After JBIMS released the official MSc Finance notification, we have been getting queries on the course, the preparation strategy, and whether one should consider this course seriously or not. In this article, we will take these questions one by one.
Does an MSc Finance from Jamnalal Bajaj have value in terms of campus placements?
The way I look at it, the flagship MBA program at JBIMS is like The Hertz Corporation (Number 1) and the MSc Finance course is Avis (Number 2). As we all know, Avis adopted the ‘We try harder’ corporate motto, acknowledging the number 1 position of Hertz. That’s what MSc Finance will continue to do in the years to come. Be the number 2 course and try harder. If you look at the placements, you will get an idea as to what you should be expecting after the course. In the immediate period after completing the course, one might find a marginal difference in the placements. MSc Finance (and I have heard this from quite a few students) is not as rigorous as the flagship course (which means that students of MSc Finance will get more free time to do extra internships, certifications and improve profile).
There are advantages and disadvantages of having a focused program. You end up creating specialists who might not function well as generalists. I am not passing a judgment here and I am pretty sure that there will be students in MSc Finance who will be a tad better than some of the students in the core program in terms of their qualification or academic performance and other such parameters. Anyway, the question is not about who is better and who is not. If I wake up tomorrow, and find a new brand of toothpaste, I will be reluctant to pick it up because I have been using Colgate for a long time. So recruiters will take some time to adapt to this ‘new’ course but it will happen over a period of time. And I am sure JBIMS will ensure that because they will eventually look at increasing the number of seats for both these courses and without a steady recruiter base in place, it will be quite difficult to pull off. Placement is just one thing and using that sole parameter to arrive at a conclusion is not a wise thing to do. If you are thinking whether to take this leap of faith or not, it makes sense to evaluate this with some other option (say a core MBA finance from another institute).
MSc Finance or core MBA Finance?
You need to understand why you want to do this course. A lot of students must be doing this only for JBIMS brand name and that’s not a good enough reason. Yes, it makes your life easier, but you can’t really have that as the only reason. You can’t be someone who wanted to do an MBA and was not sure of your specialization and since you got this as an option decided to give it a shot. This course is for those who have decided that they want to be in Finance. If you are more suited for Marketing, HR, Operation, then it doesn’t make sense to apply. If you have decided that it’s going to be Finance, go for it. Also, ‘should I take up JBIMS MSc Finance’ is not even a good question. It should be ‘how will MSc Finance from JBIMS help me achieve what I want to’ or ‘should I join a core program at XYZ institute or MSc Finance’
- If you are unsure of specialization, safe to join a core MBA program
- If you want the MBA experience that a lot of people talk about, join a core MBA program
If you’re passionate about Finance, this course will be a brilliant opportunity. You will get to learn from some of the best teachers, and develop a good grasp over the subject. Add a couple of certifications that you can acquire in these two years. And because of the small batch size, it is easier to be at the top in terms of academics. Accept the fact that there is a huge difference between a core Finance MBA and MSc Finance and get your expectations right before you join or even think of applying. If you have decided to apply, read further.
How to prepare?
If you’ve prepared for CET, you should be ready for the written test. In the current test format (MCQs, four alternatives with +1/-0.25 marking scheme) accuracy is important more than speed, as you have 120 minutes to attempt 100 questions. You need to get back in the preparation zone and solve questions on a daily basis. You need to start your GD PI preparation as well and can’t really keep it at the end. It doesn’t help. If you haven’t done anything related to Finance, your Financial awareness and knowledge will save you in the interview. Even if you know zilch about Finance, watching a business news channel and reading a business newspaper will be extremely useful. I am also sharing a list of things you need to download/follow/prepare:
1. GD PI Handbook [link]
2. GD PI Experiences compendium [link]
3. How to prepare for GK and current affairs [link]
Keep visiting this blog as I will be sharing useful content for MSc Finance aspirants in the next few articles. Do join our Facebook preparation group where we keep answering queries and discuss questions.
