IIM-Calcutta's new program to help freshers develop math skills
The Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C) will be holding an academic assimilation workshop (AAW) from this academic year to enhance the quantitative, communication, and computer skills of select fresher students. Although similar workshops are held at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to bring all students on a level playing field, this will be the first-of-its-kind at IIMs. Here are more details.
The four-day workshop will begin from June 6
As per reports, the four-day workshop, which will begin on June 6, will be optional for the students who require preliminary orientation before starting the course. In recent years, at IIM-C, the student profile has changed due to the modifiCATions in the pattern of Common Aptitude Test's (CAT). These changes were made to encourage students from varied backgrounds to join India's premier B-schools.
AAW will be helping students perform with full potential
According to an IIM-C official, while CAT and the interview round analyze a candidate's quantitative and communication skills, respectively, AAW aims to help bright students who have cleared the process but could use a little help to develop such skills to perform with full potential.
Want students to be successful, shine in subsequent career: Director
"We want each of our students to be successful in the MBA programme and shine in subsequent career," said IIM-C Director Anju Seth. Moreover, IIM-C Dean (Academics) Bodhirata Nag said that there was a need for preparing the students for the demands of the two-year programme at IIM-C. The students will be divided into two batches consisting of 80 students each for the AAW.
Feedback from the alumni also pushed for the initiative
Further talking about the high demands of the course, Nag said, "Higher quantitative skills, superior communication skills and also, given the fact that a majority of the engineers outperform the rest, better accounting and financial analytics skills are essential." Apart from the institute's prior experience, feedback from the alumni who return as recruiters has also led to the launch of the AAW initiative.
The initiative will give students self confidence: IIM-C alumnus
Vibhu Sharma, an IIM-C alumnus, told NewsBytes, "It (AAW) will not only help students ramp-up faster in statistics and analytics based courses, but also give them the self-confidence to put forth their thoughts freely and engage in constructive discussions on campus." While Sharma himself is an engineer, he believes AAW will level the playing field from the beginning for students from diverse backgrounds.
