A master’s degree is the final step into academics for most individuals, and for those who want to enter the corporate ladder, a master’s degree plays a pivotal role. So, choosing the institution for the same is critical in one’s life. And if you are planning to do an MBA, then the decision to select a B-School involves the student network, too, as you will be around them during your MBA journey, and they would be playing an essential role in your journey from campus to corporate.
The question that may arise is why diversity is important as students are happy in their comfort zone and are making groups according to their interests or similarities. But if someone wants to stand out, diversity plays an essential role.
- As it brings critical thinkers
Students from different backgrounds in the classroom help in building social awareness, which allows them to gain different perspectives, draw more vital conclusions, and equip them with skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.
2. It helps the students feel involved among the peers A study from the University of California, Los Angeles, looked at diverse classrooms to assess the emotional gains of students and found uplifting results. According to the study, students in
the most varied classrooms were likelier to feel safer, less lonely, and less bullied.
What does diversity look like at IBS?
- Professional Diversity
IBS admits approximately 500 students to its PGPM program every year. IBS each year adds students from different fields holding degrees in commerce, humanities, science, economics, and engineering. What is even fascinating is that some students have work experience in a good company, which results in a better understanding of corporate norms for the students who are freshers.
- Gender Diversity
With around 50-50% ratio of students, IBS left no stone unturned to respond to the market demand for diversity by working on the gender ratio and successfully managing to improve on it. And through B-School, women are getting an opportunity to work at the top level and expand the economy through their contribution to the corporate world.
According to a study published by global accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton, the percentage of women in senior management for India stood at 39 percent as against the global average of 31 percent, which signals the changing outlook of Indian businesses towards working women.
- Academic Diversity
The class is refreshingly diverse as students come from various entrance tests. Students get the option of multiple entrance tests like IBSAT, CAT, XAT, NMAT, and GMAT, from where they can apply for IBS; the college experience a diverse group of people who brings several points with them, their outlook towards problems, their insights towards topics in detail, etc. Apart from scores, students often fetch resume spikes to their credit, like but not limited to higher-than-average work experience, non-traditional backgrounds or entrepreneurial profiles, and a propensity to add tremendous value to the class through their varied experiences.
- Cultural Diversity
IBS witnessed its students from various states representing their own unique cultures. The students of colleges are comprised of different states and union territories like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, and Bihar, etc. they bring new perspectives to the classroom.
How does diversity elevate the IBS experience?
Attending lectures with such a diverse group of students lends rich perspectives to the subject being taught, as students share their own experiences and viewpoints, which are different among students, that bring fresh insights about the topic, resulting in healthy discussion among students. Through this, students also generate synergy among each other. For example, an analytic class may be more insightful if someone with experience in the same industry can share their viewpoint. This scenario generally takes place in the class; work ex-students share their perception of the specific topic and link it with the work they had done in their job.
How does IBS celebrate and encourage diversity?
- Study Group Pairing
With countless presentations, group discussions, panel discussions, and assignments, a student experience different sights from a diverse group of people as they work with distinct people bringing other dishes to the platter. These groups of students remain flexible most of the time as the students are tied up with different groups which emphasize that students can learn from distinct people’s mindset.
You must be thinking about what it would result in as if people are working in a diverse group, it can bring problems within the group members, but if we look at the positive aspect, it can get a vibrant outlook among the students. And while working in a diversified group, one can be assured of the optimal solution as all members put their best forward. That outcome eventually results efficiently.
- Buddy session
IBS narrows the gap between juniors and seniors by organizing buddy sessions where seniors come into class and share their insights on respective topics; seniors carry distinct backgrounds and have diverse knowledge, which helps students gain more awareness of particular issues. Seeing that your seniors have also excelled from a diverse group brings confidence and a sense of belongingness that you can also shine.
- Numerous Cells and Clubs
There are 11 Cells in the college: Placement Cell, Students Council, Internship Cell, Digital Marketing Cell, Alumni Cell, Samvaad Cell, Entrepreneurship Cell, Local Immersion Cell, Social Responsibility Cell, Class Representatives Cell, and Institutional Building Activity Cell.
There are also around 20-25 clubs that promise to enhance student’s skills in different fields like as Marketing (Research & Analytics, E-Marketing, Brand Communication, Marketing Research), Finance (Financial Market, Stock Market, Accounting & taxation club), International club, People Managers Club, Spartans (Sports Club), etc. which emphasis that IBS has multiples opportunity for its students to excel on. Students need to work with diverse people and not limit themselves to their section only.
IBS’s continuous focus on and enforcement of diversity on campus has produced magnificent outcomes. Not only are IBS graduates better prepared and more aware, but many start-ups have been incorporated from enthralling students of IBS, and the college on a continuous basis is providing many opportunities for its students.
Archit Vijay
Batch 2022-2024