“The Scores Don’t Matter To Us, Your Passion Does”, say Founders & Directors of VSM Mumbai

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Rajesh Pillai and Gaurang Bhatt, Founders & Directors of Valia School of Management, share what makes their institute a cut above the rest. They also elaborate on the key attributes a student must have to get admission to VSM Mumbai.

Rajesh Pillai has over 25 years of experience ranging from Education, Aviation, IT, ITES and the Media sector. He has been th Founding CEO of Vidyalankar School of Business (VSB) and Skillville. He was also the National Director at ITM Group of Institutions and Director of National Flying Training Institute (NFTI). On the other hand, Gaurang Bhatt brings on board an experience of over 20 years in the Business Development & Channel Development of the Education industry. He was Head of Management Programs with Vidyalankar School of Business (VSB) and successfully spearheaded Admissions and Marketing for VSBs PGDM Program. He has worked with brands such as Universal Business School (UBS), ITM Group, Sikkim Manipal University (SMU-MUL), AHA Air Hostess Academy, SSI Ltd, among others.

Q. What are the three things that VSM is built on that will enable it to differentiate itself from the competition?

A. Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Finance, Data Analytics, and Consulting are not just buzz words any more but the need of the hour and there’ll continue to be a need for customisation, flexibility, and lifelong learning at business schools.

At Valia School of Management (VSM), we understand this need and with professionals from various industries who have spearheaded companies for over 25 years at CXO levels globally, are now dedicated to creating world-class management professionals for the new age economy.

Technology has taken over every aspect of our personal and professional lives and ignoring IT is not an option any more. Today multi-billion dollar decisions are made based on analysis and data which are now available to take very accurate, long-term, and if need be, controlled steps.

The need to incorporate these data-driven programs into management across all specializations is imperative and the students who are going to embrace this will have a huge advantage over others.

While the core principles of management remain intact, the variables have changed dramatically and thus the need to incorporate the same in our programs too. The need for hands-on learning is far more relevant today than ever before and our 6-8 months of internships is a path-breaking initiative in that aspect. We have over 200 Corporates to choose from our internships and final placements.

Our Philosophy of “Continuous Learning” is at the core of our program and will always be available to both students and faculty who are eager to learn and put in the effort to reach their professional and personal goals.

Q. What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry-ready?

A. Community is the heart of who we are – together we are committed to nurturing a welcoming and inclusive environment that inspires everyone to be better together. We encourage every individual to bring their full self to all that we do. We develop leaders who better humanity through action. We build the future by striving to be better tomorrow than we are today.

Our strength lies in encouraging imagination, curiosity and innovation to solve unstructured, real-world problems. We gather insights by listening and truly hearing each other. We find strength in diversity and originality. We proactively lift each other up to improve and grow.

With over 500+ corporate leaders at all levels, willing to share their experiences, expectations and suggestions, VSM will create an experience for our students which will be unmatched in management schools. Our 6-8 months internship is a game-changer for management education.

The use of AI-modelled BizLAB for business simulation to help students make critical business decisions is at the top level of the learning curve and has added immense value to them.

Q. What are the key attributes that a student should have to be selected for admission to VSM Mumbai?

A. We always believe “The Scores Do Not Matter To Us, Your Passion Does” and hence to qualify for admission to Valia School of Management; a student must have an inclination and a passion towards management studies.

To excel in VSM, one must be an all-rounder. Besides good academic grades, it is also important that students participate in various events and activities to showcase their talent and innovation, which is one of the important factors for 360-degree holistic development.

Q. Which programmes would you say are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this programme?

Our In-demand specialization lies in offering various contemporary programs like PGDM in Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Financial Modelling and Corporate Valuations, etc., along with all-time opted Marketing, Finance, Human Resources and Operations specializations.

The PGDM program at VSM has been carved with the intention to provide management students with many opportunities and corporate exposure to understand Industry career paths and available roles in the corporate world. These In-demand specialisations are also designed and executed by corporate professionals for better career enhancement of its management aspirants.

Q. What are you doing to drive campus placements for your internships and final placements for your current students?

A. The need for hands-on learning is far more relevant today than ever before and our 6-8 month internship is a path-breaking initiative in that aspect. We have over 200 corporates to choose from for Internships and many more for final placements.

Placements are not a one-day process and we provide every student with a platform with the best available resources in terms of learning, industry interaction, and internships with actual hands-on learning to get a clear understanding of expectations which makes our students “Industry Ready” to help them become confident and ensure success.

We continuously keep interacting with companies to ensure they seek highly motivated, passionate and eager-to-learn professionals. We endeavour to add new companies to our list of already existing ones once throughout the year.

The placement team has a wide spectrum of industries to access the needs and plays a dual role of mentors to our students and research insight to academic teams respectively to ensure students have an insight into the latest trends in the markets and is ready to adapt rapidly to the expectations of the organisations.

Q. What kind of jobs are being targeted for the students?

A. Earning a PGDM degree helps students secure earning potential as well as broadening professional network. Our PGDM program typically teaches our students advanced business skills needed to succeed in administrative and managerial roles.

In addition to this, students are also encouraged and groomed in starting an independent business or consultancy / freelancing as an Entrepreneur. Here are some of the fields/sectors where our jobs are targeted for our students: IT, Healthcare, Retail, Digital Marketing, Banking and Finance, etc.

Q. What kind of institute is Valia School of Management planning to become?

A. The goal of Valia School of Management (VSM) is to develop the next generation of leaders in a world that is constantly changing. To foster a culture of lifelong learning built on mutual trust, freedom of expression and inquiry, and a dedication to quality in order to contribute to the development of a sustainable society.
We are equally devoted to advancing the knowledge, ideas, and tools that help people better understand and practise management as we are to train our faculty.