BMS Topper Interview with Christopher Rebello – Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute for Financial & Management Studies

Name -Christopher Rebello

Currently in FY/SY/TYBMS – TYBMS

College – Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute For Financial & Management Studies

Percentage of Marks: 74% in 4^th Sem (SYBMS)

First of all, A Hearty Congratulations to you on this Brilliant Success…!!

Tell us about yourself and your college:

First of all I would like to mention, I am really pleased to get an opportunity of being interviewed by BMS.co.in. I really like the web page and the entire concept of one stop guide for every student who is pursuing or who would like to pursue BMS. I my self have used this page on various occasions for guidance.

Lets move on to about myself. I am currently in my TY BMS. An average with a not so average approach to life. ‘I believe, if you want to achieve some thing then you got to do it your self, don’t expect it to be given to you.’

Now about my college it may not be one of the top B-Schools but it surely has some dynamic and pro-active professors who make learning management so much livelier and interactive which helps you clear your exams and most of all helps you apply the principles in life. Professor taking extra sessions to help the students understand certain topics is a rare sight in colleges and also make themselves available to students to clarify doubts.

How did you plan to get into BMS?

I didn’t give BMS too much of a thought. It in the 12th Standard I really developed a liking for Organization Commerce. I would also like to say BMS is not an average course. It is the base of MMS and to some extent MBA most of the subjects are similar. This is an advantage which makes it worthwhile pursuing. The plus point is that you’re partially ready for the corporate world and it has various carrier avenues which are worth the effort.

Is the BMS syllabus just what you had expected it to be?

No, the reason is I thought there will only be hard core management subjects. Some of the subjects took me by surprise but they too are important from the management perspective. It took me a month to get a hang of the whole BMS syllabus which to me is pretty much interesting with a few exceptions. Some subjects need critical analysis and also there is law involved business economics, business environment, business communication etc. All these subjects are needed for the smooth working of a business.

Were you expecting to top in the exams? To whom would you credit this success to?

No I didn’t expect to top the exams it came to me as a surprise. I really studied hard and put in a lot of effort. My aim was to clear the exams while focusing on my weak subjects.

I would like to give credit to my professors for making the complex chapters easier with the help of out of the book case studies and prepared me to go an extra mile to clear some of my doubts and grievances.

Did you start preparing right from the first day of your BMS?

No, I did not. I started off studying 1 ½ month before the exams. Since I have been attending lectures regularly, I would prefer our professor’s explanation rather than the text book as some of the examples given by them help remember answers and thus helped me to elaborate in my own words.

How did you allot time to different subjects? (Did you follow a self-made timetable? And how many hours did you study per day? Had you joined any coaching classes or was it just self-study?)

I followed a small strategy of my own. I focused upon my weaker subjects on a daily basis during that one month. And as and when I would get bored of doing a particular subject I would switch to another subject of my choice. I tried to complete as many chapters per day. I did not join any coaching class as I mainly went by the professors’ explanations and practical examples so that eliminated the need for me to go and attend coaching classes.

Did you participate in college fests or extra-curricular activities?(If yes, please mention the details) Do you think a BMS student can manage both studies and extra activities?

Yes, A BMS candidate will come to know how capable he is only after the first few months. After that one can get a hang of things and can do extra-curricular activities or even work part time. I did go for some college fests representing my college. A student has to know how to manage his time and most of all he must be able to analyze how to eliminate unproductive activities. I have gone for some management events at Mithibai and NM college. I participated in the Management Maestro which consists of interviews, group discussions, business plan development etc. It was a great experience and can’t forget the brain storming session and the personal interview.

Today, we often come across students committing suicide out of failure, depression or tension of exams. What do you have to say about this? Did you use any special techniques for stress management?

Every body fails once in a while. In the entire universe there is Good and there is Bad. One cannot have a +ve side of a magnet without having a corresponding -ve. Why does one get stressed out is because we wait until the last moment to do things, this adds up to the stress and then leads to various problems. Every one has tensions about the exams, including myself. To divert your mind from this tension engage your self into some other activities or develop a hobby or do something that you love. It will relieve you off the stress.

Industrial Visits – are they really informative for bms students? Which industries have you visited?

Industrial Visits are very much informative. To get to see the inside of a factory and how things get processed. We speak about various production activities in theory the efforts and teamwork which each department contributes to make the company a success. I had been to Coca Cola Factory at Wada, Siyaram Mills to name a few.

Do you think a BMS student is more flooded with assignments, projects and internal exams?

No, they are burdens if you wait until the last minute because they cause stress, if you let them pile on. If you take thing as they come prepare well in advance they will not burden you. No doubt there is a lot of team work and presentations and the internals to add to it. All these things help the BMS student learn how to handle tight situations and tackle problems.

Do you like being busy with projects, presentations, assignments and internal exams? Or you would like to be enjoying out with friends all that time instead?

One need not only sit down with books every day. One can enjoy with friends but at the same time must learn to complete all the projects and assignments and score well in the internal exams. Every student must know how to strike a balance between work and play. This will help them in the longer run and this will also help tackle stress.

What changes would you like to bring in management education in India?

First of all I would like to remove all the outdated topics from the syllabus and add in industry specific subjects. Subjects which are outdated and obsolete will be of no value to any of the students. Very importantly students must be groomed for the corporate world. Hence there should be a focus on development of soft skill of an individual and also an interview along with summer internship which will help students understand management better and they will be able to apply the principles learnt into practical use.

What message would you like to give to the coming batches of BMS students?

I would like to tell them please believe in yourself, work hard to achieve your goal, enjoy life but at the same time strike a balance between studies and enjoyment. And remember if you fail or score low in life, it is not yet the end.

What are your future plans?

On completing masters in Management studies I plan to do a job. But I do see my self being and entrepreneur in a few years down the line. I do not prefer a stagnant job with no carrier growth and no challenge. Hence I would like to start up a business.

Your Feedback for BMS.co.in?

I would like to say brilliant work done by the web site is very much informative and guides the BMS candidates to solve their problems. I seriously like the whole concept of helping students. I would like to make a small request to you why not try to tie up with Vipul and RPH publication to sell their books directly from your web site and also you can make your web page into a Study Material Bank. This will benefit a lot of students.

Thank You for being so honest with your answers and giving us your valuable time. I’m sure reading this interview would be a great help and inspiration for the students.

Congratulations once again and  wish you all the very best for you career!

~ Interviewed By

Aashiya Khan

Campus Representative

S.I.E.S. College Of Arts, Science & Commerce