Management education in India started in right earnest about 50 years ago with the establishment of several Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) that are still going strong and producing world class graduates. What followed later were many management courses taught in universities, colleges and institutes, many of them private. Especially nowadays with the changing world order, the emphasis seems to be on technology but the truth is that knowledge comes first. Indian education needs to be resilient enough to withstand global competition. In the 21st century, we no longer reside in villages or towns but have become world citizens.
Global competitiveness has been ushered into our lives through the internet and television and attitudes need to change. We need to become more cosmopolitan and multicultural with international exposure and knowledge of foreign languages too. Is English all that important? Certainly English has a paramount role to play as the only truly international language though some European countries hardly speak English and countries like Japan and China uses more of their own language.
Global Institute of Business Education in Bangalore
GIBS has been doing well consistently in its efforts to train business managers of the future. Along with MBA and PGDM, the institute also offers BBA and BCom courses. The green campus in South Bangalore in Bannerghatta is stimulating enough with a diverse range of student activities. The educational infrastructure is well developed with ample library resources and smart classrooms quite capable of hosting workshops, presentations, and seminars. The students do feel motivated to study and excel in such an ambiance.
Shortcomings of Indian management education
One would expect that globalization would help the quality and standards of Indian education. Management is important because business managers work in every sector and occupation. Money and manpower extend to every field of work and effective management is required. Management is truly the mother of all occupations! The truth is that many of the management institutes of India lack creativity and the right attitude. The logistics, ethics, and standards are stagnating and the professional competency of the graduates is deplorable. How far will they reach in terms of career goals?
Research reveals that many Indian management institutes are not in touch with industry realities. That is true with most educational settings that build up a fanciful dream world and students exist in a kind of splendid vacuum that does not connect with the working world. Forget about global perspectives, students fail to grasp the Indian business scenario. The institutes have few links with the industry and it appears to be a virtual world in which they study. Research is lacking and most study is based on theoretical approaches. Lacking adequate resources and infrastructure, following the traditional pedagogy, the students are probably there because they did not find admission to better institutes. Thousands of students fall prey to elaborate money making hoaxes that are passed off as quality education with a degree being awarded in convocations. Affiliations with universities and world bodies may exist on paper alone.
Accreditations, affiliations, awards, and rankings elevate GIBS!
How does one judge an institution? It is a formidable task but research organizations are constantly using certain yardsticks to rank institutions. In the world city that Bangalore has now become as a result of the global software industry, you would find numerous colleges, institutes and private universities besides the government universities. In management itself, a large number of institutions compete to attract students with sweet promises.
If you want to study business management, how would you choose? Reputations matter but online statuses can be manipulated with professional writers writing the reviews. Rankings and awards are truthful enough and GIBS has been deeply honored regularly with several such recognitions by prestigious organizations, websites and research bodies.
An authentic institution opens up to the world like GIBS with its record of internships and placements. A regular report of placements each year reveals that students who pass out have received lucrative prestigious appointments with some of the leading MNCs in India and abroad. While many institutes do publish such reports, one wonders if they are all genuine. In any case, company names do not tell lies and it would be possible to confirm whether the placement records are real or manipulated. There seems no doubt that GIBS is telling the truth, the website is very convincing in intimate details.
The challenging role of Indian education in the present
We may hate to admit our deficiencies but reality needs to be accepted if we have to succeed. Indian education in general and business education in particular still has a long way to go to catch up with international standards. Perhaps the twin aspects of faculty and infrastructure would suffice to ensure quality education that can stand international competition. The weaknesses lie with the mighty student strength and the lack of courage and low morale among a majority of Indian students. Yet, inspiring faculty and industry leaders can make a difference to the big picture as they do in GIBS. We wish for more such institutions to elevate Indian education.
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