MBA stereotypes: How to match B-School grads and their colleges

“My god, how aggressive is he? Is he from IIM Calcutta?” Or “I love working with that bunch. Just so evident that they are from ISB.”

If you work in corporate India, you hear these kind of lines quite often. Often enough for you to form an opinion about that special pedigree of management grads who pass out of India’s best B-schools. In some cases, they reflect the personality imbibed by the schools, in others, they are just the kind of people who are admitted in them.

But sit back and watch them. And soon, you will be able to pinpoint with some accuracy where a particular MBA grad has passed out from.

We at Shiksha.com took a shot at listing some quick pointers to do just that. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule or stereotype in this case, but hey, we are talking about the stereotypes here, right?

Do you agree with these personas? Yes, or no, tell us why in the comments section below.

1. IIM Ahmedabad: Devil’s Advocate

Graduates of this school love playing the Devil’s Advocate. They love punching holes in a theory, no matter how sound or fool-proof it may seem at first. They bring an unparalleled debating quality to the table combined with a self-confidence and intellect that’s hard to match.

2. IIM Bangalore: Wallflowers

Initially reserved, these guys are the observers. They scrutinise everything from a distance with a coolness that almost makes them seem aloof. But don’t judge them for it; for that’s just the outer shell. Once they have a good stock of the situation, their true self comes out – the analysts.

3. IIM Calcutta: ‘Spartaaaaaaaaa’

Force of nature – that’s the only phrase that comes to our mind when we think about IIM-Calcutta grads. Like a Spartan soldier (refer to 300, the movie), they walk with extra-energy rolled on to the sleeves that can often come across as aggressive. They have a very strong belief in quantitative logic. Dare you try to cross the line of reason!

4. MICA: Brand Watchdogs

Highly brand and market conscious, they love to keep their enemy close, just so that they can be a step ahead. Keeping a track of opponent brand activities is considered religious. They love to provoke their inner Gods of creativity and always present a different stroke of solution.

5. Indian School of Busines: The Unicorns
They truly think out-of-the-box. Approachable and reasonable, ISB graduates are willing to dig deep and find innovative yet logical solutions for problems. They love to experiment and push themselves to the zenith. But above all, they reflect the unique ISB element of a diverse class that is hard to match by the IIMs.

6. IIM Lucknow: Guy Next Door

Great team players and approachable fellows. Interestingly, most come across as disinterested and lazy at the first go. But that’s just the trailer. Like IIM-Cal grads, they too have a strong voice on quantitative logic.

7. XLRI: Frontline Warriors

Much eager to try new ideas and different approaches, the XLers are a grounded lot. They stick to their modest roots and believe in being frontline warriors rather than boardroom managers. True to the XLRI image, they make great managers who can come down to the lowest level just to get a grasp of ground realities.

8. FMS Delhi: Jack of all Trades

We love the sense of humour and good-manners they come equipped with. It’s almost as if they want to disown the ‘bad-boy’ Delhi image. They are quick and logical thinkers. Boldness is another trait – they love to present their ideas gallantly. And yes, they are the jack of all MBA trades.