K J Somaiya Institute of Management - Interview with Dr. Monica Khanna, Director

K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai, is the constituent B-school of Somaiya Vidyavihar University. Ranked 56 in the NIRF Indian Rankings 2020 for Management,K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management is one of the popular and preferred colleges in the country for MBA programmes. Careers360 talked to Dr. Monica Khanna, Director, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, to know about the admission process of the institute, the legacy it holds, its mission, courses offered, and more. Read the full interview with Dr. Monica Khanna below.
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Careers360 - Tell us about K J Somaiya Institute of Management, its mission and legacy.
Dr. Monica Khanna - The institute opened in 1981 with numerous PGDM courses on offer. Earlier known as K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, the institute gained the private university status in 2019. Over the years, the varsity has started sector specific programmes to help in employment opportunities for the students. As part of the re-branding exercise, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies is now known as K J Somaiya Institute of Management.

Careers360 - Tell us about the programmes and specializations that are being offered by the institute.
Dr. Monica Khanna - It started with one MMS programme in 1983 and then in 1993, we started a PGDM programme. In 2007, the institute offered its first ever management programmes like MBA in International Business and MBA in Retail Management.

Later, due to a successful journey of the management courses and market research done by the institute, the institute introduced a two-year MBA programme in Financial Services and a 15 month full time Executive MBA programme which needs at least 5 yr of work experience. In 2012, the institute, yet again, introduced a two-year MBA programme in Integrated Marketing Communication. The institute has introduced various MBA multidisciplinary programmes till now including courses like MBA in Healthcare Management and a two-year MBA Programme in Human Resources and MBA in sports management. Over the years, the institute has evolved in providing courses which enable students to be ready for employment in the management world. For any students interested in sports or are looking for a future in sports will find delight in various sports facilities provided by the institute. The sectors like sports and health care need highly qualified managers which the institute helps students to gain that level of experience and perfection.

Careers360 -Tell us about the admission process and cutoff.
Dr. Monica Khanna - To get the admission in K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management candidates must go through the entrance examinations such as CAT, XAT and GMAT. The CAT cutoffkeeps on changing every year since we believe in shortlisting candidates on the basis of the profile of the candidates for its health care and sports programmes.

Watch the full interview of Dr. Monica Khanna below

Careers360 - How strongly does the institution encourage diversity in the campus?
Dr. Monica Khanna - The institute has, till now, welcomed all the students from all over India warmly. Students hailing from North-East, Eastern and Western areas apply for the programmes. The institution is a place where all states are represented and the diverse educational qualifications and backgrounds are encouraged. Almost 35 - 40% of students are girls. Students from arts, commerce, pharmacy, BDS qualified candidates also test their luck in the MBA programmes making the discussion in the classroom diverse and multidimensional.

Careers360 - Throw some light on the placement procedure and the top recruiters visiting the campus every year for recruiting students.
Dr. Monica Khanna - The placement record at K J Somaiya Institute of Managementhas been remarkable till now. In 2019, almost 97% students were placed by the top recruiters in the country. The average salary goes up to 10 lakhs while the highest salary has gone up to 27-28 lakhs. Top companies such as Amazon, Dell, JP Morgan Chase & Co., SBI, TATA have till now visited the campus to recruit some of our best students.

Careers360 - Is there any hostel facility available in the institute campus?
Dr. Monica Khanna - Yes, the institute also has great hostel facilities with arrangements with OYO rooms outside campus. There are 1000 bed hostel rooms with 700 rooms for boys and 300 for girls.

Careers360 - Do you provide the Internships as well?
Dr. Monica Khanna - Yes, many students have bagged summer virtual internships and pre-placement offers. In 2020, due to the pandemic, many students have been offered live projects floated to them on the basis of signups. These internships are carefully monitored by faculty mentors. Every year, almost 98% of students get internships. The institute has also introduced a new initiative called Ankur ELI (Exponential Learning Initiative) where the students get the chance to teach conversational engineering and Maths to the children who are at the bottom of the pyramid in the Gujarati medium school located on the campus. The students get a chance to also file a report notifying what they experienced.

Careers360 - What kind of students do you think should choose your institution?
Dr. Monica Khanna - Students who are looking at holistic education and exposure are welcome to apply for the MBA programmesat K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management which gives an opportunity to work in different sectors. The institute also gives opportunitiesto all the budding entrepreneurs who need to learn the tactics of the management and business world.

Do not go by the CTC or salary; instead look at the opportunities given by the society today. India is rich in problems and every problem is an opportunity for growth. Do not have a narrow vision; instead look at the opportunities. India needs professional trained managers and MBA is a one stop solution for training students and making them employable graduates. There is no end to MBA because the course has a big relevance to society nowadays.