The new batch has 25 students joining the PhD and 11 students joining the Pre-doc programmes
29 June, 2021, Bengaluru: “Look after your mental and physical wellbeing. Be very focussed on the long-term goals - do not be carried away by publication targets alone. Quality of work and the process of research and learning are of paramount importance,” said Professor Rupa Chanda, Dean, Academic Programmes, while welcoming students to the Doctoral Programme (PhD) and the Certificate Programme N. S. Ramaswamy Pre-doctoral Fellowship (NSR Pre-doc) of IIM Bangalore, today.
Prof. Chanda urged the students to be proud of themselves as they have been selected after a very rigorous and competitive process. “PhD is of special significance to this institute because it promotes thought leadership and because of its long-lasting impact. I would advise you all to ask questions, revisit existing paradigms, disseminate knowledge and sharpen your and other minds. The long duration of this programme results in intense engagement with faculty and peers which continues through shared experiences beyond the corridors of IIMB.”
She listed that what the institute expects from the students are focus, perseverance and open minds. “Stay focussed, go through the grind, be conversant with the literature, remain open to learning new things, view old things in new ways and understand interdisciplinary aspects. We will provide you all the resources and a very strong grounding. As faculty, we will be your guide, but you need to be independent and self-driven.”
Batch profile
Professor Haritha Saranga, Chairperson, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), in her welcome address to the new students, shared the PhD batch profile. She said for PhD 25 students have joined across the functional areas. There were 683 applications received, out of which 282 were shortlisted. The percentage of women in the batch is 28 and average age is 29.44 years. The average work experience is 6.5 years. A total of 70% are from the engineering background. A significant number of students have an MBA and 21 candidates come with a Master’s background.
Prof. Saranga went on to say that in terms of the programme structure, coursework, faculty and all other resources, IIMB offers one of the best designed PhD programmes in India. “IIMB has a lot of young and research-focussed faculty. Moreover, we are the best in terms of research publications.”
“IIMB is one of the best schools and we expect the best from you. It is not about getting the degree alone. Focus on the learning because whatever you are learning during your doctoral programme, you can make use of throughout your life,” she advised the new batch.
NSR Pre-doc
IIM Bangalore welcomed 25 students to the PhD and 11 students to the NSR Pre-doc programmes with an inauguration ceremony, today. The entire event was hosted online, in keeping with the safety measures and guidelines which are in place due to the pandemic. The orientation has been scheduled from June 28 to June 30, 2021.
Professor Srinivasan Rangan, Chairperson, Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and Chairperson of NSR Pre-doc, shared that altogether 11 candidates have joined the NSR Pre-doc programme across different areas. The institute had received 390 applications, out of which 92 were shortlisted. The average age is 25.58 years. The average work experience is of 13.06 months. Most candidates come from an Engineering background, and there are students from Arts background too with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
In his welcome speech to the new students, Prof. Rangan advised them to make awareness their mantra. “Bring the light of awareness in whatever you do – be it your studies, be it your interactions with people.”
He also urged the students to cultivate focus and the ability to expand the mind. “Sharpen these skills and I wish you success in the programme and a happy life while you are here and beyond.”
From the Director
Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIMB, in his welcome address, shared some insights from his own experience, focussing on five aspects. “Use your learning from PhD to get a good grounding in your field and increase familiarity with your line of research. Second, this will be the most intense phase of your research. So, look at getting the most out of this period in terms of outcome and publications. Thirdly, benchmark yourself against the best PhD students from around the world, including those from IIMB, in terms of quality, productivity and output”.
He pointed out in this regard that many of the previous doctoral students have done exceptionally well in their areas of research as well as their careers. They have outstanding research output with publications in top journals in India and abroad. Some are now serving as faculty in top institutes or engaged in other sectors. “Next”, he continued, “learn deeply multiple and contemporary methods of research and sharpen those skills. Moreover, build and further sharpen your quant skills, if you want to publish in top journals. I am happy that you chose IIMB to do your PhD, it is a well-designed programme, you will have access to conferences, research tools and more. There is a strong framework of doing research. Take advantage of these resources,” he recommended.
Addressing the pre-doctoral students, he said: “We will help you prepare to gain admission to a doctoral programme of your choice and have brilliant careers. In the last few years, we have seen candidates from the Pre-doc programme getting admission in PhD programmes of top schools and we hope that these numbers will rise further.”
From Dean Faculty
Professor Chetan Subramanian, Dean, Faculty, welcomed the new batch by saying that IIMB has one of the top and most competitive doctoral programmes in the country. Moreover, the candidates get the chance to publish in top journals. “Your predecessors have set a very high standard. Use your PhD to build a healthy pipeline of papers. Present papers in conferences, that will help you build networks to have your papers published. Take advantage of the resources, build networks and learn.”
Prof. Subramanian further said that IIMB’s pre-doctoral programme is one-of-its-kind in the country. “It is an opportunity to interact with researchers. You will have access to various resources – database, journals, library, seminars and more. So, take initiative and make best use of your time here.”
The event also included felicitation of Director’s Merit List students and students’ introduction.
The orientation has been scheduled from June 28 to June 30, 2021. The three days include interaction of the new students with faculty members and other senior officials (Deans, Chairpersons) of the school regarding an introduction to the programme, learning online, administrative matters, IIMB’s other programmes, activities, centres, committees and facilities, various talk sessions, and more.
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