How academically intense is the MBA at IIM Ahmedabad?

There’s a popular saying on IIM Ahmedabad campus - ‘If you can survive the first six months at IIMA, then you can survive anything in life.’ If you are joining IIM A, then you will understand how true this saying is, in just a few days. My brother recently graduated from the institute and here is his insight regarding the academic pressure at IIM A.

There will only be three lectures per day for 75 mins each. For each class, you will have to read 70-80 pages of theory, solve a 20-30 pages case, understand everything and present it in class the next day. You will have to read 300 pages per day on average. Procrastination is not an option. You will need to finish every day’s work on time, otherwise, you won’t get time to clear the pending work during the rest of the term. This routine will continue for the next 5 months without any break.

Other than regular academics, there are various activities that make the first term at IIMA hectic. 

• WAC (Written Analysis and Communication) - It’s a dreaded name on campus. But it’s an excellent course that helps change your whole thought process of writing. You will have to write an analysis of a course. It typically takes around 20 hours to complete the assignment.
• Quiz - The classes are over by 1:10 pm and after that, everyone heads for the mess. But you will see students frantically checking the mess notice board for the surprise quiz which will be scheduled for 2:30 pm. The notification for the quiz is usually put up around 1:30 pm. Most students who get a surprise quiz usually skip lunch and head to read up about the quiz so that they can secure a decent mark. 
• T-NITE - It’s a short breather after the rigorous slot 1. It is a cultural event competition that goes on for 4 days.
• You will also need to prepare for your summer internship interview, during your first term, which creates additional pressure. The whole process of resume making, resume verification, recruiter form filling, along with the usual academic pressure can be taxing. You will need to prepare for your choice of recruiters too.

It’s possible to keep up with such hectic schedule for one or two weeks. Doing it for 6 months at a scratch is what makes it intense. Different people develop different coping mechanisms to deal with the pressure. 

IIM Ahmedabad is known for its ‘stress-testing’ strategy applied to students. It is a procedure in which a material/model is put through extreme circumstances and situations to test their endurance capacity, longevity, and ability to sustain in an intense environment. In Investment Banking training, the institution puts the students through regulatory tests. The questions consist of absurd combinations of macro and microeconomic parameters. For example: - The students are asked to imagine a situation where there is a 3% negative growth rate, along with 15% unemployment, and on top of it, the inflation and loan forfeiture rates are going over the roof. This situation might look realistic on paper, but not in real-time. The students are therefore prepared to deal with the toughest situations which will prove to be beneficial. This strategy is employed by the banks and other financial institutions. Coming back to IIM-A, the students get a taste of the stress testing strategy in the first year itself. Every test is modeled keeping one thing in mind- they should be well-prepared for dealing with any imaginable difficult situation which they may or may not face in their line of work. A scheduled surprise test is also conducted for the students The students had a fixed routine which they had to follow. This involves the following: Study 2-3 cases (having 15-18 pages). Prepare a presentation on the cases, including your understanding of them. Be abreast with the assignments of the present day and the previous days as well. In the 2nd Semester, the students had to continue this routine and work on their resume, simultaneously. They also have to participate in groups and clubs. IIM-A organizes a cultural fest called “T-nite (talent night)” which lasts for five days. This becomes hectic for the students as they participate in the fest and simultaneously prepare for the surprise tests held every day. To sum it up, the students have a lot to do in a very short period of time.