IIM Sirmaur

MBA is a very robust and rewarding course to undertake. It enables many career advancements and empowers you to set out on your own. Be it in the field of finance, marketing, analytics, or IT, management is required everywhere. The MBA course provided in all IIMs is the best in the country. IIM, Sirmaur too has a very good faculty and curriculum. The faculty-to-student ratio is around 1;10. The faculty are highly capable and have attained the highest caliber of qualifications (including Ph.D. holders from world-renowned institutes). Teaching is done through lectures and evaluations. Classes are highly interactive and not one-sided hearing sessions. The professors act as facilitators and are not like traditional teachers. Term exams were conducted in a timely and organized manner. They test your concepts and understanding. To perform well, ample effort is required. They don't encourage rote learning. However, the management is sluggish and the term results are frequently delayed.

The companies which offer internships to IIM students are Accenture, Akzonobel, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Adani Group, etc. There are also many successful local companies and startups offering internships. The roles offered vary significantly depending on the companies. It includes marketing researchers, accountants, HR management, operation management trainees, etc. The stipends range from Rs. 20000 per month to Rs. 60000 per month. The internship generally lasts for 2 months. The internships aim to provide practical working experience to management students. The students would perform employee activities and execute projects to add value to the companies. The job descriptions and orientations would clearly state what is expected of the internees.

The institute has a placement committee that oversees the summer internships and final placements. The placement opportunities are open to all students. The students must apply for the opportunities that they are interested in. The institute provides placement to all the students. The placement process begins in the 2nd year of the course. Highly respectable and prestigious companies take up students from this institute, including ICICI, HDFC, EY, Volvo, Eicher, Deloitte, Accenture, etc. The average package offered was Rs. 12.74 lacs and the highest package was Rs. 26.5 lacs (2022). After the degree, I plan to get a management job in Finance analytics.

The total yearly fees in the Indian Institute of Management, Sirmaur amounts to around 16 lacs (as of 2023) for the two-year MBA course. This includes the tuition fees, hostel fees and others (excluding mess). There are affiliated banks which provide loans for these fees. Cases for financial assistance are reviewed in a case-by-case basis. However, scholarships are provided to students who may require it.

IIM Sirmaur conducts numerous fests and events throughout the academic year. The main event is Sierra, the cultural, management, and sports fest of IIM, Sirmaur. This event hosts many cultural shows and competitions. Many sports tournaments are conducted by the college including, cricket, football, badminton, and volleyball. Numerous case competitions and quizzes are conducted in this fest as well. All competitions have prize support. Other than the fest, there are Ted talks, guest lectures, and other enlightening and entertaining events conducted throughout the year. All festivals are celebrated together without any reservations or prejudice. The library has a good selection of books and eBooks. Many journals and magazines are accessible. The institute houses many official and student-run committees and clubs. These clubs cater to all interests be they academic or non-academic.

The hostel rooms were very good. Double occupancy rooms were given to 1st-year students. The rooms had cupboards and shelves, stand fans, two beds, two tables, and chairs. The hostels have clean restrooms and an RO water supply. The mess provides hygienic and nutritious food. The taste is acceptable. The menu is North Indian-centric. The hostels will be allotted after admission. The process is smooth.

I got admitted to IIM, Sirmaur via the following process. The admission process begins with attempting the Common Admission Test (CAT) which is conducted yearly (around November/December) by the Indian Institutes of Management. The application costs Rs. 2400 (as of 2023). Registration for the exam can be done through the website, www.iimcat.ac.in. The aspirant would then be shortlisted for the Common Admission Process (CAP). This will be done based on the aspirant's performance in CAT (min 92 percentile cutoff) and their past academic and industrial performances. The weightage given to each criterion can be reviewed on their website. Shortlisted aspirants are interviewed personally by IIM professors. They are interviewed on their academic background, quality of work experience, and professional fit in terms of program requirements and industry-appropriate behavioral compliance. Based on their Interview score and the above-weighted criteria, the applicant is granted admission.