A friend of mine has recently appeared in the entrance exam of the MGNF program of IIM Bangalore and Ministry of Skill Development and he even qualified for the written exam.
He wrote the examination and just received a confirmation email for the interview process. He briefly gave an overview of the different sections of the Entrance paper which is as follows.
So overall, I would say the paper would be easy but the only constraint would be time. Only 120 minutes for 100 questions. Out of 100 questions, 55-60 questions would be really easy and doable.
Make a clear assessment of your role in the organization. Quantify your contributions, and list the ways you have helped your organization grow. This will help your present a clear picture during the interview.
Your selection should be based on your profile, such as your work experience, industry, and, most importantly, what you hope to gain from the program. If you have 4-5 years of work experience, you can look at EPGP because they have gone through ISB and have capped the work experience of the candidates they accept.
The age range for IIMA is 5-20 years, so the learning will be unparalleled in terms of class discussions and peer group learning. If I recall correctly, IIM Calcutta has a lower batch strength, and the batch is slightly on the higher side of work experience.
Placements are good at all institutes, and your previous industry experience is important. This is something you cannot change and should accept, but you can look at how candidates in that sector have performed over time.
In terms of learning, you'll not find the variety you'll find at PGPX anywhere else. Make contact with both alumni and current students. Make an informed decision based on your motivation for enrolling in the program.
To grant admission, IIMs administer the Common Admission Test, also known as the CAT.
While the CAT score is the primary criterion, IIMs also use interviews, group discussions, and written ability tests to evaluate candidates after the CAT. Aside from that, they consider the candidate's past academic record as well as work experience.
So, to gain admission to IIM Bangalore, the procedure would be as follows:
Begin preparing for the CAT.
Fill out the CAT application form in the provided window.
Attend the CAT and achieve a high percentile. (Something like 99.5 or higher)
If you are selected, you must attend their GDPI round and perform well.
If everything goes well, you will receive an admission call from IIM B.
As one of my friends studied at IIM Bangalore, I can say that it certainly does give special percentage weightage to how much you have scored in your 10th, 12th, and graduation.
IIM Bangalore has always been clear about the percentage. But then, you should also realize that this weightage criteria changes with each passing year. It's not constant nor any standard is set.
If you have a score of 90+ in your 10th and 12th standard along with an 8+ GPA in graduation, you can still anticipate a call. However, you would only be eligible once you clear your CAT examination and you also show work experience as well. IIM B always gives preference to candidates with work experience, unlike the other IIMs.
As per the admission trends of IIM Bangalore, almost every student stands a chance of getting interview calls. Here is the work-experience profile of PGPBA 2021 in batch.
Work Experience in months | Number of students |
No experience | 18 |
<13 months of experience | 8 |
13-24 months of experience | 9 |
25-36 months of experience | 7 |
37-48 months of experience | 2 |
Above 48 months of experience | 1 |
So, the above statistics back up the fact that every aspirant has chances of getting interview calls. IIM Bangalore puts more emphasis on the quality of work experience in relevant sectors, CAT percentile, and past academic performance, rather than years of experience.
No, I don’t think you should join IIM Bangalore and pursue MBA given that you are already receiving INR 20 LPA (base).
If your base is INR 20 LPA then the package should be around INR 25 LPA. An MBA from IIM Bangalore will also get you placed with a similar package maybe around INR 30 LPA. This does not make much difference considering the high fees you will have to pay. In Fact you will be leaving out the market risk, performance, opportunity costs and the increment that you will probably get in the next two years.
So an MBA from IIM Bangalore does not seem a good option since you are already working at an esteemed organization with an above average salary.
No, any outsider cannot enter the campus of IIM Bangalore easily. There are certain restrictions that need to be followed inside the campus by everyone. The points below give a brief overview of the rules and regulations that are strictly followed inside the campus of IIM Bangalore.
These are some of the key highlights about the strictness of security inside the campus of IIM Bangalore, which is quite relaxed for students but difficult for strangers to pay a visit to.
There is no concession for SC/ST students in IIM A, B and C. But this is not a major issue.
IIMs offer a lot of financial aid services to financially weak people. In some cases, the entire fee is paid by the college or some part. It depends on the judgment of the panel on the basis of your situation.
All IIMs offer educational loans at a relatively low interest rate. Banks usually consider IIM students as a profitable investment. So rather than worrying about the money, focus more on your goals.
IIM Bangalore has always been a pretty good place for nurturing entrepreneurial ideas and has consistently encouraged the values and culture of entrepreneurship. Some of the most popular Startups which were launched by IIM Bangalore alumni are as follows.
These are some of the famous startups by IIM Bangalore alumni.