Located at the heart of the Electronics City in Bangalore, in the vicinity of technology giants such as Infosys Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services, Mahindra Satyam, Hewlett Plackard, Wipro, Siemens and General Electronics, is the lush campus of the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME). Established in 1991 by J Philip, former director of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, XIME pulsates with myriad activities round the year such as conventions, conferences, industry-relevant programmes and cultural activities.

“We provide high-quality management education based on a strong ethical foundation,” points out director Stephen Mathews.

The institute offers a two-year postgraduate diploma in management (PGDM), a three-year part-time PGDM programme and a 15-month executive PGDM programme.

“Merit is the sole criterion for admission and the institute does not have a system of reserving seats. We believe in equal opportunity for all and women constitute 45 to 50 per cent of every batch,” adds Mathews.

The eligibility for admission to all the programmes is 50 per cent marks in graduation and on the basis of the score obtained in the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), conducted by XLRI Business School, Jamshedpur. Students who appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT), conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management are also eligible for admission. Candidates also have to appear for group discussions and a personal interview.

The two-year PGDM is the primary management programme at XIME. As part of the programme, students have to be employed in a developmental agency and are required to understand management issues of these agencies. “This provides them an opportunity to utilise their management skills for the social progress,” explains Mathews. They are also required to do a course in business ethics and learn a foreign language such as German, French and Japanese.

The institute offers specialisations in marketing, finance, human resources, productions and operations and international business. “We encourage students to form clubs in these areas to better understand managerial problems and their solutions,” says Mathews.

To make learning exciting, XIME uses a variety of teaching methodologies, which includes business games, case studies, individual and team exercises, live projects, seminars and presentations. Evaluation is based on overall performance and participation in extra curricular activities.

XIME has tie-ups with a number of universities such as University of Wuerzburg, Germany, Milano-Bicocca University, Italy, University of Redlands, Los Angeles, Negocia / Advancia Business Schools, Paris and Audencia Nantes School of Management, Nantes, France. This helps in the exchange of students between different institutions. Students are also sent abroad for international internships in summer.

Apart from the regular PGDM programmes, the institute offers a five-week entrepreneurship development programme free-of-cost to students who hail from the marginalised sections of the society.

The institute has an impeccable record of placements since its inception. Several of its alumni occupy senior positions in banks, multinationals and public sector companies. However, some students think the institute suffers from an image problem. “XIME is hardly known across the country. The institute does not market itself properly and therefore is not able to attract top-notch companies for campus placements,” says a student who doesn’t wish to be identified.

Vital Statistics

WHAT IS IT?

A private business school in Bangalore offering courses in management and entrepreneurship

WHO’S THE BOSS?

J. Philip is the president and director emeritus

where is it?

Electronics City, Phase II, Hosur Road, Bangalore-560100.

Phone: (080) - 2852 8477 /2852 8597 / 2852 8598

Website: www.xime.org

Email: xime@xime.org

PROS

Good faculty and 100 per cent placements

CONS

Students complain the institute does not market itself well to industry

Avijit Chatterjee