT score or through which colleges i can expect a call??

    Awaiting your response eagerly

    With Regards
    Shaleen Rastogi

    • Shaleen, the only two good colleges through CMAT are GIM and KJ Somaiyya. At 82%ile you may miss out on the calls from both these institutes but should apply since their cutoff is usually a bit higher.

  30. Hi Sir,

    Its rare to see someone really answering queries so fast.
    Thanks for all the good work for us !

    My profile :

    X : 86 %
    XII : 73 %
    Btech : 65 %

    3 years of work Ex in Syntel as Software engineer

    GMAT : 640
    CMAT : 98 %ile

    B schools applied to : TAPMI(GMAT) , IMI- D,B,K (GMAT) , IMT-G,N,H (GMAT)
    , XIM B PGD (GMAT), Great Lakes(GMAT and CMAT) , GIM (CMAT)

    Have to apply to KJSoumiya and SIMSREE.
    Can you suggest if I missed out any good b-schools? I have a strong inclination to finance > General manag. > operations .
    I also have IFMR/WELINGKAR/LIBA/BITS pilani in mind . Do you think I can get a call from the ones I have already applied to ?

    • Aditya, with your 3 work experience you should be looking at the top 30 MBA institutes only. IMI B/K, IMT N/H, IFMR, Welingkar may not be worth your while.
      TAPMI, GIM and KJ Somaiyya should be your back up options. Please refer to the post Jayein toh jayein kahaan 2014: Which Institute? for the institutes that you can consider. Restrict yourself to top four clusters.
      You should apply to SP Jain since it gives high weightage to work experience.

      • Hi GP,

        Thanks for the feedback.
        I have not applied for CAT this time . I was going for SPJ but I think they need a score of 650 in GMAT. Thats why I stopped short.
        Any idea about if I can proceed with the plan again ?

  31. sir,
    In XAT I got 94%ile. but my graduation percentage is 49%. I passed in all NSE and BSE Derivatives certificates. Do i have chance in IFMR?

    • Dear Reddy,

      IFMR does not specify any minimum marks in graduation among its eligibility criteria. It is best to contact the institute directly and get a clarification regarding your case.

  32. Hi Sir,

    I’ve 3 Years and 10 months exp in IT. Is it advisable to join IFMR at this point as I dont have anyother converts?

    My current CTC is 7L

    Thanks.

    • Pappu, IFMR is not recommended for you. Go for a retake of CAT/XAT and also take GMAT and target the 1 year MBA program of ISB Hyderabad also.

  34. Hi Sir,
    Hi Sir,

    I have 4.3 years of IT experience and has converted IFMR. But I am in a dilemma if i should proceed further as I am planning for operations. I was not quite sure, if i should proceed further or not. As I dont have any other converts, my only option will be to wait for another one year. But some say I am already late considering my experience. Request your suggestion in this regard.

    • Thomas, with over 4 year work experience IFMR is not a good option. My suggestion is to take GMAT and target ISB Hyderabad and other good MBA institutes outside India. Great Lakes Chennai is also an option for you.

  35. Sir I have converted IMI (banking and Insurance), FORE and NIRMA..Considering I do not have any extra passion for banking sector, also Banking and insurance is the new course in IMI and Investment is huge..which should be the best option for me…IMI(Banking)/FORE/NIRMA………Please do reply sir

    • Ankur, I have similar concerns about IMI Banking & Insurance – new program, restricted placement opportunities and high fee. Suggest that you go for FORE.

  36. Dear Sir,

    Please also advice me which would be better…Nirma or Bits pilani??

    Thanks so much Sir!

    • Akash, at present the placements at BITS Pilani appear to be below that of Nirma and hence Nirma should be preferred.

  37. sir, i am a hotel management graduate from ihm goa.. i had for thomas cook (india) ltd. as “customer relationship executive” in foreign exchange dept. for about 1.5yrs..
    i have converted bimtech(pgdm) and ifmr.. according to my past profile,which specialisation suits me (marketing or finance) and accordingly, which college shud i choose??
    sir, i need an urgent advice..

    • Jatin, given your work experience you should consider marketing in banking and financial services industry and hence IFMR is likely to be a better option for you.

  38. sir i have converted Great lakes PGDM..while it is expensive but placement statistics are decent..the recruters are also well known firms..so should i join..it also offered a abroad program from georgia state university..
    apart from it i have Waitlisted for LIBA but does’nt have a waitlist number..and also IRMA result due in may…

      • no sir i have completed my engg. in 2012 since then i am not working..I have SIMSR rank 1862.also..what are my chances for PGDM OR PGDM(IB)..

          • Ajay, difficult to say if you will make it because we do not know where in the wait list you are but it does move.
            LIBA will be preferable to GL PGDM as this is is a new program and yet to establish itself while LIBA is an old established institute with a decent placement record.

          • rachit i am on the list of coporation bank clerk..so despite GLIM a good college i would not join because of fee factor..if my waitlist of LIBA gets cleared i will join it otherwise i will join as clerk..

          • sir lets take the worst case scenerio..i do not make into LIBA or SIMSR. and i have already converted GLIM PGDM..so then what should i do..as you see i have already have 2 year gap..i have to take admission this year.but it is huge investment of 1450000 and could i expect a package of 8 LPA after MBA..if i would be in top 25 students of the batch..?

          • Ajay, if you do not make it to either KJ Somaiya or LIBA and you have to do an MBA this year itself then GL PGDM can be considered.

  39. Dear Sir,

    I have got a call from IFMR Chennai and ICFAI Hyd. I would be specialising in Finance. Which out of the two should be a better choice and in what aspects?

    Thanks.

    • Puja, my preference is for IFMR due to its better placement record. It also has a lower fee and a smaller batch size.

      • Dear Sir, I have already paid for SIBM Bangalore, and also have SIOM as a convert. I am mechanical engineer with 34 months of experience and I used to handle technical proposal for GE Oil n Gas. I think SIOM would be better as plavements have been better this year. Pls advice which one should I go for…

        • Achal, agree with you. Based on your work experience and the fact that you are comfortable specialising in operations SIOM could be preferred over SIBM Bangalore.

          • Thanks so much sir. Also, this year I have got reviews from people that placements at SIOM have been better than SIBM B. How much is the average package at SIOM as per your knowledge?

          • Achal, the average/median CTC in SIOM is likely to be around 7.5 lakh pa but given your relevant work experience you could get a higher salary.

  41. Sir,

    I have received offer from both IFMR and K J somaiya (PGDM) . I am interested for specialising in Finance. Should i go for IFMR or KJ . I interacted with few seniors at KJ there feedback on Finance at KJ was negative , they advised for marketing as specialisation in KJ .I am skeptical about the idea. Please advice .

    Thanks,
    Sankalp

    • Saankalp, while KJ Somaiya is better known for marketing but it is also decent for finance. Being ranked significantly than IFMR and also by virtue of being located in Mumbai it is likely to provide better placements for finance also.

  42. Sir, i am a fresher who has converted both GIM (PGDM) and IFMR….my primary interest lies in the field of finance….so according to that which college should i opt for ???

  43. Sir,

    I have converted IFMR and SIBM-Bangalore. Which one would be better? My profile is: Btech Mechanical, 33 months work-ex.

  45. Hello sir ,

    Please could help me rank imt dcp, tapmi and kj somaiya. I got final calls from tapmi and imt dcp and kj somaiya is also expected.

    Thanks and Regards,
    Sahil

    • Sahil, my order of preference is TAPMI, KJ Somaiya, DCP.
      TAPMI is higher ranked but has a significantly higher fee while KJ has a slightly lower average salary (-15%) but being in Mumbai can lead to good placements.

  46. sir how is great lakes gurgaon 2 year pgpm in energy mgmt. I have 3 year exp in power plant instrumentation with 80+ acads throughout.

    • Mohit, not recommended for someone with your profile, suggest that you go for CAT’14 and also take GMAT and target 1 year MBA from ISB and other top MBA institutes outside India.

  47. Hello Sir,

    I’ve converted IFMR and TAPMI… according to u, which institure I should join…

    X-80+; XII-80+; B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering- 70+.. Workex-3 years…. Right now, my focus is to get into a BSchool, which has good reputation, and can place me in a good company…

  48. Sir which college has better placement SITM pune or IFMR chennai… and be preferred overall in terms of fees and all

    • Ajay, SITM Pune is higher ranked and has a better placement than IFMR Chennai but its placements are by and large restricted to IT and Telecom. IFMR XIME on the other hand offers a general management program that allows you to specialise in your area of interest. So decide on the basis of what kind of program you want.

  49. Sir,
    First of all thanks a lot for being so quick to respond & giving such accurate answers to every single que. that was put here!

    I am in a world of confusion but will try to carve out precise queries:
    Current converts-
    1. SIIB – International business
    2. IMT-G – DCP
    3. IMT – N – PGDM-FT
    4. IFMR – PGDM

    Branch preferences-
    Honestly I am still not certain but feel inclination in this order from what i could gather:
    finance>operation>hr>marketing

    Interviews left – (meaningful ones)
    K J SOMAIYA
    TAPMI
    GREAT LAKES – PGDM

    I have enrolled in SIIB – IB as the due date was approaching & had no other option at that time…

    BUT I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IS IB!!!!
    from the research;all i could gather is that more or less PGDM only & that SIIB might give us oppotrunity in second year to pick electives specialising in a particular stream,say finance.

    So my issues:
    1. IMT – DCP -> The usual question! Is there really a discrimination against DCP guys in terms of placements etc.?
    2. Since I have converted SIIB-IB & my family is in pune; thinking about not appearing for TAPMI & Great lakes as they seem more or less on same level as siib, AM I CORRECT SIR?
    3. I am not considering IMT – N etc. compared to SIIB & not going for them.

    4.MOST IMPORTANTLY –
    If i am to pursue finance only in second year; will IFMR have a huge advantage over SIIB? Cause unless the education standard, brand name & future opportunities are much better at IFMR; I would rather go for SIIB only – GIVEN THAT IB is a descent enough stream (with finance electives) :O

    sir please inform me regarding this cause while SIIB has symbiosis tag; IFMR is an institute of national importance recognised by mof & dost.

    ALSO; please share your view about IMT-G DCP.

    please note that ROI i snot a factor right now fortunately but family issues r so unless there is a huge shift in opportunity factor; I would rather stay in pune only 😀

    Awaiting your response eagerly
    Much gratitude

    • Gyanesh, among your current converts you should be choosing between IMT G DCP and SIIB IB. IFMR is ranked significantly lower than these two and should not be considered.
      While IMT G is higher ranked than SIIB IB and the DCP is as good as the PGDM but the cost of DCP is significantly higher. Also given the bath size of 600 (PGDM + DCP) in IMTG, if you are not among the top 2/3rd then you will struggle for a good placement and will have to settle for a Rs 7-9 lakh pa CTC. There is no discrimination in IMT between PGDM and DCP and all of them go through same the placement process. So if you can afford the extra fee and are confident of being in the top 2/3rd (preferably 1/3rd) of the batch in IMTG then DCP is a good option because the IMTG will provide you with better and wider placement opportunities. You can specialise in finance in SIIB also.

  50. Sir i have got through IFMR. I would be appearing for welingkar GDPI. I have a work x of 32 months as financial analyst. I want to pursue Finance as specialization. Which one to opt for in case i convert welingkar.

  51. Sir when will the final list of IIM’s, FMS, XLRI, MDI be declared?
    Because the waitlists of other Colleges would move a few places then!

    Thanks in advance.

    • Swaroon, around the 3rd week of April these institutes should come out with their results. FMS has not scheduled the interviews so it could move to May.

  52. Hi Sir,

    I got a final call from the following 2 colleges
    1.IMT-Nagpur – Finance
    2.IFMR chennai

    I am in a dilemma in making a choice.The primary consideration in chosing a college is the final placements .The secondary factors being the campus life,fee and reputation.Also i want to know what is the job role i would get if i opt for a course in marketing.

    Thanks in advance

    • Divya, the two institutes have similar placements and you can choose either of these. If you are from Chennai (or South India) then go for IFMR and if from North then choose IMT Nagpur.

  53. Sir, I have to choose between ifmr and IMT-DCP(dual course), ROI is a issue but then imt brand will be with me for lifetime, scope also gets increased if you perform exceptionally in the college and then avg pack. is also higher than ifmr. So which criteria is better to judge in the long run roi or a brand and a scope to do a lot better.
    Regards,
    Sahil

    • Sahil, while IMT DCP is low on ROI due to high fee it nevertheless provides good education, good exposure and also good placement opportunities. IFMR on the other hand is a good institute but significantly lower than IMT and my suggestion will be to join IMT DCP because for me placement/career opportunities is a more important parameter.

  54. Sir,
    Between IFMR and IMT-G , which college wold be better for PGDM in Finance. I know that IMT-G has a good brand name, bu taking into consideration the huge batch size and the fee structure which one wold you recommend? Please help.

    • Amrita, IMTG is my recommendation. While IMTG has a batch of 600 placements are very good if you are among the top 1/3rd of the batch. The bottom 1/3rd have a difficult time but they too get a package of around Rs 7-8 lakh pa which is what you can expect in IFMR.

  56. Sir which one is better Sitm pune or Ifmr Chennai??
    overall in placement and fees. Iam form electronics and communication background.

    • Jaskaran, my preference is for IFMR Chennai because is a general management program while SITM gives a MBA in Telecom Management which can restrict career opportunities.

  58. Sir, which is better for marketing? Sims,pune(converted), ifmr(new campus?) (result awaited) or nirma university(result awaited)
    CAT 86.09.
    No Work EX. B.tech,passed out in 2013. please arrange from best to worst. Thank you.

  59. Dear Sir,
    I converted for Bimtech PGDM IB and gave PI at IFMR.
    Which program is better in terms of CTC? I am open for both specializations viz IB at Bimtech and Finance at IFMR..please reply

    • Anuj, IFMR PGDM is likely to be better in terms of CTC also BIMTECH has a big batch size – almost 500 students across all programs. PGDM of both institutes are similar.

  60. sir..in the above comments u have provided the complete breakup of IFMR placements. can u give the same for BIMTECH PGDM also? pls sir…even a rough idea would suffice.

    • Sanya, these details are not available for BIMTECH however the estimated average salary for the various programs is:
      1. PGDM Rs 6 lakh pa
      2. PGDM IB Rs 5.5 lakh pa
      3. Other programs Rs 5 lakh pa

  61. sir,
    which is better?
    1. PGDM with specialization in finance from BIMTECH?
    2. PGDM with specialization in finance from IFMR?
    keeping in mind all factors…placement, fees, location, job location, ROI, etc.
    also….are these two close options? or there is a huge difference between them…pls explain me in detail. i am very confused between the two.

    • Meera, these are two close options as both the institutes are similar in almost all aspects except batch size where IFMR scores over BIMTECH which has almost 500 students across all programs.

  62. Hi Sir,
    My cat percentile is 79.18, xat 79.7 and cmat 94
    i have applied to nibm,ifmr,welingkar,itm navi mumbai and xime..
    as of now i have converted sdmimd mysore and bimtech noida..
    can u please rank this colleges on the basis of roi

    • Roshna, BIMTECH Noida and SDMIMD are similar institutes in all aspects except that BIMTECH has a bigger batch size (480 Vs 180) and a higher total fee (approx 12.5 Vs 10 lakh). BIMTECH has a location advantage of being in NCR region but by being in Mumbai Welingkar is the best located. The placement record of IFMR is possibly the best among these four.
      My order of preference based on ROI will be IFMR, Welingkar, SDMIMD and BIMTECH but the gap between the four is not much.

      • Sir,could u choose between xime banglore,itm navi mumbai,sdmimd and bimtech.. I wanna keep my safe option the best among this

        • Roshna, XIME, SDMIMD and BIMTECH are at the same level and you can choose any one of these. While XIME and BIMTECH have the advantage of location, SDMIMD has the lowest fee. ITM Navi Mumbai can be ignored.

  63. Cat percentile-96.03
    quant-91.7
    english-95.3
    10th-88%
    12th-83.60%
    graduation-80.86%
    I’m a female fresher computer science engineer.
    I have converted scmhrd,and given mdi,iit roorkee,imt-g,imi interviews.
    Can I hold any hopes from Mdi at 96?
    And should I take up scmhrd?placements?overall?
    or shud i try again next year?

    • Gunjan, you can take up SCMHRD as a back up as it is a very good institute. MDI should definitely preferred over SCMHRD. While IMI and IMTG are at the same level as SCMHRD you can ignore them as from placement perspective all these are similar and also have similar fee. IIT Roorkee can be considered despite a marginally lower placement because it has a significantly lower fee.
      My suggestion is to continue with SCMHRD and apply for refund if you get a final call from MDI or IIT Roorkee.

    • Karan, BIMTECH and IFMR are close options and you could choose either of them. The batch size at BIMTECH is significantly bigger than that of IFMR. IB is a good program and can be considered favourably but if you are not sure about the specialisation then IFMR will be a better option.

      • Basically, I have much interest in Finance. For that, I know IFMR would be the best option. But I want to know, how’s PGDM-IB (Finance) different from PGDM (Finance) in BIMTECH. Please also tell me the same in the aspect of placements of both.

        • Karan, while the program is focussed towards international business the list of electives in PGDM IB Finance are similar to that of general management course and is similar to PGDM Finance. Placement of PGDM is around R 6 lakh pa while that of IB would be slightly lower.

  65. sir, how is bimtech? decent, average or not worth joining? and i am not asking the average package. i am asking what package shall i expect from BIMTECH as a fresher? give me some insight about the placements if u can.

    • Meera, BIMTECH is an average institute and can be considered favourably by freshers especially for the PGDM and IB programs. Freshers can expect a package of around Rs 5.5 lakh pa.

      • sir…how beneficial would it be in the long run? 3-4 years down the line, my growth will depend on my performance? even though i will start at a modest package…but can i rise afterwards? i hope the reputation of BIMTECH is not too bad in the industry?

        • Meera, BIMTECH is not a top notch institute but it has a decent reputation and will provide you with a decent start to your career.

          • sir, pls solve 2 more queries:
            1. is BIMTECH good for finance? i heard its gud only for marketing? is it so?
            2. what are d chances dat one will be placed in delhi/NCR only?
            for PGDM(core)

          • Meera, it is decent program in finance also and most of the placements of BIMTECH are in the NCR only.

  66. sir, i have converted BIMTECH noida…(PGDM-flagship program)….considering, as of now, i don’t have other options…kindly suggest me should i go for it? what package shall i expect as a fresher? kindly suggest. BBA graduate…1 year dropped..no job in hand. pls give me advice.

    • Meera, since you do not have any other option and have dropped a year, you can consider joining BIMTECH. The average salary of BIMTECH PGDM will be around Rs 5.5 – 6 lakh pa.

  67. Hello Sir,

    Can you please let me know,how is imi bhubaneshwar and itm navi Mumbai?

    Also to add this year most of my scores had improved but not upto that extent, i was thinking for another shot in 2014,but till now I have 2.5 yrs of work ex in Infosys Limited and also iam a BCA Graduate of 2011,70 % throughout,what should be my next course of action,i am little skeptical as my work ex is increasing with every passing day.

    Please respond,thanks in advance.

    • Tanmay, given your work experience IMI Bhubaneshwar and ITM Navi Mumbai are not recommended. You should go for a retake of CAT/XAT and also take GMAT to open up the option of ISB Hyderabad and other B schools outside India. Great Lakes 1 year program is also a good option for you.

  68. sir, pls tell me a relevant answer to these 2 interview questions as early as possible.
    1. why finance?
    2. why IFMR?

    • Meera, the first answer has to be your own. You can’t get a ready made answer for this question. You can relate finance to your career coals and relevant work-ex in the same domain if you have the same. IFMR is a decent place for Finance enthusiasts. You can talk about the brand name of IFMR in Finance, renowned faculty and placement opportunities there.

  69. Hello GP,
    I have applied to SDM-mysore.How good is the college to invest time and money.How is the placement.Also,which is a better option out of IMT-nagpur,SDM,XIME.Please make a ordr of preference.
    Wtng ur rply

  70. Hi Sir ,

    Please suggest me what can be the WAT topics for IFMR? I have my interview on 8th March 2014.
    Will Current affairs suffice?
    Thanks

    • Ankit, MICA doesn’t release any cut-off for MICAT. Though MICA hasn’t mentioned anything about sectional cut-offs but you must perform well across sections to score well overall..

  72. Sir is GL PGDM worth joining? How are the placements?

    Secondly what would be your order of preference(in terms of Placekents) among Welingkar, GL PGDM, IFMR and IMT Nagpur?

    • Arpit, GL PGPM is better than the two-year PGDM course. Placements are pretty average. The order would be IFMR > Welingkar > IMT Nagpur = GL PGDM.

  73. Hi Sir,
    I got 95 percentile in CAT and have 4 yrs of work ex, got selected for Great Lakes Chennai(1 yr program). Would you suggest taking admission to great lakes as a good decision or should I try for GMAT and look for more options next year for 1 yr MBA program? Do 5 yrs work ex profiles stand a chance of getting selected for Executive MBA from IIMs? As I have seen the average batch profile for IIMs points out to 10 yrs average work ex every year.
    Please suggest.

    • Swati, please give the following information also:
      1. Your marks inn X, XII and graduation.
      2. Sectional scores in CAT and XAT.
      3. compnay where you are working and your current salary.

      • 1. Marks X: 82.4
        XII: 64.8
        B.E. 75.9
        2. CAT sectional scores: QA: 85.81 percentile
        VA/LR: 97.1 percentile
        3. Working with Accenture (Senior Analyst): Current Package: 7.4L

        • Swati, my suggestion is to drop Great Lakes Chennai, take GMAT and target 1 year MBA program of ISB Hyderabad. With 4 year experience and a good academic record you have a good chance of getting into ISB. Also with your CAT score you are likely to get a good score in GMAT.

  74. SIR ,
    HOW DO U RATE GREAT LAKES 2 YEAR MBA PROGRAM AND WELINGER MBA PROGRAM.ARE THESE PROGRAMS WORTH CONSIDERING FOR PERSUING MBA THIS YEAR.

  75. Hi, According to IIMs’ requirements, they ask for a min %tile of 90 & acads. Is it because of the sheer competition that only 100%ilers get calls and not the guy who clears their ‘minimum’ cutoff? Is it enough for a guy to crack CAT ’14 by prepping 4 only 5 months(from may)?

    • barath, yes it is the competition due to which you have to much higher than the minimum to get a call.
      You can prepare for CAT in 4-5 months but will require you to spend a greater amount of time every day. If you are targeting CAT’14, my suggestion is that you should start immediately.

  77. Sir,
    NMIMS-B’lore or SIBM-B’lore, which do u think is better (in terms of ROI and reputation)? I have given my PI for both. I dont find much difference between either of these. I have 20 months of work ex. Pls clarify.

    • Akshy, I would prefer NM Bangalore since the NM group is more aggressive and is likely to provide marginally better placement opportunities.

  78. Sir,

    I am interested in rural management. I have call from XIMB-RM.
    I am also expecting call from XISS for RM. I have appeared for IRMA ISC exam but considering CAT and ISC together i am not expecting call.
    Please suggest me whether i can opt XIMB or XISS- RM or i should wait and retake for IRMA.

    Thanks,
    Vineet

    • Vineet, XIMB RMand XISS RM have not really picked and have low placement opportnities. If you can wait for another year then I will suggest a retake, if not then XIMB should be preffered over XISS.

  79. sir, i have some doubts regarding the placements.
    1. u have written that 70% students got placed with CTC of 6lpa…so where there any students who got even more than 6lpa or less than 6lpa? (only for freshers)
    2. what about the other 30% students?
    pls tell me in detail.

    • Hi Meera,

      we have validated the complete placements data of IFMR. Yes, there are students who got more than 6 lacs. The highest CTC is 11 lacs plus. The break up is:-
      a) 29% Alumni fall into 5.15 to 6 lacs CTC where 2 students got 5.15 and most of the students in this range got 5.5 and 6 lacs,
      b) 55% in 6 to 8 lacs CTC,
      c) 13% in 8 to 10 lacs CTC and
      d) 2% in Above 10.

      Thanks-Team CL

  82. Hi Sir ,

    Please tell me which are two best news paper to be read by a b-school student. I mean should one read only a business paper after joining a B-school or both – a normal paper and a business paper .

    Regards,
    Rahul

    • Gopal, NM Bangalore has a higher (8.5 Vs 7.5 lakh) fee and a higher average salary (7.5 Vs 6 lakh) also the NM name is better recognised and hence should be preferred.

  84. Sir,
    I am having 75% in cat
    10th-80%(ICSE)
    12TH-84.4%(CBSE)
    B TECH-77.6%
    WORK-EXP-16 YEARS.
    I am working in TCS with the emerging technology..
    should i go for IFMR?
    and what about the placements please guide sir..

  85. Hi Sir,

    I have a query related to my Strengths and Weaknesses.Sir can you suggest which two among these ( Both Strengths and Weaknesses ) would be good for saying in an Interview.

    Strengths
    1. Hardwork
    2. Perseverance
    3. Adaptible

    Weaknesses
    1. Having more no of preconceived assumptions
    2. Being meticulous even for small things ( like checking my mob no at retail shop 3 times before he recharges )
    3. Fear to speak before a large crowd
    4. Talking to my friends through phone for a long time
    5. Not much good at multi tasking

        • One query on Strengths Sir.For perseverance shall i quote the below justification

          “I have been attempting MOCK CAT’s and was averaging about 60%ile till the end. But since i didn’t give up and geared up my preparation at the last minute i was able to score 81%ile which wouldn’t be possible without perseverance.”

  86. hello sir,
    i graduated in the year 2012. i have been writing cat for the past 2 years only to get into an iim. but as fate would have it i ended up with a constant percentile.of 66 each time. I have got a call from XIMB RM this year. my problem is that i have been idle for the past 20 months ( was preparing for cat ofcourse) but to give this excuse the interview panel will not not be convinced in any manner. should i manipulate and say that i was interning in my father’s pharma business or just be honest? please reply at your earliest and obliged.

  87. Sir,

    I am a 2013 BTech passout. I left my one month old job in 2013 to work on my startup. It has been 4 months since and I have not started generating any revenue yet.

    I want to go for CAT 2014. Would my entrepreneurship help me in my PI?

    Look forward to your reply

    • Ajay, entrepreneurship is valued in MBA institutes and the quality of work that you have done will be helpful in the interview.

  88. hey gp,

    firstly great work with the SCC program (the whole cl team deserves a praise !) .

    i would like to know of any good B-schools that offer an MBA in Aviation management in India. OR is a General MBA degree good enough to get into the aviation industry??

    to make things more clear, Could you please also shed some light on the “real differences” and commonalities between various MBA programmes being offered out there.

    regards.

    • jaffer, to the best of my knowledge no top B school offers this program and hence it a genera MBA program is the way forward.
      I am not clear about the differences and commonalities question, please elaborate.

  89. Sir,

    i have close to 2 years of experience in IT getting CTC around 3.6LPA. My primary interest is in Finance and hence considering IFMR. I am however concerned about the high fees of IFMR and that they are moving into a new campus with higher intake capacity.
    please advice if its worth the break from job and also the fee to consider IFMR or should i take CAT once again.. My profile as below:
    CAT : 81.75 percentile
    10th: 79.4%
    12th : 87.5%
    B.tech(mechanical engineering) : cgpa 8.13 out of 10

    • Praveen, IFMR can be considered if you are interested in Finance. The choice will depend on the fact whether you are confident enough to score in the range of 95+ percentile next year so that you may have better options. Judge your efficiency level and take a call.

  90. sir i want to do HR.
    I wanted to know which is better for HR (IFMR,LIBA,GIM,IMT NAGPUR,XISS,XIME).got 86.56 in cat.pls rank them and also give other options if available.

    • Aniketh, out of the colleges you have mentioned, IFMR and GIM are more or less at the same level, closely followed by LIBA and then XISS and XIME.

        • Aniketh, LIBA and IFMR are more or less at the same level with the salary stats of LIBA slightly better than that of IFMR. But people with interest in Finance could opt for IFMR instead of LIBA. Same way placements at XIME are slightly better than that of XISS but XISS is preferable for people with interest in HR.

          • sir should i go for xiss-hr having 86.56 in cat or should i take cat again.
            general category,interested in hr,dont have better options for doing mba in hr.

  91. Sir,

    I have 2 years work experience with an engineering company. I have attended an interview call from SIIB for Mba in Energy and environment. What is your valuable opinion about this course ? Is it worth joining if I convert the call?

    I am giving CMAT Feb’14. Is it worth joining Welinger or K J Somaiya? Can you please let me know the CMAT cut off for these colleges ?

    • Muhammad, if you are interested in going into the Power and Energy domain, then only you should opt for this course. Yes, you can consider KJ Somaiya and Welingkar if you get a call from them. This year the average scoring has been less in CMAT as compared to last year so if you score around 240-250 marks you can hope for KJ and Welingkar in OMS category.

  93. sir, u have written in your blog that 70% students have got a package of 6 and above…sir is dis only for people with work ex or for freshers as well?

  94. sir is it good as far as ROI is considered..between IFMR,GIM,LIBA and IMT..what should be your order of preference in terms of package n quality..i’ve calls from all and i’m considering IFMR too..

    • Rajeev, these colleges can’t be ruled out even if ROI is considered. They will add value to your profile which will be beneficial in the long run. In terms of placements the colleges can be arranged as IMT > GIM = LIBA > IFMR

  95. Sir,
    I have a percentile of 87.77 in CAT and i am interested in finance.Would i get a call from IFMR and what are the companies coming to the campus recruiting students from finance

    • Aritra, you can expect a call from IFMR. As mentioned on the website of IFMR, the companies which came to the campus for Finance were Genpact, Crisil, Novartis, RBS, HDFC, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Securities and others.

    • Hi Aritra, The official answer from IFMR on your query is yes, you will get a call . All the banks like JP Morgan, Barclays AMBA Research, CRISIL, Shell, Capgemini, Genpact etc come for recruitment at IFMR.

  98. sir, what package shall i expect from bimtech noida, nibm pune, xime bangalore, ifmr chennai? i have checked there avg packages on the website. but still i want to know ur prediction. pls rank dem in order also.
    i am a BBA graduate. FRESHER. decent acads.

    • also, pls advice whether i should go for MBA from these colleges or not? because i have already dropped an year. no job in hand.
      what package shall i expect as a fresher?

    • Suhaani, the average packages can’t be predicted as they depend on the market situation. You’ll have to go with the stats that they have provided on the website.

    • Hi Suhaani, the official answer from IFMR on your query is our average salary is Rs.7.25 lacs with the highest of 11.50 lacs

    • Hi Pankhuri, The official answer from IFMR on your query is, We have specializations across all domains viz…Finance / Marketing / IT & Operations / HR. With 86%ile in CAT you will definitely get a call

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *