Classroom to boardroom To become more employable, management students should both harness technology efficiently and make a conscious effort to relate what they learn in the classroom to the real world, say experts

Classroom to boardroom

To become more employable, management students should both harness technology efficiently and make a conscious effort to relate what they learn in the classroom to the real world, say experts

According to an expert panel, Indian management graduates should be better-trained in soft skills, independent thinking and using technology to m anage tasks efficiently.

Panelists from left to right: Amitabh De, Rashmi Fauzdar, Ajit Ranade, Behroze Kamdin, Soumyo Dutta. They chalked out a seven-point plan to making more employable MBA graduates. This panel included Ajit Ranade, chief economist, Aditya Birla Group; Amitabh De, director in-charge, National Institute of Industrial Engineering; Rashmi Fauzdar, chief general manager, foreign exchange department, Reserve Bank of India; Soumyo Dutta, managing director, Citibank and Bahroze Kamdin, partner, Deloitte.

The panel chalked out a seven-point plan to improve the quality of Indian management education at a discussion held at the Thakur Institute of Management Studies and Research on Saturday, to create employable graduates.
Seven-point plan

1. Less teaching, more learning:

Citing a survey by IIM-Ahmedabad, De said, “80% of the actual learning happens outside the classroom. If students attend lectures six days a week, they do not get time to reflect upon what is taught. Instead, students should have the time to relate class theory and form their own ideas, opinions, research and have the time to think independently.”

2. Soft-skills:

Dutta, who actively recruits management graduates, said they need to have better communication skills and leadership qualities, and an understanding of management as a whole, not just a particular stream such as finance or human resources.

3. Mastering technology:

Managers need to stay abreast with the latest technological developments. Fauzdar says, “Managers are required to master tools to analyse data and represent it in the easiest form, and must know how to use technology efficiently.”

4. The right mindset:

According to Ranade, management graduates often limit their ambitions to achieving the highest profits or winning industry awards, which restricts their creativity and potential. “Keep your dreams meaningful and challenging, like eliminating poverty from the country, for instance,” he said.

5. Social responsibility:

Kamdin says that management graduates are getting a lot from the society and it should be their duty as responsible, educated citizens to give back.

6. Advanced teacher training:

According to De, NITIE received positive feedback from recruiters after they conducted an advanced teacher training programme, which included, teachers visiting various companies to understand the corporate requirements. He listed teacher training as a viable investment for management institutes.

7. Guest lectures from alumni:

Dutta says students can learn valuable lessons about corporate realities from established alumni members. The alumni could also form a support network and share their experiences on a regular basis.