Students Perception of IIFT Delhi

My name is Sharanya Jha and I was born and brought up in Bokaro Steel City. I completed my schooling from St.Xaviers School Bokaro and DPS Bokaro. I went on to pursue a degree in Chemical engineering from BIT Mesra, Ranchi - which is a premier college for undergraduate engineering studies. During my undergrad, I interned at Tata Steel through a National competition called Women of Mettle and Jubilant Foodworks (in my 8th semester), which were pivotal in shaping my career path. Though I had an opportunity to join Tata Steel, I chose to further my education with an MBA at IIFT Delhi. This choice was a natural progression from my engineering background, linking my past experiences with my aspirations for the future. I was not at all prepared for college 2.0 at that point but it turned out to be the best professional and personal decision for me, as I look back on life now! 

Why MBA From IIFT Delhi?

I chose MBA because I had always wanted to do an MBA in the long run. It so happened that stars aligned a little quicker than I fathomed and I landed up in Delhi straight from my small town Bokaro. It was a surreal journey and also beset with quite some major transitions. I always had a knack for management; I guess being a manager was something I always thought would best suit me. Be it co-curricular, academics and so many different things I managed together - at one time I was spending time with lots of clubs, cells and societies in college with so much diversity and the next I would bury my face deep down into books. I prided on being a generalist. So, I naturally gravitated

towards an MBA and all the background sort of helped. This is me, being straight up candid because back when I was in UG, I never thought I’d hone my skills or sharpen my business acumen. It was just how I was as a person, I knew deep down I’d love managing people, places and policies and that is how IIFT became a reality. 

USP of IIFT Delhi

The USP of my college is multifold. It is the only “trade major” college in India. It offers a rigorous academic as well as extra curricular activities curriculum. It is the exact confluence of exposure and experience. There is a vast pool of choices in terms of majors, and minors (academic-centric), then there is a well-connected alum network and the inside culture is a chef's kiss, to say the least. 

I did not have a lot of colleges to choose from (or rather should I say, this was my best shot) and since converting colleges is always a gamble I think my decision to choose IIFT was one of the best that I have taken as a young adult. I think I wouldn't want to have been anywhere else but this. 

IIFT Delhi Hostel

We have a couple of hostels on campus (separate for boys and girls). They are called old hostel (OH) and new hostel (NH). There are also arrangements for boys outside of the campus hostels which are comfortable and close to the college. I live in NH and it has been my home for the last 1.5 years now, the lobbies, the corridors seem welcoming to me now. When I started, it was a little daunting with students from different age groups etc but we are all a pack now! Some rooms of the hostel face the Qutub Minar while some face the lush green Sanjay Van, providing the perfect setting for students to enjoy a fresh environment on an otherwise bad AQI day (:-P) 

The rooms are furnished, and we have almirahs, and an attached bathroom which has a geyser. We also get blowers and coolers for winters and summers respectively. We have dual occupancy for girls and dual/triple occupancy for guys and there are 2/3 study tables and everything in pairs/triads as per sharing basis. We have washing machines on every floor. The food tastes good on most days and on boring days, the dhabas near the campus serve us well! (it is your sign to go check out Laxman Dhaba and drink chai at Bablu Bhaiya's stall at the back gate). I think dual occupancy is fine, you get a friend/confidant and you can easily live safe and secure that way. My roommate(s) for both my first and second year have been absolute gems and I will take back, friendship and a lot of memories when I leave college.

Life at IIFT Delhi

We have a lot of events, activities and case competitions in college. This is something I really missed in my undergraduate college life because I was mostly home during Covid. We have sports events all year long, we participate in inter-college sports events with FMS, MDI, XLRI Delhi, IMI, and Fore. We have glamorous events like our annual cultural fest called Quo Vadis, we also have TedX organized by the Media fraternity in college and collectively all these events give the campus a very happening vibe. Students participate and ace case comps (which is a cult in B-schools). 

IIFT has been Unstop Rank 1 for being the most competitive B-school and I think we really live up to that legacy, hype and glory. Apart from this, there are common rooms for leisurely activities. Students can chill, hang out and play Table tennis in and around the common rooms. We have movie screening nights, tambola nights, and so many fun activities that it is never a dull day in the portals of IIFT. 

IIFT Delhi Placements

I have always shuddered at the thought of placements. Something about GD and PI stresses me out like no other thing. But luckily, I got admitted in a college where the placement committee during most of the times. They did their job well and we put in a lot of efforts; together it was a decent sail. The summer internships in B-schools usually come on such short notice, that there is very little time to prepare but there is a Preparation Committee at IIFT-D, which ensures you are all decked up and ready to face the heat of the process. I have been satisfied with how things unfolded here. 

I have been very nervous in this regard and I see that most people are, during placements. It is a bitter reality and somehow we are all thrown at it. The process teaches everyone humility, patience and the power of collaboration. You just CANNOT make it through alone, we have all needed people and they have needed us. That is how the process is designed. And that is why people network in MBA colleges. Each one of us got placed during our SIP (summer internship project). Ofcourse, there are elements of uncertainty but we almost made it to our desired companies. 

After placement, things became a lot easier, we had more time to focus on other things. We did what we liked, we participated in events and explored Delhi during leisure hours. Since Delhi is a cultural and travel hotspot, all of us have at some point, ensured that we utilize the golden opportunity and drag ourselves to a food trip, trip to the mountains, and so many weird escapades. 

I think I love that IIFT Delhi is an esteemed college, and I have the opportunity to study here. I have made some everlasting bonds here, interacted with distinguished people, and alumni, attended crazy parties, participated in major case competitions and have had a very wholesome (touchwood) college life. I never expected life to take such a turn but I am glad it did.

On my first day of college, my entire family came to send me off. We were all so scared, I had so much luggage and so much home food because I was scared to eat outside and fall sick 1600kms away from home. But I am sure, when I leave college, my luggage would feel less heavy than my heart and that is how life will come a full circle. On the first day, we were swamped with induction, orientation and so many different activities and we used to curse for the amount of work we had to put in but everything made sense days later! I am part of the Media committee and I really admire my peers it has been a learning experience with the clubs, cells and committees. I have made friends who will stay with me through thick and thin and I think that in itself is an achievement. 

One such incident that has really stayed with me is how I became the National Finalist for the Godrej Loud competition (in 2022) and we had to go to Mumbai to be hosted graciously by the OG Godrej group. After we came back, I was the National finalist for Flipkart’s Vidyarthini programme which was to be hosted in Bengaluru. These were two very contrasting experiences but so much learning across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru in such a short span of time that it felt very dreamy. It was as if corporate life visited me before I could visit my corporate life ahead. I am very thankful to my friends and family for having my back throughout the uphill-downhill journey.