What are the top 3 unique differentiating factors between IIT-B SJMSOM and the management schools in the other IITs?

Firstly, SJMSOM has a very strong industry orientation with a series of events where eminent dignitaries from the corporate world come and share their knowledge, ideas and experience with the students. The objective is to make students aware of the latest developments and issues in the industry. There are six Continuum seminars (each focusing on one MBA function – Finance, Consultancy, Systems, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations), a technology seminar, a business festival, a series of leadership lectures and a number of Diksha lectures in a single year. Great thing about these events is that they are all organized by students themselves and thus provide a great interaction and learning platform.

Secondly, Leadership Lecture Series (LLS) has grown from strength to strength and is a part of the compulsory course “Leadership and Vision” in the final year. The students learn through a lecture series, with a focus on developing all facets and grooming them to take the leadership roles in the society. The series features eminent leaders from the Indian industry as well as from other walks of life. Sri Sri Ravishankar (2005), Mr Kishore Biyani, Mr Anand Mahindra, Mr Rahul Bajaj, Mr Arun Maira, Capt GR Gopinath, Mr AK Purwar, Mr Shyam Benegal – all 2006. This year’s list includes Mr Adi Godrej, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, Ms Naina Lal Kidwai, Mr Uday Kotak, Dr Ashok Ganguly, Ms Kiran Bedi and Mr Karan Johar.

Thirdly, SJMSOM has a strong belief in continuous ‘knowledge creation’ and transmission to the budding managers and leaders for application. Stressing research orientation, SJMSOM has a distinguished PhD program and present students include IPS Officer, CEOs, Directors of corporate houses. To name a few Mr Arvind Agrawal (CEO, RPG Spencer’s), Mr Nandkumar Saravade (IPS) – Director – Cyber Security and Compliance, NASSCOM, Mr Pankaj Phadnis (Group Vice-President, Wadia Group). A few alumni include Mr Ganesh Natrajan (Deputy Chairman and MD, Zensar Technologies Ltd.), Mr Hasit Joshipura (President and ED, Johnson & Johnson Ltd).

MMgmt students have great opportunities of sharing and learning from these highly experienced PhD students as they interact and share classroom with them.

What are the top 3 value propositions for an applicant to join SJMSOM over a reputed non-IIT management school?

One, SJMSOM MMgmt. students have the option of taking subjects on credit or audit or sit through from other departments like Industrial Engineering & Operations Research (IEOR), Kanwal Rekhi School of Information Technology (KReSIT), Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS). The courses from these departments are great value-adds to the MMgmt. education.

Two, you become an integral part of IIT community. This itself opens up numerous vistas one of which was PanIIT 2006 – IIT Alumni 2006 Global Conference held from 23rd-25th December, 2006. It was a platform where 5000 plus IIT alumni from all over the world converged to Inspire to Involve and Transform India! and was the largest ever IIT alumni meet. SJMSOM’s students had an opportunity to actively participate in its organization, being part of various committees, and were there at the Conference as delegates and organizers. IITB also has very strong entrepreneurial culture reflected through very strong initiatives like E-Cell, Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE), National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN).

Three, SJMSOM’s MMgmt course gives you Technology Management courses which are taught by faculty who are the practitioners of the field. They’re the entrepreneurs who’ve their startups in the business incubator here and carry with them huge practical experience. Prof S Banerjee teaches technology management and is the Chairman, Board of Directors, Zeus Numerix (http://www.zeusnumerix.com/). As for me, I teach IT courses here at SJMSOM and my company Iken Solutions is also a part of SINE.

What was SJMSOM’s JMET cutoff for the last two years?

SJMSOM does not have a fixed cutoff for JMET. Depending on the profile of the candidates, SJMSOM usually gives calls to the best 350 plus aspirants among the top 400 JMET rankers.

Typically, what kind of students are best fit to be in SJMSOM’s MMgmt program?

The rigorous admission process ensures that only people with strong aptitude, a passion to learn and a dream to lead, join SJMSOM. The background in technology has already equipped the students with good analytical skills which helps them to better understand the basic courses well. This helps to build a foundation to move to the specialized fields of management. People with work experience fit well here, as a large majority of the batch is with considerable work experience. Aspiring entrepreneurs also have a lot to gain from the E-Cell, SINE and NEN initiatives here. Being a part of the organizing team of various events at IIT like PAN-IIT, Avenues, continuums, cultural events etc gives the aspiring leaders and managers various opportunities to test their leadership and organizing skills.

How much work experience does SJMSOM value? What kind of class diversity has SJMSOM been having in terms of work experience for the MMgmt program?

An average work experience of almost two years clearly shows the importance SJMSOM gives to prior work experience. The work experience here covers diverse fields like IT, research, operations, analytics, teaching, marketing, SCM and design, pricing and cost control and more. SJMSOM also has a strong PhD program. This adds to the diversity and learning as the management students learn a lot from the vast experience of their PhD classmates.

What kind of access do SJMSOM’s MMgmt students have to the resources at IIT Bombay? How much participation do MMgmt students have in strong initiatives like the E-Cell, SINE, NEN?

SJMSOM’s MMgmt students have complete access to all the facilities of IIT viz the central library, the sports facilities etc. The central library has an impressive collection of management books and journals. MMgmt students regularly use the seminar halls and video conferencing facilities for conducting guest lectures and events.

IITB is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activities. Students of SJMSOM have planned and successfully carried out activities sponsored by NEN at the SJMSOM’s annual B-fest Avenues ’06. They have participated and organized in various capacities, E-cell initiatives. Infact, SJMSOM was a part of the first-prize winning team of Eureka 2005. Also, a few SJMSOM students work with SINE companies on project basis. There have been instances where an SJMSOM alumnus has had a startup in SINE in partnership with B.Tech students of IITB. More recently, students of SJMSOM wrote a b-plan for a startup at SINE and the b-plan stood second in the Economic Times-Wharton contest.

Will the IIT SOMs open up their admission to applicants with commerce and arts undergraduate degrees in the near or distant future?

Since the IIT Senate takes the decisions in this regard, I cannot comment on this.

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