While all the management aspirants in India dream to pursue a degree from IIM’s but given the level of competition in the CAT exam, it is a known fact that getting into the prestigious group of institutes is not a cakewalk. Those concerned and looking for solutions need to know that there are IIM’s that offer five-year integrated MBA programs for getting into IIM’s right after class XII.
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore and Rohtak conducts its National Aptitude test (IPMAT) every year, which has now been joined by IIM Jammu, Ranchi and Bodh Gaya. The aptitude test facilitates admissions to their five-year integrated program in Management, where around 20000 students appear for the exams annually. The admission process is carried out in various stages, starting with the IPM Aptitude test (IPMAT), Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).
Apart from IIM, there are various other institutes that also offers this five-year integrated program, like NALSAR, Hyderabad has recently started the course and it is also expected that Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is all set to launch this program from this academic year.
Why is it useful?
A five-year integrated MBA program is for class XII pass-out students who look forward to a career in business management. It stimulates students’ managerial skills and knowledge based on ethical considerations. Students who wish to pursue an integrated MBA shall have an added advantage in terms of the syllabus as there is no repetition of courses or subjects. In Integrated program as candidates need not appear for the entrance exam and selection process twice (at UG and PG level), hence saving one year that goes into preparation for entrance exams.
A management course makes students acquainted with the tools and techniques strategically used in improving business practices and performance. A management aspirant has to clear the entrance exams to get into this course. Once the course is near completion, they can look out for employment profiles in the Service sector, the manufacturing sector, IT sector, banking sector, etc.
Students are aiming for a Five-year integrated program because it offers the following:
a) Contribute to the learning and introduce them to approaches for knowledge assimilation and skill acquisition.
b) Provide strong foundations of management, law, philosophy, and psychology to the young managers for all-around personality development.
c) It emphasizes a more holistic thinking ability than just a process-driven approach to boost innovation and logical decision making
d) It creates opportunities for gaining practical exposure in diverse decision scenarios, realities, and complexities as a part of their summer internships and live projects so as to develop deepened and contextualized understanding.
e) Nurturing the entrepreneurial aspirations of the students and guiding them towards tangible milestones during the program.
Key Features to crack IPM Exam
While preparation for any exam demands a lot of hard work and dedication. It is important that a student should understand the pattern of the paper”. Some tips on how to prepare for IPMAT:
a) The Basics- It is very important to cover the basic concepts of the subjects Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability. This will help you understand the questions well and take this entrance exam skilfully.
b) Calculations- A student should work on his/her calculations. Time is the key as we are supposed to clear the sectional cut-off in a stipulated time.
c) Reading- A student should focus on reading and enhancing his/her vocabulary.
d) Practice- As an aspirant for the IPMAT entrance exam your target should be to get accuracy as there is a sectional cut-off. The only way to achieve accuracy is to PRACTICE. This helps you identify the question types within each section that you are good at, and those that you are not so good at. It helps in working on improving these topics and save time during the actual exam
e) Testing- The more you practice and the more you work on strengthening the basic concepts it will help you enhance your score. It is of utmost importance to be regular in taking these mock tests and to analyze them thoroughly. It helps you make a strategy for the actual exam well in advance.
