We interacted with one of our students Kumud Joshi (EMBA: Class of 2017) for a quick chat about her experience at S P Jain. Below are the excerpts from our interaction.

Q: What are the factors which led you to pursue Executive MBA?
Ans:
∙ In the dynamic & changing environment & for future growth, a higher qualification is required. With my current degree of Bachelor of Arts, I had already achieved whatever position I could. Pursuing an MBA was a long term decision from a professional/personal perspective.
∙ Great Investment- The bottom line is that the EMBA experience is a great investment.
∙ Knowledge to use –Learn new theories, concepts, tools and skills through your program to broaden your horizon.
∙ It involves high level, highly motivated participants who can also help build your network immensely.
∙ It helps to prepare us for the global business environment.
∙ Learning with applications boosts our confidence & helps move forward in our careers.
∙ A supportive family is absolutely essential to go through this process smoothly.

Q: Briefly share the role you were playing in your erstwhile organization prior to joining EMBA at SP Jain School of Global Management.
Ans: I am a part of the Sales & Marketing team in my organization & am responsible for the revenue generation for the company. I have been with the current organization for more than 11 years now and have grown from a Trainee to the Sales Manager getting an exposure in various departments.

Q: Which B-schools did you apply for and why did you select SP Jain School of Global Management?
Ans: I started looking to do an EMBA in the first week of December, 2015 and always wanted to do it from a well-known institution. However, I always looked for a degree course rather than a diploma, and SP Jain Global was offering that. Apart from this, it has a good value for money and is well known globally. Hence, this was the perfect choice to make.

Q: Please share in detail the application and final selection procedure at your B-School.
Ans: We had to fill the online application with details and our academic/professional background; the SP Jain Global admission team reviewed the documents. The shortlisted candidates were called for an interview and an aptitude test was conducted to assess the analytical, reasoning, quantitative and verbal skills of the candidates.

Q: What is a typical day in your life at our Mumbai campus?
Ans: A typical teaching day starts at 10 am. However, I leave my house by 9 am to be there on time. Once I am in campus, all our batch-mates meet and have tea or breakfast together, sharing or preparing for assignments and/or presentations. The lectures start at 10 AM and continue up to 5:30PM, with two small breaks for tea/coffee and a 45-minute break for lunch.

Q: Was it difficult for you to adjust to the student life after a gap of many years? How did you cope with it?
Ans: This is the most interesting part because I thought it would be very difficult. But surprisingly, we all adjusted very comfortably. A supportive family is also very essential to go through this process with flying colours and I am really thankful to them.

Q: How much industrial and international exposure does your program provide you?
Ans: The program has faculty visiting from industries who talk about their work experiences and practical application of the knowledge and learning. From an international perspective, we had our orientation in Dubai where we got to meet people from different industries and cultures, as well as the students from the campus there.

Q: What is the difference in the teaching method applied by guest lectures delivered by academicians and industry practitioners? Please share the best elements from both.
Ans: Good faculty, whether they be from academia or from industry, add a lot of value to us. They help expand our horizons and improve our decision making capabilities.

Q: How much is the rigour at the program in comparison to the 2 year regular MBA?
Ans: This is quite an intensive program and we cannot compare a 2 year full time MBA program with an EMBA. The latter provides us a with a lot of experiential learning and the opportunity for discussions with the faculty as well as the batch mates who are high achievers and have experience themselves.

Q: According to you, what is the best aspect of your program and campus?
Ans: There is a certain buzz in the campus and it takes us back to the good old days of being young and lively. The design of the campus is also an inspiration, which is very modern and engaging.

Q: Does your program offer placements? Are you willing to participate in the placement process or plan to join your previous organization?
Ans: At the EMBA here, there is no placement assistance per se and for me it does not really make a difference since I plan to continue with my current organization and look forward to expanding my horizons within the firm.

Q: What are your expectations from the program? How would you like to implicate the learning after completing the program?
Ans: My expectation from the program is to enhance my learning, understand better and apply the concepts using critical thinking to help solve company problems.

Q: What is your advice to the aspirants of Executive MBA?
Ans: The Executive MBA program is a course which is designed for people who have high potential to contribute to their organizations. This course changes your outlook and approach to solving problems. However, a good level of commitment is expected from the aspirant to derive maximum benefits.