IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB): News & Events

Placements Update: Four of The Top Five US Banks Recruit 25% of IFMR Business School MBA Graduates

March 1, 2021: According to new studies from the IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), roughly 87 per cent of the current batch's cumulative students have already been placed with respectable organisations. There are 175 students in the whole class.

Despite the global economic downturn caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the institute saw a 10% rise in average salaries provided by banking, consultancy, and technology companies. The studies have suggested that four of the top five US-based banks – JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi Bank and Bank of America – jointly employed over 40 students, representing over 25 per cent of the number of students put so far.

Top recruiters that participated in the placements season this year include Accenture, Cognizant, Wipro, Wells Fargo, Societe Generale and HCL Technologies.

Below are some of the past year's placement statistics:

	Average Salary in Rs. Lakhs [Finance + Consulting]	Average Salary in Rs. Lakhs [Finance + Consulting + TechFin]
2017-18	Rs 10.4	Rs 9.9
2018-19	Rs 10.3	Rs 10.2
2019-20	Rs 10.3	Rs 10.1
2020-21 (till date)	Rs 11.4	Rs 10.9

IFMR GSB Announces the Cut-Off for MBA Admissions 2021

February 24, 2021: With respect to MBA admissions for the academic year 2021, Andhra Pradesh based one of the renowned management institutes, IFMR GSB has recently announced the cut-off criteria. Aspiring candidates with a minimum aggregate of 60 per cent in Class 10, 12 and graduation may apply for admission. The cut-off criteria are as follows:

Qualifying Exam	Cut off
CAT	75 percentile
XAT	75 percentile
NMAT	220 score
CMAT	85 percentile
GMAT	85 percentile
GRE	85 percentile

The last date to apply for Round 1 MBA admissions is 15-March-2021 and the last date to apply for Round 2 MBA admissions is 14-April-2021.

IFMR GSB Hosts Virtual Marketing Conclave ‘Inside Marketing 2021’

February 17, 2021: Chennai-based renowned management school, IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), hosted a virtual marketing conclave named ‘Inside Marketing 2021’ on February 16. To grace the event, the school invited Management thinker and Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Aditya Birla Group, Shiv Shivakumar as the keynote speaker. In his address to the audience, Shivakumar said, “Marketing, due to new technologies, has changed from being brand-led to category-led. In the past, I have been searching for a brand. Today, as I'm browsing the net, I'm looking for a category. For example, if I were to buy an SUV earlier, it is most possible that I would have been searching for an SUV in the outlet of the brand. I type 'SUV' in the search engine today. I type the category, not the brand. There is a radical change in marketing. Once I get a full-list category, I say-'Can you share products in the Rs 5-12 lakh category? And apply other filters and look at credibility, what my friends have to say, suggestions, price, service and convenience.”

He encouraged academics not to imitate, but to lead the way. He also encouraged scholars and universities to ensure that more real-world examples and interdisciplinary thinking are added to studying as creativity takes place at the convergence of study disciplines.

The conclave included a variety of distinguished communications experts, founders and business executives, throwing light on some of the latest developments that have changed the way marketers view goods, economies, sales networks, customers and customer experience. There were three panels for the day –

1. Marketing in the Age of Millennials, with Hrishikesh Shende, Business Director, Adidas for Emerging Markets and David Appasamy, Head of Brand and Strategy at Social Beat
2. Marketing in the Age of AI, with Janani Dwarakanath, Head of Product Marketing at Freshworks and Girish Ramdas, Co-Founder and CEO of Magzter
3. Marketing during Crisis, with Mudit Mathur, General Manager for India and South Asia at Dole Foods and LV Navaneeth, CEO of The Hindu Group

IFMR GSB Extends the Last Date to Apply for MBA Admissions 2021-23

February 2, 2021: Owing to the postponement of the CMAT and NMAT exams, which are two of the six competitive exams that IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity accepts for MBA admissions, the institute has postponed the last date to apply for MBA admissions 2021-23. The other exams that the institute accepts are CAT, XAT, GMAT and GRE.

The last date to apply for Round 1 is March 15, 2021, and Round 2 is April 14, 2021.

The institute offers a plethora of specialisation options to students under its umbrella of MBA curriculum. This includes Economics, Data Science and Information System, Operations Management, Finance and Accounting, Strategy Management, Marketing, OB and HR. Besides this, working professionals can choose to go for the Executive MBA programme.

IFMR GSB Hosts Research Symposium 2020 on Inclusion and Sustainability

December 11, 2020: Recently, IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity held its 2020 Annual Research Symposium on a virtual platform on December 11, 2020. The theme of the year was 'Inclusion and Sustainability'. The inequality and exclusion that arose during the current pandemic and the BLM movement's latest mass demonstrations have acted as a global wake-up call and demonstrated how egalitarian our cultures actually are. In order to address some important questions regarding integration and equality in our society, this symposium seeks to showcase evidence-based studies.

A diverse star-cast of world-renowned researchers, social entrepreneurs from diverse sectors, government officials and experts from IFMR's own state-of-the-art research centres shared their expertise on a broad variety of topics such as Financial Inclusion, Renewable Banking, FinTech and Digital Inclusion.

The school invited Tata’s chancellor and Professor of Economics from the University of California Karthik Muralidharan as the keynote speaker for the event along with the other notable speakers from renowned international institutions such as Yale University, London Business School, National University of Singapore, Auckland University of Technology, and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies - Geneva. Via workshops, distinguished lectures and showcase sessions, the one-day, immersive symposium presented multiple perspectives from all over the world.

Krea University Partners with Kauvery Hospitals for On-Campus Health Care Facilities

November 10, 2020: Krea University recently entered into an agreement with a well-known popular multi-speciality hospital chain, Kaurvey, which has been engaged in providing high-quality healthcare services in Tamil Nadu for almost two decades, with health care and protection being the top priority during this pandemic.

A dedicated general practitioner and occupational health nurses will be on duty at the Krea campus health centre, now run by Kauvery Hospitals, with the doctor available on call 24x7, ensuring that all medical inquiries and emergencies are addressed quickly. A BLS ambulance with round-the-clock service coverage and standard first-aid treatment will also be available at the health centre. The on-site pharmacy with a well-stocked store would appeal to the needs of campus tenants. The health centre will also run regular check-ups and health-promoting events, in addition to dedicated assistance on a case-based basis and follow-ups. Students and staff at Krea are entitled to care at any of the Kauvery Hospitals in Tamil Nadu, such as Covid-19 or for any other illness. The health centre will also track on-campus compliance with appropriate Covid control policies and behaviour.

In accordance with the university's emphasis on the well-being of the Krea population, the collaboration also carries with it a bouquet of advanced health services. It will also facilitate holistic management of health care by providing technical guidance to the campus administration on building upkeep, including kitchen areas, food and water testing, and student nutritional advice.

IFMR Commences Classes for 2020 MBA Batch

July 13, 2020: With institutes conducting classes of ongoing batches online for the last four months due to the global pandemic, IFMR has taken a new initiative. IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity has commenced the classes of 2020 MBA batch since July 1 online.

The session started with a five-day orientation programme ‘Prarambh’, which included interactions with University and industry leaders, faculty and alumni. The interaction also had a few informal fun activities with students. MBA Batch 2020 consists of 182 students from across the country, who have been selected through a holistic admission process that evaluates with tailor-made rounds.

The event witnessed the presence of prominent industry leaders and academicians who interacted with students to motivate and inspire them. This includes Chairman and Managing Director of CavinKare CK Ranganathan who guided students to walk the path of personal transformation and use education as a starting point. Tech leader and co-founder of Fractal Analytics, Srikanth Velamkanni shared his life journey and experiences to motivate them to stay positive.

Dear IFMR Dr Shobha Das and Vice-Chancellor of Krea University Dr Sunder Ramaswamy welcomed students and assured their 100 per cent support in writing their career path.

IFMR Witnesses 10% Hike in Average Salary in 2020

April 23, 2020: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity reported a hike of 10 per cent in average salary offered to students in the current placements season. The highest package offered to a student was Rs 13.6 LPA followed by top 10 per cent students who bagged packages of Rs 12.86 LPA. Top 50 per cent students bagged a package of Rs 10.6 LPA. Candidates with experience landed with an average of Rs 10 LPA while freshers received Rs 8.9 LPA package.

The average package offered to students this year was Rs 9.41 LPA which is approximately 10 per cent more than the last year. The average package offered in 2019 placements was Rs 8.67 LPA.

Amid the lockdown situation, the University did not let students compromise on internship opportunities. With a major MNC consulting offering the highest stipend of Rs 1 lakh, the average stood at Rs 38,400 and the median at Rs 30,000.

The recruiters who participated in the placements and internship season this year include ANZ, Bajaj Finserv, Bank of America, Barclays, Care Ratings, CITI, Credit Suisse, Crisil, Federal bank, Fincare, GIC Housing Finance, HDFC Bank, ICICI Prudential Life, Societe Generale, IDFC First Bank, JP Morgan Chase, Deloitte USI, Ernst & Young, KPMG, TBRC, Accenture, AMS India, Arrka, Care Risk Solution, Genpact, HCL, Infosys, Temenos, Wipro, Double Down, Intellipaat, Nielsen, Philips and Schneider Electric.

With this, the institute is also inviting applications for IFMR admission 2020. Considering the need to maintain social distancing, the complete admission process has been moved online. The interviews were conducted through various video conferencing tools or telephone between April 13-20.

Last Date to Fill MBA Application Extended Till March 10

March 5, 2020: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricityhas extended the last date to submit MBA application form for freshers to March 10. It’s a two-year full-time residential programme that offers 22 core and 55 electives to choose from during the curriculum. Institute offers nine specialisations, including Data Science, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, OB & HR, Operations, Quantitative Finance and Strategic Management.

To apply for admissions, eligible students need to fill up online application form with a nominal fee of Rs 1,500 by March 10. Students will then be called for Written Aptitude Test (WAT) followed by Personal Interview round.

Click here for detailed admission process and eligibility criteria

Application Date for Working Professionals Extended to February 11

February 2, 2020: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity has extended the application deadline of the full-time MBA programme to February 11 for working professionals. The full-time MBA programme aims at providing quality education with strong foundation in finance courses. There are 22 core subjects with 55 electives to be undertaken during the two years of curriculum. To be eligible for admissions, the applicant must undertake at least one qualifying exam among CAT, XAT, GMAT, CMAT and GRE. The final selection will be made basis the score of the qualifying exam along with academic performance of the student. The institute has a record of 100 per cent placements so far.

IFMR reports 90% students placed; 17% PPOs released

January 22, 2020: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity has reported 90 per cent of successful placements so far for the 2020 batch. Out of total batch size of 185 students, 32 have received pre-placement offers, too. This year the institute has experienced a rise of 10.5 per cent in the average package offered compared to the previous year. The average remuneration is reported to be Rs 9.6 lakh up from Rs 8.67 lakh in 2019.

Top recruiters across various industries such as JPMC, Deloitte, E&Y and Infosys, CRISIL, Credit Suisse, Accenture, HDFC, Nielsen, Temenos, Federal Bank, Société Générale, Schneider Electric and Siemens participated in this year’s placement drive. Students have been offered placement in various domains such as Quantitative Finance, Research Analyst, Financial Modeling, Wealth Management, Credit Rating, Risk financial Modeling & Research, Consulting, ITeS, Manufacturing, FMCG, Telecom and Media.

University Organises Research Symposium on Finance and Economics

December 13, 2019: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB) organised a two-day research symposium on Finance and Economics. The theme of the event was ‘Financial Globalization and Economic Development: Emerging Issues and the Way Forward in Today’s Digitized World’. Over 50 participants presented 20 paper presentations that focused on topical issues such as financial globalisation and economic development, emerging trends in corporate finance and corporate governance, behavioural finance and other related topics. The event was followed by a panel discussion on "Blockchain, Big Data and Business: The Way Forward". Distinguished industry experts such as Vice President TCS Final Solutions R Vivekanand; Senior Vice President Digital Transformation Alorica Rangaraj Sriramulu; and Founder Navya Sights Rajaram Venkataraman participated and discussed on the related issues.

IFMR GSB Hosts Alumni Meet 2019

December 2, 2019: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB) hosted its annual alumni meet 2019 on December 2. The fun-filled event hosted various cultural activities, games and DJ. Apart from the fun and frolic, one of the key goal of the event was the quest for feedback from highly successful students to improve and update the curriculum. Vice-Chancellor Dr Sunder Ramaswamy, Dean IFMR GSB Dr Anantha Nageswaran, and Dean SIAS Dr Bishnu Mohapatra interacted with alumni on topics such as current economic state, interwoven learning system to upcoming infrastructure in the campus and many more. The idea was to invite the alumni to suggest changes for possible implementation, which may impact the upcoming batches of their alma-mater. 

 Institute Celebrates Worker’s Day

November 18, 2019: People are every organisation's most valuable asset. IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sricity believes in everyone working with them. This is why every year the "Worker's Day" is held to celebrate, reward and give thanks to the entire staff at campus. The "Samarthan" social service committee at IFMR GSB, Krea University, arranged a fun-filled campus event to celebrate the day and spend quality time with the campus workers.

Occasions such as this help inspire workers and give them a sense of pride in ensuring that they are an essential component of the college community.

IFMR GSB, KREA University Install In-House Operating System, KOSMOS

November 18, 2019: IFMR-GSB has installed its own operating system KOSMOS (KREA Operating System) with 33 node hadoop cluster in its analytics lab. The system is equipped with big data stack and uses open source components. This will help students in data analytics learn about sources such as Predictive Modeling, Big Data and Hadoop, machine learning, NLP and deep learning by practical hands-on approach. In order to test the knowledge of students, college has also introduced a Data Science Capstone project which is to be submitted on real world problems. Soon, the university is also planning to start MS program in data analytics.

Workshop on "Creative thinking and Expression" for Non-Teaching Staff

October 24, 2019: IFMR Graduate school of Business, KREA University (IFMR GSB), Sri City, organised a “creative thinking and expression” workshop for the non-teaching staff of Krea University. Creative Expression is a unique and compulsory core course that has created great interest among the students and staff of the Interwoven Arts and Sciences Scheme students. The workshop was witnessed by participants across departments such as administration, finance, admissions, IT and communications.

IFMR organised marketing conference 2019 

President and CEO of Dalai Lama Center addresses students of Krea University

October 10, 2019: President and CEO of Dalai Lama Center Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi, who is also visiting professor of practice at Krea University, addressed the students of the School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences on October 10. The session was witnessed by over 100 students. He talked about the importance of morals and ethics in life by citing real-life examples especially in today’s time when we are moving ahead towards digitalisation, artificial intelligence and machine learning at a great pace.

IFMR GSB hosts Convocation 2019

April 27, 2019: IFMR hosted a convocation ceremony 2019 on April 27 at its Sri City campus. Chairman National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala were invited as chief guest to address the event. IFMR awarded students who demonstrated leadership skills and all-round excellence throughout the two-year programme. The top rank holders were honoured with medals. The alumni of the institute who have made a significant contribution in the areas of business and management were awarded distinguished alumnus/alumna awards. A total of 239 MBA (Full-Time) students were awarded their graduation certificates. Five PhD scholars, who had successfully defended their theses and completed their public viva-voce at Madras University, were also recognised.