Most Indian B-schools offer Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Operations and Systems as specializations. Certain institutes also offer niche specializations like Media & Communications, Hospitality, Fashion Technology and International Business among others.

Classification of MBA Institutes

B-schools are classified for purposes of recruitment by companies and admissions by students into tiers. Tier I schools constitute crème de la crème institutes like Indian Institutes of Management - Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta, Indian School of Business, S.P. Jain Institute of Management Studies, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University and Xavier’s Labour Research Institute.

Over 20 schools like Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Management Development Institute, Indian Institutes of Management Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore and Shillong, Xavier’s Institute of Management, Loyola Institute of Business Administration and T.A. Pai Management Institute constitute the Tier II B-schools.

The rest of the institutes comprise the Tier III category. Tier I and II schools in India try to emulate the classic American MBA programs by focusing on real life business and management scenarios. Emphasis is laid on industry-relevant learning by encouraging guest lectures by stalwarts, employing industry experienced faculty as well as practicing professionals, exposing students to Ivy League case studies and incorporating compulsory summer internships as a part of the curriculum. MBA students are routinely required to work in teams, write research papers, make professional presentations and manage entire events on campus.

Advantages of B-schools

Many premier B-schools organize high level, annual national symposiums, conferences and conventions. Burgeoning business and management themes are chosen for such mega events and recognized academicians stalwarts of industry like CEOs, CFOs and MDs are invited to interact and create a direct connect with students so as to make classroom learning more correlated to current business developments.

B-schools Placements

MBA salaries in B-schools depend almost entirely on the reputation and brand value of the institute. As a result, Tier I B-schools normally command average salaries of Rs. 11 – 15 lakhs per annum while Tier II B-schools attract average salaries ranging from Rs. 6 – 8 lakhs per annum. The highest salaries offered to MBA students from premium Indian B-schools are usually over Rs. 1 crore.

Companies from all over India recruit across sectors and job profiles from B-schools. Companies from sectors such as Banking & Financial Services(BFS), Manufacturing, FMCG and Business Consultancy are the biggest recruiters, with BFS and Consultancy companies offering the best pay packages. Profiles in banking, financial consulting, corporate finance and HR, sales & marketing, B2B sales, talent acquisition & management and operations management among others are offered to graduating students. Students are usually recruited at the lower or middle management levels. Most B-schools follow the Placement week format of campus recruitment wherein companies go down to the campuses and within the span of one week, the entire graduating batch is placed. Over the last 10 years, Tier I Indian B-schools have attracted overseas job offers, showcasing the value a premium Indian MBA is deemed to have abroad.