Going by the heart's call: Gayatri Karulkar

I studied my 11^th and 12^th grades from Kelkar College, Mulund. I was from the Arts stream. I chose this stream as the subjects in this stream appealed to me. I was very fond of Psychology, English, and Economics. I also got to study a new language – French – for two years because of this course. After my 12^th, I decided to take up BMS as I was keen on learning more about Economics and all the areas related to it. Also, the subjects taught in the BMS course were interesting. In the second year of BMS, I chose Finance specialization and now, I am doing my masters in the same specialization. I chose Vivekanand Education Society Institute of Management for it because of its outbound program, the foundation course, Global Certification of SAS, and the chance to learn business analytics as part of my curriculum. VESIM also has a concept called Flip Classroom. This means that the students present the concept, that is, they become the teachers. The teacher later explains everything in detail and the things which the student missed out. This helps the students to build confidence, get rid of stage fear, and improve presentation skills. Apart from academic reasons, VES has an easy culture to adapt to. It is one of the oldest trusts in our country, and hence, has a sense of recognition. 

The entrance tests which I gave were NMAT, CAT, and CET. I was enrolled in a coaching class called IMS. It was a bit difficult to adjust my job and the preparation for these exams into the schedule but my coaching classes guided me and helped me through the process. They also conducted mock GD and PI rounds.

The GD and PI rounds conducted by VESIM were great. To prepare for the same, I read my resume thoroughly, stayed up-to-date with all the current affairs, and went through mock GDs and PIs to be prepared for the same. The other colleges I had applied to were SIES and NL Dalmia. SIES also had case-study as one of the rounds in the process of admission. They had given a management situation and had asked us to solve it and give our opinion on it. The interview at NL Dalmia was conducted by a panel of two members, one was a faculty member at the college and the other was an industry expert.

The lectures at VESIM are from 9 to 2, so we have enough time to do co-curricular activities in the college. We have a lot of clubs and committees in the college. To name a few, we have the branding cell, placement committee, finance cell, marketing cell, HR cell, operations cell, WDC, magazine club, literature club, movie club, etc. The extra activities include all the events carried out by these clubs and committees. Apart from that, the college hosts two festivals viz. Literati Fest and Basic. We also have a sports day. On a daily basis, after lectures, you can spend time in the canteen or out in the veranda by CCD. VESIM gives you a chance at new opportunities. I was the chief editor of the college magazine. VESIM lets you showcase your talents in events like Teachers’ Day and Glimpses. This college also helps in communication with the corporate with the leadership series, VBx. A lot of students also get the opportunity to study in Spain or Croatia in the second year and also go for Europe Study Tour. The college has also started a language center where you can learn languages like French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin. The students also get an opportunity to write a research paper alongside the faculty. VESIM also helps you to find which stream you belong to by conducting MBTI tests and mentoring sessions. Apart from all this, in the literal sense, the faculty members’, dean’s, and director’s door are always open for the students. All I can say about this college and its relation with me is that this college has opened many opportunities for me, has made me realize my potential and has shown me how I can achieve it.

About the Author:

My name is Gayatri Karulkar. I am a BMS graduate from RA Podar College of Commerce and Economics. I am currently studying in the first year of PGDM at VESIM. I have a year of work experience. I am a classical dancer. I have been learning Kathak for 13 years and am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the same. I am also an avid reader. My favourite authors are Sidney Sheldon and JK Rowling. I like listening to music, classical as well as western.