Know all about K J Somaiya Institute of Management Mumbai Interview with Ishika Sharma (Student)

K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai was established in 1981. It is a private management institute affiliated to the Somaiya Vidyavihar University. K J Somaiya Institute of Management has been granted the status of an autonomous institute by the University Grants Commission (UGC). It has been accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA). The institute has bagged the 71th position in the management category in the NIRF 2022 ranking. K J Somaiya Institute of Management offers postgraduate and doctoral degree programmes. The college offers MBA, MCA and Ph.D. programmes in the field of management and research.

Careers360 brings you an interview with Ishika Sharma, Student at K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai. She is pursuing her MBA from K J SIM. In this interview, Ishika has shared her experience at K J SIM. What is life like inside the institute? How did she choose the MBA programme at K J Somaiya Institute of Management? To know more about K J SIM from a student's perspective go through the complete interview of Ishika Sharma with Careers360 given below.

Careers360. Tell us something about yourself. Where are you from? What makes you want to pursue a master's degree? What do you hope to achieve with an MBA?

Ishika Sharma. I am Ishika Sharma hailing from Jaipur. I did my bachelor's in B.Sc (Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology). I am pursuing an MBA from K J SIM Mumbai to grow into a better manager and for better employment opportunities. MBA enhances one's leadership skills, understanding of business and one to become competent enough to operate efficiently in the corporate world.

Careers360. Presently which course are you pursuing, and which year are you in? What has been your most rewarding academic experience thus far?

Ishika Sharma. I am a 1st-year student of K J Somaiya Institute of Management, pursuing my postgraduate degree in the MBA. The learning experience at K J Somaiya Institute of Management has been exceedingly rewarding. K J SIM pays more emphasis on the holistic development of its students. It promotes peer and application-based learning by encouraging students to engage in multiple group discussions, student committees, and competitions.

Also Read: K J SIM courses & fees

Careers360. Tell us about the course curriculum and specializations offered. Are the learning more theory-based or practical-based?

Ishika Sharma. The MBA programme at K J Somaiya Institute of Management is of two years. While the 1st year of the programme focuses on imparting knowledge relevant to all fields of management, it is the 2nd year that becomes specific as students get an opportunity to pursue their chosen areas of specialization.

The various major specializations a student can opt from are:

• Marketing

• Finance

• Human Resources

• Data Science and Analytics

• Operations Management

The different minors a student can choose from are as follows:

• Business Analytics

• Data Science

• Financial Services

• Marketing

• Strategy and Consulting

• Sustainability

• Operations Management

• People Development

In addition to the MBA programme, the institute also offers dedicated courses like MBA in Healthcare Management (MBA-HCM) and an MBA in Sports Management (MBA-SM).

Careers360. Did you face any difficulties in the initial months you joined the institute?

Ishika Sharma. An MBA programme is of two-years, which calls for a candidate's extensive dedication and discipline. This programme pushes students to give their hundred percent at all times, which may sometimes be challenging to manage. Initially, several students face the challenge of creating an MBA-life balance as they deal with multiple deadlines simultaneously.

An MBA may seem challenging, but one should remember that it is as tricky as you make it and as rewarding as you invest in it. The more you surpass the curveballs it throws at you, the closer you get to achieving your career objectives.

Also Read: K J SIM admissions

Careers360. Did the Institute hold any guest lectures/industry interactions during learning? Tell us about them.

Ishika Sharma. At K J Somaiya Institute of Management, you will have various opportunities to attend guest lectures on different topics and subjects and meet with notable industrialists and interact with them. To mention a few guest lectures, the very recent one that was organized was with the managing director of Firmenich India, who is also an alumnus of Somaiya Vidyavihar. So, here everyone gets a chance to learn more than just academics and understand the external world.

Careers360. Does the institute provide opportunities to interact with industry stalwarts and people from the corporate world? If yes, share your experience and learnings.

Ishika Sharma. With K J Somaiya Institute of Management’s focus on "experience-driven" education, we get various opportunities to interact with industry leaders as students. Students engage with the corporate leaders throughout the year, including numerous Guest Lectures and Field Visits. Interactions are not limited to internships, live projects, and case discussions. As students, we organize and moderate summits and panels that bring together experts, thinkers, and practitioners from India and abroad. Students also benefit from intensive mentoring by committed and enthusiastic industry professionals.

The various committees at the institute also organize multiple events where industry leaders are invited as guests of honors, panel members, or jury for competitions and summits. Through the international exchange and immersion programs, students and the management get to interact with several global leaders and build lasting relations. The institute also engages with the industry by leveraging the course curriculum to deliver real-time market insights while providing an experiential learning pedagogy to the students.

Being located in Mumbai, the country's financial capital, as well as the headquarters of several top firms and the home of several startups, allows us to establish close ties with several companies.

Also Read: K J SIM cutoff

Careers360. What are all initiatives taken by the institute to make the classes and learning more engaging for all students?

Ishika Sharma. MBA courses can become extraordinarily tiring and intense with continuous presentations and projects, studies, and classes. K J Somaiya Institute of Management follows an active learning approach, which is an instructional approach in which students actively participate in the learning process instead of sitting quietly and listening. Strategies include, but are not limited to, question-and-answer sessions, discussions, interactive lectures (in which students respond to or ask questions), short writing assignments, hands-on activities, and experiential learning.

K J Somaiya offers various collaborative courses with Coursera and Bloomberg. We also have a well-equipped and oriental library where students can access books, journals, research papers, and more.

Careers360. How was your experience with the faculty?

Ishika Sharma. The Faculty are a dynamic pool of professionals who have had vast and varied experience in the field of academics as well as industry. The institute has left no stone unturned in the effort to assemble a top-notch team of professionals focused on the group's vision and share the institution's deep-rooted commitment to delivering a quality learning experience to the students. K J Somaiya Institute of Management faculty act as teachers, researchers, consultants, and trainers. They are supplemented by a carefully selected group of resource persons, each expert, and leader in their chosen field.

Careers360. What activities are offered in the institute? Are there any clubs, societies, etc., for the various extracurricular activities? Which ones have you taken up and are a part of?

Ishika Sharma. K J Somaiya Institute of Management is a culturally diverse institute. In addition to the regular academic activities, the Institute organizes several events with the help of and for students. Some of these events are SPRIHA, NATIONAL RETAIL SUMMIT (NRS), NAVIKARAN, etc. It offers a variety of committees for the students where they are free to develop their managerial abilities and advance themselves. We are free to choose any as per our interest.

Careers360. Tell us about the faculty-student ratio here and the teacher-student relationship in your understanding.

Ishika Sharma. The core of education is the relationship between the teacher and the student and the extent to which that relationship nurtures the student's longing to matter. We have such class sizes that each student is carefully cared for, and the teacher-to-student ratio is excellent. The faculty members at K J Somaiya Institute of Management are always there to guide the students.

Careers360. Does your college help you get internships? Have you undergone an internship via college? Was there any stipend? Share your internship experience with us. Tell us what you learned, what challenges you faced, which company it was, and which profile.

Ishika Sharma. K J Somaiya Institute of Management offers numerous opportunities when it comes to internships and live projects. The majority of internships are compensated and give a decent stipend. The placement committee works around the clock to place students where they would like with the finest chances. For the K J SIM batch 2022-23, 100% students have got their offers in place for Summer Internships. 188 companies visited our campus for Summer Internships. The highest stipend offered was Rs 90,000 pm whereas the average stipend offered was Rs. 19,588 pm

Check: K J SIM Facilities

Careers360. Tell us about the placement drive. Is there a placement cell in your college? Do teachers/seniors help you?

Ishika Sharma. The Placement Committee at K J Somaiya Institute of Management is a complete student-driven body headed by the Career Management and Corporate Relations team. Besides looking after the Final Placements and Summer Internships of the second and first-year students, the Placement Committee also helps the students gain industry exposure by assisting them to work on live and concurrent projects. The college often holds sessions to help us develop solid resumes and to improve our skills. The unsaid objective is to achieve 100% placements year after year to give students the corporate opportunities they’re seeking successfully.

Careers360. Which all companies generally visit your campus for placements? Can you give us an idea about the salary packages offered to the students at the time of placement?

Ishika Sharma. Companies from industries including banking and insurance, IT and ITES, financial services, consulting, and FMCG typically come to campus to recruit candidates. Around 200 companies visit each year to recruit students. 99% of MBA candidates were placed during the 2022 K J Somaiya Institute of Management placements. The institute's average package offered is Rs 10.97 LPA, respectively. For the top 100 and 200 offers, the average package goes up to Rs 15.80 LPA and Rs 13.5 LPA. Apart from this, the middle packages for MCA placements were recorded as Rs 5.67 LPA, respectively.

Careers360. What all facilities do you have on campus? What do you like here the most which you feel is unique and differentiating?

Ishika Sharma. The K J Somaiya Institute of Management strongly emphasizes students' overall development. The institute offers a hostel with all the modern amenities, including a gym, laundromats, a student mess, an activity area, internet access, and a well-stocked medical room that is open around the clock with an on-call ambulance. Additionally, it comprises an amphitheater and the Takshila and Nalanda auditoriums. The institute offers access to internet databases, including CRISIL, PROQUEST, and others, and a digitized library with more than 91,000 books. The premise is that they provide a wide range of sporting facilities, such as a jogging track, live chess court, football field, cricket field, badminton court, basketball court, volleyball court, tennis court, table tennis room, squash court, etc.

Careers360. What about the medical facilities? Can you avail requisite medical attention if needed in an emergency?

Ishika Sharma. On the campus of the K J Somaiya Institute of Management, there are medical professionals with extensive training and expertise. The college offers routine medical exams to ensure that students are physically and mentally healthy. The facility provides an on-call ambulance and a well-stocked medical room available 24/7.

Quick Links: K J SIM Reviews

Careers360. How do you balance your studies, projects, exams, and other activities?

Ishika Sharma. An MBA offers a broad range of courses and many options outside the classroom, including case competitions, internships, volunteer consulting work, committees, and more. Although getting an MBA is a highly beneficial experience, it may also be very hectic. I must manage my time to maximize my experience as a K J Somaiya Institute of Management MBA student. Gaining a balance between academics and extracurricular activities is made possible by creating a proper schedule and identifying the critical tasks that must be completed first.

Careers360. How comfortable are your hostels, and how about the cleanliness factor over there?

Ishika Sharma. The hostel and the campus as a whole give a lot of importance to hygiene, which is why they're very strict and regular when it comes to cleaning. The hostel floors are cleaned twice daily (the frequency increases in monsoon). The rooms, washrooms, and balconies are thoroughly cleaned every other day. A clean-up happens right after every meal in the food mess as well.

Careers360. What are the popular hangouts at the institute? What, according to you, are the most-visited places nearby?

Ishika Sharma. There are a lot of places on campus that, as students, we cannot get enough of. These hangouts include the Maggi Point, the night mess in the hostel, the spacious amphitheater, the canteen, and the enormous athletic track. The campus provides a lot of fantastic spots like these to hang out with friends and unwind. However, there are quite a few such places outside of campus as well. Chai Sutta bar, Steamy Mugs, R.S. Mani Cafe, and Delicious restaurant are some of the most visited places outside the campus.

Also Read: K J SIM Q&A

Careers360. How do you spend your leisure time on campus?

Ishika Sharma. There's a never-ending variety of things to do on campus to spend our leisure time. The hostilities can enroll in gym facilities, and the athletic race track is open to everyone. Nothing is more soothing than taking a long relaxing walk on a campus full of adorable little pets running around amidst rich herbage. In addition, students choose to spend their leisure time hanging out at Maggi Point and the canteen, along with some food, tea, and gossip.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.

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