From Product to Business: How Varun Mishra is Navigating the 'Detours' of his MBA at BITSoM

With a BTech from VIT Vellore and two years at NielsenIQ, Varun Mishra is now pursuing an MBA at BITSoM. Outside of school, he is dedicated to fitness, enjoys playing cricket and football, and loves video gaming. He lives by the motto: "Enjoy the little detours to the fullest, for that is where you find what truly matters." 

Q1. How did you choose your course of study in school (class XI-XII)? What made you choose your current college/course (undergrad/post-grad)? 

I was always a student comfortable across subjects, but mathematics and science held a particular fascination for me. Being a tech-first person, deeply interested in gadgets, PCs, and emerging technology, choosing Science with Computer Science in Classes XI and XII was a natural progression. At that stage, I didn't have a rigid long-term roadmap, but I knew I wanted to be where innovation happened. This interest led me to the predictable yet rigorous path of engineering entrance exams. Like most science students, I appeared for JEE, BITSAT, and VITEEE.

While I had multiple options, I chose Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) because it offered a Computer Science specialisation that perfectly aligned with my interests. Beyond the coursework, VIT’s strong reputation, vibrant campus environment, and consistent placement record gave me the confidence that I was in the right place to build my technical foundation. 

After graduating in 2022, I joined NielsenIQ as a Software Engineer. My role involved extensive data engineering, dealing with massive datasets related to global markets and consumer behaviour. It was here that my perspective shifted. I realised that while I excelled at the technical execution, I yearned to understand the 'why' behind the data. I wanted to move beyond the code and influence business decisions at a strategic level. This realisation was the catalyst for my MBA journey. I appeared for CAT, and despite having options, BITSoM stood out. Its modern pedagogy, global faculty, and the BITS Pilani legacy made it a calculated bet I was ready to take, a decision to pivot from building the product to building the business. 

Q2.How did you crack admission in your current college? What entrance test(s) did you give? Any coaching classes that you took for preparation? Any other colleges that you were trying out for? What challenges did you face while opting for this college? 

My path to business school was paved through CAT 2023, though I also appeared for XAT, SNAP, and NMAT to keep my options open. Preparing while working full-time as a Software Engineer could have been overwhelming, but I was fortunate that my company had a remote work policy at the time. This flexibility was a game-changer. I enrolled in a coaching institute and started my preparation early, around March 2023. This allowed me to maintain a steady rhythm, devoting a couple of hours in the evenings after meetings and capitalising on weekends, without the journey ever feeling frantic or unmanageable. 

While I converted offers from a few notable and established management programs, the admission process at BITSoM was a refreshing deviation from the norm. Unlike other institutions that fixated heavily on cut-offs, BITSoM’s evaluation was truly holistic, placing significant weight on my overall profile, work experience, and interests. The interview experience reflected this distinct philosophy; it was less of an interrogation and more of a conversation about potential and fit. 

The final decision was the toughest part of the process. I found myself in a mental tug-of-war between the safety of well-established, traditional MBA programs and the "new age" promise of BITSoM. Ultimately, I chose the latter. The excitement of a modern pedagogy, the allure of global faculty, and the distinct energy of a younger institution outweighed the safety of the conventional path. It was a risk, but one backed by the strong legacy of BITS, and it felt like the right environment for my growth. 

Q3.How do you spend your time at college? Which classes do you like to attend? Which extra-curricular activities are you a part of in college? If you had the opportunity, what other academic or co-curricular pursuits would you like to take up? How has your college experience changed you as a person? What opportunities do you see in future? 

Life at BITSoM follows a unique rhythm dictated by the "Block Teaching" methodology. Unlike the traditional semester system, where you juggle six subjects at once, here, we immerse ourselves in two courses over a dedicated two-week block. This structure allows for deep, focused learning without the cognitive fragmentation of switching contexts every hour. A typical block involves about five hours of lectures a day, but the intensity is balanced by the clarity of focus. 

 In the first year, the curriculum was a buffet of core courses spanning marketing, finance, and operations, interspersed with the distinctive "Winning at the Workplace" (WaW) modules. Now, in my second year, I have the freedom to choose electives. Coming from a tech background, I surprisingly found myself gravitating towards Operations and Finance. These subjects were completely new to me, but have been intellectually exhilarating. 

 My daily routine is disciplined yet sustainable, a far cry from the burnout culture often associated with B-schools. I start my day early with a gym session, which sets a positive tone. Classes usually wrap up by the afternoon, giving me the evenings to decompress. I use this time to tackle assignments, prep for the next day's cases, or simply soak in the campus vibe. Taking walks around our beautiful campus has also become a ritual for clearing my head. 

 Beyond the classroom, I am an active member of the BITSoM Consulting Club (BCC), as well as part of the college football and cricket teams. The interaction here has allowed me to network with peers from diverse fields, learning as much from their experiences as I do from the faculty. If time permitted, I would love to channel my academic curiosity into publishing a formal research paper someday. 

However, the most significant change I’ve experienced isn’t just academic, it’s personal. The WaW courses and constant peer interactions have drastically improved my soft skills. I arrived with a somewhat narrow view of my career path, but my time here has widened my aperture. I feel more confident, articulate, and open to exploring a diverse range of roles and domains rather than pigeonholing myself too early. 

Q4. What are your long-term professional aspirations?

Professionally, I view the next five years as a period of calculated exploration rather than rigid specialisation. My time at BITSom, learning from global faculty from renowned foreign institutions and collaborating with a diverse peer network, has empowered me to navigate this ambiguity with confidence.

In the long term, I aspire to ascend to an executive position, where I can contribute to high-level strategic decision-making and drive organisational growth. Ultimately, however, the dream is to channel this experience into entrepreneurship. I aspire to build my own business, creating something that reflects my journey of “enjoying the detours” and adding value to the ecosystem that has shaped me.

About Author: Varun Mishra is currently pursuing his MBA from BITSom. 

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha