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Which is better between SPJIMR Finance and IIM Lucknow? Why is SP Jain always compared to IIM Indore, Kozhikode but not IIM Lucknow?
SPJIMR is superior to IIM Lucknow. Of course, IIM Lucknow is a larger and more well-known brand, but the program and course structure at SPJIMR is excellent. They have an updated curriculum that is in line with industry demands.
The small batch size is a significant advantage at SPJIMR. The student-teacher ratio is favorable, and interaction between the two is required. They have ethics-based learning, a rural internship program with an NGO, and a 3-week course for the entire batch at top business schools in the United States. All in all, it is a well-designed course. Because of the Batch size advantage, the average placements are also better. After all, placements are important. But it all comes down to personal preference. You could make a reference to a larger brand. Non-MBAs/aspirants may be unaware of the opportunities available at SP Jain. However, you can rest assured that your MBA journey at SPJIMR will be fruitful.
What is your review of S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR)?
SP Jain is a very good institution of Management yet it lacks the necessary popularity. It is not hyped like the IIMs but this does not mean it is any less than the top B Schools. In fact, there are many aspects that distinguish it from others in the family. The primary points of distinction are
- It has completely different criteria for admission wherein emphasis is given not only to grades but also to the individual’s personality. This is assessed by the firms the students submit answering various questions asked by the college.
- The batch is extremely vibrant and diverse comprising engineers, commerce graduates, and art graduates
- They give considerable weightage to work experience which is often ignored by other B Schools
- It has many international student exchange programs which open doors to new learning experiences and opportunities
- It stresses on value-based education. This means grades are important but not to the point that a student is merely surviving to score high and learns nothing.
- The faculty is extremely capable with a necessary mix of professors with theoretical and industry experts.
So SP Jain offers many areas of development and helps you grow as a human.
Is an MBA from JBIMS better than SP Jain from a placement point of view?
From the point of view of batch strength, JBIMS has a smaller batch size of 120 students, while SP Jain has a larger batch size of 300 students. The list of companies visiting both campuses is similar, but due to the smaller batch size at JBIMS, the options available per student are higher, resulting in better placement opportunities.
In terms of cost, JBIMS has a lower fee structure of approximately 1 lakh per year, while the fees at SP Jain can reach 10 lakhs per year when including all expenses. This results in a higher return on investment for JBIMS.
In terms of the quality of education, both colleges are equally good, but it is important not to only consider the quality of education when making a decision. Networking opportunities should also be taken into consideration, and JBIMS offers strong networking opportunities due to its strong alumni base.
In conclusion, both colleges offer great placement opportunities and it is up to personal preference and individual circumstances to determine the best option.
JBIMS saw a significant increase in average salary in 2022, rising over 20% to INR 27.63 LPA. The median CTC was INR 26.48 LPA, and the highest salary offered was INR 42 LPA. Consulting firms were a major presence during the placement drive, with companies such as Deloitte, EY, PwC, Accenture, Infosys, and KPMG among the top recruiters.
During the SPJIMR Placements 2022 Report, 75 recruiters visited the campus, with top companies including Accenture, Aditya Birla Capital, Amazon, and American Express. PGDM students received 123 PPOs/PPIs, with the highest salary offered at INR 53.16 LPA and an average salary of INR 32.06 LPA.
How is the PGDM marketing program at SPJIMR? Also, can you shed light on the placement scenario as well?
The SPJIMR PGDM Marketing program is similar to top B Schools like IIM ABC. The key highlights of the same program are listed below. Please note these are not generic and are specifically related to the Marketing program.
Curriculum: The curriculum is almost exactly what is taught at elite B Schools. The relevancy of the curriculum is maintained through unique programs like GFT wherein a 3-week immersion at some of the finest universities of the USA takes place. A very interesting program called ‘A day in the life of a Salesman’ is a much talked about program at SPJIMR. In this, you will get to shadow a salesman from a reputed FMCG company so that you understand the techniques of sales and distribution.
Pedagogy: The pedagogy adopted is usually a case-based approach. Mostly Harvard cases are used to strike discussions in the classrooms. Additionally, live projects are conducted by various visiting companies. Such initiatives help formulate an effective pedagogy.
Faculty: The faculty is a great combination of professors with theoretical knowledge and industry experts. All are highly competent in their respective fields.
Batch: The diversity of the batch can be looked up on the official website by checking the profiles of the Marketing batch specifically. Usually, the crowd is diverse and has an overall good profile.
Placements: The placement statistics can be checked on the official website. The figures are inflated but can be used for comparison purposes only. The table below includes the key highlights of SPJIMR placements 2023
|
Particulars |
Statistics |
|
Highest salary |
INR 77.8 LPA |
|
Average salary |
INR 33.02 LPA |
|
Top Recruiters |
Asian Paints, Hindustan Unilever Limited, ITC, Accenture Strategy |
What should I choose between SPJIMR marketing (PGDM) and IIM Kozhikode (PGP), having converted both?
There are a few factors to consider before making a final decision.
- Brand: Those who are truly immersed in the MBA world understand that the IIM tag looks best with suffixes A, B, or C. Also, private institutions are far superior to many of the lower-ranked IIMs. Given the formidable brand, SPJIMR has built around itself, it is no less than an IIM, if not an IIMK.
- Curriculum: There will be no significant differences in curriculum because all of the great institutes have world-class faculty and a systematically designed curriculum. With its Global Fast Track (3 Week Program at Top US Universities) and Non-Classroom Initiatives, SPJIMR can provide an added advantage.
- Placements: SPJIMR has a consistently high placement rate across all four specializations, with a high average package and number of different roles available. IIM Kozhikode, on the other hand, has fallen short of expectations in terms of placement performance, particularly in the last 2-3 years, with the average package not rising above a certain point.
- Batch Dimensions: When it comes to placements, it is a major concern. SPJIMR has a perfect batch size of 241, whereas IIMK has a larger batch size, making placements more difficult.
- Fees: Both institutes have similar fee structures. However, with a higher average package, SPJIMR performs well in terms of ROI.
After all, it is your decision which institute to attend.
What is the placement process at SPJIMR, Mumbai for the PGDM program?
There are mainly two placements: Internships Placements (called the Autumn placements) and Final Placements.
Internship placements: These placements take place usually in the month of July and August during the second year. Students end their internship by October. The FMCG companies visit for Marketing and Operation placements together. Finance and Information Management internships are more like a rolling process.
Final Placements: The final placements occur usually in the month of December. At this time, all the PPO results from internships are out and almost 50% of the batch has already been placed. SPJIMR does not encourage lateral placements and such cases are dealt with individually. The placement scenario for Information Management is pretty good offering amazing opportunities in both IT consulting as well as corporate IT.
Which is a better choice, SPJIMR Mumbai or IIM Lucknow?
Every college has its own list of features that makes it stand out among others. But what matters is which of those aspects aligns with your interests and conveniences. So to facilitate a better decision, I have listed the pros of both colleges.
SPJIMR Mumbai
Location: Located in the center of Mumbai, it enjoys a location advantage over IIM Lucknow. This makes it easier for students to avail opportunities and recruiters to visit the campus regularly.
Low batch size: It has a lower batch size in comparison to IIM Lucknow which means every student is well attended to and the competition is also not that tough.
Marketing: It’s the marketing capital of India with the most reputed marketing firms visiting the campus.
Exposure: It offers a rural stint and international exposure for every student which exposes them to the diversity of the course.
IIM Lucknow
- Infrastructure: In reality, the campus life, infrastructure, and faculty of IIM Lucknow can never be compared to SPJIMR.
- Better crowd: The crowd at IIM Lucknow is much more diverse and talented than SPJIMK because of its rankings and brand image.
- Domain: IIM Lucknow excels in the domains of Consulting, Finance, and General Management, and the respective firms visit the campus regularly.
- Specialization: At IIM Lucknow you get to choose your domain after a year once you have been exposed to all the domains and have identified your interests.
- IIM tag: Once can never boast enough of the IIM tag he will be carrying with himself for the rest of his life.
Weighing the pros of both the colleges make your decision based on which pros you are keen to avail the most.
How is the information management PGDM program in SPJIMR?
SPJIMR Information Management PGDM program is suitable for those who want to shift from technical IT to management and business roles. This unique course is updated annually to keep up with the latest developments in the IT field and is on par with the best B-schools around the world.
The faculty at SPJIMR are highly dedicated and valued for their academic excellence and business backgrounds. In addition to classroom courses, IM students learn from industry visits, guest lectures from corporate gurus and CXOs, and live projects designed to facilitate the use of theory in practice.
At SPJIMR, peer learning is highly effective, and there is a collaborative culture in place. Students are selected based on merit, and the competition is stiff due to the high quality of peers. Most IM students come with expertise in various domains, and they work together as a team on activities such as the Cross Course Project, which is a platform to piece together all learnings from the IM coursework and consult on a real IT business challenge.
The placement opportunities available in the IM specialization are regarded as a valuable benefit, and SPJIMR attracts top-tier firms like Microsoft, Amazon, Flipkart, HCL, GE, Make My Trip, Capgemini, Cognizant Business Consulting, Deloitte, and many more. The roles open for the IM area include IT consulting, Business Development, Product Management, and General Management in IT companies and e-Commerce majors, and Corporate IT roles (CIO growth path) in IT user companies. The advantage of the IM specialization is that both you and the firms find yourselves in a win-win situation when it comes to mapping skills versus roles.
What should be my specialization choice in SPJIMR application if I am interested in management consulting?
Let me make this clear, there is no fixed specialization that will help you make it into counseling.
For working professionals: Companies that visit the campus for placements usually prefer Finance and Operations background. People with a technological background opt for tech consulting while many go for Sales and Operations consulting as well. The companies are not interested in specialization, rather they look for how good your CV is. So, we can say a guy from a pure manufacturing background who is currently studying marketing can also make it into consulting.
For freshers: The best specialization to choose to make it into a big consulting firm for a fresher is Finance. The concepts included in the Finance specialization are more connected with consulting. So if your area of interest covers both, Finance and Consulting, then opt for Finance while the target for consulting. As far as Operations is concerned, it’s not easy to get admission. Even if you do the chances are lower unless you do internships and projects.
Lastly, remember there is no direct relation between the choice of specialization and placements. Even if you fail to get into your desired company, know that it is not the end. You can slowly achieve your goal provided you are certain of it and are working hard towards achieving it.
How was your SPJIMR interview experience for the finance stream?
One of the students interviewed by SPJIMR on 25th February 2021 for the finance stream, shared their experience. During Group Interview 1, two professors and three students were present. You should give well-prepared answers when asked about yourself, why you want to pursue an MBA, your long-term and short-term goals, and your favorite subject. You should also confidently answer questions about financial management, such as what CAPM is and what Beta is in CAPM. If you are unsure of an answer, you should try to explain it as best as you can.
When asked about the performance of banks in the country and whether the latest budget provisions will help, you should be well-prepared with your answer. When comparing recent changes to those made in the 90s, you should try to highlight both the positives and negatives. When asked about the challenges you've faced during bank audits, you should answer based on your experience in the sector.
During Group Interview 2, two professors and four students were present. You should confidently answer questions about your experience during Group Interview 1 and explain why you want to pursue an MBA and your long-term and short-term goals. If asked about your hometown, you should try to answer as best as you can. If asked how you would cope in SPJIMR for two years, you should link your answer to your audit experience of going outstation for months and managing to cope well.
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