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How good is Msc Finance at Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce, NMIMS?
Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce at NMIMS Mumbai started offering an M.Sc in Finance quite recently. Here are some of the things that you should know about the course.
- The course structure is very good and is at par with JBIMS as well.
- The college does not have its own hostels. So campus life is virtually zero. But that’s the kind of norm at Mumbai colleges.
- Faculty will always be a mixed bag at any school/college. While some may be excellent some may not be so good.
- The course fee is around INR 3 lakhs per year which is not cheap by any standard.
- It has an intake of only 30 students which has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The placement data are not shared by the institute. So do not expect a salary in the league of the MBAs. Also do not compare it with other top commerce colleges such as DSE.
How is a MSc Finance from JBIMS?
While considering the worth of any program you should consider 3 factors namely curriculum, peer learning, and profiles offered. Let’s discuss M.Sc Finance from JBIMS on the basis of the following factors
- Curriculum: The course structure is pretty good and the quality of knowledge one acquires is also decent. Experienced alumni are invited to hold sessions that explore corporate values. The teaching faculty is also learned and experienced.
- Peer group: Only 30 seats are available for this course so only the best and the cream students are selected. This is also why the peer crowd is extremely talented and there is cut-throat competition. Good peer learning enriched the overall experience of the program.
- Profiles: The placement opportunities are great at JBIMS and the alumni are always there to assist you. The profiles offered both in internships and placements are also decent. The students are encouraged to participate in competitions to upgrade their skills and gain exposure. Sharing the campus with MBA students adds up to the overall experience.
What is the best preparation strategy for the JBIMS MSc finance interview?
If you have a non-finance background, it is recommended that you begin your preparation for the JBIMS MSc finance interview at least 4-5 months prior to your interview for the MSc Finance course. You must be sure about your interest in finance, as M.Sc Finance is a very core course. If you have a finance background, you are expected to have a deeper understanding of the points mentioned below. Along with knowing the "whats", you must also know the "whys". In terms of preparation, it is important for you to:
- Be well-informed about the current market scenario and keep track of SENSEX, NIFTY, gold pricing, INR/USD, and oil pricing.
- Have a good understanding of the current Indian economy, including its GDP, inflation, and the factors that impact it.
- Stay updated with the RBI rates, including Repo, Reverse Repo, CRR, and SLR, and know their meanings.
- Be aware of the current global scenario, such as Demonetisation, BREXIT, and Trump.
- Consider the question "Why MSc Finance?" as the first and foremost point of focus in your preparation, even if you have a good academic background. You may still be asked why you chose MSc in Finance over an MBA or PGDM.
- If you have work experience, you must be familiar with your work and its impact on business.
By being thorough with all of these above-mentioned points, you will be well-prepared for the MSc Finance interview.
What are the things asked in the personal interview for an MSc in finance of JBIMS?
The things you are questioned about in the PI round for an MSc in finance of JBIMS have broadly categorized into
- Self-awareness: Your personal attributes like strengths, areas of improvement, hobbies, interests, passion, goals, and unique traits.
- General Knowledge: Your interest in what’s happening around you and your opinions on the same.
- Academics: Your familiarity with the subject you have specialized in, your favorite and least favorite subjects, the projects you have worked on, and why you chose that particular domain
- Extracurricular background: Your participation in extracurricular activities and related questions
- Why JBIMS MSc Finance? The most important question they are going to put forward is why did you go for this specific program and why not MMS/MBA Finance from JBIMS or any other institute
- Skill based: They will question you about your soft skills by asking you to share instances where you portrayed team skills, communication skills, ability to multitask, leadership skills, negotiation skills, etc.
- Experience: questions regarding your current job, roles, achievements and what you have learned so far.
- Finance questions: They might ask some basic finance questions like What is SENSEX, assets, liabilities, what is credit/debit, what’s a balance sheet/P&L, what are equities, CRR, SLR, repo and reverse repo, how does the banking system work, what is FD, mutual funds, etc.
These are some of the areas you will be questioned about. Prepare well and deliver the answers confidently.
What profiles are offered to Msc Finance graduates at JBIMS?
The curriculum of the MSc program at JBIMS is rigorous enough to attract big names and their students to make a mark in the Financial world. The kind of organizations that visited the campus were Investment banks, Commercial Banks, Consulting firms, financial services companies, conglomerates, and many other companies from the service sector.
Some major organizations include
|
Goldman Sachs |
PWC |
|
Aditya Birla Group |
ICICI Bank |
|
SREI Infrastructure |
BNP Paribas |
|
ICICI Prudential |
Axis Securities |
|
DE Shaw |
HDFC Bank |
|
Axis Bank |
Motilal Oswal |
|
Abbott Laboratories |
SBICAP Security |
Some of the major profiles offered were
- M&A Advisory
- Private Equity
- Transaction advisory
- Trading & Hedging
- Corporate Banking
- Corporate Finance
- Risk Management
- Currency Trading
- Treasury Management
- Financial Planning
- Strategy
The placement statistics looked like
|
Particulars |
Statistics |
|
Highest CTC |
INR 19.35 LPA |
|
Median CTC |
INR 18 LPA |
The extensive research methodology adopted by the course helped many students get profiles across Equity Research, Fixed Income, and Economic Research as well as structured products.
What is the difference between MSc in Finance and MBA at JBIMS?
JBIMS MSc Finance focuses on Finance and placements in the same field and very few sales roles whereas MBA is a traditional business administration course wherein the first year has common electives and for the second year you have to select among Marketing - Finance, Operations (rare), HR(rare), IT (extremely rare).
Similarities:
Faculty: JBIMS is well known for its world-class Finance faculty and both courses are taught by almost the same faculty.
Prayag Festival: It is the annual festival of JBIMS and all the students irrespective to their courses participate in it.
Dissimilarities
The placement statistics, dates, and teams are completely different for both courses.
How is the entrance test for MSc Finance at JBIMS in terms of difficulty level? How should one prepare for it?
JBIMS offers both full-time and part-time MSc Finance. Being an excellent brand, it attracts the best faculty and companies for placements.
JBIMS M.Sc Finance Admission (full-time)
- Online Application
- 300 candidates will be shortlisted for further process
- Group Activity, Personal Interview, and Written Ability Test
- Display of Merit List for selected candidates
CAT cutoff is as follows
- General: 97
- Reserved: 90
- PH: 85
JBIMS M.Sc Finance Admission (part-time)
The admission process for part-time MSc Finance is as follows
- You need work experience of 2 years
- You have to sit for CET
- After getting shortlisted you have to go through the GD
- The results are out within 2 weeks
For the preparation of this course, ask for reference books and dummy sheets from your friends who have prepared for a Full time MBA. The questions asked in the GD round are usually based on your work experience.
Should I get into an MBA at Sydenham or try for an MSc. in Finance at JBIMS?
Anyone but you can decide what’s best for you. Only you can make an informed decision based on your expectations and ability to take risks. However, I will recommend you opt MSc in Finance if you are sure about your career in the Finance sector and are ready for Finance roles. In case you are not very sure, try contacting some seniors from the institute or doing some research on LinkedIn. If even after researching your gut is not very sure about Finance then opt for a core MBA only.
By taking MBA, you can test your inclinations throughout the first year and find out if Finance is really your cup of tea rather than joining an MSc and regretting it later. A slight comparison between the 2 courses is given below
Brand: Brand-wise MBA/PGDM of Sydenham is a much older and bigger name in comparison to the MSc Finance of JBIMS.
Scope: The MSc in Finance at JBIMS has a much greater scope than MBA from Sydenham.
At JBIMS, both MMS and MSc Finance offer similar opportunities. Although many students exclusively target MSc. In finance, there tends to be an obvious preference for MMS. So in the near future either MSc Finance could be a separate course from MMS or even be discontinued. Not much can be said about this. So the only factor you should consider while deciding is your own inclinations.
If I join the MSc (Finance) Programme of JBIMS, then does it makes sense to pursue an MBA later?
Chances are that you have completed the MSc Finance program of JBIMS and yet are not very satisfied with the results and sure about your career prospects. I suggest you 2 ways to get out of this situation
- Start MBA right after M.Sc Finance: Doing this will stop you from going into a slump due to indecisiveness. I have seen quite a few students pursue MBA after MSc but mostly from the top B Schools like IIM Ahmedabad. But you should decide based on your own interests. For instance, if you are satisfied with the job you have got, then you don’t have to necessarily do an MBA. But if you think your career requires you to get an MBA degree go for it.
- PGPX MBA after 4-5 years: This is even suitable for someone who has done a full-time MBA and has not received satisfactory results or you have done MBA from a mediocre B School or you have done Master’s in another field like M.Sc Finance. You may realize after 4-5 years what you exactly want in your career and an International MBA might help achieve it. This will improve your profile and career prospects.
The other option is not to do an MBA and stay where you are. You might not be ready to spend 2 years again studying considering the opportunity cost of not working for two years. In case you see no major diff between the two programs, you can just give up pursuing MBA altogether.
Is JBIMS going to conduct a separate test for MSc Finance? If yes then when?
Yes, there is a separate exam for MSc Finance. For JBIMS Mumbai MSc Finance these exams are considered:
- Domestic Candidates (in India) - CAT / MH-CET
- International Candidates (outside India) – GMAT
The test is likely to be conducted around June 20. The test will be having a total of 100 questions and the duration of 2 hours. The GD and PI are generally conducted in the last week of June.
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