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.
Every year, the movement of the IIM waitlists causes a commotion among students who have applied for admission to the IIMs. There are approximately 4000 seats available across the 20 IIMs. Another group of chosen candidates is kept in line after the initial list of chosen candidates is released publicly in case any candidate decides not to take a seat. The waitlist movement in IIMs and a few top MBA schools varies by category. The general category is extremely stringent, whereas the SC, ST, OBC, and PwD categories have some leeway.
The waitlist is kept confidential at IIM Lucknow. The merit list is instead released to the public. To secure a spot on the merit list, a student must meet the minimum requirement of 12 out of 40 in the PI round.
One of my friends joined IIM Lucknow and this answer will be based only on his experience and the advice he had received from his seniors. It may differ from now because his experience was 3 to 4 years ago.
Below are the pieces of advice that my friend’s batch received from their seniors:
Clothes:
Stationery and Computing:
Documents:
Hobbies and Entertainment:
You will learn a lot from your seniors once you are at the campus. I hope you will come out better as a person.
Remote Summer internship from IIM Lucknow is something that actually excites and amazes you, but if you’re planning to pursue it just because of the IIM tag on it, then you need to wait and read the reviews and suggestions provided by students.
A friend of mine has successfully completed it and suggested not to go for it due to some specific reasons. First of all, it is not useful as there are about 70-80 students doing the same remote internship. No personal attention is given to students actually in need.
In the internship program, you have to buy recommended books and a suggested Udemy course as well. Buying a book is enough though it contains all the information and study material you actually need as the same book is used in management courses.
Furthermore, the only good thing about this internship is the online classes and guidance provided by Prof. Sameer Mathur who is one of the best and experienced professors. You can take advantage of his experience and learn new things with simple examples and scenarios. But you need to complete all your assignments and work on your own as the assignments are given on a regular basis including sundays as well. If you really want to complete this internship program then forget about holidays. After successfully completing the internship you’ll get a certificate which will get delivered on your postal address.
The internship program is open to all and anyone can join the program without any prior skill test which somehow decreases the credibility of this internship program. That’s why it is suggested that if your purpose is to learn only and not the certificate then you can simply buy the recommended books and gain knowledge on your own without spending the extra money on suggested online courses.
My sister had a fairly poor interview experience and yet managed to get into IIM Lucknow. She was asked about the current issue of the world to which she mentioned the Syrian wars. He contradicted her saying it wasn’t a burning issue as it had been happening for more than 2 years. Flustered, she mentioned the US on the government's side. Further, the interviewer inquired her about her own opinion regarding the civil war. She confidently said that she couldn’t support any side due to the extremist quality of either of them. But the interviewer wasn’t satisfied and urged her to take a side and give a rather clear answer.
The discussion continued for a few minutes after which he asked her about the Kashmir issue.
After many diplomatic talks, he finally asked about her current role in the company and asked if she had any experience in E and P.
The interview was rather prolonged with a lot of contradictions and awkward situations. The interviewer kept cutting her off in the middle of answers. Toward the end, she was asked to solve a statistics problem which she managed to solve in 5 seconds. She was then asked to leave. She had little or no hopes of getting a call but as luck would have it she managed to get into IIM Lucknow.
IIM Lucknow (ABM), IIM Kozhikode, and IIM Indore are all highly reputable and well-respected institutes for management education in India. Each one has its own strengths and unique features. Choosing which one to attend boils down to your personal preferences and goals.
Here is a comparative analysis of both institutes.
Particulars |
IIM Lucknow ABM |
IIM Kozhikode |
IIM Indore |
Fees |
INR 20,75,000 |
INR 20.5 Lakhs (Total Fees) |
INR 21,14,222 Total Fees |
Duration |
2 years |
2 years |
2 years |
Eligibility |
Bachelor’s degree in agriculture-related discipline / Bachelor’s degree with 50% marks in any discipline. |
Graduation with 60% |
60% aggregate at Secondary/Class 10 equivalent and at Higher Secondary/Class 12 equivalent |
Cutoff |
90 |
97 |
90 |
Ranking |
Ranked 6/125 by NIRF Management Ranks |
5th position out of 100 (NIRF) |
Ranked 7 For MBA By NIRF 2022 |
Highest Salary |
INR 61,59,000 |
INR 67.02 LPA |
INR 1.14 CPA |
Average Salary |
INR 31,03,000 |
INR 31.02 LPA |
INR 30.21 LPA |
I would suggest you visit the official website of these institutes and also talk to the alumni of these institutes to get a better insight. You can also attend the webinars, open house sessions organized by these institutes to get a better understanding and make an informed decision.
IIML is clearly superior to MDI in non-marketing specializations in terms of placement. However, IIM I, K, and MDI are generally equal in terms of placements, except for a few banks that specifically seek out the IIM tag at I&K. If you work equally hard at either campus and all other operational factors are constant, you will likely end up in a similar position whether you choose MDI or I or K. However, as mentioned before, IIML still has the edge and requires more effort if you're in the finance or consulting field.
If you're interested in MDI, it's worth noting that recent placement reports show more and more prestigious finance and consulting companies are visiting the campus. This has helped MDI deliver well-rounded placements. So, if you're willing to put in the work, MDI could be a good option for you.
There are several excellent courses to be chosen to take in IIM Lucknow. Here is a list of some of the preferred choices.
These are some of the personal choices. There are several other professors who deliver excellent lectures and are equally reputed among students.
Here’s a list of prominent IIM Lucknow alumni.
The student fraternity of ISB is very different from that of FMS and IIM Lucknow. ISB requires a minimum of 2 years and an average of 4 years of work experience for admission. Whereas IIM Lucknow and FMS focus more on academics and almost 40% of the batch comprises freshers. Others have 2 or fewer years of experience.
My answer is divided into 3 parts
If you have work experience of 2 or fewer years:
In this case, you should give up on ISB and totally focus on FMS or IIM Lucknow. Personally, I would suggest you go for IIM Lucknow because of its brand image. Despite the fact that FMS offers high ROI, you can never underestimate the value of an IIM tag.
If you have work experience of 2-3 years:
This is the toughest decision as you can nearly go for ISB but will be risking a lot including its extravagant fees. But you won’t regret choosing ISB because of its peers, faculty, research orientation, and campus life. It is also the place where all the big consulting firms come for placements. So if you value reputed firms a lot then go for ISB.
If you have above 3 years of experience:
Close your eyes and without thinking choose ISB.