VJIM’s Holistic Approach is for Future-Ready Leaders, Says Prof. (Dr.) Bharat Bhushan Singh

In an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com, Prof (Dr.) Bharat Bhushan Singh, Director, Vignana Jyoti Institute of Management Hyderabad talks about the VJIM curriculum which is dynamic and industry-aligned. The institute foster the holistic development of the students. VJIM ensures that students not only gain theoretical knowledge but also develop critical skills that make them industry-ready. VJIM's approach is on point and centres around the three pillar: International exposure through study tours, profile-based training and mentoring activities.

Bharat Bhushan Singh, an Air Veteran with a Doctorate in Management, holds triple master’s degrees in Political Science, Psychology, and Management. With over three decades of experience in both industry and academia, he has made significant contributions as an author, trainer, and coach, in the business of touching lives, shaping minds, and building nations He is a qualified management teacher and researcher, trained at IIM Kozhikode, IIT Bombay, IIM Ahmedabad. As an accomplished author, he has penned three books: The Code of Success, Holistic Discipline, and Winning Campus Placements.

Q1, What are the three things that your institute/college/university is doing that will enable it to differentiate itself from the competition? 

 VJIM is trying to make its curriculum relevant and approach teaching training holistically, hence the institute is focusing on the following five areas to stand out from the competitors: 

• Focus on developing a quest for enquiry
• International exposure through study tours
• Strong Mentoring Activities

Q2. What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry-ready?

VJIM has initiated the following as part of their activities on campus

1. Mentoring Activities
2. Students Forums and Students Speaker Sessions
3. Profile-based training modules 

Q3. What are the key attributes that a student should have to

• Qualify for your institution
• Get top grades in your institution

The students is expected to have the following 

• Aspirants must have a strong academics with all round first class (60%) and National Level Test qualified. 
• They must possess good communication skills.
• They should be well organized and be able to handle stress. 
• A good team player to collaborate with peers and work together.
• Have clarity of thought and focus on the goal.

Q4. Which program/s would you say is/are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this program? 

We offer a PGDM with multiple specializations. Students are offered the specialization based on their passion and interest. I would say, the entire prog in ramme is modelled to ensure students develop strong professional skills and ethics. VJIM focuses on holistic development of learners and ensures students are guided and nurtured through effective mentoring activities.

Q5. What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni? What kind of jobs routinely come to campus? What would you say are the key recruitment trends for your college (observed over the past five years)?

 I feel students need to be upskilled and be AI ready. Further, they should be trained to be a problem solver rather than a repository of knowledge. VJIM ensures students are subjected to project-based learning and are constantly applying them in a real time scenario. Internship and short-term projects help develop analytical and critical thinking that is instrumental in giving our students an edge viz a viz students from other colleges. 

 Jobs that come to our campus:

We get profiles from entry level (Management Trainees) to middle level managers. A lot of opportunities are now coming in US Taxation and Analyst profiles. Many companies hire our students for business development profiles in inside sales as well. Overall, a good mix of profiles are received, and we are able to place more than 88% of our batch YOY.