SPJIMR inaugurates PGDM 2017-19 with 41% women; High on diversity without any quota says Dr Ranjan Banerjee, Dean

SPJIMR (S P Jain Institute of Management & Research), Mumbai has inaugurated on June 19, the most diverse 37th PGDM batch 2017-19 of 243 students with highest ever gender diversity comprising 41% women candidates and 5 international students who are nationals of Australia and Nepal.

The formal batch inaugural and orientation ceremony began with a traditional prayer and offered students an overview of the ethos, the heritage and values that have seen SPJIMR stand apart as a top ranked institute in the country. The batch joins the SPJIMR campus at a time when it is fast upgrading its infrastructure, expanding its offerings to new segments and increasing international collaborations.

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Gender Divrsity: Ratio of Women up by 35%

The 37thbatch known as the SPJIMR PGDM Class of 2019, has a total of 243 participants. It is one of the most diverse batches of the PGDM, with 41 per cent women participants and highest so far. Ratio of women students at SPJIMR has increased by 35% over last year.
26% Non-Engineers
The batch has 26 per cent non-engineers coming from various streams and professions in the new PGDM batch 2017-19 consisting of 243 students. The ratio of non engineers in SPJIMR is higher than in any other top B-school including IIMs.
65% students with Work Experience
One of the key features of the PGDM 2017-19 batch is that 65% students at SPJIMR are with work experience in diverse fields and professions. The diversity of work experience in different sectors will help the entire batch to peer learning on different aspects.

Batch Diversity: Outcome of process of improvement
Although IIMs and other top B-schools have been trying to achieve high level of academic and gender diversity in their class rooms through modifications in CAT exam pattern, admission process and by awarding weightage to women and non-engineers but the level of diversity that SPJIMR has achieved without awarding any quota or weightage is a glaring example which can be followed, in case IIMs are serious enough to improve diversity in their class rooms.
Dr. Ranjan Banerjee, Dean SPJIMR attributes the high gender diversity in SPJIMR to its normal process of improvement. According to Dr Banerjee We are high on diversity and what is important is that this is a part of our normal process of improvement. It is not being done through any form of quotas but it is being done by processes which look not only at academics but holistically at the overall personality and attitude of the candidate.
Commenting on the increase in the ratio of non-engineers in SPJIMR class rooms, Dr Banerjee says Because of this, the ratio within our student population more approximates the talent in the overall population. This is in evidence with this batch. The number of non-engineers has gone up. We have sportspersons, musicians and people from various diverse backgrounds who are also good academically.

The PGDM Programme Chair Dr. Vasant Sivaraman said: In a changing world that sees an uncertain future, adaptability along with specialised skills that participants achieve in an MBA are a key to success. The knowledge, skills and attitude that is part of the SPJIMR way offers participants the path to sustainable growth, success and fulfilment.

SPJIMR refreshes programme architecture
Over the past several months, the SPJIMR faculty undertook a review of the programme by drawing upon insights from multiple stakeholders. As an outcome of this exercise, the programme architecture has been refreshed; some of this new direction is being launched with the Class of 2019.
This will be the first time students will receive a Kindle e-book reader with their prescribed books pre-loaded. SPJIMR has set up a special arrangement with Amazon and with the book publishers to offer as many books as possible to students in the digital format.

PGDMs Global Fast Track Initiative
As part of PGDMs Global Fast Track (GFT) initiative at SPJIMR, participants will visit a global B-School in the second year for advanced courses in their area of specialisation. The partner B-Schools include Cornell University (Johnson School of Management) for finance and marketing management, Michigan State University (Eli Broad College of Business) for operations and supply chain management and Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper School of Business) for Information management.

S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) Mumbai is a constituent of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and is ranked among the top ten business schools of India. As a premier school of management, SPJIMR is noted for pedagogic innovations and pioneering programmes, which have helped the institute stand out for its unique and distinctive path in management education. SPJIMR has a sprawling 45 acre campus in the western suburbs of Andheri in Mumbai.
Its oldest programme is the two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM). SPJIMR also runs a Post Graduate Family Managed Business (PGFMB) programme, the 15-month Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM), the Post Graduate Executive Management Programme (PGEMP), the Global Management Programme (GMP - formerly known as PGCIM), the Post Graduate Programme in Development Management (PGPDM) programme.
The institute also runs several shorter term programmes like the PMP Preparatory Programme, the Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Project Management, Doing Business in India (DBI), Start Your Business (SYB) and Grow Your Business (GYB).

SPJIMR has launched two new programmes this year, the Post Graduate Management Programme for Women(PG-MPW), a management programme for women aspiring to return to the workforce, and the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM).

SPJIMR enjoys a good reputation with the industry for the high quality managers that it nurtures through a unique pedagogic approach in preparing socially sensitive graduates with a global mindset.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on SPJIMR Mumbai