Navigating the Life at IIM Lucknow: A Tale of Hostels, Placements, and MBA Revelations by Tushar Jejani

Written By: Tushar Jejani

MBA has always been a part of my career plan since I enrolled at Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, University of Delhi, where I completed my Bachelor of Management Studies with a specialization in Finance. During my BMS program, I developed a strong foundation in management studies, including marketing, strategy, and finance. To supplement my classroom learning, I pursued training at a Consulting Firm - Cushman & Wakefield and an Incubation Centre at SIIF to gain industry exposure and insights into the workspace. These experiences, combined with discussions with my mentors, led me to set my sights on CAT and pursue an MBA from one of the top 5 B-schools in the country. 

In Indian B-schools, certain institutions are renowned for their specializations. For example, IIM Ahmedabad is known for marketing, IIM Bangalore for consulting, and IIM Calcutta for finance. However, we often hear from alumni and seniors that the Indian Institutes of Management are known for their rigorous programs, which is why IIM Lucknow is sometimes humorously referred to as Hel(L). Like many other students and aspirants, I have a strong preference to join a top-10 B-school in the country. If that option is not available, I am willing to wait, as I have two to three attempts left for the CAT exam.

Why MBA from IIM Lucknow?

Comparing it with other colleges, I received calls from every B-school in the country except IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta. However, I managed to convert every single school, and joining IIM Lucknow was the best decision I made. To this day, I consider those two years to be the best of my life, and I am grateful for being chosen by the institute as much as I am for choosing it. It was a typical love-hate relationship.

IIM Lucknow Academic Building

IIM Lucknow Hostel

It wouldn't be fair if I didn't begin by saying that I am an alumnus of Hostel 16 from the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow). IIM Lucknow boasts 18 hostels for more than 2000 students on campus, catering to students from various programs such as PGP/MBA, ABM/Agri Business Management, PHDs, etc. During my time there, I had the opportunity to stay in 16012, Hostel 16, and 1427, Hostel 14, and I believe I had the best hostel experience as I was fortunate to be in the best hostels for both years.

Hostel 16 was one of the liveliest hostels at IIM Lucknow, known for hosting numerous parties and networking events. We used to have institute-wide parties after placements and term exams, where the entire institute, including senior batches and PHD students, would be invited. I remember every room in Hostel 16 had a speaker and a magic bulb, creating a vibrant atmosphere. During the first year when there were fewer placement activities after the Summer Internship Program (SIP), it was the perfect time to socialize and network with everyone in the hostel.

In our hostel, the college authorities provided everything we needed, including pillows, mattresses, beds, study tables, wardrobes, curtains, curtain rods, and even a washing machine. All these amenities were included in the fees we paid to the institute. The only things we needed to arrange for ourselves were a cooler for summers and a heater for winters. The weather conditions could be challenging during these seasons, but the rainy season was particularly beautiful at IIM Lucknow, with the campus adorned with flowers and filled with the songs of birds.

One of the best aspects of the campus was its rules and regulations. While there were strict guidelines for discipline, they never hindered students' growth, networking opportunities, or the fun aspects of their MBA experience at IIM Lucknow.

Placements at IIM Lucknow

During my time at IIM Lucknow, the Summer Internship Season (SIP) was about to commence as soon as we joined the B-school. The placement preparation committee at the institute played a crucial role in helping every student prepare for placements. I had friends like Sumati, Shobhit, and Disha who supported me throughout the SIP process.

Like many of my peers, I was crafting multiple versions of my resume to secure shortlists in Finance/Consulting from top companies visiting IIM Lucknow. During this time, I heard rumors such as "You have less experience, you should try for marketing" and "Can you fit your resume onto one page?" While these comments were well-intentioned, they left me feeling confused and uncertain. Despite this, I focused my preparation on consulting and finance roles for the internship.

SIP can be a time of uncertainty for those with limited corporate experience, and I was no exception in 2021. However, mentors and seniors advised me to focus on controllable factors rather than external market conditions. Following their guidance, I approached the process methodically, one step at a time. This approach ultimately helped me secure a role in Amazon's Finance team on campus.

IIM Lucknow Convocation

When I initially joined IIM Lucknow, my goal was to become a consultant. Despite having received two consulting offers during my undergraduate studies, I was unable to secure a consulting role with the company I had hoped to work for. I realized that I couldn't blame Placecom, firms, or the B-school for this outcome—it was my own lack of preparation. Not everyone lands their dream job right away, but that's okay because some people do it in one go as well.

The placement seasons were some of the toughest times I experienced on campus. Despite the uncertainty, the institute managed to attract a diverse range of companies across finance, marketing, strategy, and product management. I am grateful to the alums, professors, and placement committee for their efforts in organizing these placements. Companies like Apparel Group, Coca Cola, Nykaa, Times Internet, Asian Paints, Dr. Reddy's, HUL, ITC, Mondelez, Nestle, Navi, Pidilite, Adobe, Amazon, Atlassian, Microsoft, Media.net, Salesforce, Paytm, EXL, Merisis, Stakeboat Capital, American Express, FinIQ, Premji Invest, Flipkart, Piramal, TAS, Samagra, BCG, Auctus, Dalberg, EY Parthenon, Kearney, McKinsey, etc., participated in the placement process.

While not everyone landed their dream role, everyone found something they could be proud of for the rest of their lives. The placement process taught us a lot about preparing resumes, cover letters, and how to excel in interviews. Many of us are now part of recruitment drives, visiting campuses to hire the best talents. My own placement journey provided valuable lessons, which I now share weekly on my LinkedIn profile to help new aspirants @tusharjejani.

One thing that completely changed my perspective? My MBA journey.

March 18, 2023, undoubtedly remains the best day of the year for me. I still remember the smiles on my parents' faces as I collected my MBA degree on stage. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout this journey—Mahima, Yash bhaiya, Abhishek Bhaiya, Parnika, my parents, my uncle, my aunt, and, more importantly, my stars. Your support and encouragement have been invaluable to me. Thank you.

Most of my batch mates will agree with me in saying that those two years were the best of our lives. I thank every person who directly and indirectly helped me. It was full of learning, unlearning, and relearning. Post my MBA, It gave me confidence to write on LinkedIn with my handle @tusharjejani. 

I can still recall the day when I received the offer from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, which happened to be my first working day at the job I had secured in UG (and my last day too, as it turned out!).

IIM Lucknow USP

When I joined IIM, I was always inclined to learn only about finance, however, when I joined I realized the importance of being able to have a holistic view of business problems.

I had certain expectations & beliefs that were quickly challenged:

• Initially, I believed that placements should be the sole focus of my B-school journey. Thankfully, I soon realized that while placements are important, there are numerous other aspects to b-school life, such as case competitions, event management, and networking (which often involves a fair share of parties!).

IIM Lucknow Campus

• I perceived an MBA as simply another degree akin to my undergraduate studies, where I could work in isolation and focus on achieving good grades. However, the design and structure of the course exposed me to working with a diverse range of people, some of whom I might never have chosen to collaborate with otherwise.
• Life lessons can be learned from the finance elective. One of my professors once remarked, "You are all the brightest minds in the country. Some of you will become entrepreneurs, investment bankers, consultants, or marketers, either by virtue or luck. However, who you want to be as a human being is still within your control every morning when you wake up."
• I thought before joining that people at schools are not selfish; however, they have priorities. My mentor once told me that in B-school, you have to choose your battles because you can't be a part of all of them. Like everyone else, I chose my battles—friends, exams, companies, assignments, and case competitions. For some, I was the best, and for others, I was a ghost.

MBA Student life is full of surprise and it gets craziest when you have friends like mine: Faizan, Dipantanshu, Kamal, Yash, Shombhit, Rishabh, Simran, Sumati, Rishika, Anamika, Surali, Abheer, Ritwik, Kamal, Aniket, Vipul, Vignesh, Prajwal, and my Entrepreneurship Cell Team.

In my structured chaos, there are always two sides to every story, and the perspective you choose often depends on where you look at the moment. To know more about the placement process, MBA Life, and Preparation Plan reach out to me on LinkedIn