A Sociological Study of Postgraduate Students of Management Discipline of a Prominent Business School in Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Management education in India has been rather proliferating widely through a number of lIMs, NlTs, Central Universities, State Universities and their affiliated colleges, deemed to be Universities and a host of Private Business Schools. Among these management education providers, the total mosaic of intake, syllabus, standards, teaching quality, evaluation and research processes have been widely varying based on a multitude of factors. The risks of balancing quality of intake, requisite levels of delivery and evaluation systems are becoming a great problem in ultimately providing suitable placements to the great nos., of the graduating products, besides ushering in an undesired mis-matched delivery to what the industry yearns for and the subsequent failures of even to plough back the much needed new ideas and experiences into redesigning the academic curricula, systems and the research components. With all these casting a long shadow on the management education .which itself is drifting towards saturation stage (the declining admissions during the last 5 years and the increasing number of unfilled seats in various B-schools, University campuses and other colleges) being witnessed are transforming as the ominous signs of the coming days. Higher education has occupied a pre eminent position in independent India , since it was perceived as a promoter of economic growth, technological development and also as an instrument of equal opportunity and upward social mobility. Additionally, the changes spearheaded by economic liberalization and globalization are impacting on higher education world wide. In midst of such an evolving vortx like scenario, an interesting Sociological study on MBA admitted students at a prestigious B-school, viz., GITAM Institute of Management (GIM), GITAM University, Visakhapatnam was conducted encompassing various pertinent parameters, which revealed equally interesting findings. And towards this objective, a comprehensive sociological study was designed and administered to the 100% of the students admitted .A total of 13 parameters were used and various findings were arrived at. It is befitting to mention that GITAM Institute of Management (GIM),established 27 years ago, in 1988, forming a constituent of GITAM University had the privilege of stewardship by a galaxy of successive academic luminaries and is in the forefront of imparting value based management education and been acclaimed as one displaying stellar performance by the society in general and various India’s B-school ranking organizations, in particular. The findings of the study, being an authentic feedback are but promptly utilized by the Institute in making dynamic interventions in tune with the expectations and goals of the aspiring students and the other stake holders. It is sincerely felt that these findings are of utility to policy makers of all B-schools, all the stake holders, including the students, parents, industry and thus to the society at large