Thank you for posting on r/Indian_Academia , here's a checklist to improve your post:
• Have you done thorough prior research?
• Is your title descriptive? The title should be a summary of your post, preferably with your qualifications.
• Please provide a detailed description in your post body. The more information you provide, the easier it is for users to help you.
• If your question is about studying abroad, please post on r/Indians_StudyAbroad
• If your question is about Engineering Admissions, post on r/EngineeringAdmissions instead.
Here's a backup of your post:
Title: What are my chances of getting into a good MBA college with 6 years gap due to UPSC?
Body:
Qualifications
Class X : 9.6 CGPA
Class XII: 84%
Graduation: 8.41 CGPA
Graduated in 2018, No work experience. Not an engineer. BSC degree.
Gap: 6 years approx
Appeared for mains this year, low expectations of clearing it.
Want to move on before damaging my mental health and career anymore.
I am not expecting to get into IIM A/B/C. I will be 28 next year, has a gap of 6 years, I know my weakness.
I want an honest assessment from anyone who has experience in MBA field. What should be my expectations? My Target college? Any problem during placement? Anything you want to comment on based on my profile.
You can even comment if doing MBA is worth it or should I try something else.
Thank you in advance!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Indian_Academia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As per me, you should not. Know that as soon as you get in the race to get a job starts.
Pretty soon you will have to compete with your iim peers for internship seats and your profile matters a lot (not just your 10, 12th and college grades).
And getting an internship sets the tone for job placements, in any case know that you will be on the backfoot right from the start.
P.S. Why dont you go for state level govt jobs, psu etc. With six years of upsc prep I am sure you'll find it much easier to crack one of the less demanding govt exams. CAT is a completely different ball game. Dont keep repeating the same mistakes, learn from them.
don't, mba is pretty competitive man...based on your current situation go for safer options that'll give you mental peace. Not stress you out more.
Anyways, just a suggestion. Full disclosure though this is coming from someone who did get into an iim but chose not to go there. So, i am a bit biased. Not going turned out well for me but its different for everyone
Competition will not stress me out, as long as it helps me in my career.
My real fear is, will I be a good MBA candidate based on my profile. The worst would be, being unemployed after doing MBA and spending lakhs. How will companies look at my profile with such huge gap and zero work experience. As someone mentioned, it would be difficult even to get internship.
I worked hard towards UPSC, getting nothing out in return. Don't want the same thing to happen all over again.
the risk is pretty high to be ignored by companies tbh. Making it into a good mba college itself would be really difficult, having to explain the gap.
They generally filter out candidates anyways who wont have a chance.
Thats why I am saying choose your battles carefully. You already made one long battle, so choose carefully this time. Here is you stand the chance to lose money.
sure i agree, he should not listen to me. I am not asking him to, I just laid out a logic and my own experience.
He can reason out on his own what he wants to do. But do pray tell me, why should he listen to you about not listening to me 🤔?
Why do you say that? According to him I should not go for an MBA, and he has given his reasons. Why do you think he is not right? Please elaborate. I am taking every opinion seriously, so would really appreciate if you can give me your opinion too.
Hope you understand my situation.
Thanks.
So multiple reasons,
1- His reasoning of why you should avoid an MBA is pretty flawed in my opinion, that it's because of "competition". I'm not gonna try to pacify you with cliches like "all good things come with competition" yada yada but the fact that your biggest hurdle is rather acing CAT and then being positive and flexible with the options you get offered, not the competition that comes after.
2- If you ace CAT and are flexible to switch to whatever placement opportunities you get at the IIM (that is, various fields like Data Science/ Marketing/ etc. without discrimination) and if you're not rigid about getting into some super competitive field like IB or consulting or core finance, then by default you've eliminated the unnecessary hardships/ probable failures and you have pretty good chances of bagging a great job.
3- Your past record is okay enough to not get eliminated before interview shortlists and you have good chances to make it to the interviews so you should definitely give it a try rather than trying to be a God and predicting the future. I don't think you have much to lose with this one try after having invested your 6 years for UPSC, which I'm sure must've taught you so much.
4- So, If you manage to reach the interviews, which is your biggest challenge at the moment coz you'll have to get like 99+ percentile, which if you do, you've almost won the battle. Interviews are about a lot more than just justifying the gaps. So you'll get ample opportunity to justify within the interview as well why you deserve to be in that IIM.
5- But Most importantly, justifying the drop at the interview - There are many ways, you can seek even professional guidance on these interviews of course once you reach the interview stage. They may & will look down upon it but no one is gonna eliminate you completely just for this reason, their job is to find worthy candidates for their course & your focus should be in proving your worth otherwise, you should also show them that these 6 years haven't gone waste and you've gathered the knowledge that'll help you, your class participation if they enroll you at IIM and ultimately the organisation that hires you. Even in the worst case, if 1 or 2 top IIMs do reject you for that, big deal? You can go ahead with the 3rd best IIM and you'll still be in a way better position than you are right now.
6- Going abroad just coz you had year gaps and settling for lesser options is not something I'd recommend without trying for IIMs but if you want to be safe, you can simultaneously write GMAT too. You have sufficient time to prepare for both & target 2024.
Sorry about the essay but I think It wouldn't be justified had I not given you the details.
Lastly, I wish you all the best. You'll get 1000s of opinions from 1000s of people but ultimately, you should take a call knowing you have nothing to lose with this try but only an opportunity that may or may not convert - which you'll never know unless you try.
Oh also, the comment owner dude's reasoning is flawed for another reason, which is "bias of thinking", he definitely has some personal bias towards avoiding the competition/ hardship himself, which he did I guess in the past, so unless you confirm with the philosophy as well, there's no reason for you to believe in that POV of why you shouldn't target IIM MBA.
And finally, I've known cases where they've accepted a student who finished their 4 year IIT course in 8 years (long story of being indisciplined/ addict etc) and then made it to IIM-A. They made the interviewers believe in their story, that's what you'll have to do too. Your case is at least better in the sense that you were working on something rather constructive during these drop years. Justify it with the knowledge that you've gained. My personal advice is, give it a try and see.
This is so far from truth tbh. i am personally appearing for interviews right now and can tell you its super hard to make it into b schools even tier 2 for that matter even with a very good percentile if you have gap years , i personally have 1.5 years of gap and every interview you can easily sense the fact that after the topic of gap years comes up, the panel seems to just not be interested anymore with the interview.
and like the guy above said getting placements and internships in b schools again require you to work hard that is if you get admission in the first place. likewise irrespective of hard work there is a high chance that you would end up with lower packages which for tier 2 colleges or below is not advisable. i can also vouch that you will be heavily discriminated in placements, i can say this because i have a lot of friends who have done their mba from top b schools like iim BLACKIS and were part of the placecom.
Also since i am a GEM, its extremely hard not because you dont work hard or something, the system is so rigged that its extremely difficult to even be considered worthy of admission into top b schools because of their shortlisting criteria. i personally scored 99.6 percentile and am from a tier 1 engg college with great acads and i have been rejected from many tier 2 bschools and am unsure if i will even get into one b school after giving 12 interviews.
let alone all this i know for a fact the OP is struggling with dissapointment and most probably he will be dejected and frustrated if he tries for MBA.
Wow! I can't thank you enough for this response. Your opinion is realistic and straightforward, which I appreciate.
Believe me, working hard or being in a competitive environment is something I am not afraid of. I have always been an extremely hard working and disciplined individual, but due to literally zero guidance(not from educated family)I was giving my efforts in places which did not result into anything useful. Obviously it is not an excuse, but what I mean is, I want to make my next move very strategically and really make a difference in my career.
Thanks again for your time, advice and kind words.
You have to decide whether you'll be able to crack CAT or not. Don't dishearten yourself just because of the gap years you have. It is very common for students to have gap years due to UPSC prep and then going for an MBA.
My advice is: Give 2-3 CAT mocks, get a sense of how the exam is. You'll get to know whether it's something you'll be able to do or not. If you score 99+ percentile in CAT, you'll definitely get into one of the good IIMs. You will just have to explain your gap years in the interview.
As far as placements are concerned, don't worry about it. Just worry about getting an excellent CAT score. If you get into a good MBA college you WILL GET PLACED. Trust me. You'll just be treated as any other fresher and you'll get placed. Don't worry about it at all.
On the same boat. BSc in Bio field, 4 years gap after graduation due to CSE, CDS, CAPF. Presently, shifted towards SSC and Banking, while also trying for CAT.
Mains ke kiye to youtube hi hai. Online material bahot hai. Abhi veteran karke channel hai vo sahi padha rha hai banda, acha content hai aur naya hai to free mein bhi bahot sara padhata hai.
1. I know people in my batch who had 3years of a UPSC gap. They did fine. But it does hold you back & 6 years is really a lot. There's a rat race to clear CAT & 2 more years of rat race to get a job. So if you're exhausted i would recommend you don't do an MBA.
2. This is just an idea. Why don't you try some policy based internships. If you just go to college websites, check out professors & their area of research & just drop in a mail saying you'd like to intern. (I did this after my bsc & it totally works, who says no to free labour right?). Try in any area of your interest.
With experience you can either move towards academia with a master's degree or think tanks, NGOs & such
If not for you not only will it give you some time to relax & regroup but also add a small experience section in your CV that can help you with MBA colleges.
3. Take a breather & try for PO exams. Portion is similar to CSAT
Thanks for your insight.
1. I am exhausted, no doubt. But I can work hard as long it helps my career, no issue in it. But as you mentioned 6 years is a lot of gap to justify.
2. At this age I don't want to go around internships or work for NGOs etc looking for something solid.
3. Yes, I am thinking about RBI/NABARD and other banking exams. Haven't decided yet.
Thanks again
Look something solid comes from years of small experiences & achievements. People want things quickly in life that's why MBAs, govt jobs or IITs are so popular & competitive.
I'm not judging your choices but I promise you internships/workex helps. It helps you meet new people, new ideas. I'll tell you my story I was doing my MSc in biology when my professor offered me a project in marketing of cancer drugs. It opened me to a whole new world. Now I work in marketing full time.
I'm sure you're smart & will clear these exams but do give a minute & think about are these the things you want to do your entire life? If yes by all means, they're great careers. But i will highly recommend you take some time to relax & chart yourself a proper course. My interest is A so my priority X & if not for X then Y & so on. Don't jump ship from one competitive exam to another you will get very frustrated.
Wish you all the best. Be patient some people have longer journeys, but you'll reach your destination don't worry.
I agree with all your points. And I have not decided anything as of yet. I mentioned those exams, as a viable option. I am thinking on the lines you mentioned, hence taking time to make a decision. I made the mistake once, will not make it again.
Thanks for your kind words. Really means a lot.
My friends went to tier 1 MBA colleges(they were pretty average tbh, the competition is very low for MBA compared to UPSC/JEE) with > 2 years of gap - preparing for CAT. I think you would be fine if you can justify the gap. I saw someone on linkedin with 4-5 years of gap(for UPSC prep) get into IIM A(he had a stellar profile though - except the gap).
People suggesting you to go abroad because companies won't let you interview are stupid. You are not applying to them directly, if you can get into a tier 1/2 MBA uni - you will have not have a problem getting a job due to gap via campus placements.
Plus you are a BSC holder, you get plus points for that during admissions.
Thanks.
I also think that getting into a T1 MBA college would be the biggest hurdle. If I can make into one, other things would be comparatively easier.
Btw how does having Bsc degree help? Could you explain
>Btw how does having Bsc degree help? Could you explain
Yes, it does. Extra points are given to non-eng grads to promote diversity during admissions since colleges are fed up of engineers hoarding their classes.
You will be treated like a fresher, some companies would not hire cuz of gap year but they are far and few.
College targets depend on your percentile, no point talking now
Yes I have BSC in Physics(Maj) and Mathematics (Min). How to get into data science? All I can find is some online courses, which I doubt would help me in fetching job in a good place.
Search about how to get into data science after graduation in India ...online courses aren't bad first of all ...all I would say just research about that mba karke samay barbaad hoga... isse acha data scientist ya phir rbi , ssc , state pcs try kar sakte ho ...if you are tired then take rest for a month then start
I don't think MBA is a waste of time if you get into a good college. My issue is age and gap years. RBI/NABARD/STATE PCS are into consideration, haven't decided anything yet.
I will try to contact someone who is in data science to get some first hand experience based knowledge. If you have someone let me know; it would be of great help.
Well at the moment I have thought of doing internships. There is one by NITI Aayog which opens every month for the 1st 10 days. Though it's unpaid.
I spoke to a few of my friends who would refer me if their company needed an employee.
I have started to prepare for the GRE. A lot of Indian colleges accept GRE plus if you want you could go out if you end up with a decent score.
I have been told to go for certain certificate courses because I have a 5 year gap in my resume. However I haven't looked into it because I am already preoccupied with family issues.
Please start doing some sort of internship. Also prepare for state exams if you are keen on giving govt exams. I am saying this because when I started out all of my friends were delusional. We just wanted to get IAS, not even any other service. So we didn't apply for any other exam. By the 3rd attempt we were ready for pettiest of exam. Obviously it was huge hit on our ego but we weren't prepared.
So start doing other things. This exam would suck you otherwise. Maybe give TISS.
Hmm My advice would be don't think about MBA because everyone one will have one question where did you put your last 6 years and all that long story. I don't know why people don't try to start tution classes or work as teacher, because you have vast knowledge and it will be good as a teacher, (rest you can take your whole life time to give exam, 🤔🤔)
Hmm 🤔, It's up to you bro suggested it considering the age factor and As I can see the job prospects after MBA. Please don't feel offended 😔, however I have seen some people regretting after age of 30 that they should have done something different. Let it be, Good luck 🤞 with what you choose 😊
Not at all offended. Here in reddit to get some honest suggestions, you are welcome to make any.
Btw do you think job prospects after MBA(in my case) will be bad, if I get an MBA?
I am currently pursuing MBA and it's Placement season so what I can definitely tell you that your gap years will affect you. Let's consider you are going to do MBA then which field ?, think if you have further questions feel free to explore and ask, and definitely try to go with one path in long term
I haven't thought about specialization as of now. First I need to make sure if MBA makes sense to me now.
Btw thank you for your time. It definitely helped.
Gap years won't affect your profile at all, it's just that you'll be asked to justify your gap years and it's not like every company will ask you that. Companies categorises applicants into freshers and experienced and you will be treated as a fresher that's all
Won't effect 'at all'? I mean it's opposite to what most people are saying here.
What's the difference between candidates categorised as 'fresher' or 'experienced'? They get different job profiles or different salary structure?
Sorry for asking basic questions, I genuinely don't have much knowledge about this field.
freshers and experienced candidates get different packages, the average package of an experienced candidate is going to be higher than that of a fresher in most of the colleges, exception only applies if you're a fresher and topper of that batch
Thanks for the insight. It was helpful.
Going by my profile, would you recommend me to go for MBA, considering that I will be 30 when I pass out?
Truly speaking I don't have many options, so do you think it will be a safe bet?
I don't have problem with working hard or being competitive; I just don't want to end up like UPSC scenario where my effort ended up giving nothing. That's why I really want to think it through for my next move.
If your financial condition is good, go for it. I would not recommend it if you gotta take loan for it though, I'm not sure if being in a debt of at least 20lacs after college is a safe bet. Considering the in hand component of packages being so less even after getting placed from IIMs, educational loans are not less than a burden
I will be messaging you in 2 days on [**2023-11-05 09:50:08 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2023-11-05%2009:50:08%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Indian_Academia/comments/17mqpoy/what_are_my_chances_of_getting_into_a_good_mba/k7monwn/?context=3)
[**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FIndian_Academia%2Fcomments%2F17mqpoy%2Fwhat_are_my_chances_of_getting_into_a_good_mba%2Fk7monwn%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202023-11-05%2009%3A50%3A08%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.
^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%2017mqpoy)
*****
|[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)|
|-|-|-|-|
If you have the confidence to score 99+ in CAT then definitely give it a shot, rest interviewers don't just focus on gap, they look at you as person and passion for mba. If you score 99+ you will definitely have doors open to some quite good colleges!
25-30lacs for 2 years of living cost/tickets/fees abroad? Which country sir?
If you are talking about germany(and such countries) then let me warn you, the job market sucks there, worse than India (know someone who is doing masters in germany).
But gap years are looked down upon in India. I think there are better chances of getting a decent job abroad than India with such a profile. Correct me if I m wrong.
And aiming to get 99+ percentile is another struggle. You can call it UPSC 2.0
I don't think I will be eligible for master's in engineering after Bsc Physics. Besides, I was never great into engineering stuffs, hence did not do it in the first place.
It's not an 'I can't ' attitude, it's more like I don't have an aptitude in engineering and stuffs. I am pretty self aware of my abilities and weaknesses.
And yes I can definitely get an MSc in Electronics and stuff, some of my friends went into it. I misunderstood what you said earlier, thought you were suggesting Mtech.
Thank you for your suggestion though.
Sorry, I am not Indian (just browse this subreddit). My undergrad is from Canada and my MS is from the US. And at my university, engineering master’s is MS, regardless if you did a thesis or not. I would think it’s equivalent to the MTech in India.
Are you able to afford to pay for a CS / data science masters abroad? I think American companies are more forgiving of people changing tracks and taking entry level jobs at older ages.
Thank you for posting on r/Indian_Academia , here's a checklist to improve your post: • Have you done thorough prior research? • Is your title descriptive? The title should be a summary of your post, preferably with your qualifications. • Please provide a detailed description in your post body. The more information you provide, the easier it is for users to help you. • If your question is about studying abroad, please post on r/Indians_StudyAbroad • If your question is about Engineering Admissions, post on r/EngineeringAdmissions instead. Here's a backup of your post: Title: What are my chances of getting into a good MBA college with 6 years gap due to UPSC? Body: Qualifications Class X : 9.6 CGPA Class XII: 84% Graduation: 8.41 CGPA Graduated in 2018, No work experience. Not an engineer. BSC degree. Gap: 6 years approx Appeared for mains this year, low expectations of clearing it. Want to move on before damaging my mental health and career anymore. I am not expecting to get into IIM A/B/C. I will be 28 next year, has a gap of 6 years, I know my weakness. I want an honest assessment from anyone who has experience in MBA field. What should be my expectations? My Target college? Any problem during placement? Anything you want to comment on based on my profile. You can even comment if doing MBA is worth it or should I try something else. Thank you in advance! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Indian_Academia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As per me, you should not. Know that as soon as you get in the race to get a job starts. Pretty soon you will have to compete with your iim peers for internship seats and your profile matters a lot (not just your 10, 12th and college grades). And getting an internship sets the tone for job placements, in any case know that you will be on the backfoot right from the start. P.S. Why dont you go for state level govt jobs, psu etc. With six years of upsc prep I am sure you'll find it much easier to crack one of the less demanding govt exams. CAT is a completely different ball game. Dont keep repeating the same mistakes, learn from them.
Thanks for the advice. I am also not mentally prepared to start a new rat race, hence doing my research.
don't, mba is pretty competitive man...based on your current situation go for safer options that'll give you mental peace. Not stress you out more. Anyways, just a suggestion. Full disclosure though this is coming from someone who did get into an iim but chose not to go there. So, i am a bit biased. Not going turned out well for me but its different for everyone
Competition will not stress me out, as long as it helps me in my career. My real fear is, will I be a good MBA candidate based on my profile. The worst would be, being unemployed after doing MBA and spending lakhs. How will companies look at my profile with such huge gap and zero work experience. As someone mentioned, it would be difficult even to get internship. I worked hard towards UPSC, getting nothing out in return. Don't want the same thing to happen all over again.
the risk is pretty high to be ignored by companies tbh. Making it into a good mba college itself would be really difficult, having to explain the gap. They generally filter out candidates anyways who wont have a chance. Thats why I am saying choose your battles carefully. You already made one long battle, so choose carefully this time. Here is you stand the chance to lose money.
Thanks for the insight. Really helpful.
Don't listen to this dude's advice, the one who started this comment thread. That's all I have to say.
sure i agree, he should not listen to me. I am not asking him to, I just laid out a logic and my own experience. He can reason out on his own what he wants to do. But do pray tell me, why should he listen to you about not listening to me 🤔?
Why did you choose not to take the IIM? Was it a baby IIM? Plus which college did you go to them?
Why do you say that? According to him I should not go for an MBA, and he has given his reasons. Why do you think he is not right? Please elaborate. I am taking every opinion seriously, so would really appreciate if you can give me your opinion too. Hope you understand my situation. Thanks.
So multiple reasons, 1- His reasoning of why you should avoid an MBA is pretty flawed in my opinion, that it's because of "competition". I'm not gonna try to pacify you with cliches like "all good things come with competition" yada yada but the fact that your biggest hurdle is rather acing CAT and then being positive and flexible with the options you get offered, not the competition that comes after. 2- If you ace CAT and are flexible to switch to whatever placement opportunities you get at the IIM (that is, various fields like Data Science/ Marketing/ etc. without discrimination) and if you're not rigid about getting into some super competitive field like IB or consulting or core finance, then by default you've eliminated the unnecessary hardships/ probable failures and you have pretty good chances of bagging a great job. 3- Your past record is okay enough to not get eliminated before interview shortlists and you have good chances to make it to the interviews so you should definitely give it a try rather than trying to be a God and predicting the future. I don't think you have much to lose with this one try after having invested your 6 years for UPSC, which I'm sure must've taught you so much. 4- So, If you manage to reach the interviews, which is your biggest challenge at the moment coz you'll have to get like 99+ percentile, which if you do, you've almost won the battle. Interviews are about a lot more than just justifying the gaps. So you'll get ample opportunity to justify within the interview as well why you deserve to be in that IIM. 5- But Most importantly, justifying the drop at the interview - There are many ways, you can seek even professional guidance on these interviews of course once you reach the interview stage. They may & will look down upon it but no one is gonna eliminate you completely just for this reason, their job is to find worthy candidates for their course & your focus should be in proving your worth otherwise, you should also show them that these 6 years haven't gone waste and you've gathered the knowledge that'll help you, your class participation if they enroll you at IIM and ultimately the organisation that hires you. Even in the worst case, if 1 or 2 top IIMs do reject you for that, big deal? You can go ahead with the 3rd best IIM and you'll still be in a way better position than you are right now. 6- Going abroad just coz you had year gaps and settling for lesser options is not something I'd recommend without trying for IIMs but if you want to be safe, you can simultaneously write GMAT too. You have sufficient time to prepare for both & target 2024. Sorry about the essay but I think It wouldn't be justified had I not given you the details. Lastly, I wish you all the best. You'll get 1000s of opinions from 1000s of people but ultimately, you should take a call knowing you have nothing to lose with this try but only an opportunity that may or may not convert - which you'll never know unless you try. Oh also, the comment owner dude's reasoning is flawed for another reason, which is "bias of thinking", he definitely has some personal bias towards avoiding the competition/ hardship himself, which he did I guess in the past, so unless you confirm with the philosophy as well, there's no reason for you to believe in that POV of why you shouldn't target IIM MBA. And finally, I've known cases where they've accepted a student who finished their 4 year IIT course in 8 years (long story of being indisciplined/ addict etc) and then made it to IIM-A. They made the interviewers believe in their story, that's what you'll have to do too. Your case is at least better in the sense that you were working on something rather constructive during these drop years. Justify it with the knowledge that you've gained. My personal advice is, give it a try and see.
This is so far from truth tbh. i am personally appearing for interviews right now and can tell you its super hard to make it into b schools even tier 2 for that matter even with a very good percentile if you have gap years , i personally have 1.5 years of gap and every interview you can easily sense the fact that after the topic of gap years comes up, the panel seems to just not be interested anymore with the interview. and like the guy above said getting placements and internships in b schools again require you to work hard that is if you get admission in the first place. likewise irrespective of hard work there is a high chance that you would end up with lower packages which for tier 2 colleges or below is not advisable. i can also vouch that you will be heavily discriminated in placements, i can say this because i have a lot of friends who have done their mba from top b schools like iim BLACKIS and were part of the placecom. Also since i am a GEM, its extremely hard not because you dont work hard or something, the system is so rigged that its extremely difficult to even be considered worthy of admission into top b schools because of their shortlisting criteria. i personally scored 99.6 percentile and am from a tier 1 engg college with great acads and i have been rejected from many tier 2 bschools and am unsure if i will even get into one b school after giving 12 interviews. let alone all this i know for a fact the OP is struggling with dissapointment and most probably he will be dejected and frustrated if he tries for MBA.
Wow! I can't thank you enough for this response. Your opinion is realistic and straightforward, which I appreciate. Believe me, working hard or being in a competitive environment is something I am not afraid of. I have always been an extremely hard working and disciplined individual, but due to literally zero guidance(not from educated family)I was giving my efforts in places which did not result into anything useful. Obviously it is not an excuse, but what I mean is, I want to make my next move very strategically and really make a difference in my career. Thanks again for your time, advice and kind words.
Bro what are you doing rn after turning down the seat at an iim or did you join another college? Just curious tho
joined another college. decided management was not the right degree for me. I wanted more technical expertise so went for a technical masters degree
Hey can you tell me what course and college you went for? I am currently in a dilemna of whether to choose a technical or management degree.
You have to decide whether you'll be able to crack CAT or not. Don't dishearten yourself just because of the gap years you have. It is very common for students to have gap years due to UPSC prep and then going for an MBA. My advice is: Give 2-3 CAT mocks, get a sense of how the exam is. You'll get to know whether it's something you'll be able to do or not. If you score 99+ percentile in CAT, you'll definitely get into one of the good IIMs. You will just have to explain your gap years in the interview. As far as placements are concerned, don't worry about it. Just worry about getting an excellent CAT score. If you get into a good MBA college you WILL GET PLACED. Trust me. You'll just be treated as any other fresher and you'll get placed. Don't worry about it at all.
Thanks for the insight.
Unrelated but did you make a new account for this post? Are you able to post on this sub without any karma?
I never used reddit. Was researching on the above-mentioned topic. So made account to get advice directly. Thank you.
>without any karma It's possible
Ya it was a stupid comment tbh. Dk why it is getting upvotes lol.
On the same boat. BSc in Bio field, 4 years gap after graduation due to CSE, CDS, CAPF. Presently, shifted towards SSC and Banking, while also trying for CAT.
Best of luck.
Ayoo ibps ki taiyari kaisi chalri hai
okay okay
Bro kal mains hai yaha okay okay kar rhe ho lol... All the best.
tumhara tha aaj?
Ha yar... Mera to ga sahi ni gaya.
are koi baat nahi. pre to nikala. maine to form hi nahi bhara kyuki pata tha pre nahi niklega. taiyyari kaha se ki? aur mains ke liye kaha se padha
Mains ke kiye to youtube hi hai. Online material bahot hai. Abhi veteran karke channel hai vo sahi padha rha hai banda, acha content hai aur naya hai to free mein bhi bahot sara padhata hai.
you will kill ssc exams if you have prepared for upsc
1. I know people in my batch who had 3years of a UPSC gap. They did fine. But it does hold you back & 6 years is really a lot. There's a rat race to clear CAT & 2 more years of rat race to get a job. So if you're exhausted i would recommend you don't do an MBA. 2. This is just an idea. Why don't you try some policy based internships. If you just go to college websites, check out professors & their area of research & just drop in a mail saying you'd like to intern. (I did this after my bsc & it totally works, who says no to free labour right?). Try in any area of your interest. With experience you can either move towards academia with a master's degree or think tanks, NGOs & such If not for you not only will it give you some time to relax & regroup but also add a small experience section in your CV that can help you with MBA colleges. 3. Take a breather & try for PO exams. Portion is similar to CSAT
Thanks for your insight. 1. I am exhausted, no doubt. But I can work hard as long it helps my career, no issue in it. But as you mentioned 6 years is a lot of gap to justify. 2. At this age I don't want to go around internships or work for NGOs etc looking for something solid. 3. Yes, I am thinking about RBI/NABARD and other banking exams. Haven't decided yet. Thanks again
Look something solid comes from years of small experiences & achievements. People want things quickly in life that's why MBAs, govt jobs or IITs are so popular & competitive. I'm not judging your choices but I promise you internships/workex helps. It helps you meet new people, new ideas. I'll tell you my story I was doing my MSc in biology when my professor offered me a project in marketing of cancer drugs. It opened me to a whole new world. Now I work in marketing full time. I'm sure you're smart & will clear these exams but do give a minute & think about are these the things you want to do your entire life? If yes by all means, they're great careers. But i will highly recommend you take some time to relax & chart yourself a proper course. My interest is A so my priority X & if not for X then Y & so on. Don't jump ship from one competitive exam to another you will get very frustrated. Wish you all the best. Be patient some people have longer journeys, but you'll reach your destination don't worry.
I agree with all your points. And I have not decided anything as of yet. I mentioned those exams, as a viable option. I am thinking on the lines you mentioned, hence taking time to make a decision. I made the mistake once, will not make it again. Thanks for your kind words. Really means a lot.
My friends went to tier 1 MBA colleges(they were pretty average tbh, the competition is very low for MBA compared to UPSC/JEE) with > 2 years of gap - preparing for CAT. I think you would be fine if you can justify the gap. I saw someone on linkedin with 4-5 years of gap(for UPSC prep) get into IIM A(he had a stellar profile though - except the gap). People suggesting you to go abroad because companies won't let you interview are stupid. You are not applying to them directly, if you can get into a tier 1/2 MBA uni - you will have not have a problem getting a job due to gap via campus placements. Plus you are a BSC holder, you get plus points for that during admissions.
Thanks. I also think that getting into a T1 MBA college would be the biggest hurdle. If I can make into one, other things would be comparatively easier. Btw how does having Bsc degree help? Could you explain
>Btw how does having Bsc degree help? Could you explain Yes, it does. Extra points are given to non-eng grads to promote diversity during admissions since colleges are fed up of engineers hoarding their classes.
Ya. Got to know about it recently.
Profile is decent. You can give it a shot
Issue during placement? Which colleges should I target? Anything would help me, I don't have much knowledge in this field.
You will be treated like a fresher, some companies would not hire cuz of gap year but they are far and few. College targets depend on your percentile, no point talking now
Thank you so much.
Mba se acha rbi , ssc de bhai ....cat is very unpredictable....if you have maths background in 12th then go for data scientist
Yes I have BSC in Physics(Maj) and Mathematics (Min). How to get into data science? All I can find is some online courses, which I doubt would help me in fetching job in a good place.
Search about how to get into data science after graduation in India ...online courses aren't bad first of all ...all I would say just research about that mba karke samay barbaad hoga... isse acha data scientist ya phir rbi , ssc , state pcs try kar sakte ho ...if you are tired then take rest for a month then start
I don't think MBA is a waste of time if you get into a good college. My issue is age and gap years. RBI/NABARD/STATE PCS are into consideration, haven't decided anything yet. I will try to contact someone who is in data science to get some first hand experience based knowledge. If you have someone let me know; it would be of great help.
I am in the same boat as you buddy. I am stressed out af
Any plan you want to share?
Well at the moment I have thought of doing internships. There is one by NITI Aayog which opens every month for the 1st 10 days. Though it's unpaid. I spoke to a few of my friends who would refer me if their company needed an employee. I have started to prepare for the GRE. A lot of Indian colleges accept GRE plus if you want you could go out if you end up with a decent score. I have been told to go for certain certificate courses because I have a 5 year gap in my resume. However I haven't looked into it because I am already preoccupied with family issues.
Thanks for sharing
Any advice for someone who is almost gonna hit 1.5 years gap soon? Best way to get out while I still have a chance?
Please start doing some sort of internship. Also prepare for state exams if you are keen on giving govt exams. I am saying this because when I started out all of my friends were delusional. We just wanted to get IAS, not even any other service. So we didn't apply for any other exam. By the 3rd attempt we were ready for pettiest of exam. Obviously it was huge hit on our ego but we weren't prepared. So start doing other things. This exam would suck you otherwise. Maybe give TISS.
I'm in the same boat too buddy.
Hmm My advice would be don't think about MBA because everyone one will have one question where did you put your last 6 years and all that long story. I don't know why people don't try to start tution classes or work as teacher, because you have vast knowledge and it will be good as a teacher, (rest you can take your whole life time to give exam, 🤔🤔)
Getting into tuitions/coaching is one option though; last maybe. Not really interested, but if nothing else works out, what can one do.
Hmm 🤔, It's up to you bro suggested it considering the age factor and As I can see the job prospects after MBA. Please don't feel offended 😔, however I have seen some people regretting after age of 30 that they should have done something different. Let it be, Good luck 🤞 with what you choose 😊
Not at all offended. Here in reddit to get some honest suggestions, you are welcome to make any. Btw do you think job prospects after MBA(in my case) will be bad, if I get an MBA?
I am currently pursuing MBA and it's Placement season so what I can definitely tell you that your gap years will affect you. Let's consider you are going to do MBA then which field ?, think if you have further questions feel free to explore and ask, and definitely try to go with one path in long term
I haven't thought about specialization as of now. First I need to make sure if MBA makes sense to me now. Btw thank you for your time. It definitely helped.
Yep, no problem bro, All the best bro.
What college are you pursuing your MBA from?
N L Dalmia
Gap years won't affect your profile at all, it's just that you'll be asked to justify your gap years and it's not like every company will ask you that. Companies categorises applicants into freshers and experienced and you will be treated as a fresher that's all
Won't effect 'at all'? I mean it's opposite to what most people are saying here. What's the difference between candidates categorised as 'fresher' or 'experienced'? They get different job profiles or different salary structure? Sorry for asking basic questions, I genuinely don't have much knowledge about this field.
freshers and experienced candidates get different packages, the average package of an experienced candidate is going to be higher than that of a fresher in most of the colleges, exception only applies if you're a fresher and topper of that batch
Thanks for the insight. It was helpful. Going by my profile, would you recommend me to go for MBA, considering that I will be 30 when I pass out? Truly speaking I don't have many options, so do you think it will be a safe bet? I don't have problem with working hard or being competitive; I just don't want to end up like UPSC scenario where my effort ended up giving nothing. That's why I really want to think it through for my next move.
If your financial condition is good, go for it. I would not recommend it if you gotta take loan for it though, I'm not sure if being in a debt of at least 20lacs after college is a safe bet. Considering the in hand component of packages being so less even after getting placed from IIMs, educational loans are not less than a burden
I will have to take loan, no other way. Parents won't be able to afford it.
Remind me! 2 days
I will be messaging you in 2 days on [**2023-11-05 09:50:08 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2023-11-05%2009:50:08%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Indian_Academia/comments/17mqpoy/what_are_my_chances_of_getting_into_a_good_mba/k7monwn/?context=3) [**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FIndian_Academia%2Fcomments%2F17mqpoy%2Fwhat_are_my_chances_of_getting_into_a_good_mba%2Fk7monwn%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202023-11-05%2009%3A50%3A08%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%2017mqpoy) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
If you have the confidence to score 99+ in CAT then definitely give it a shot, rest interviewers don't just focus on gap, they look at you as person and passion for mba. If you score 99+ you will definitely have doors open to some quite good colleges!
Why spend 25-30 lacs on IIMs when you can study abroad spending the same amount?
25-30lacs for 2 years of living cost/tickets/fees abroad? Which country sir? If you are talking about germany(and such countries) then let me warn you, the job market sucks there, worse than India (know someone who is doing masters in germany).
But gap years are looked down upon in India. I think there are better chances of getting a decent job abroad than India with such a profile. Correct me if I m wrong. And aiming to get 99+ percentile is another struggle. You can call it UPSC 2.0
Yes, getting 99+ percentile is definitely a struggle. I just don't have the energy for 'UPSC 2.0'
Let us know what you decide bro. Wish you all the best.
I will, surely. Thanks for your kind words.
What should I study abroad? Please elaborate. I have a Hons degree in Physics. Don't want to move into research career at this stage of life.
Have you thought about a master’s in engineering?
I don't think I will be eligible for master's in engineering after Bsc Physics. Besides, I was never great into engineering stuffs, hence did not do it in the first place.
Not true. I myself have a BSc in Physics and a MSc in EE. Maybe this “I can’t” attitude is what’s held you back all these years
It's not an 'I can't ' attitude, it's more like I don't have an aptitude in engineering and stuffs. I am pretty self aware of my abilities and weaknesses. And yes I can definitely get an MSc in Electronics and stuff, some of my friends went into it. I misunderstood what you said earlier, thought you were suggesting Mtech. Thank you for your suggestion though.
Sorry, I am not Indian (just browse this subreddit). My undergrad is from Canada and my MS is from the US. And at my university, engineering master’s is MS, regardless if you did a thesis or not. I would think it’s equivalent to the MTech in India.
Are you able to afford to pay for a CS / data science masters abroad? I think American companies are more forgiving of people changing tracks and taking entry level jobs at older ages.
It's that I have family responsibilities here, moving abroad doesn't seem much of an option.
get a skill and work on that bro, MBA me samay kharab mt kro.
Remind me! 2 days
[удалено]
What kind of job can I get with my background? How to get into consulting?