CAT 2024: ‘Exam brought diversity hurdles to FMS but tweaks in MBA admissions helped balance engineering bias’

NEW DELHI: The Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) at the University of Delhi (DU) is one of India's premier business schools offering MBA courses at a relatively low cost, compared to most leading business schools in India. Celebrating its 70th year, it is also one of the first university-based business schools.

In an interview with Careers360 , head and dean of FMS A Venkat Raman spoke about the functioning of a business school under a central university, challenges, courses and future plans. He also spoke on the Common Admission Test (CAT) and its impact on diversity in student cohorts. Edited excerpts.

Q. What has been your experience as FMS dean?

I have been FMS dean for nine months. It is a highly responsible position. There are a number of challenges that come with holding a dean position within a university setup. There are several gratifying moments like academic excellence as well as challenging moments like infrastructure and resources. We are working to the best possible level to optimise whatever resources that are at our disposal.

We continue to strive for management education at its best. We are a modest but intellectually strong institute. We are not someone who tries to advertise what we do or don't do widely. We don't become headlines in any papers. We are quite modest and we are very happy to be humble with our achievements. Students who are interested in studying at FMS know the merits of being an FMSian .

Q. How has FMS evolved over the years?

FMS is one of the first management departments in a university setup. It was established way back in 1954. We began as a small department of industrial administration (in Delhi University) with certificate programmes but soon became a full faculty to offer regular MBA programmes. At that time the IIMs [Indian Institutes of Management] did not exist; neither was management education in vogue. Over the years, FMS has expanded manifold.

Q. How is FMS different from the IIMs and other business schools?

I would not like to make a comparison of FMS with IIMs, for the simple reason that they are significantly independent institutions.

IIMs provide Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDBM). University-based business schools like FMS give MBA degrees . We offer a semester system-based schedule, whereas most of the IIMs have a trimester system. Under the university framework, we follow the university’s rules and guidelines on the internal assessment, examination marks and the evaluation parameters whereas IIMs have a greater flexibility in these areas.

Also read ‘The campus is amazing’: 4 IIMs find room to increase seats, courses, research in their new permanent homes

Q. What courses are being offered at FMS ?

FMS has four programmes – MBA full-time regular programme; MBA executive for working professionals with a minimum of five years of experience; MBA executive healthcare administration; and PhD programme, besides a number of management development programmes (MDPs) for the corporate world.

I would like to highlight that we are the first institution in the country to start the executive MBA in healthcare administration programme , from 1974 and it is the 50th year of the programme. As a pioneer of management education in the country, this is also an unique initiative of FMS, because at that time (meaning 1974), nobody would have thought about management education for healthcare professionals.

The programme is for medical professionals and allied health professionals with five years of experience in some administrative capacity.

Q. What is it like running a business school under a central university?

Well, there is a huge advantage to being part of the university. We have excellent departments like economics, geography, psychology, computer science, operations research, sociology at the university-level. These are all very well known.

Therefore, sometimes we explore opportunities to work with the members of these faculties and departments. Sometimes, we ask faculty members there to deliver special lectures to enrich our own students' outlook. And sometimes our faculty members interact with colleagues for joint research projects and seminars.

In the last week of October, we are also planning to hold a seminar for research scholars of all departments on the use of artificial intelligence in systematic reviews. The webinar will see the participation of faculties from different departments.

Q. Why does FMS not have a spot in the National Institutions Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking under management category?

We come under Delhi University and, therefore, don't need to apply separately. Delhi University is already participating in these national-level rankings of educational institutes . Just to point out that in 2024, the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework ranked FMS second after IIMA.

Q. What has been your experience of admitting students on the basis of CAT?

Before 2011, FMS used to conduct its own test for MBA admission. We had a lot more exclusivity, uniqueness when FMS was conducting its own exam. To align with the strategy to move into a singular test nationally for management courses, we adopted CAT .

When we had our own test, we used to get students with diverse backgrounds. With CAT, initially, we have had problems with the predominance of engineers and boys in MBA courses. Over the years, we made certain adjustments in the weightage of different components of CAT that helped us improve our batch diversity.

We are perhaps the first management school to give extra marks for women candidates. And as a result, almost half of our students have been girls in the last seven-eight years.

Also read Female enrolment rises over 70% at two IIMs

Q. How can institutes like IIMs ensure that management education doesn’t remain limited to affluent students ?

I don't have any suggestions for well-established institutes like IIMs but I think academic institutions should become a little more conscientious, as well as concerned, about the social reality of the country, where a very large number of people cannot afford management education. That is something that all my peer groups must reflect upon, whether we are making management education an elitist domain.

I take pride that in FMS there’s an institution that's giving quality management education that is equitable.

Q. What research projects have been undertaken at the Shanti Prasad Jain Advanced Management Research Centre?

The SP Jain Advanced Management Research Centre at the FMS was established in 1988 to promote management research, education and training of executives and managers from the public sector or public system. At that time, the government of India wanted to strengthen the managerial capacity of public-sector officials and civil service administrators. So, almost all management institutions were asked to start programmes on public systems management.

This research centre was an initiative of the faculty of management and has been established at DU’s South Campus with support from Bennett Coleman & Company Limited.

At this centre, we have had several illustrious researchers and research studies. One of my predecessors, an economist who retired long ago, is well known globally for papers on poverty and food security. I’m passionate about my work in the health sector, particularly on public-private partnerships in health service delivery. There are many others, now and in the past, who have contributed immensely to management research.

They undertake research in marketing, public utilities, transport, supply chain and other areas.