"India: A Hub For Management Studies"

A recent GMAT report puts India on the global map as a fast growing hub for management education.

India, having created a niche for itself in IT education, is now the go to place for a substantial talent pool in the information technology sector. This trend might now be challenged as more and more management aspirants are choosing India as their preferred study destination.

As mores students opt for specialized management programmes, the Indian business studies sector has witnessed a drastic growth over the last five years. According to the recently published 2011 World Geographic Trend Report for Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) examinees, not only has there been a steady rise in the number of non-US citizens taking the GMAT exam, but Indian students have dominated this trend.

Even amongst Central and South Asian citizens, the report points out, Indians represented the largest citizenship group with the highest number of score reports sent per exam in 2011, accounting for 91 per cent of all exams taken for the year.

However, what is more remarkable to observe is that a multitude of these students are choosing India as their preferred study destination. The report states that, a large drop has been observed in the proportion of scores sent by Central and South Asian citizens to programmes in the United States and much of this shift is explained by increased interest among regional examinees to study in India, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.

The report also observes that in most cases, prospective students are increasingly interested in domestic and regional opportunities. And with Indian student dominating test numbers, it is obvious that Indian B-schools can expect more takers in the coming years.

Prime Motivators
Lower costs of education in India, could be credited as a strong influence for most Indian students who chose to study in India. Not just in terms of tuition fees, but the cost of living in one’s own country can prove to be quite economical. “Studying in India is affordable and also facilitates a curriculum that lays emphasis on practical as well as theoretical aspects of management education,” claims Ankita Sen, a recent graduate from Durgadevi Saraf Institute of Management Studies. She elaborates, “Although studying abroad may give you the global exposure, an Indian education prepares you for the rigours of industry.”

However, experts suggest that higher employment opportunities post the course is also a factor that plays an important role while choosing a study destination. “Most Indian management schools have a well structured campus placement programme with almost 100 per cent employment for all students. And jobs are, after all, an important reason for students opting for an MBA,” asserts Pratibha Jain, education counsellor specialising in studying abroad.

Flexible admissions criteria also boost the popularity of Indian management schools, “Institutes abroad often require you to have at least three to four years of experience. So for a fresher, Indian B-schools can be a viable option,” adds Sen.

Needless to say, of course, that with rising global competition, the quality of education in India has also risen optimally. Jain explains, “Reputed management programmes in India are delivering excellent quality by engaging highly qualified faculty and guest speakers from the industry. The curriculum, teaching material, case-study approach, and overall pedagogy reflect international practices. This, together with low cost of education and living, good placement and familiar environment, makes Indian B-schools very popular in Asia.”

In conclusion, it is the figures that stand as evidence to the fact that India is at the nucleus of an increasingly global sector of management education.

Source – Education Research