IMT- The experience you'd want to live!

I chose PGDM Marketing as I was quite interested in it, plus IMT is famous for Marketing. The faculty at IMT is quite knowledgeable in terms of academia and experience. A significant chunk of faculty is from premier schools, including IIM-A, and XLRI. They have worked in companies like J&J, HUL, Zydus Wellness, etc. Some of them have been the CEOs of their respective companies as well. There are highly learned visiting faculties as well, and each faculty has its own way of teaching ranging from case studies, and practical learning, all in combination with classroom learning. Class participation is really appreciated. The current faculty-to-student ratio is 1:60. There is mid-term and end-term anonymous faculty feedback conducted by the authorities. The curriculum is very relevant and set in a way that you will not fail unless, of course, you don't do anything. Total marks are divided between projects, tests, and class participation and exams are a cakewalk if one pays attention in class.

As mentioned earlier, the students become eligible for summer internships in the first term itself. The companies select the candidates through the resume made by the student themselves. The highest stipend offered on campus was 4 lacs for two months. Big names like Pernod Ricard, Credit Suisse, Perfetti Van Melle, Reliance Brands, NatWest, Adobe, Microsoft, Cisco, etc. are a part of this process. The selections are made both online and offline depending upon the company. Various roles like Product manager, core sales and marketing, strategy formulation, project management, etc are offered by the company to students from varying backgrounds. The tasks differs from company to company ranging from topics like technology, branding, marketing etc.

There is a 100% placement record at IMT. The summer internship process starts in the first term itself. There is a dedicated placement week for the same. The highest summer stipend offered this year was 4 lacs for two months. About the final placements, the highest stipend offered was 65.6 lacs(international) and 34 lacs(domestic). The average saw an all-time high of 17.35 lacs. There were 150+ companies, with 30+ of them having names in the Fortune 500 list, that made 450+ offers on campus. The list includes names like Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Nivea, Mondelez, Reliance, Adani, etc. As I am interested in the brand management role, my plan after geting the degree is to secure a job in the marketing sector and build my career in the same.

The fee for the current batch is 19.53 lacs, including tuition fee, hostel fee, mess fee, and the refundable security deposit. With the rising average of the institution, the fee is, to an extent, justified. The beautiful campus is spread over an area of 20 acres in the middle of Ghaziabad. The living standards are quite satisfactory, and there is a robust complaint redressal system in place. Female students are eligible for a 5% refund on the tuition fee, and there are multiple merit-cum-mean scholarships for top performers with amounts of up to 1 lakh. The education loan system is readily available for students as the institute is well known. All the major banks provide loans at acceptable rates. The summer internship process begins in the first term and many major brands show up on campus and online. I secured an internship for 1 lakh from the campus itself. The process is entirely student-run and smooth.

The campus life at IMT is really indulging. There is something for everyone. Beginning with the classes, they are fully equipped for a holistic teaching experience. E-learning as well as the board. The library is one of a kind. It is equipped with various learning sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, etc. There is a plethora of books, journals, and magazines in the two-story library from various sources. The students get access to software like Grammarly and Turnitin as well. The annual college fest is PASSION, conducted in the month of December, and the Olympics of B-schools, CHAKRAVYUH, is conducted in the month of February. There are around 18 clubs and committees that the students can choose from, and the campus is equipped with sports amenities like basketball, football, badminton, etc. The campus is entirely student-run, and the students are welcome to take part in whichever activity they like. Apart from that, there is always something happening and the campus is never not lively.

The course is a fully residential one, and the accommodation is provided on the campus itself by the college. There are various blocks on campus for the students. The rooms are dual sharing with selected ones being single occupancy, and they are allotted during the time of admissions. There is a bed, a table, a chair, and an almirah provided in the rooms. Rest all amenities are readily available on campus during the time of admissions itself. The washrooms are common and cleaned twice a day by the cleaning staff, which is also available for room cleaning as well. The mess is also run by the students with a specially curated menu twice a month. The food is liked by the majority of students, and there is no compromise in quality, hygiene, and taste. Other than that, the students can order food from outside any time of the day.

MBA at IMT is a two-year, fully residential program offering courses in fields like Marketing, Finance, HR, BFS, and Operations. There is no separate exam for IMT-G as such, it accepts CAT, XAT, and GMAT scores. The minimum percentile for CAT and XAT was 90/92 last year, and for GMAT, the score was 630+. Candidates are also selected based on exceptional profiles/work experiences. The shortlisted candidates were called for an online WAT/PI round, and it is probably going to be the same as last year. Candidates can fill out the application form (approx. Rs. 2500) through the website, and the interview process will start soon, in the first week of February. The whole process was relatively smooth, with a lot of hand-holding throughout. There was a WAT topic given to the candidates, then the interviews were conducted one on one by the current faculty ranging from basic HR questions to stressful ones. Just try to maintain your calm and be honest. Leave the rest!

There was no group discussion during my time. The students are shortlisted on three criteria- exceptional profile, exceptional score, and exceptional work experience. The shortlisted students are called for WAT/PI round. There are multiple topics ranging from politics to sports, to economics, etc. My topic was, commenting on the environmental policies of India. The students are expected to know some things about the general happenings in the world and the country. 20 minutes are allotted to the students to write approximately 500-600 words on the relevant topic. Post that, there is a PI round. The panelist might ask you relevant questions about your resume, your life, and general knowledge. They wish to test your decision-making skills, knowledge, and presence of mind. If you want, you can drive the interview by stating exciting things about yourself and just being confident. Just smile and if it is a stressful interview like mine, keep your calm. Lastly, avoid lying and overconfidence