Father E Abraham addresses students of the new batch at Tata Auditorium on Friday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Classroom now, boardroom next. A new lot of aspiring managers got their entry ticket on Friday to corporate careers in their first day at XLRI, Jamshedpur.

The premier B-school welcomed 360 freshers at Tata Auditorium with its trademark blend of prayer, humour and ethics while introducing the new entrants to the old guard.

Each of the three courses — two-year flagship programmes business management and human resource management (2012-16) and a 15-month general management programme — has 120 students.

Students were told about XLRI values and the importance of keeping one’s integrity on the path to excellence.

Father E.H. McGrath, one of the founder directors, paraphrased the proverb “you can take a horse to the river but cannot make him drink”.

“You can send your son to college but you cannot make him think,” he said, to much appreciation from freshers. “Students here come from different backgrounds. Try and develop yourself socially and spiritually and appreciate others,” Father McGrath said.

Father E. Abraham, XLRI director, chipped in about the importance of priorities.

“Set your life’s priorities right. Don’t work for grades but knowledge. Don’t wait for golden opportunities. Good managers are those who can turn any opportunity into gold, which means making the most out of minimal resources,” he said.

New entrants have come from not only diverse academic backgrounds but also different cities, making XLRI a melting pot and a mosaic of personalities. They spoke on why they chose XLRI, citing syllabi, strong alumni network, placements and infrastructure as primary reasons.

“It is India’s best private B-school. We research a lot before applying. XLRI is by far the best in terms of infrastructure, faculty and amenities,” said Piyush Manudhane, a BM student from Mumbai.

With this batch, there is another surprise. In August, XLRI will launch a new logo and tagline “for the greater good”.

Up next, freshers will take part in a special orientation programme drawn up to brush up their basics before classes. The first term will also comprise an exposure visit to a village to sensitise students to Indian realities.

Besides the 360, six fellows and 24 executive fellows in management have also enrolled themselves for the doctoral programme.