Mystory@Subham Bhowmick: How I selected my college and career path

Mystory@Subham Bhowmick

Since middle school, I had developed an interest in Science subjects, and thus it became very easy for me to choose my stream after Class X from ICSE. Physics and Computer Science became my most favourite subjects during Class XII.

Given the rank I had secured in IITJEE, out of all the options available to me, I chose to pursue Civil Engineering from IIT Roorkee. I had done the due research, and after talking to teachers, and some seniors, I felt this would be my best choice.

It was the right decision for me, as I came to understand the role civil engineering has played in building societies since centuries, and how infrastructure is one of the most essential metrics on which growth and development of an economy is measured.

I worked for close to four years after my graduation in a residential construction project. During the latter 2 years of this duration, I decided to go for an MBA degree, as I needed to further upgrade my profile to get into a managerial role, after a purely technical role.

With an eye on my academic profile and work-ex, Operations was the domain that I wanted to progress to, and NITIE, Mumbai is considered one of the best B-Schools to offer such a program, and further employment opportunities. Thankfully, I succeeded in getting an admission offer, and it’s been going great since.  

How I cracked college admission

In order to get admission in a B-School in India, first one has to crack an entrance test, CAT being the most popular and most widely accepted, after which shortlisted candidates appear in WAT/GD and PI rounds conducted by individual B-Schools.

I had appeared for CAT, XAT and IIFT, and thankfully, had a shortlist from NITIE (based on my CAT score), amongst others. I successfully appeared for my GD-PI round, and was offered admission.

Some of the other B-Schools from which I was shortlisted for GD/WAT-PI rounds were IIM-Lucknow, Shillong, Raipur, Kashipur, MDI Gurgaon, SJMSOM-IIT Bombay. Out of these, I had converted IIM Raipur and Kashipur, MDI and SJMSOM.

To prepare for the entrance tests, I had joined the classroom coaching program offered by TIME from June (CAT and the other exams usually are in Oct-Nov).

What I gained from my college experience

The academic routine at NITIE usually keeps one fairly occupied, apart from which there are regular guest lectures and panel discussions, case study competitions, and other extra and co-curricular activities etc. Such an environment forces a person to learn time-management effectively, as otherwise life gets difficult.

As PGDIM is a short course, spanning around 20 months or so (apart from 2 months of summer internship), most of the subjects offered are extremely industry-oriented and practical, hence very important for developing one’s overall profile. Other than that, my favourite subjects have been Statistics/OR and Operations/Supply Chain subjects.

Other than that, I am a member of the Industry Interaction Cell at NITIE, which organises various Corporate Panel meets, and opens weekend project opportunities for the students.

Joining a B-School has been an extremely enriching experience for me, where I have met so many interesting people from different backgrounds and experiences. Living in such a multi-cultural environment helps develop one’s perception and outlook towards other people and cultures as well. And not the least, being in a B-School helps develop one’s personality in a holistic manner, so as to equip him with the mental apparatus to deal with any challenges in the future.

About the Author:

My name is Subham Bhowmick, and I am a graduate in Civil Engineering from IIT Roorkee. I’ve had almost four years of work experience in the construction sector, and I am currently enrolled in the prestigious PGDIM program at NITIE, Mumbai. My hobbies include reading novels, bit of LAN gaming, apart from which I don’t get much free time, given the hectic academic schedule of a B-School life.

My interests involve continuously trying to update my skillsets with a focus on the industry I want to be involved in, in the future, & travelling as much as possible in my spare time, and learn about different places and its features, people and cultures.