MOULDED FOR THE NEW WORLD

MODERN MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMES ARE GEARED TOWARDS PRODUCING MANAGERS WHO CAN, EVENTUALLY, LEAD ACROSS FUNCTIONS AND THROUGH CRISES

- ABHINAV SINGH 

The rain-soaked campus of the S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) in Andheri, Mumbai, is buzzing with students. Some are in the canteen, others are shuttling between classes. Off-line classes are back and are now enriched by the lessons learned from the pandemic, especially with regard to disruptions and business resilience.

This adds to the experiential learning practised at India’s best b-schools. For instance, Richa Pandey, a student in SPJIMR’s postgraduate programme in management—a one-year course that requires at least five years of work experience—recalls a product launch simulation in class. The considerations started right from research and development and included pricing and the launch strategy.

Pandey, who hails from Jharkhand, adds that she has been impressed by the institute’s focus on social leadership. She explains the ‘development of corporate citizenship programme’ that involves students implementing their learnings while working at an NGO. “It is not just about the academics, but the grooming of well-rounded individuals who will be ready to take up mid-management roles,” she says.

To that end, there is a focus on introducing different disciplines to the students. Dinyar Patel, assistant professor, management and society, teaches history to the would-be managers. “History is basically about debates and there is no right answer,” says Patel, who was born and brought up in the US and taught at the University of South Carolina before joining SPJIMR.