What makes IIM Indore unique

It's only after graduating from IIM Indore that I realised how special it is, and what sets it apart from others. 

For starters, only 20% weightage is given to CAT scores while computing the composite scores for admission, with more emphasis on 10th and 12th results, WAT and PI. What I understand from this is that consistent performance in academics is prioritised over your results in a single exam. This is laudable because your performance in a single exam could be affected by luck, a bad day, or random occurrences. However, IIM Indore has a more broad- based view, which explains why quite a few of my classmates were Ranks 1, 2 or 3 in their respective colleges and are consistent high performers. 40% weightage to PI means that extraordinary extracurricular performance could be brought to light and "well-lopsided" students could get through. 

Consistency is one of the most important building blocks of achievement, and is an indicator of Conscientiousness (one of the Big 5 Personality traits). Conscientiousness is regarded as one of the best predictors of success on the job. As an IIM graduate, you are expected to take on the role of managers (and personality traits rather than General Mental Ability are a better indicator of job performance for managers). I believe the selection process is such that consistency is rewarded, which explains why so many of my classmates have the "lasting endurance" that Jim Collins describes as a measure of Greatness. 

I can't stress the importance of having good classmates. Class discussions are an important part of the learning process, and enrich your experience far more than simply listening to lectures by the Professor. IIM Indore is working very hard towards diversity- about 40% of my batch is female. Not just that, the most important component of the class are IPM students. IPM is the Integrated Programme in Management, which is a 5 year degree that combines undergraduation with MBA, and gives you a broad-based, liberal education (from philosophy to economics to stochastic models, IPM students are taught everything during the undergrad phase). This gives them an unusual perspective, and they are given ample opportunities to hone their soft skills. This combination of technical and soft skills makes them highly successful in all their endeavours, and an inspiration to their PGP batchmates who may not have had these opportunities. At any rate, I have learnt a lot from my IPM classmates about things like great literature, exotic financial instruments, social entrepreneurship and philosophy.  Thus, we have people from the liberal arts background, engineers and other degrees (I have a background in Commerce while another classmate of mine has a background in Zoology). This diversity made class discussions so interesting, and different perspectives enhanced my world-view.

When I first joined IIM Indore, I was concerned about the batch size and Placements, but with passage of time I found that my fears were unfounded, as we have a fantastic Placement Committee. The batch size turned out to be a blessing, because more people translated into more opportunities for peer learning and exploring new interests. My classmates had varied interests, from belly dancing to film making to rapping, and they pursued their interests alongside academics and competitions. 

In addition, IIM Indore offers unusual opportunities, like Rural Immersion Programme, which was an eye-opener for me. Having lived in a metropolitan city all my life, all I knew about rural India was from newspapers, television and internet. After living in a village in Madhya Pradesh for 5 days, I could fully appreciate the massive problems that confront us today. Newspapers give you the facts, but Rural Immersion Programme gives you the empathy and desire to change India for the better. 

I am no longer the same person I used to be when I joined IIM Indore, and I'm so grateful for all the opportunities and experiences that shaped me. I leave as a person who is stronger, more knowledgeable, more resilient, more confident, more appreciative and hopefully a better person. Although I have left the portals of learning, lifelong learning will continue!