Interview with Shubham Jalan, FYBMS Topper, St. Xaviers College

Name – Shubham Jalan

Currently in FY/SY/TYBMS –  FYBMS

Topped in which year / sem – 1^st Semester

College – St. Xaviers College

Percentage of Marks: 79%

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

Tell us about yourself and your college:

Being in Xaviers is one of the best lives anyone can have with all its activities and academia. It is full of vitality and the students have the fire to do something big. The crowd is so much diversified with students from all parts of India which provides a healthy interactive environment.

I am a very ambitious person with zeal to do something big in the commercial world one day. I like to be very organized and plan my activities well in advance, try to give my best foot forward for any activity in which I am involved. I would not say that I am a party animal but like to socialize every fortnight. Other than these, I like traveling and meeting new people.

How did you plan to get into BMS?

I belong to family with business background since generations and have grown up seeing my father and uncles working. So from my very childhood I was very much excited to join my father’s business. This was my prime reason to choose BMS and since other graduate courses like B.Com does not provide much insight to the corporate world I thought of joining a professional course, which would benefit me by providing me the ground reality of the corporate.

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

To a large extent I would say a yes as all the subjects that we had directly related to business activities. It is more of a practical syllabus that students can relate to.  With subjects like Business Statistics and Communications, which deal with core business work, it helps students to interact not only in the class but also in the real world. This kind is syllabus is very apt for students pursuing such kind of courses in which they can connect with.

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

Yes, I just had a gut feeling that could top the class, as I was very much prepared.  Also, the course is of my interest and therefore I read the topics more thoroughly and try to link it with real life scenario.

This credit will certainly be going to my professors who helped me understand the subject clearly and were always there to support me for any help. In addition my own determination to do well was also a great factor in topping the class.

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

BMS I would say is a very experimental course so as such you need to prepare from day one but the preparation does not involve any theories but more of a practical knowledge which also involves reading books, articles, newspapers, etc so as to be aware of the corporate world. This also would help students to associate case studies with real life examples. All I would say is “BE KNOWLEDGEABLE” about the corporate world.

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?)

Frankly speaking I did not allot any kind of specific hours for any subject but then yes made a habit to practice mathematics and accounts on a daily basis. This helped me to be thorough with my concepts. As such I had no fixed timetable for studying but at the end of the day I went through the topics taught in class so that I could clear my doubts in the next lecture. BMS does not require any kind of coaching or extra classes as it involves your own views on how you would deal with a particular case. I always did self-study and cleared my doubts from my professors in the college itself.

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?

As I had said Xaviers is not only about academics but also the numerous fests and extracurricular activities. I was a part of the “Malhar” Marketing Group which involved pursuing prospective sponsors and contacting them. It was a very hand on experience for me as it was my first insight in the corporate. I was also a part of the college’s student website: www.xavierscommunity.com which allowed Xavierites to be informed about the activities going in college and also allowed professors to shares notes and other information.

Extra activities and studies can be managed but the sole concept behind it is time management. You need to use your time very judiciously and effectively to get the right results. This enables the students to adapt to multi tasking which is very essential in the present circumstances.

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?

This is a very common problem that our generation is facing right now. Very often students have a break down which lead to depression or suicides. The students should use their time effectively so that they can manage their schedule and not letting things for the last day. Also one should only exert to one’s own capacities and should not exceed beyond that. To avoid any of these I just try to complete my projects timely, take breaks at regular intervals, seek advise from parents, do what pleases me and lastly don’t surpass my limits of work.

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

Industrial Visits are the best part of the BMS curriculum as it when the students can relate to the concepts taught in class. This will show them real situations in which people work. It also helps in networking and later interning with them too. Industrial Visits is very essential in today’s education world as the students can get a more practical knowledge pertaining to the subject.

The industrial that I visited includes Siemens, Ceat Tyres, Everest Masala, Taj Lands End and a BPO.

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

Yes, BMS students tend to be the busiest in college but this is a part of life and prepares students to cope up with situations later in life. Multi tasking, Time & Stress Management are the key aspects for dealing with such situations. All of these are fine but again I would like to say that a student should not exceed his capabilities to perform. There is a thin line between hard work and stress which should never be broken for a fruitful educational experience.

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?

Projects, assignments and presentations are a part of my life now and I really enjoy doing them. It helps me learn many new things and gives me the confidence to move ahead. Students should realize that these projects and internal exams are very important in later life and be fully dedicated towards it.

Usually I enjoy with my friends on weekends or holidays. To me enjoyment and studies should go hand in hand but projects & assignments should not be compromised for enjoyment.

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

The entire education system in India should go for some kind of transformation. Practicality in each field should be taken into consideration that would develop student’s interest in the particular fields. I am not saying that the current system is worthless, just that it needs some reforms with the changing time. In addition, more of semi professional courses like BMS, BBA, etc should be introduced to provide students the apprehension to the real world.

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

You are lucky to be a part of such a course that is so close to reality and gives the students the flexibility to enjoy their student life. The coming batches should try from the beginning to adapt to the BMS way which involves projects, assignments and presentations. And what I have said throughout, never exert yourself beyond limits.

What are your future plans?

My future is quite set as after my BMS I would be joining my father’s business who is an authorized dealer of Mahindra and Cummins. I want to manage it in a totally professional manner and set standards of management for the entire industry. Also I would like to penetrate in some other sectors of the commercial world which might include manufacturing. Post graduation is only after some years of corporate experience.

Your Feedback for BMS.co.in?

It is a very innovative idea that allows all the BMS students, faculty and other concerned people to a common place where they can share their ideas, thoughts, experience, etc. If carried in the right manner it will be a very enriching experience for the people visiting the website in this “www” generation.

Any suggestions, feedback for the Campus Representative of your college?

I would like to appreciate this kind of an idea of a bms website and would like to thank for allowing giving my thoughts about the field. I will be obliged for any kind of further help required in future.

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!

– Interview By

Aashiya Khan

Campus Representative

SIES College-BMS.co.in