MBA Blog

MBA colleges in Mumbai

2010-01-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, Mumbai
Address : Jamnalal Bajaj Institue of Management StudiesBackbay Reclamation, Mumbai, India. Pin - 400020
Contact No : +91 - 022 - 22024133 / 22024118 / 22025153

Unitedworld - School of Business, Mumbai
Address: Goldline Business Centre, 2nd to 5th Floor, Near Inorbit Mall Next to Chincholi Fire Brigade, Malad (West) Mumbai - 400 064
Contact No.: 022 3209 7008 -09
Toll Free - 18001027722

Somaiya Institute of Management studies and Research , Mumbai
Address : Vidyanagar , Vidyavihar Mumbai - 400077.
Contact No :022- 6644 9304

Institute of Technology & Management, Mumbai
Address : # 601, 6th Floor, CentrePoint Building,18th Road, Near Ambedkar Garden,Chembur (East), Mumbai - 400 071
Contact No: (022) 2526 0063 Tele Fax : (022) 2524 0406

B.V. Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai
Address : Sector-8, C.B.D., Opp. Konkan Bhawan, New Mumbai, District- Thane Maharashtra

Lala Lajpat Rai College of Communication & Economic, Mumbai
Address : Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai – 400 034.
Contact No : 91-22-24925750

Rizvi Institute Of Management and Research , Mumbai
Address : Rizvi Educational Complex,Off. Carter Road, Bandra (W),Mumbai - 400 050.
Contact No : 2604 2180 / 2604 0924

National Institute of Technology and Industrial Engineering , Mumbai
Address : NITIE Campus,Near Vihar Lake,Mumbai 400087, Maharashtra, India
Contact No : 022 28575590

NL Dalmiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai
Address : Sector 1, Srishti Complex, Opp. Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mira Road (East), Mumbai - 401 104.
Contact No : +91 22 2845 4949, +91 22 2845 3982

Chetana's Ramprasad Khandelwal Institute of Management and Research Address : Survey No. 341, Govt. Colony,Bandra - East, Mumbai - 400 051
Contact No : (91 22) 26422827, 26516643

S.I.E.S College of Management Studies
Address: Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Vidyapuram, Plot 1-E, Sector V, Nerul, Navi Mumbai - 400706
Contact No : 91-22 -2770 8376 / 77

Institute for Technology and Management (ITM),Mumbai
Address: 25/26 Institutional Area, Sector 4, Kharghar(E), Navi Mumbai 410210 INDIA
Contact No : (022) 2774 0903/04

Asian Institute of Management, Mumbai
Address: 1116, Maker Chamber V, 11TH FloorNariman Point, Mumbai - 400021
Contact No : ( 91 -22- ) 22815591/92/93

The Bombay School of Business, Mumbai
Mumbai Educational Trust's Institute of Management, Mumbai
Address: MET Complex, Bandra Reclamation,Bandra (West), Mumbai - 400 050, Maharashtra, India
Contact No : +91 22- 2644 0446

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Deonar, Mumbai
Address: P.O. Box 8313 , Deonar, Mumbai 400 088.
Contact No : 91-22-2556 3289/ 90/ 91/ 92/ 93/ 94/ 95/ 96

National Institute Of Industrial, Mumbai.
Address: NITIE Campus,Near Vihar Lake,Mumbai 400087, Maharashtra, India
Contact No : 022 28575590

NMIMS University
Address : V. L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai - 400 056. India.
Contact No : +91 - 22 - 2613 4577 / 2618 3688
Fax No : +91 - 22 - 2611 4512

Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research
Address : L. Napoo Road,
Near Matunga (Central Rly.),
Mumbai- 400 019.
Contact No : 91-22-24178300
Fax No : 91-22-24097824

Balaji Institute of Modern Management (BIMM)
S. No. 55/2-7, Tathawade, Opp. Wakad Police Station,
Off Mumbai-Bangalore bypass,
Pune - 411 033 Maharashtra, India
Tel.: +91-20-6674 1249, 6674 1250
Telefax : +91-20-6674 1242

Balaji Institute of Telecom & Management (BITM)
S. No. 55/2-7, Tathawade, Near Wakad
Off Mumbai-Bangalore bypass,
Pune - 411 033.
Tel.: +91- 20 - 6674 1271 / 73 / 76
Telefax : +91- 20 - 6674 1274

Balaji Institute of Management & Human Resource Development (BIMHRD)
Survey No. 55/2-7, Tathawade,
Opp. Wakad Police Station, Off Pune-Mumbai Highway,
Pune - 411033, Maharashtra, India.
Tel : +91-20- 30631482/ 83/ 84/ Telefax : +91-20- 3063 1487

Institute of International Business (BIIB)
Survey No. 55/2-7, Tathawade,
Opp. Wakad Police Station, Off Pune-Mumbai Highway,
Pune - 411 033
Telephone: +91 - (020) - 6674 1081/ 83/ Telefax: +91 - (020) - 6674 1082

MBA in Kolkata - List of MBA Colleges in Kolkata

2009-12-15T03:28:00.000-08:00

Institute of Management Study
93, Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700099, India - 033 2426 4168

Eastern Institute Of Management
32, Middleton Row, J L Nehru Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700071, India - 033 22827494

Nopany Institute of Management Studies(NIMS)
2d Nanda Mullick Lane, Sovabazar, Kolkata, West bengal 700006, India‎ - 033 2530 1971

United World - School of Business
Infinity Benchmark Tower, Plot No G-1, Block EP & GP, Salt Lake, Sector V, Kolkata-700091, India-033 4004 5000 / 5884 / 5885, 1800 102 7722 (toll-free)

Guru Nanak Institute of Technology(GNIT)
157/F,Nilgunj Road, Panihati, Kolkata, West Bengal 700114, India‎ - 033 2563 7957

National Institute Of Personnel Management
45, Fazlul Haque Sarani, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West bengal 700019, India

Society For Institute Of Advanced Management
Dag-4410, Paschim Para, Baguiati, Kolkata, West bengal 700059, India - 033 23574209

Institute of Business Management
Anil Moitra Road, Ballygunge, Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India - 033 24400745

Indian Institute Of Hotel Management
Salt Lake City, Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India‎ - 09830224563

Institute Of Management Studies
75c, Park Street, Kolkata, West bengal 700016, India‎ - 033 32570277

BP Poddar Institute Of Managment & Technology
137, Airport, Nazrul Islam Avenue, Kolkata, West bengal 700052, India - 033 25734062

Institute of Urban Management
5, Dharmatala, S N Banerjee Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700013, India - 033 22169114

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
16, Dr Meghnad Saha Sarani, Kalighat, Kolkata, West bengal 700026, India - 033 24661413‎

Indian Institute Of Management Calcutta
121/1, Regent Park, N S C Bose Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700040, India- 033 2423 9712‎

Wiil Acadamy
12, Sardar Shankar Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700026, India - 033 65155828

National Institute Of Personnel Management
15, Park Street, Kolkata, West bengal 700016, India - 033 22170869

Indian Institute Of Management Calcutta
84/5, Sarsoona, Brojomani Debya Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700061, India‎ - 033 24472221

BP Poddar Institute Of Managment & Technology
18, Rabindra Sarani, B B D Bagh, Kolkata, West bengal 700001, India - 033 22250967

Indian Institute Of Management Calcutta
1/1, Ballygunge, Ballyg Station Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700019, India

Kolkata Institute Of Management & Technology
152, Kalighat, S P Mukherjee Road, Kolkata, West bengal 700026, India - 033 24655921

Indian Institute Of Management Calcutta
240, New Alipore, Kolkata, West bengal 700053, India - 033 24985370

Impetus Management Solutions
21/1c, Fern Road, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West bengal 700019, India - 033 24610997

Techno India, Kolkata
TECHNO INDIA EM 4/1, Salt Lake City Sector-V, Kolkata Ph: (+91 33) 2357 5683 / 5684

Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
20-B, Barrackpur, Trunk Road, Kolkata

The Heritage Academy
Chowbaga Road, Anandapur,East Kolkata Township, Kolkata, West Bengal-700 107,INDIA

Cracking the GD round and getting into top B schools Is very easy now!!

2009-08-07T03:22:00.000-07:00

Every one must have suggested you to prepare well for the CAT so that you can get into a good MBA school. So now you prepared well, scored good percentile and finally got a call for the next round i.e. Group Discussion. So what’s next? What if you don’t get through the GD round? Don’t worry here is a solution to your problem.

Honestly the written part i.e. CAT is the only component of the admission process which is in your own control. But in GDs, both the kind of group you are in and the topic you are given, play a significant role in how you would approach the discussion and how you will be perceived by the selection panel. But still you can win over this situation.

You should know how the panelists rate you!!!

They basically examine you in two aspects- content (matter or what you speak) and the process.

Tips during GD-

Be calm and confident. Don’t let others dominate you plus don’t dominate others. Assurance, not arrogance is the mantra.
Have a positive body language. Seem interested on what others are saying, don’t stare at the moderators. DON’T FAKE!!!
Eye contact.
Do some home works. Practice speaking in English fluently.
Communication skills. You should be smart enough to communicate with your fellow students. You should be able to articulate your thoughts properly and you should also be able to understand what others are trying to say.
Note down the points other speaking about.
Starting the GD. This conveys a positive impression but make sure you start the GD only if you have understood the topic. If the concept is little hazy then don’t start. Its always better to be the third or the fourth speaker
Closing the GD. Try and summarize the discussion at the end. If the group did not reach a consensus, mention that in your summary, but remember, DON’T force a consensus.

So now you know all the tricks of a successful GD. But at the end all depends on how you use your own intelligence, how smart are you and how you carry yourself.

Take care of Your Application

2009-07-18T00:16:00.001-07:00

Making way to top B-school is getting more competitive with passing time. Since your first impression matters a lot before you sent your application to the B school cast a careful glance. Cleaning up your application and making it error-free can go a long way in getting for you an admission to a B school of international repute.

Timing can play a crucial part as far as sending application to the B schools is concerned. Some schools employ rolling admission process - receiving and reviewing dossiers right through the academic year. They accept or reject the dossiers and answer back within four to six weeks of reception. Most of the schools use ‘rounds’ of application. Some of the B Schools encourages MBA aspirants to apply online.

If you are one of the applicants then burn these facts to your mind. It will surely go in your favor.

Create copies: Make copies or take print out of several editions before marking up the original. This will make your task easy and you don’t have to white-out or scratch through your mistakes.

Rigorously check each question and box: It’s extremely important that you don’t leave any blank space. Each of the box should be filled out properly with relevant and to the point information.

Type your application: Type your application especially if you are embarrassed for your poor handwriting.

Follow the tips and smoothen your way to success.

GMAT Tips To Follow

2009-07-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

GMAT is no doubt a tough nut to crack. But, how about mastering the technique of cracking the toughest nut with ease? Here are few of the GMAT tips for the students to follow.

Score comes first: Before you sit for the test, master the skill to score high. You need to comprehend how it’s scored. Have a clear idea of the score you’ll need to get into top B school.

Build up your floor: To make a start, go for the easier ones. Floor is the level of questions you answer correctly without fail. Stop looking for tricky questions on the GMAT as everything is supposed to be quite clear-cut. Learn the way to have a better understanding of the comprehension and become skilled at how to crack the data sufficiency questions.

Pay attention to the initial group of questions: It is the answers to the first few questions of each section that determine your level of difficulty. Therefore, take your time.

Stop guess work: Beware this technique in fact counts against you. So try to do away with at least one answer choice before you stick to one.

Recommendation on Test Preparation: Learn to focus on certain areas. Don’t over prepare yourself.

Sharpen your math’s expertise: Find out how to get a better math score.

Get a practice test: Make use of study guides to get acquainted with the format of the test beforehand. Learn the format and prepare yourself with practice questions to feel more comfortable with the GMAT.

Wishing you the very best!

Back to the Roots

2009-07-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Roughly 70% of international students study business courses in Australia of which 35% of posts graduate Indian students go for for business courses in Australia. Over the years Australia has become undoubtedly a favorite destination of the MBA aspirants in India. Paucity of seats in and stricter entrance rules, including visa rules have kept away many of the students from the US and UK universities.

But now there is twist in the happy tale. And the twist is both depressing as well as encouraging. It’s quite depressing for the students studying MBA in Australia as they are being targeted by the locales. In recent times Indian students have become the worse victim of racial discrimination in Australia. On the other side of the table it’s happy time for the Indian B schools. With several institutions of international standard coming up in states like MBA in Mumbai, MBA in Kolkata and MBA in Ahmedabad there is no need to look beyond! Ranked amongst the top most business schools in Asia there are crème de la crème institutes offering MBA in India.

Most of the Indian B-schools offer specialization like finance, human resources, marketing, operation etc. However, niche MBAs like MBA in communication, hotel management, fashion technology etc are also available. Why go abroad when the best course is right here in India. It’s time to back to the roots to bag home the best MBA Degree my friend!

A world beyond the books...

2009-07-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Dynamism is what sells the most these days. Besides your marks per extraordinaire, employers do have a look at your extra curricular activity records in your resume. A bookworm often fails to land up with a good job. If you are in business school of international repute, the schools will ensure an all round development. There are MBA school in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Kolkata that look after the over all development of the MBA graduates.

Unitedworld is one of the handful that allows its students to run quite a few students' club. Run independently as an area of expression these clubs offer a wide array of choices. Therefore the students always find their area of interest. All of the students are expected to take part in one or more of these in-house clubs. The students not only get intellectual and non academic exposure through participation in the online events organized by the clubs, they can also publish newsletter and add value into the system and can enjoy doing creative works.

There is Woman in Business Club meant especially for the women, photography club to cheer up the aptitude of photography of the students, Marketing Club to sharpen the selling skills, Investment & trading Club to turn the students a wiser investor, Career research Club where the students can have a critical look at the career opportunities. Besides all these, there are Social issues Club oriented to make the students aware of their social responsibilities and not to forget about the Vedic Management Club that aim to rejuvenate the mind and body of the student’s after a tiring study session.

True, if you are not studying in Unitedworld there you are surely missing out something!

Things to remember while applying for MBA loans

2009-07-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

No problem if you are not in luck to get grants and scholarships to pay for your business school, what you need to do is to take out at least one MBA loan. With easy loans made available these days, studying MBA has become much simpler in terms of financial support. However, to be eligible for most MBA loans, all you need to posses is a citizenship and a positive credit history. A terrible credit or a bad track record with past student loans may land you up in troubles to get a MBA loan.

Interest rates and terms can show a discrepancy on MBA loans. It’s always better to shop carefully and make sure you are bagging the best deal home deal on your MBA loan. Combination of scholarships, company sponsorships and contributing from your own savings is the best financial options to fund your MBA. But if you do make a decision to apply for a loan to fund part or all of your MBA, consider the following factors before you seal the deal:

The total cost of the lending over the period of the credit.
A detailed information on the additional charges involved. If so, include them into your total cost calculations.
Check out whether the repayment schedule fit with your necessities. MBA loans usually charge interest after graduation.
Perform a background check and authentication of the lending organization in providing MBA loans.
Look out if there are any special services available in cases of some particular loan.

No doubt, by burning these facts into your mind will be able to make a wiser decision on the MBA loans that would go well with your own circumstances.

Best Places to Buy Business School Textbooks Online

2009-07-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

Still wondering about the cheapest place to buy textbooks? – Let me tell you, that it is not only you but there are many in the league. A visit to the university bookstore can wreak havoc on your pocket money leaving you bankrupt in the truest sense of the term. Trust me! To opt for textbooks available in a downloadable format is the best bet.

It appears as if every online textbook seller state to be one of the cheapest places to buy textbooks but when it comes to making a choice then the ordeal begins. Let’s find out the information who sells the cheapest B school textbooks online. 10 major online textbook sellers on the net are:

1. eBay – Here you can purchase reasonably priced text books in and around the world.
2. Amazon – It is one of the best places to acquire cheap books online.
3. iChapters - Get whole books or single chapters for as low as $1.99.
4. Kijiji – One of the best places to get hold of cheap textbooks.
5. eCampus.com: This website has been in rage for its low-cost textbooks and has recently expanded to offer digital textbooks. The online store at present showcases over 3,000 titles.
6. Abe Books – At this online store you can save up to a whopping 50 percent off on the price tag.
7. AddAll – At this online portal you can conduct a search and compare textbooks among 40+ sites.
8. McGraw-Hill eBookstore: McGraw-Hill presents over 900 print textbooks in digital form. The digital versions are alike the print versions, but costs 50 percent less.
9. CourseSmart – Here you can save $60 on an average on e-textbooks.
10. CafeScribeCafe: This online store aims to help students save both money and trees via digital textbooks. The site offers a number of interesting features hard to find otherwise.

With this list to guide you will certainly be a better shopper!

Time to pull up your socks!

2009-07-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

Getting into the best B school is not all about making it to the top of the GMAT or CAT chart. Chances are in spite of making it to the top you may end up getting an admission into a business school which is not your choice at all. Hurry! Get into some serious preparatory work that can be of great help down the road.

Make a long list: Based on attributes such as size, reputation, setting, competitiveness, area of expertise, and other factors make a list of 12-15 business schools. Gather information about them and take in to consideration outside sources. Long list of schools enables you to eliminate those that do not fit your preferences later. The list being long, you will still end up with a handful of schools to apply to at the end of the day.

Weigh out your chances of admission at the MBA programs: Clear your knowledge about the chances of admission. It will help you to decide whether you need to reconsider a more suitable range of business schools.

Visiting business schools is advantageous: You can sit it in on a class, have a chat with current students, and meet and interact with some of the admissions staff. Most importantly you can get a feel of the school's ambiance.

Make ultimate decisions about where to apply: Since the top MBA programs are extremely competitive, it is advisable that you send your application to several B schools as possible without compromising the quality of your applications.

With proper planning and by preparing yourself will give you an edge over the others. Your applications will be stronger and you will experience fewer bumps in the road. Wishing you luck!

Save money by doing MBA In India

2009-07-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

It’s time to turn the table. Much have we showed our bias for foreign degrees citing the reason to be global exposure. Let me tell you Indians have done it again and this time it’s the Indian B schools. Hurray! There are 8 Indian MBA schools that have made it to the TOP 20s. The figure clearly shows how much our country is exceeding in the field of marketing. Besides, the most aspired six Indian Institute of Management there are reputed B schools of Indian origin offering MBA in Kolkata, MBA in Ahmedabad or MBA in Mumbai that are fastening their belts to offer the best MBA courses to the Indian students as well as to the foreign students. Many of them boast an excellent track record in offering high quality education, and pick the best of corporate and management jobs for the students. Not to mention of the low cost involve compared to their foreign counterparts.

Education is no longer just for the sake of learning it’s an investment for a secure future. An MBA abroad can cost anywhere between $120,000 in the top international schools to about $30,000 in average schools. Surprisingly, an Indian MBA on the other hand can be much cheaper. Gone are the days when we used to think bigger the investment, brighter the future. Senior level professionals and teachers in India, supported by academicians, economists and management stalwarts of Indian origin have all come up together and have taken an initiative to train the aspiring MBA graduates. The curriculum is a well thought-out blend of East and West and enables a logical understanding. The Indian management institutes nurture Indian talents with a continuous source and support of industry relevant content.

Aiming to produce skilled management resources these Business schools update themselves with major global trends and new economic world order. Equipped with worldwide network of Indian professionals, visiting faculties from premier B-Schools from India and abroad and Indian academic pool Indian B school have become the ideal platforms to master the business skills and economic order of the day.

Its time to move homeward to bag the best MBA degree and that too without spending mint of money!

Correspondence MBA

2009-06-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

Correspondence MBA is the next best option to full time MBA colleges. Though majority prefers to go for full time courses, there are many who opt for distance learning MBA courses because it fits well into their busy schedule. Distance Learning MBA Courses have opened new doors for those are unable to pursue a full-fledged classroom course otherwise. What add to the popularity of online degree is time and location flexibility. One of the major dissimilarity between distance learning and Correspondence MBA is the class hours.

The paybacks of online education are numerous. Actually, it’s the facility to choose own pace that makes all the difference for the students and make the professionals cast their vote in favor of Correspondence MBA! Besides offering greater degree of flexibility, meticulously designed, online courses add to the possibility in reaching global audience and provide greater scope of interaction between the learners and instructors. This ground-breaking education system eliminates the hurdle of physical accessibility. Going to MBA colleges call forth a huge expenditure - be it in terms of transport, books or a career break. But this can be escaped through Correspondence MBA courses.

Though for admissions to the distance learning MBA courses the eligibility criteria vary from institute to institute the applicants must have a graduation degree in any discipline with a good percentage. MBA aspirants can also opt for MBA programs at various institutes abroad. There are quite a few institutes in India and abroad which put forward various distance learning programs at the post graduate and undergraduate level.

To sum it all, correspondence MBA is good enough for those who has all the managerial experience but without a degree! It’s time for the professionals to get into some serious MBA study!

MBA in UK in recession, will it work?

2009-06-26T01:52:00.000-07:00

Statistics are enough to break out into cold sweat. In UK, rate of unemployment sprang to 7.2% - up 0.7%. When fire and not hire is the norm of the day hooking a dream job almost seems impossible. Economic recession is taking its worst toll in the UK job market churning millions jobless. Though statistics over the news are enough to generate the shock wave the real blow comes when our own friends are suddenly without a job... and even stronger when we face a threat to our own job! Opting for or sticking to the recession proof jobs like health care, education, food services, security, energy sector and environmental sector can be a support for higher job security and a means to prevent financial face-off but in most of the cases it would imply little or no job satisfaction. The wisest decision would be to head for MBA. An MBA Program is a significant investment in ones personal development

To do an MBA or not to do – is the dilemma that has caught on with the majority. The fact is although the competition is stiff enough an MBA degree has always given an extra edge in ones career. Even during economic slug jobs are in abundance for fresh MBA pass outs. For students from diverse disciplines from Medicine, Engineering, Science, Commerce, Arts to working professionals MBA is a essential for career growth. Even professionals who are in their hay days of their career can add an additional degree of MBA to their resume for a pay hike even if economic recession looms.
Proper and fruitful utilization of bad times to upgrade skills and wait till the good times are back is a fair idea. After all every cloud has a silver lining!

Does one year MBA Colleges really worth?

2009-06-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

The online forums in general and students forum in particular is flooded with one single question" Does one year MBA or PGDM really worth?" the next one that follows the string of questions is "Are the guys with one year degree are treated at par with those bagging the two year degree to their credentials?' In the long run which one is a better option? B schools of Indian origin like MBA in Kolkata, or MBA in Ahmedabad or MBA in Mumbai are speeding up to offer MBA course of 1 year duration. In this competitive world of business and finance, where “change” is the buzz word individuals are ready to pounce on every single opportunity for survival. If you are an budding entrepreneur with a lot of fresh ideas or an employee with oodles of talent, but can't manage to get a break then bank upon one year MBA Course to translate your endeavor into success.

One year MBA Course let you be at the cutting edge in the field of business and management - in terms of theories and practices. The benefit of having a one-year MBA program is the compactness of the course as it squeezes the lessons of a regular MBA program into a single year. As a result you get the scope to master the skill of leadership and organizational development in a shorter time span. What also go in favor of this one-year MBA is that it saves your money as the duration is short. What further adds to the lists is the course being an accelerated one you need to take a single year study beak from your work schedule. However, since the one year MBA Course program is an intense one, the schedule can frighten some and dissuade others.

But given a choice, if you want a substantial challenge, remarkable insights and career progression in a short time, the one-year MBA program is the one you should bet! Be confident to being promoted to vice president soon after you go back to your work. Wishing you the very best.

Bell The CAT

2009-06-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

It’s time to bell the CAT as it has been caught in the net! The CAT as it is popularly called or the Common Admission Test is going online this year. Instead of one day now, the test will be conducted over a few days and will follow the prototype of the GRE and GMAT. Students aspiring to be a MBA graduate can now execute their choice judiciously and enjoy greater flexibility in choosing the date and time of giving computer-based tests (CBT).

With CAT going online the students are now reward with quite a few advantages. Flexibility in scheduling and timing of the test will let more MBA aspirants appear for the test generating greater and healthier competition. There is a possibility of retaking the test in the same year instead of a long one year wait. However, the process is still in moderation and depends on the CAT policy. The online test will significantly reduce the cost of administering the exams and will do away with the time consuming manual checking. Encouraged by CBTs, IIMs are likely to bring forth more testing centers in the coming years. Since the price tag associated with students taking a CBT is less than the manual process, it will provide additional flexibility for the students to take the exam. Test scores will be available immediately soon after the test giving the students the scope to apply to colleges in a more systematic manner. The CBT has surely given the MBA aspirants the reasons to raise a toast!

There is other side of the coin too. There are major challenges associated with a computer based CAT, scoring problem being one of them. Uniformity in the question pattern is a big issue with CBT. Earlier the results were comparable as all students had to appear for the same exam. But with CBT, students are made to tackle different questions on different days. This process raises a doubt regarding the same level of difficulty of the questions. Lack of computer skills and limited access to computers and internet connection can also pose a problem to the student as CBT demands proficiency in using a computer.

Thumbs up to our women entrepreneurs!

2009-06-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

To go by the most up-to-date research, companies with female board members do better than their male counterparts. It’s the women who make 80 percent of purchase decisions in the U.S. A number, big enough to prove that the “weaker sex” is no longer “weak” these days. If statistics are anything to go by more competent women should reach business leadership positions. But unfortunately, it is only 15.7 percent of women corporate officers who have managed to made it to the top. Blame it on the blocks that have kept women from pursuing the degree such as difficulty in funding to cover the cost of the program, lack of female role models, lack of support from family, peers or employers and low confidence in math skills – all add up to small enrollment rate of women in Executive MBA programs.

What have been thought as an obstacle in the corporate world earlier is now being looked upon as the advantages. It’s the Feminine traits such as altruism, emotional engagement, and cooperation that act in a stressed economy and build relationships with customers. Business schools are going all out wooing women. Compared to traditional programs MBA prepares women for career progression more promptly, without causing them to lose ground at work. Business schools are making themselves more attractive by offering flexibility through online courses, by recruiting more female faculty, featuring more women in their advertising materials, making more scholarships available. Moreover the classes are usually run on weekends to have room for those eager to complete degrees while managing full-time work timetables.

It’s time for women empowerment. The MBA credential offers a boost not only to a women’s resume but also provides a boost to her level of confidence and credibility with colleagues, and can ensure others that she has the expertise to shoulder greater responsibility. Not to mention the heavier pay packet.