Interview with Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina, Director, IBS Gurgaon

In this exclusive conversation with Careers360, Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina who is the Director at IBS Gurgaon shares her insightful perspectives. In this article, she explains the vision, mission, admission process, internships, placements, and more about IBS Gurgaon.

IBS Gurgaon is a private college established in the year 1995. IBS Gurgaon is a constituent college of the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, Hyderabad. IBS Gurgaon courses include an MBA. For IFHE Gurgaon admission, students must meet the specific eligibility criteria for their chosen specialisations.

Careers360: Tell us something about the institute; when it was set up, vision and mission

Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina: ICFAI Business School (IBS) is a prominent group of management institutions in India, established in 1995 as part of the ICFAI Group. IBS has gained a reputation for providing high-quality management education through its innovative programs, case-based pedagogy, and strong industry linkages.

The vision of the institute is to be a leader in management education built on the foundations of quality teaching, research, and societal engagements. The mission of the institute is to deliver quality management education, promote excellence in faculty research, and drive societal impact by engaging with stakeholders.

Careers360: Tell us something about the admission process.

Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina: The admission process at ICFAI Business School (IBS) is designed to identify students with strong managerial potential. Admission is primarily through the IBSAT, a national-level management aptitude test conducted by IBS.IBS also accepts scores from other exams such as CAT, GMAT, and NMAT for admissions.

Based on entrance exam scores, candidates are shortlisted for the next stages. Shortlisted candidates participate in micro presentation and PI rounds, which assess their communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.The final selection is based on a composite score comprising academic performance, entrance exam scores, and performance in GD and PI.

Careers360: What kind of infrastructure can students expect at the institute? Please elaborate.

Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina: ICFAI Business School (IBS) offers a comprehensive and modern infrastructure designed to enhance the academic and overall experience of its students.

The campus is centrally air conditioned and all classrooms are well equipped with state of the art technology to facilitate the learning process. Lecture theatres and classrooms are designed to facilitate the case pedagogy, equipped with audio-visual tools to enhance the teaching-learning experience. A Wi-Fi campus enables access to he information inside and outside the classroom making teaching learning a more fruitful and enjoyable experience.

The fully automated Library is the powerhouse of knowledge and prides itself in housing more than 36,0000 volumes reflecting the research and teaching interests of faculty and students. It has also an extensive collections of books, journals, magazines, and digital resources. It also provides company wise updates on business news, sharing company profiles with students during placement period.

The computer lab at campus is fully equipped with the latest hardware and software infrastructure, including high-speed internet, to cater to all computing needs. The campus has a language lab which aims to enable students with better communication skills. The students are provided appropriate resource material, proper guidance and mentoring sessions by trained soft skills trainers.

Sports facilities like badminton, table tennis and gym, football, cricket are also available to promote physical well-being in students. Auditoriums and Seminar Halls in the campus are also equipped with modern audio-visual equipment for hosting seminars, workshops, and cultural events. The campus also has a medical room with medical professionals to attend to health needs of students during the campus hours.

These facilities collectively create a conducive environment for learning, personal growth, and professional development at IBS.

Careers360: There is a lot of stress that is being made about interaction with the industry as well as companies that recruit. What are the steps being taken by the institute in this direction?

Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina: At ICFAI Business School (IBS), significant steps are taken to enhance interactions and build strong relationships with industry.

An illustrative list of the key interventions is as follows:

1. Corporate Relations Team: IBS has a highly focused placement cell that actively engages with the students and recruiters round the year.

2. Guest Lectures, sessions by Professors of Practice and certification courses: Industry experts are invited to interact with the students on a regular basis and in all the semesters. In addition, certification courses on emerging trends, business challenges, and practical applications, bridging the gap between theory and practice are also undertaken and supported.

3. Industry Mentorship Programs: Students are paired with industry professionals to receive guidance on career development and industry-specific practices and skills.

4. Case-Based Learning: The curriculum is designed with extensive use of industry-relevant case studies to simulate real-world situations and decision-making.

5. Electives in High-Demand Areas: Specialised courses in areas like fintech, analytics, and digital marketing are offered, based on recruiter feedback and emerging industry requirements.

6. The Summer Internship Program offered at campus is a highly strategic component of the management course. The duration of the summer internship program is for 14 weeks, offering the students a practical exposure to corporate working. Regular interactions with company mentors and faculty guides ensure that the internship experience becomes a stepping stone in the professional journey of students.

7. Mock Interviews and Assessments: As part of IBS Gurgaon placement initiatives at the campus, mock interviews are conducted by the industry professionals and every student is given feedback.

8. Corporate Meets: IBS organizes events where students can interact with the top management professionals, managers, and HR leaders to understand industry expectations and the significance of building networks.

These steps collectively ensure that students at IBS get closely connected to the corporate and business.

Careers360: Internships are now mandatory as per AICTE guidelines. Does the institute help students with this? If yes, how?

Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina: IBS is committed to ensuring that students gain valuable industry exposure through a structured 14-week internship. We provide comprehensive support throughout the internship journey of the students. The duration of 14 weeks is one of the USPs of the IBS curriculum.

• The institute collaborates with businesses and corporations to provide students with opportunities to apply their skills and gain valuable industry exposure. Companies share their requirements, and the institute facilitates the selection process, ensuring companies identify the most suitable candidates.

• An interdisciplinary faculty team conducts sessions as part of IMPACT classes to prepare students for internships and final placements.

• At the outset of the commencement of the 14-week Summer internship, students are given comprehensive insights into the various stages and phases of the journey to be experienced by them during the internship.

• The final reports submitted by the students on their work and learnings during the internship are jointly evaluated by the industry professionals and the faculty.

• Based on multi-stage evaluations, select students are awarded the Summer Internship Awards.

Careers360: Please share placement statistics with information on the average package, highest and lowest package, number of students placed, and details of companies that have recruited.

Dr. Anupama Dullo Raina: IBS accords high priority to the placement processes by engaging with the students during all the semesters. Side by side, it has a well-established, structured, and broad network of recruiters. The outcome of the placement efforts is best reflected in the following statements.

Prominent Recruiters (a partial list)

Disclaimer: This article is published as a marketing initiative between ICFAI Business School Gurgaon, and Careers360.