Life at IIM Sirmaur: Hari Haran discusses Unique pedagogy, campus life, Student Life, Academic culture
Sri Hari Haran M, MBA- Travel Tourism and Hospitality Management at IIM Sirmaur, speaking with Shiksha.com discussed about his life at IIM Sirmaur, student Life at IIM Sirmaur, his hostel life, cultural events, unique teaching pedagogy, etc.
Sri Hari Haran M, MBA- Travel Tourism and Hospitality Management, IIM Sirmaur, Batch 2024-26
In the third part of our 'Life at IIM' series, we visited the northern part, in the hills, where a third-generation IIM is creating a pool of future leaders through its innovative teaching and learning. After IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Sambalpur, Shiksha spoke with a bright student of the Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur, IIM Sirmaur.
Sri Hari Haran M is pursuing an MBA- Travel Tourism and Hospitality Management at IIM Sirmaur. In a freewheeling conversation, Sri Hari Haran discussed about his life at IIM Sirmaur, student Life at IIM Sirmaur, his hostel life, cultural events, unique teaching pedagogy, etc. Here are the excerpts of the interview:
CAT has a total of 68 question. Each section carries 3 marks for correct attempt and -1 marks for incorrect attempt. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Therefore, the total marks of CAT is 204.
There is no difference between slot 1, 2 and 3 of CAT exam paper in terms of structure and patten. The sectional break up, marking scheme and time limit are the same in all slots. However, due to unique sets of questions in each slot leads to difference in difficulty levels. There is usually a slight difference in the CAT question papers of different slots. Sometimes, topic wise weightage of the questions also vary. To negate advantage or disadantage to candidates due to difference in difficulty level of slots, CAT scores are normalised for result preparation.
Q. Tell us about yourself and your journey to this IIM.
Sri Hari Haran: I am Sri Hari Haran M. Before joining IIM Sirmaur, I never even had the slightest taste of management on the academic side. It was all my extra-curricular activities related to management that helped me.
To begin with, my UG was in English. I converted to IIM Sirmaur alongside other IIMs during my final year of UG. My journey and transition into IIM Sirmaur were quite smooth. I had a lot of mentors, friends, and family to give me a shoulder of support whenever I needed it.
My UG would tell me that I am a creative person who has a lot of interest in poetry, novels, and art in itself. I wanted this creative side of mine to fuse with management. Hence, IIM Sirmaur.
Q. Why did you choose this IIM over others where you got admission offers?
Yes, IIM Sirmaur has collaborated with various companies, industries, and colleges. Indian Institute of Management–Sirmaur has signed MoUs with various companies, organisations, and industries. The below-mentioned table reflects on the IIM Sirmaur collaborations:
| IIM Sirmaur Collaborations | ||
|---|---|---|
| IIT Mandi Catalyst | The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, New Delhi | Wadhwani Foundation |
| The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Goethe Institute, New Delhi | Technology Incubation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (TIEDS) Business Incubator - IIT Roorkee |
Life at IIM Sirmaur is fascinating and students enjoy their college life to the fullest while also studying. The college offers many accademic related facilities and opportunities for students to learn and grow their skills but apart from that college also takes care of student's cocurricular growth also. IIM Sirmaur organizes annual cultural fests which are led and conducted by students. Many students also perform in the festival. Many small scaled function are also organized on special occasions for the students. This rejuvinates the students and fills them with energy. Hostel life is also very easy going and fun. All the responsibilities are taken by the college and the students are left with studies and socializing and making friends.
Sri Hari Haran: I got offers from IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Jammu, Tapmi Manipal, and BIM Trichy apart from IIM Sirmaur. I chose IIM Sirmaur solely because of their MBA course, which specialises in Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Management. The first year of the programme would be in General Management, and the second year would be in the tourism sector, with the application of all the General Management theories. This application-oriented study fascinated me. I found this to be a perfect chance to learn both General management and Tourism management.
Q. Describe your first week on campus – what stood out the most?
Sri Hari Haran: My insecurity stood out the most, to be frank. Yes, I am a fresher. I was only 20 when I stepped foot into IIM Sirmaur. Everyone else was older than me, with work experience, or had done something else in their life. I stood there as a novice. This aspect stood out the most for me.
Q. How would you describe the academic culture here – competitive, collaborative, or a mix?
Sri Hari Haran: The academic culture at IIM Sirmaur is a mixture of both competitiveness and collaboration. I say so, because everyone helps each other out by solving their doubts by offering practical insights, their handwritten notes, etc, but still everyone has this secret fire inside them to outperform each other. This makes the academic culture at IIM Sirmaur a mix.
Q. What is one unique academic tradition or teaching style you have experienced here?
Sri Hari Haran: The Professor guides the students in answering their own doubts. If I go to a professor to ask a doubt, they’ll ask me a question. I would be answering the question, and then another question would be posed to probe deeper. This would go on for even 15 mins. But, at last, the answer would be there. And, I would be the one answering it. Astonishing, isn’t it? Yes, all the time, it has been inside my mind. Our professors just act as a tool to instigate it and make us answer by ourselves.
Q. How do you balance intense academics with extra-curricular activities?
Sri Hari Haran: That is what an IIM is known for. Teaching us time management. I am an active member of one of the committees of IIM Sirmaur, and have done live projects, certifications, and internships. Believe it or not, it comes automatically. It was initially troublesome. But I figured out the rhythm, started prioritising tasks, and learned the art of delegation. This eventually made it possible to find a plane of balance. “A busy man finds time for everything; a lazy man finds time for nothing.”
Q. Which events/fests/clubs are absolute must-experiences on your campus?
Sri Hari Haran: Pinnacle is one of the most anticipated academic events at IIM Sirmaur. CEOs, CXOs, Directors, HRs, etc, of giant companies come and share their ideas through panel discussions. There’s also the IAB, where big people from tourism-related companies come for an interactive session with students. Their being on the board, and offering suggestions for the Tourism management and Tourism, Travel and Hospitality management (TTHM) Curriculum is something not to be missed.
The famous cultural event of IIM Sirmaur is Sierra, with students performing on stage, raving DJ nights, food stalls, etc. It’s just a festivity, in one word.
Q. How is the hostel and social life here? Any interesting rituals or traditions?
Sri Hari Haran: The hostel and social life at IIM Sirmaur are quite vibrant. Rooms are filled with laughter, people gossiping at each other, endless project nights, sleepless exam nights, and occasional visits to the nearby Amul shop inside the campus as a gang to chill.
Q. How being at this IIM shaped your career, personal growth?
Sri Hari Haran: Being at IIM Sirmaur has been a transformative journey for me. I stepped into this college as a creative mind with very little formal management education exposure, and now I feel I can confidently navigate both general management and tourism management realms.
Read More:
News & Updates
Photos & Videos
+4
Contact Details
Address
Indian Institute of Management,
Dhaula Kuan, District Sirmaur
Sirmour ( Himachal Pradesh)
Other Popular IIMs
Get details of Similar Colleges
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 months ago
There is no fixed cutoff for admission to BPW at IIM Sirmaur through IPMAT indore but general category students should try to score for ATS 55 roughly aligning with a raw score of around 175+.
After this admission depends on academic performance and performance in PI.
D
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 6 months ago
IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity application forms are also available online. Candidates meeting the eligibility criteria can apply for the preferred course. Below are the steps to apply for admission:
Step 1: Visit the official IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity website (emversity.com/lp/pg-diploma-he
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 months ago
The institute offers PGDM course in the stream of Management. The selection criteria is merit-based followed by PI. To get admitted to IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria set by the institute. The online PG Diploma in Healthcare Management course is the fl
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 months ago
In order to get admission at IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity candidates must keep certain documents ready. Student can check the list of documents below:
- Scanned Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marksheet
- Leaving Certificate
- Aadhaar Card
- Passport-size photograph
- Signature
Note: The list of documents men
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 months ago
The institute offers Online PG Diploma in Healthcare Management courses at the PG level. Candidates are eligible to apply online from the official website by submitting the application form and application fee. IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity selects candidates based on PI with the IIM Faculty.
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 months ago
The institute offers Online PG Diploma in Healthcare Management courses at the PG level. The selection criteria are based on PI with the IIM Faculty. To get admitted to IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria set by the institute. Student can check below the d
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 months ago
Yes, applications are open at IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity for various courses. The mode of application is online. Aspirants need to apply at the official website, i.e., emversity.com/lp/pg-diploma-healthcare-management-iim-sirmaur for admission to the PGDM programme. Eligible candidates can fil
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 months ago
To secure a seat at IIM Sirmaur Powered by Emversity, students can check the following steps presented below:
- Complete the online application process.
- Ensure eligibility and merit for the PGDM programme.
- The selection criteria is merit-based.
- Upon selected, pay the specified fee to confirm and secure y
P
Contributor-Level 10
In CAT exam, each candidate gets 120 minutes to solve the paper. There are three sections in CAT Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude. For each section 40 minutes are allotted as sectional time limit. For PwD candidates, the sectional time limit is 53.20 minutes per section. Candidates have to complete each section within the given time limit. Since the CAT is an online mode exam, the test screen will move from first section to the next section automatically as soon as the time limit gets over. Thus candidates have to be mindful of the on-screen timer and pre-decide the number of questions to solve in each section. The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension section of CAT has 24 questions, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section has 22 questions and Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions. It is not mandatory to solve all the questions in CAT so candidates can devise a strategy to use 40 minutes per section as per their strength and weakness.