Life At A B-School

Preface and explanation:

Well I had found this thread on Pagalguy.com when I first started scouring for information about IBA on the Net. It was started by one of my super-seniors, "Razabpn", socially also known as Biswa Prakash sir. I had read a lot of experiences from the top B-school. But Sir's was the first account about an average-rated college like IBA, which he loved very strongly. I really admire his great creativity, vocabulary and knack of writing humour with serious issues. I had decided the moment I read it that I will try my level best to continue this process of accounting observations and here I am now Makrand Patwardhan , a student of PGPRM 07-09 batch presenting the next chapter in Life @ IBA . Hope someday Biswa Prakash sir sees it and comments on it.

20/08/2007

It has now been complete 2 weeks and 2 days since the days since I first stepped on the campus red and brownish soil. As it is known fact that when you don't expect anything u feel happy with the things u find around yourself. But the best part of being here is what they told in the brochure about the location and type of campus happens to be true. From the gate itself, you feel like entering a modern-era Gurukul ( well, I am not talking only about the studiesÐ'....). The place is eligible to get this title due to the following characteristics-

1) The green campus with fellow friends of nature also known as Cats and Dogs prowling all over the campus. I know it gives a feel of "home away from home" due to them. There is large portions of well maintained and ill-maintained grass which creates a desire in ur heart about rolling-polling-phisloing on it(It is the brilliant desire of one of my good friends at IBA). But, man, it will cost a lot even if the epidermal surface of body enters and touches it.

2) Next, comes its location in Bangalore. I hope they mention the meaning of Bangalore as a city which is the closest to us. (I mean for somebody like me who hails from a town which has a diametric travel time of 2-3 hrs). The closest point of city contact is 20-25 minutes away from the campus, viz., Banashankari.

3) Last but not the least, the place is filled with an air of knowledge. Being from a background where notes for mugging are more important than books of study (WHICH I REALLY DESPISE), this place is close to perfection for me. Faculties I have met till now have been really encouraging your knowledge and practical skills rather than your clerical skills( MUGGING SKILLS).

It must be question on reading this first entry that why has it taken 2 weeks and 2 days. Well I got my Laptop recently and the network was not there to put it online.

Continuing the account, this place has turned out to be a true Ekta Kapoor kind of mega-epic. Hence, it has been fun to be observing the other people. It will be really useless to tell that the place is a mini-India as that is one thing which is going to occur in any B-school. My line of thought that the best way to do an MBA program is a residential course proved to be correct. The faculties here do not teach you. They make u think.

Here, there are two sets of hostels existentÐ'..... I am not talking about girls and boys but, each sect has two each. The second boys hostel is outside the campus, yet it is a place worthy of experiencing. It can end up as a odd looking one room BHK flat, but, the place is useful for personality development. I feel we , the great outstanding ( outsleeping!!!) students are going through the rigorous obstacle training course , analogous to Spartan Military Training! One may hear some students grumbling about the facilities but, in my opinion, it helps a lot. One might not get it today, but, some years down the line, they will understand the importance of being an outside hostel student.

Next is our great Indian yellow busÐ'.... it is one reason why many who were accustomed to the long hours of sleep lost the habit. The road is a true natural roller-coaster ride. You need to be really strong in your grip on the handles here.

5/9/07

Well it has been a long time since the last post. Only one buzz was on for the people with laptopsÐ'... ASSIGNMENTS >>>> ASSIGNMENTS. But, on the eve & night of 3rd Sep (also dark morning of 4th Sep), we , the newbies at IBA were upgraded to trainees at IBA. That's the Freshers' NiteÐ'..... rechristened as "ASTRAL"Ð'.... A party with varieties of ooze and Ð'-oozes and oooohhh and ooooooaa!!

But first, let's go deep in the week gone by. As expected it was a hectic week. The CR-ship was testing the patience of mine and also of those who chose me. It is sometimes amusing and most of the times irritating to find that someone whom u thought will be under our control, suddenly takes your control. At least, a large chunk of my class feels like that. The week was full of ego clashes and family soap drama.

In all this, I learnt an important lesson at IBA. "Group Assignments are the assignments that tend to approach completion but under 99% circumstances never reach it." If the group is of 8 people then, one can find that there will always be only 3-4 people sitting and working. The levels of sincerity and attendance of the group for discussion are always on decline. Yet it is fun.

After getting the laptop and due to stay in RPG(outside hostel), for some Computer Freak like me, the IT lab becomes the home next to real home rather than the library. Let's study some features of library with some additional details.

1) Always maintain silence (that is really frustrating to think!! Silence creates greater sense of nuisance as it always gives a sense of feeling that somebody is whispering around)

2) There is always ample amount of space to sit. (Since very few people visit this place in a dayÐ'.... this place has very low footfall)

3) The luggage rack is of highest importance (In a day, even if u r not in the library, u can put ur bag or baggage there and roam around in the campusÐ'... but this should be done with caution)

4) Mobiles should be put off ( but there is always one mobile a day which rings loud enough to stir the stagnant air of the place)

Now let's study about the IT Lab. This place is the most happening place in IBA as all the things happen here only. The place is used as workshop for all the things from Craft to Technical to Assignments. The salient features of this place are Ð'-

1) Silence never gets a chance here (By