My Almamater
moulded me to become a manager for the mankind
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I still remember the day I
boarded the train to attend the GD & Interview session for admission at
School of Management Studies, CUSAT.
But, before I get to that story,
I should talk about how I had dreamt about that journey. It all started while I
was doing my graduation in Trivandrum. I was an NCC cadet and used to be in
camps most of the time. Though I was born and brought up in an ordinary middle
class family in Trivandrum, where both my parents were Government employees,
the NCC training gave me a lot of confidence and courage to aspire beyond the mediocre.
Thinking beyond graduation and that too for an MBA degree was not something so
pleasant for a member in our orthodox family, where the girls typically get
married while they are in their college. It was during one of those camps that
one of the officers inspired me to pursue higher studies and get into
managerial roles than stopping my education at graduation. For the first time,
I heard about the degree called “MBA”
and was fascinated towards it. I started asking all the people around about the
same. In those days, when we cannot “google” details, the only option was
asking to different people. I came to know that MBA degree was mostly given in
premium institutes outside the state and in Kerala, not many institutions give
that degree. I started enquiring about my dream PG “MBA”. Luckily, I got a
wonderful neighbor, Ms.Bhawna Sharma, who was already pursuing her MBA degree
at SMS. It was she and her weekend
stories about SMS, that lead me to dream
more about my education at SMS.
I started my preparation for the admission test with borrowed textbooks.
My parents were not much impressed about the fact that I was aspiring for a
college admission outside the district. However, my constant efforts proved to
be successful , when I cleared the admission test and was invited for the GD
and interview at SMS. It was somewhat a havoc at home, when my father told that
, “OK, Good that you have cleared the test. Now forget all that and let’s get
admission for MSc in Trivandrum itself”. I pleaded and told that atleast let me
attend the GD, Interview and even if I
get admission, I won’t go. Atlast ,with my mother’s support, I boarded the
train alone to attend the GD and interview session. That was my first journey
to Ernakulam.
The GD and interview went on well
and I got admission too. But, at that time, I didn’t know that I was just one
of the 50 students among thousands of applicants for the course. And my parents
who were earlier reluctant to send me outside the district, got convinced and
proud at the fact that their daughter got admission in one of the best campuses
in the State. The vast and vibrant campus is infact a serene environment for
academics and development. Now, after ten years, I will say
with conviction that it was that journey which changed my life and perspective
about career. Today, looking back at my own
growth as a management professional, I feel so humbled and happy to dedicate the
same to my Alma mater, SMS, CUSAT.
My education at SMS has given me
a wide exposure to the world of management. The time spent in interacting with
students from different parts of the country and getting practical exposure
about different aspects of theory, has definitely helped in laying strong
foundation. The best part of the educational experience was the academic inputs
and interaction with the highly qualified and effective faculty there. All
SMSians will accept the fact that each
of the faculty member is a repository of knowledge who when kindled by those
with hunger for knowledge will find it an enlightening experience. I still remember the various opportunities
which came to us while I was a student, which helped in getting better industry
exposure. Some of them were working on various market research projects, organizing
international conferences, organizing campus based events, Talentime etc.
Through these activities, we could develop our personality, gain experience and
also give back to the society.
The best part of the education
was that I got three campus offers and that too while I was in the third
semester itself. I chose the best offer whereby I could render my services in
the social sector with a bigger social impact. My first job, which was a Govt
Project, was filled with big challenges and opportunities to serve the society
and the most important requirement for that was initiative, leadership skills
and communication skills. The various leadership activities at SMS,
presentations , and seminars has helped me to do the same with ease.
My career then shifted to
training roles and academic roles along with a pretty good exposure in business
roles in some of the reputed corporate in the state. And the best part is that
wherever I went , there would be somebody in the top management ,who has done
their MBA from SMS. The word “SMS” helped in immediate bonding and camaraderie
with such senior professionals, which further helped in my professional growth
and development.
My attachment to SMS never ceased
after education and I decided to pursue my doctoral program there itself.
Despite having got admission in other institutions, I waited for one long year
for gaining admission at SMS for my Phd. The urge to serve for the mankind has
also led me to become an entrepreneur and I run a consulting company in the
field of HR and Employability services today. I owe a lot to my alma mater and
I will continue to serve in the best possible ways to her.
Management Education today is at
crossroads with thousands of management graduates passing out without proper
training or industry exposure. In one of my own research works conducted among
100 employers of fresh management graduates, most of them expressed their concern in the deteriorating quality of
the current generation of management graduates. One of the main viewpoints was
that , the current generation of MBA graduates do not possess the necessary
practical knowledge nor the willingness to learn. They also expressed concern
over lack of quality in B-schools, especially the academic quality and the lack
of exposure for the faculty.
Most of the
current B-schools focus on the physical infrastructure and less on the
intellectual infrastructure, which has lead to the overall deterioration in
management education. And this is where, SMS, CUSAT, stands different. By
providing holistic education and focus on intellectual infrastructure, year on
year , MBA graduates with industrial
knowledge and societal commitment pass out from this great institution.
As SMS CUSAT completes the Golden Jubilee year , this is a small tribute from one of her wellwishers and proud Alumni for the years to come.
Regards
CeeVee
MBA FT batch 2002-04
