SIBM Pune has provided me with ample opportunities to learn and develop holistically, says Prathit Desai

By: Prathit Desai

Although my college has made me hardworking, determined, and focused; MG Motor has made me a quick learner. It has taught me to work under immense pressure. It has also made me realized the importance of time & resource management and multitasking.

I opted for the Science stream for my higher secondary education and then went on pursuing engineering. I have completed my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Nirma University, Ahmedabad, and graduated in 2019. Engineering has always fascinated me as I always wanted to learn how the technology works on a bigger scale. It provides you with practical exposure and enables you to have hands-on experience. 

Currently, I am pursuing MBA in Marketing. During the interactions with my managers and mentor at MG Motor, I realized they have a completely different perspective on every aspect of the business sector. I was amazed by their business acumen and the skills that they would have acquired during their pursuit of an MBA. I was inspired by their way of influencing people. The way they bring data to real life and strategize everything to greater detail motivated me to widen my horizon and to transform myself into a multifaceted individual. I think an MBA degree will complement the technical skills I have acquired so far in my career and would widen my perspective. So, I believe it will help me groom myself holistically.

I passed out from Nirma University in May 2019 and joined MG Motor India in July 2019. The initial months were quite critical for me as I underwent a major transformation from being a college student to a corporate professional. Although my college has made me hardworking, determined, and focused; MG Motor has made me a quick learner. It has also taught me to work under immense pressure. It has also made me realized the importance of time & resource management and multitasking. To prepare for MBA exams while balancing personal life with the rigorous industry timings was a great challenge. I used to attempt mock tests regularly and then used to learn from my mistakes. I used to identify my strengths and weaknesses and work accordingly. I strongly believe that past years’ papers of any competitive exam give a fair idea and direction to one’s preparation and so, I have also practised from the past years' question papers a lot. 

I appeared for all the major MBA entrance exams including CAT, NMAT, IIFT, XAT, and of course, SNAP. SIBM Pune has always been on top of my priority list because of its legacy of 43+ years, a huge alumni base, and impeccable placement records year after year. The admission process was really smooth and quick. I had already practised some HR questions and brushed up on my current affairs knowledge. I had also practised analytical and creative writing for the written ability test. I believe the clarity of thoughts is very important. One should be very clear about one’s purpose of doing MBA. A calm and composed nature with an ability to connect the dots and answer the questions with a subtle smile always helps.

I am in the first year of MBA and pursuing Marketing as a specialization. It is SIBM Pune’s USP that students select their specializations in the first semester itself and then groom themselves in a particular domain to cope up with ever-evolving industry demands. At SIBM Pune, the pedagogy is a combination of lectures, case studies, and peer learning. We have a case based approach inspired by Harvard Business School to enhance the learning experience in the classroom. The professors support us with constant guidance and show us the path to solve certain critical problems. We are given assignments that mainly focus on applying the skills we have learned in the classroom. Most of the assignments are group assignments so that we can work with our peers and learn from their background knowledge and thinking process. Last week, I completed my first semester and thoroughly enjoyed subjects like Microeconomics, Marketing Management, Financial Management, and Business Statistics etc. 

We are also provided with the privilege of participating in nearly all major corporate competitions. Corporate competitions are a great source of learning as we get to work on the live problem of the industry and apply our creative and logical ideas. Apart from academics, we have 9 student councils and 6 student interest groups that take care of everything from placements, admissions, bringing in live project opportunities, corporate interface, college fests, convocation to alumni meets. I am a junior team member of the Aspirant Relations Team, a team that is the sole interface between aspirants across the country and SIBM Pune. It is responsible to conduct seamless admissions for thousands of aspirants. Thus, I believe SIBM Pune has groomed me in every possible aspect and given me a lot of opportunities to showcase my talent.

About the Author:

Prathit Desai is a sanguine, gregarious, and conscientious professional. He is a calm and composed person but is also adventurous and enthusiastic. He has pursued his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, post which, he was an employee at MG Motor India for 9 months. Currently, he is pursuing an MBA in Marketing from SIBM Pune. He is also a junior team member of the Aspirant Relations Team.