The choice of B Schools depends on your interests and priorities. The school you choose depends on
Some people consider placement statistics for making their decision but personally I find that a bit misleading. One other good way is to talk to the alumni of the schools and make a list of pros and cons. This will help you analyze the worth of each college and thereby make a sound decision.
Every B School has a specialization. You need to identify that and match it with your own goals and aspirations. For example,
IIM Ahmedabad is known for its strategy, IIM Bangalore is known for its marketing, IIM Calcutta is known for its finance, and FMS is known for its high ROI and location (Delhi).
So make a choice that suits your inclinations and don’t adopt the sheep mentality.
Yes, the CFA degree will very likely fetch you a decent package at IIM Ahmedabad or Calcutta. This is because companies prefer their interns and analysts to be well versed in subjects from finance and economics. CFA charter is an easy way to ensure that eligibility requirement.
Some organisations conduct prior interactions with the would-be interns before the actual interview. Here, junior executives interact with the future interns and offer pre placement offers.
So this degree will help you get the interview call but the rest depends on your performance in the interview. CFA degree is definitely a game-changer.
XLRI usually scores right after IIM B and C. If you are interested in Marketing or Finance, you should definitely choose IIM B or C. These have better brand recognition and at least 10-15 companies visit the campus placements of IIM B and C which don’t come to XLRI.
Hower, XLRI HRM is the best Human Resources course available in the country. In terms of alumni and career opportunities, it is way better than IIM B and C.
The Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics (PGDBA) program is offered jointly by lIM Calcutta, ISI Kolkata, and IT Kharagpur. During IIM Calcutta PGDBA placements, the average salary received by students is higher than last year despite a decline in economic growth. The 6th Batch of the PGDBA program (2020-2022) recorded the participation of 60 students out of 62. The total offers received were 64.
Here are some more highlights of IIM Calcutta Placements:
Hope this helps you!
All five of the institutes mentioned in the question are among the best business schools in India. All of these business schools have been around for decades and have a long history.
Comparing these Institutes is not an easy process but since the question necessitates a comparison on the basis of placements, let us have a look at the comparison in placements of all these Institutes:
Institutes |
Highest International Package |
Highest Domestic Package |
IIM Ahmedabad |
83.5 LPA |
70 LPA |
IIM Bangalore |
NA |
NA |
IIM Calcutta |
80 LPA |
NA |
JBIMS |
NA |
34.36 LPA |
FMS |
NA |
58.6 LPA |
Institutes |
Average Package |
Median Package |
IIM Ahmedabad |
25.83 LPA |
NA |
IIM Bangalore |
26.18 LPA |
25 LPA |
IIM Calcutta |
27.9 LPA |
25.5 LPA |
JBIMS |
22.84 LPA |
22 LPA |
FMS |
25.6 LPA |
23.4 LPA |
According to the comparison, while the maximum package of JBIMS is significantly lower than that of other Institutes (including FMS), the average and median packages are comparable to the Institutes. It is also worth noting that JBIMS and FMS are the most affordable B-schools, with fees far cheaper than those levied by IIM A, IIM B, and IIM C. The ROI from JBIMS and FMS is unquestionably the greatest!
At IIM Calcutta, the most salaried roles are that of consulting and finance. Over the last few years, new roles such in E-commerce/Ops/Prod Man (e.g. Amazon/Flipkart) have started taking active roles in recruitment.
The table below shows the exact figures of stream-wise placements at IIM Calcutta 2022
Stream |
Percentage of students placed |
Consulting |
49% |
Product Management and Operations |
19% |
Investment Banking and Marquee Asset Management |
18% |
General Management and Marketing |
14% |
The table clearly denotes that the maximum number of students were placed in Consulting. The highest salary amounted to INR 42.5 LPA.
I don’t think it's wise to decide to drop out from IIM Lucknow when you already worked hard and cracked the entrance. You even succeeded in the interview and yet here you want to give it all up. Every year the level of difficulty of entrance exams like the CAT and XAT keeps changing. Students who might have scored 90+ percentile one year might score 40-60 percentile next year. It all depends on preparation and mindset. Meanwhile, you have already succeeded and gotten into an IIM so why take it for granted?
Yet if you are adamant about not continuing, I would suggest you just focus on your job and gain a lot of experience. Chances are that you might climb the ladder without an MBA or IIM. Many CEOs and CFOs don’t need an MBA to make them what they are.
Despite it all, if you are appearing again for CAT, then make sure you have a valid explanation of dropping out during your interview.
The following review is based on personal experience with my sister who got enrolled in the current batch.
The following points will surely change your mind regarding the executive diploma in digital marketing at IIM Calcutta:
Quality of the batch is extremely poor. It is more like a money making program than a knowledge imparting one.
The fee for this program is exceptionally high. The course is priced at 3,28,000 for just 6 months. Whereas digital marketing institutes offer better courses at fees as low as INR 5000.
The quality of the curriculum is below average. Rather than focusing on the main topic they are stuck to age old basic concepts of traditional marketing.
No placement assistance is there for this programme.
Lastly, this certification adds no value to your CV.
Don’t go for this program. The time and money are not worth investing in. Rather go for digital marketing institutes where industry experts will teach you better skills at low fees and less duration.
In comparison to the IIMs, FMS retains the advantages of small batch size and a fee structure that is relatively low. The small batch size simplifies placements significantly. With the exception of a few foreign consultancies, most of the top companies that visit the IIMs also visit FMS. Despite all of the university's bureaucracy, etc., there is a well-established alumni network that still ensures that things work out for the current batches.
Because of the small batch size, people are extremely competitive. This was in stark contrast to what you hear about the IIMs. Even though they have competition but they maintain some semblance of sanity due to the large batch. FMS can be difficult to manage at times, both in obvious behaviours and subtle actions by people you study with.
The culture at FMS is influenced by the culture of Delhi. In comparison, IIMs are unquestionably more cosmopolitan. Unless you have prior exposure, adjusting to a new environment can be difficult for people from very different cultures, such as the South or East. Otherwise, you'll have to learn to adjust the hard way. But it's still worth the effort. The people you meet in both locations are of the highest calibre. It is up to you to make the best of the situation.
Even if given the chance, there's no way one would like to trade places with the IIMs.