What It Means to Be a Management Student

Eldhose.K.Leenose

No other discipline of education has been playing such a critical role in shaping the economy of the country as management education. Though barely 50 odd years old, this discipline has caught the fancy of the graduating youth. Credit must be given to the IIMs, which have carved a niche for themselves and organizations such as Marian Academy of Management, which are rendering yeoman service to management education with their large network of business schools all over the country. Now the question often raised is, `Who is the right candidate for management education'? A fresher or a person with work experience? With close to 95% of our management students coming straight from their degree colleges, this article would rather address that population only.
A rough estimate puts the number of business schools in our country at around 2000 with close to 5 lakh MBA aspirants. There are at least six major entrance tests conducted annually in the country on the whole; viz., CAT, XAT, IBSAT, ATMA, MAT, JMET. etc. In addition, every university (department of management education) has its own entrance test. Thus, to start with, there is an entry barrier which a prospective management student has to necessarily cross. While this is the state for a campus-based full-time management education, the demand is as much for distance learning or a part-time mode management education. Another notable feature of this education is that, close to 50% of students come from an engineering background with 25% to 30% from commerce and the rest from humanities, etc. Management program is a different ball game and every student (aspiring, existing and past) needs to adopt a totally different approach to derive the intended benefits.
Every student pursues an educational program to qualify himself for some occupation or devotes his time to some branch of higher learning at a university. Against this backdrop, management education is taken up by aspiring students with the sole intention of getting into some occupation, while the management teacher is the one who, apart from imparting subject knowledge, teaches the basics of application of the knowledge so imparted, thus, making a concerted effort to make a manager out of an ordinary and simple individual. Having understood the basic concepts of management student and management teacher, it is relevant to explore the process of learning as outlined in our ancient Indian scriptures, which fits the management education aptly like a glove.
Acharyat Padamadatte
Padam Sishya Swamedhaya
Padam Saha Brahmacharibhyaha
Sesham Kalakramenacha
_Upanishads
That is to say, a teacher imparts only a quarter of the whole knowledge to a student, while the student learns one quarter on his own, the third quarter comes from his peer group, and the rest, a student learns from the environment. Ironically, though the teacher himself is disseminating only a part of the whole knowledge being sought by a student, his responsibility is to make sure that the student actually picks up the remaining from the other areas as mentioned above. Thus, a teacher not only dons the role of a knowledge provider but also becomes a facilitator to the student in the knowledge-seeking process from other avenues. Then the teacher's role further extends to the development of personality and the character of a student, contrary to the general belief that it is limited to academics alone. The student also needs to do his part in the journey by being a keen and enthusiastic learner, then only the cycle of knowledge seeking and dissemination would be complete.
The topic is going to be dealt with under three different headings, i.e., before becoming a management student, as a management student, and after graduating.
Before Becoming a Management Student
Whole-hearted preparation is required to take a crack at the various entrance examinations. About six of them are conducted every year at the all-India level, while every university, wherever management programs are offered, has its own entrance exam. Basically, one's analytical ability, time management skills, working under pressure, quantitative techniques, data sufficiency and language proficiency are tested. A couple of years of work experience will prove advantageous at every stage. After the entrance test, facing the interview panel is yet another major exercise where one's self-confidence, communication skills, sound subject and current affairs knowledge are put to the test. Basic IT skills are a must. There are plenty of coaching centers in the country which are doing a good job in preparing students for these tests.
As a Management Student
Assuming that one is successful in getting admission into a good business school every management student is expected to follow the above mentioned Shloka in true letter and spirit to derive maximum benefit from the program. But, before that, it is relevant to understand certain basic differences between management education and a conventional PG program which are outlined below:
• High application orientation.
• Continuous study and evaluation.
• Inter-disciplinary and integrated approach.
• Provision of overall business perspective.
• Relative grading system involved.
• High profession/occupation-oriented.
• Personality development with heavy emphasis on soft skills.
• Teamwork involved (Peer group).
• High grades may not mean much.
• Interactive mode of teaching/learning.
• High self-learning/studying involved.
• Assignment/project/case study-intensive.
Once a student understands these basic differences and goes about in meeting the relevant requirements stated, implied or self-imposed, there won't be any looking back for him in those two years. Students with work experience have the added advantage in sharing their practical knowledge and also relating it to the newly acquired theoretical input which by itself becomes a value added learning experience for them and other students as well. Freshers basically, need to shed their `undergrad' casual attitude and adopt a more responsible posture in acquiring the skills with all the seriousness. Certain issues which merit attention while pursuing the management program are:
• Thinking and more thinking.
• Communication skills (written/verbal).
• Open, flexible mind and attitude.
• Keenness to learn and learn more from all avenues.
• Business/commercial sense and contemporary business knowledge through intensive reading.
• Organizing and presentation skills.
• Business reading habits.
• Creative, innovative and inquisitive bent of mind with questioning attitude.
• Team spirit and participative nature.
• Deadline meeting, sense of time and its management.
• Business etiquette and related soft skills.
• Sense of ethics, honesty and moral values.
• Mature outlook and behavior.
• Spirit of service to the society and environmental consciousness.
• General awareness of the business scene and current affairs.
• Analytical ability and strategic outlook (looking beyond).
• Corporate culture.
• Frequent introspection.
Management students have to remember that the virtues and right attitudes that they develop and nurture, are going to stand them in good stead in their subsequent service life. Business schools that insist upon and instill the above mentioned attributes in their students shall carve a niche for themselves and leave a lasting impact on the minds of the graduating youth. Companies make a beeline to such schools to absorb the budding managerial talent. This augurs well for students, business schools and the industry alike.
After Graduating
Management students tend to establish strong bonds among themselves through the alumni networks. Secondly, they also undergo a kind of `culture shock' when they step into the actual work environment, which would be a totally different world when compared with the ideal classroom environment they were used to. Few meritorious students even suffer with `Í know all' syndrome, while some from more well-known schools tend to mix among their own fraternity treating others as `lesser mortals'. This attitude is detrimental to both the organization and the young managers too. They need to remember and practice the following:
• Unlearn, relearn and continue learning.
• Keep an open mind and upgrade skills.
• Shed classroom thinking.
• Get grounded, understand the realities.
• Develop positive and helping attitude.
• Network professionally and alumni-wise.
• Keep smiling and dream a lot.
Conclusion
Management education is not a simple program where one crams a bit, writes a few exams, and then gets into a job. It is much more than that! It is a dedicated approach essential at every stage: Only then the desired benefits will accrue to the students, the teachers, and the industry and that is how these three groups are going to make a difference to the economy of our country.