EPGP - IIM Kozhikode vs IIM Ahmedabad

Few days back IIM Ahmedabad announced launch of a new executive programme named EPGP, Executive Post Graduate Programme. The news was published in many mainstream national news media in India. I found that media had claimed this course as first of it's kind in India. Form the basic description, the course looked similar to IIM Kozhikode's EPGP offering. Therefore, I visited the official IIMA website to validate the claim (Link). To my astonishment, the course seemed exactly same as IIMK's EPGP. More details are yet to be published, but it seemed to me as copy pasted course from IIMK. Few points which are exactly same as IIMK are:

1. Statellite + Inclass offering
2.  2 years general management course; includes common/compulsory subjects  list of alternative subjects
3. Will offer diploma
4. Will be given Alumni status
5. Rigor similar to regular PGP course
6. No official placement assistance
7. Same eligibility criteria

I think the above list covers almost all important sides of a course. Hence, without waiting for the final details, we can confidently figure out that this is a duplicate offering of IIMK EPGP. The one and the only visible difference is the course fee. IIMA is charging 17 Lacs as the course fee, while IIMK is charging only 8 Lacs! Is it worth...............?😒 (Will put forward my opinion soon)

Should I join EPGP from IIMK?

I have received multiple queries from candidates planning to join EPGP-09 batch in IIMK. The most common and first question anyone has is whether to join this course. I jotted down a few points to sent to these candidates. I will provide more details in future, the following are my quick thoughts:

Pros:

• Covers vast topics, equivalent to regular MBA
• Complete flexibility choosing the subjects in second year..So if you want to specialize in one stream, you can
• Good opportunity for networking with fellow students. You may find senior resourceful colleagues
• If you are interested in entrepreneurship , you can seriously work with team mates in final project.
• Most value for money course from IIMs for executives.
• Opportunity to acquire very good knowledge from both Professors and students.

Cons:

• No life for two years..no weekends for two years..really hard to keep the motivation up during later part of the course
• Not much consideration for us as working students..projects and assignments for all subjects. But not to worry about the marks, hardly anyone gets DCP.
• Not all professors are good..some may very academic..but this is the case with all premium institutes.
• No placement assistance. Some students may have this expectation. But there is an elaborate effort to rope in EPGP Alumni across cities and batches that may start facilitating placements among students.

Why MBA? - Reason 1

I have been in the IT industry for more than 10 years. Engineer by education, I am happy about bring part of the Software Engineering. A decade has past by since I left my college, but my education is still the base of my job. I engineer applications, learn technologies, write algorithm and optimize output of a product, very much in the line of what I was taught during Engineering.

Never felt an urge for further formal education until recently when I had play around management related activities in recent past. In my initial days of career, management jobs never thrilled me. For me, it was boring, brainless excel works! Technology meant the breadth and length of my job. As I gathered experience, I slowly started feeling the importance of management in the industry. When I started dealing with colleagues of various mindset, skill sets; realized the importance of management keeping everyone productive to the most. I experienced the impact of timeline decisions by management for a project. I also realized how it is important to understand the customer interest, the market before adding in fact a small feature to a product. Though the realization about the importance of the management was there, yet I never thought myself to be doing that. I was a happy techie for a long period. But the day came, when I couldn't spare myself being part of the management. And a new journey began there. I knew how it was important, but never thought it was this challenging!

I started spending many hours more in my workplace after I put my hands in management. There are challenges to handle resources, timelines, commitments, responsibilities for a complete project. It is not easy, I am telling you. You need proficiency in different set of skills. This is where I felt like improving some of my skills. And the idea of an MBA started striking me.

Management skills like Communication skills can only be honed, not taught. Every person is born with some level of management skill. Education can only be able to fine tune or improve that. There is no direct formula to Management. I had this very clear in my mind, and I knew that there are scopes to improve my managerial skills. So, let's go for an MBA!

LEARN

I have had various other reasons too for opting for an MBA,but the first of all is to Learn Management skills. Will write more reasons in my future posts.

Happy Sankranti/Bihu/Lohri to all for today!

Bon Voyage!

The journey of EPGP has started. Just finished the First in-campus module and back home. The next two years are not going to be easy, but hoping for the best. I am sure, it's going to be a great all round learning starting from the time management in my life.

MDC Complex in IIMK where we stayed - Just getting ready for class

Will share details further. Now gearing up for the sessions from Bangalore class room.

IIMK EPGP-07 Program

IIM-K EPGP 07

Congratulations to those who got selected for IIM Kozhikode's EPGP-07 Program.
Please join this  FB group if you are selected and planning to join.