Are you thinking of pursuing an MBA while studying for your B.Tech? The new National Education Policy 2020 makes this possible by promoting multidisciplinary education. This approach fosters critical thinking and collaboration, preparing well-rounded citizens. 

NIT Warangal, IIITDM Kurnool, and IIM Visakhapatnam have teamed up to let B. Tech and M.Tech students enroll in the IIMV Postgraduate Program in Management. This collaborative B.Tech-MBA program allows students to earn both degrees in five years, saving one academic year.

This blog will provide the course det

ails and career prospects for the IIM V- PGPMCI program.

What are the course offerings?

IIM Vishakapatnam Master of Business Administration Postgraduate Program in Management for the Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (IIMV – PGPMCI)

The Postgraduate Program in Management for Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (PGPMCI) at IIM Visakhapatnam began on March 14, 2024. It integrates engineering expertise with management skills, preparing students for leadership in a tech-driven landscape. 

Pursuing spspecialisedanagement skills alongside a BTech or MTech degree enhances career opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship, and further education. Within a year, graduates can obtain a prestigious MBA from IIMV. Qualifying students will also earn additional certifications, such as DBM (Diploma in Business Management) and MBA ( Masters in Business Management). 

Program Eligibility

Students in the 6th, 7th, or 8th semester of B.E/B.Tech (any branch) or in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th semester of M.E/M.Tech/M.Sc (Tech) (or equivalent) at Participating Technical Institutions (PTIs) – including CFTIs and INIs – are eligible to apply for IIMV PGPMCI. PTI alumni can also participate, but only those who graduated with a B.Tech/M. Tech (or equivalent) in the current or previous year. This criterion ensures that all participants have a similar knowledge base and prevents alums with work experience from having an unfair advantage over current students.

The students from the below institutes are also eligible to enrol for the IIMV PGPPCMI program:

• National Institute of Technology Agartala 
•  National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur 
•  Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar 
•  National Institute of Technology Manipur 
•  National Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh 
•  National Institute of Technology Warangal 
•  IIITDM Kurnool 
•  National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Haryana 
•  Indian Institute of Information Technology, Raichur 
•  Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) 
•  National Institute of Technology Raipur

IIMV allows students to skip the CAT exams, saving time and money while eliminating uncertainties. This program offers a quick return on investment and access to a supportive alum network for career growth.

Candidates will take a proctored online test that assesses Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability. The test consists of multiple-choice questions and lasts 60 to 90 minutes. It awards two marks for correct answers and a one-mark deduction for incorrect ones.

Program Highlights

The IIMV PGPMCI (MBA) program aims to provide students with engineering and technology backgrounds with a smooth transition into management education. Below are its highlights.

• Engage in live online learning for an interactive and enriching educational journey. 
• Benefit from a modular structure that offers two degrees from the esteemed IIM Visakhapatnam: a Diploma in Management and an MBA. 
• Take advantage of a susubsidisedee system that provides excellent student investment value. 
• Experience a hands-on teaching approach led by the faculty of IIM Visakhapatnam. 
• Gain the prestigious IIM Visakhapatnam Alumni status, which opens up a vast network of professionals and resources. 
• Participate in a campus immersion program at IIMV, offering a practical, immersive learning environment. 
• Tackle a Capstone Project that encourages critical thinking complex problem-solving, and showcases the students’ preparedness for the professional realm.

Program Structure

The IIMV  PGPMCI program is a two-year modular management hybrid course. 

Module 1 lasts one year and requires 360 hours of virtual instruction, which equates to 36 credits. Students must also study for 10-12 hours weekly. 

Module 2 also spans a year, combining 40 hours on campus (4 credits) with 420 hours online (42 credits) and a 60-hour capstone project (6 credits). Students in Module 2 commit 12-15 hours weekly. 

The program includes 880 study hours across 30 courses, offering 88 credits.

Module 1:

All courses are categorised as core or mandatory. Within this framework, each module will consist of courses worth 1 or 2 credits. 

Under the industry readiness courses, students can select one workshop course each term. These courses are graded using letter grades but are not included in CGPA calculations. 

Each class session will last 60 minutes; for every credit earned, there will be 10 hours of classroom instruction. For Terms 1, 2, and 3, the total number of hours will be 360, resulting in 36 credits.

Course Details

Module 2:

All courses in this module are electives, featuring a mix of full and half courses. Each session lasts 90 minutes, and an entire course comprises 30 hours of classroom instruction. The Capstone Project will involve group work that students must complete with guidance from faculty.

In Terms 4, 5, and 6, the total required hours (including campus immersion and the Capstone Project) is 40 + 420 + 60 = 520 hours, which accrues 52 credits. 

Term IV On-campus Immersion at IIMV 

• 5 Days: 8 hours per day = 40 Hours, 4 Credits
• Engagement with learning through real-life cases
• Bridge courses for transitioning students from DBM to MBA.

Course Details

Listed below are the tentative electives that the students can opt for during the second module.

Class Scheduling Online Courses (Following IIMV Campus Immersion)

 Classes are primarily held during the evenings on alternate weekdays (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) and Sundays. 

For Module 1: – Online Synchronous Learning 

Students will attend 8-12 hours of weekly classes, and their total engagement will last approximately 30-36 weeks. 

For Module 2: – Campus Immersion Module

 Involves 6-7 hours of instruction per day, spread over 5 to 6 days. – Online Synchronous Learning: Students will attend 12-15 hours of classes weekly, culminating in around 35-40 weeks of engagement. 

Capstone Project

The Capstone Project in Term 6 allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world business challenges, enhancing their problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. It also offers networking opportunities and prepares students for their careers. Faculty from IIMV will provide guidance. The group project is worth six credits and has an estimated workload of 60 hours.

Criteria and Qualifications for The Academic Certification

Students completing Module 1 will receive the IIMV Diploma in Business Management if they meet the following conditions: 

1. Achieve a CGPA of 2.20 or higher on a scale of 4.00.
2. Comply with all guidelines outlined in the DBM Program Handbook, including attendance requirements. 

[IIMV will develop the Handbook in collaboration with the PTI]. 

Students who do not achieve the specified CGPA but satisfy all other program criteria and guidelines will receive a Participation Certificate. They may opt to join the next Module-1 batch, if scheduled, under the following circumstances:

1. As MTech students of the PTI.
2. As BTech/MTech graduates from the current year or the year immediately preceding.

These students must retake Module 1 in its entirety, with no exemptions for any courses (partially or fully) and no fee waivers (partially or fully). Each student will be granted this re-enrollment opportunity only once. 

As for Master of Business Administration (MBA), students will be awarded the degree if they meet the following criteria:

1. An overall CGPA of 2.20 or above out of 4.00 (which includes both Module 1 and Module 2).
2. Adherence to all the guidelines specified in the MBA Program Handbook, including attendance. 

Students who do not meet the CGPA requirement but fulfil all other criteria and guidelines will be allowed to join the next Module-2 batch if scheduled. However, they must repeat Module 2 in full, with no course exemptions or fee reductions. The institute will also extend this re-enrollment opportunity to each student only once.

Building the Future: An Overview of Career Opportunities

 IIMV launched the PGPMCI program in March 2024. As a dual degree initiative, placements are scheduled for this year for the first batch of IIMV PGPPMCI graduates. Below are the statistics regarding the overall IIMV PGP 2022-24 placements, which achieved a 100% placement rate for all students.

Salary Statistics PGP_2022-24

Below are the details of the offer given to the students.

The placement drive featured various companies, including well-known firms such as Infosys, Accenture, Adani, and Airtel. Financial institutions like Invesco, Nippon India Mutual Fund, and Axis Bank participated. Several consulting and technology companies were represented, including KPMG, Deloitte, Decimal Point Analytics, and Tech Mahindra. In addition, the manufacturing and industrial sectors participated, including AkzoNobel, Kansai Nerolac, and Deepak Nitrite. Notable recruiters from various industries included Lam Research, Amara Raja, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finserv, and a host of companies in fields like pharmaceuticals, software, real estate, and consumer goods, such as ABSYZ, AMTZ, Anandrathi, Arthmate, A Modenik, Napier, VEKA, NetElixir, AU Small Finance Bank, Blenheim Chalcot, Chella Software, NoBroker, Ogi, Pab, MetLife, 1Point, PwC, Cognizant, CRISIL, DS Group, DSP Mutual Fund, EGNIOL, Soulflower, TAFE, Tata AIG, Tata Communications, Elemica, Emkay Global, EqualizeRCM, GAAR, Goldman Sachs, INTEGRACE, JSLA, RedSeer, SAIL, ServiceNow, Sobha Realty, Digit, The Digital Fifth, Times Coherent, Tredence, and Treebo. The varied selection of recruiters provided graduates with numerous career options and possibilities.

The Master’s program at the School of Management (SoM) of the National Institute of Technology Warangal (NITW) transforms engineering graduates into Techno-Managers, featuring a highly regarded curriculum. The B.Tech-MBA program, a collaboration between NIT Warangal and IIM Visakhapatnam, allows students to complete both degrees in five years, addressing industry demand for professionals with both engineering and management skills.

The MoU between IIITDM Kurnool and IIM Visakhapatnam enables IIITDM Kurnool students to pursue an online MBA without the CAT exam, combining technical knowledge with managerial expertise. This program enhances problem-solving skills and career prospects, providing graduates with a competitive edge in leadership roles and valuable networking opportunities. Overall, it prepares students for success in a dynamic job market and cultivates future technology leaders.

This initiative by IIMV will enhance students’ competencies and broaden their career options, contributing to their brighter futures.