Bangalore And Beyond: Which IIM Wins the Race?

Picking From the Best: The Race Between Management Titans

“The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.” Peter Drucker.

The journey of a business begins with an idea. That idea needs the support of finances, manpower, and marketing to grow. Even then, the best of the business ideas tend to face pitfalls. What can make a business successful, then? Direction. When given the right direction and guidance, even without resources, you can convert your dreams into reality. A business becomes successful when it chooses a problem to solve, commercialises the solution, and sells it to make money.

Without direction, even the problem of choosing is a tough task. Business is not just about making sales. It extends beyond that. For decades, India has been shaping these dreams. Through its educational institutes, it has given wings to many business ideas and entrepreneurial ambitions. This is the power of education—it discovers and sharpens a potential you never knew you had. This is what the IIM journey is all about—innovation. While India has seen the rise of many IIMs, tough competition between them can make it harder for you to choose. Here is a comparative study between IIM Bangalore and other IIMs to see which one you should choose.

Also Read: Executive MBA From IIMs – Worth the Investment?

IIM Rankings Revealed: The Who’s Who of B-Schools

Here is a list of all the IIMs and their NIRF Rankings in the management category:

Legacy and Reputation: A Class Apart?

The Indian Institute of Bangalore was established in 1973. It enjoys multiple national and international rankings, such as:

• QS World University Rankings: 32nd globally for Business and Management Studies.

• FT Global Rankings: Ranked 3rd for MBA in India and 47th for MBA globally.

• Indian Rankings (Management Category): Ranked 2nd in India.

• FT MiM Global Rankings: Ranked 3rd in India and 41 globally.

• Recognition: Only Indian B-School in the global network for advanced management.

1. The Presence of Silicon Valley

1. IIM Bangalore: Bangalore is the hub of India’s information technology and business start-ups. Industry leaders, venture capitalists, investors, business owners, and successful start-ups are closely linked with the city. By being a part of this system, you can access several networking opportunities, take advantage of internships, and work on projects that other IIMs mostly do not offer. You can learn beyond your classrooms—an exposure not offered across other B-Schools.

2. IIM Ahmedabad: The college is situated in the city’s industrial hub. It has better connections with the manufacturing industry and policy-making bodies.

3. IIM Lucknow and Indore: The two colleges are in relatively smaller cities. They offer more cost-effective programmes. However, the city’s limited exposure also gives fewer industrial and corporate connections than Bangalore.

Also Read: IIM Explained – Full Form, Colleges, Ranking, Curriculum, Fee, more

2. Placements: Where Your Work Life Begins

IIM Bangalore: IIMB has seen more placements in

• Consulting

• IT/Product Management

• General Management

• Sales and Marketing

With a median salary of INR 33 LPA and the highest salary of INR 1 CPA, they welcome recruiters such as:

• Accenture

• Genpact

• Nucleus Software

• Zomato

• Merilytics

• Persistent Systems

• RPG

• Samsung Electronics

IIM Ahmedabad: IIM-A offers slightly better salaries than IIM Bangalore. The median salary is INR 35 LPA, and the highest is INR 1.15 CPA in consulting and public policy roles.

IIM Kozhikode and IIM Indore: These are newer institutions in the management space than IIM Bangalore. They are still developing their global recruiter contacts.

3. Entrepreneurial Support: Where Your Dreams Meet Reality

1. IIM Bangalore: IIMB is recognised for its entrepreneurial support. You can access the NSRCEL—Nadathur S. Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, one of the most popular incubation centres in India offered by IIMB. They support your start-ups, help you with funding, and provide mentorship and networking opportunities.

2. IIM Ahmedabad: IIMA is also well-known for its entrepreneurial support. They offer CIIE—Centre for Innovation Incubation & Entrepreneurship. This centre also offers excellent support to emerging start-ups and pays more attention to tech and social enterprises.

3. IIM Kozhikode & Lucknow: IIM Kozhikode offers IIMK LIVE as its entrepreneurial support and is quite well-established in support. However, IIM Lucknow offers IIML EIC—Enterprise Incubation Center, which is still in its developmental phase. Compared to the other IIMs, it is not as competent.

Also Read: IIM Ahmedabad Online MBA 2024: Prepare For Leadership Roles

4. Alumni Network: Your Gateway to Enhance Connections

1. IIM Bangalore: IIMB has a strong alumni network. Its alumni are associated with influential leaders in global organisations, governments, and successful businesses.

2. IIM Ahmedabad: IIMA has a better alumni network than IIM Bangalore. It has a better-established brand reputation. More CEOs are associated with popular Indian businesses that have graduated from IIM Ahmedabad. This makes their network even stronger. Several noteworthy personalities have graduated from IIM Ahmedabad:

   • Mr. Raghuram Rajan

   • Ms. Malika Sarabhai

   • Mr. Chetan Bhagat

   • Mr. Ashneer Grover

3. IIM Rohtak and IIM Indore: IIM Rohtak was established in 2009. Its alumni network is relatively weaker than IIM Bangalore and IIM Ahmedabad. Although their network has grown significantly, they primarily focus on entrepreneurship and practical exposure so you can work across different sectors. IIM Indore, on the other hand, is also known for its alumni network, which includes Hussain Haidry, Neha Rastogi, Avinash, and Siddharth Sethi. However, IIMB and IIMA lead the way.

Also Read: IIM Entrance Exam CAT: 2024 Guide For You

Conclusion: Final Takeaway

Choosing between the IIMs is a tough choice. The higher you go, the tougher it gets. Getting into an IIM is an achievement on its own. If you have cleared, congratulations! We know the feeling is unreal. If you are still looking to choose between IIM Bangalore and other IIMs, this guide is the perfect route to understanding the key differences. While they all hold a strong reputation and offer excellent exposure, some are slightly better. If IIM Bangalore leads the way in location, IIM Ahmedabad leads the way in placements. Irrespective, both are important. Remember, no matter how good your college is, you must work hard to achieve what you deserve. And, as Naina from Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani once said, “

Jitna bhi try karlo, kuch na kuch toh chootega hi”, you may just choose the perfect IIM, but you might miss out on some other even better feature.