Best of luck to all applicants.
I got to know about this program during my free time at office(Lunch hours)...searching an MBA program for engineers at my office around DIWALI time.
To know more about the program
http://programslive.iimcal.ac.in/pgpex-vlm/Overview.
Mission:
The mission of the PGPEX-VLM is to develop future visionary leaders for the manufacturing sector in India so as to enhance the global competitiveness of our manufacturing sector.
Eligibility: A First Class Graduate Engineering Degree, First Class Marks High School Onwards with more than 5 to 10 years of experience, while no upper limit for sponsored candidates.(Usually 4-5 seats)
Selection Criterion: Selection of the candidates will be made on the basis of his/her academic background, which has to be consistently first division/first class from high school board examination level to graduation level, relevant work experience, employer’s recommendations, bio-data & essays, performance in the Aptitude Test and Personal Interview to be conducted jointly by IIMC, IITK and IITM. Institute welcomes GMAT score to substantiate academic credence.
My personal experience says If one has a consistent acads then the first stage is conquered, then focus on the profile, recos and essays...be true to yourself and be authentic in your essays .Avoid exaggerations also try to share failures and lessons learned.
Once the profile is shortlisted one has to appear for an aptitude test during the 2nd to 3rd week of December, next year in "2013" IIM Calcutta will be conducting the same.
Basic Preparation for Aptitude Test:
My personal experience says one who has a GMAT score or preparing for GMAT will crack the QUANT/VERBAL part, it will definitely help one to open gates for other schools as well... if not VLM.
Since it's an unique program by IIM so be ready for surprises for the aptitude test :-) next year.
2012 had three sections having 40 questions in each.
1. Verbal : I must say it is of GMAT OG level , someone getting a score of 35+ in GMAT will easily crack it, try to score as much as possible...try not to bluff :-)
2.Quant : It was different than what I thought...more of an engineering mathematics algebra,calculus...but be ready for the surprises next year, try to be accurate on this section based on 2011 exp.
3.Engineering Aptitude: Brush up the engineering basics mainly related to 1st year of engineering...question are of easy to moderate levels..
Questions basically will come from mechanical,chemical,metallurgy,electrical,electronics,Computers etcetera.
*NOTE: One who clears the aptitude section can only appear for PI, so prepare hard for the aptitude section.
JAMUNA Room No-272- What is this cipher!!
Frnds my personal opinion who so ever is planning to appear for this program and able to clear the 1st level of profile selection and aptitude test must stay at the accommodation provided by IIM C.
I chose to remain at the accommodation provided by the institute, few candidates preferred to stay at college....while others chose to stay at rented hotels outside.
Life is all about learning things... I met my few fellow co-applicants who were damn sure about their selection !! and surprisingly they knew what kinda questions might come next day...may be the background check done by them was excellent, anyhow I learned few concepts that night and surprisingly few application based questions appeared next day :-)
So it was the room where I could not sleep for that night while others were discussing like hell till dawn....
I was the 2nd one in my panel to be interviewed...each panel had one IIT & one IIM prof.
After the interviews I along with few applicants went to BESANT BEACH.
Results came out by 8.30~9.00 Pm and the journey started.
