Reasons for selecting the ISB
The opportunity cost of doing a management programme was very high for me both professionally and personally. So I did my homework very thoroughly. The ISB programme turned out to be an excellent fit not only because it is a one-year course, but also because that hasn’t diluted the quality of learning here. I’m certain no other B-school in the country has attained this kind of credibility in a short span of only six years.

On the infrastructure and other resources at the ISB
Nothing prepares your for the visual ISB experience. The first time you drive in, the campus just bowls you over. It’s simply a work of art. Great care has been taken to make every student’s stay here comfortable from fantastic residential (with housekeeping!), dining, and recreation facilities to a par excellence academic centre.

On your peer groups
We’ve all been achievers in our different ways before coming here. But the sheer depth and variety of talent, makes being here a very humbling experience. And it’s getting better every year. The ISB is perhaps India’s only respectable B-school with a balanced batch profile. While there are a fair number of techies, there’s a significant smattering of everything else -- doctors, scientists, architects, journalists, entrepreneurs, defense officers, among others.

On the ISB’s learning model
I’m not mincing any words here. It’s a very difficult programme and if you’re not on top of what’s going on in class your grades will definitely suffer. There’s a lot of emphasis on practical applications of theory. Tons of assignments over a seemingly long weekend (classes are held only Monday to Thursday) and exams every three weeks. Students are typically required to read about a hundred or more pages of course material everyday.

On the faculty at the ISB
Getting professors from Wharton and Kellogg to come and teach at the ISB is the School’s biggest achievement in my opinion. They are people who’ve written the books you’re reading in class and perhaps those you read in undergrad (like in my case). They love their subject and it shows in the way they talk about it. The experience is so much better than anything I’ve sat through so far.

On leadership skills acquired at the ISB
Leadership development is something the School takes very seriously. With the help of tutors you identify a couple of areas of self-improvement and try and work on them in the time you spend here.

On your learning experiences with the Student Clubs
All clubs here are not ‘fun’ clubs. ‘Professional’ clubs like marketing, consulting, finance and so on, are meant to be vehicles for learning more about the industry you want to be in. You can benefit hugely by being an active participant, though it isn’t easy as people here know their minds and can be very demanding. The ‘social’ clubs take care of the parties and all the other fun stuff that happens on campus.

How this programme will benefit your career
I’m a career switcher. I want to move from being a journalist to a manager. And it’s clear that apart from what you learn in class by way of analytical skills, you will learn a lot from your peer group. This is perhaps the first time you will find yourself in such a competitive crowd where everybody has a point of view and they know where they want to be. Each student comes with some work experience. So making friends comes with learning about the industry and profiles you’re looking at.