The Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) is a flagship dual-degree programme started by IIM Indore. It has now expanded its reach to other IIMs as well including IIM Rohtak, Ranchi, Bodhgaya, Jammu, Shillong, and Amritsar.
It is a beautifully designed programme for students who aim to make a career in management. The course allows students a direct entry to IIMs right after class 12th where they pursue there UG (BBA / BA) and PG (MBA) in an IIM. Students who crack IPMAT don’t have to write CAT to get an entry into their respective institute’s MBA program as they get a direct entry based on their IPMAT result.
While most of the students end up continuing in their respective institutes for the duration of 5 years and sit for placements, some students may have a change in plan and would want to exit the programme midway. The reasons why students exit the IPM programme are as follows:
Upgrade to a better MBA college
Majority of the students exiting IPM are the ones who sit for CAT in their 3rd year of the degree in hopes of cracking a better college for MBA. As the placements are highly dependant on the college you pursue your MBA from, many students end up writing CAT despite having a confirmed MBA seat as a part of the MBA programme. The benefit of writing CAT while being an IPM student is that you have a safety net if things go south. You can still continue MBA as a part of your IPM even if you fail to clear CAT, giving students a peace of mind.
Pursuing Entrepreneurial Journey
Some students also exit the IPM programme to pursue entrepreneurship full-time. I as well as my cofounder Swapnil Bhartiya, exited the IPM programme at IIM Rohtak to build AceIPM – the best IPMAT preparation platform, as it aligned more with our vision than doing MBA and sitting for placements.
Gaining Work Experience
Given that you graduate as a fresher in IPM, some students choose to exit IPM after doing their undergrad to get some hands-on industry experience first before going for an MBA. Many MBA colleges abroad and ISB in India have a minimum work experience criterion for their MBA programme. Students take an exit from IPM to fulfill this criteria to later pursue MBA from a flagship institute.
Pursuing a Different Career Altogether
Back in IIM Rohtak, many of my peers left the institute with me after third year. Although most went to better MBA institutes by writing CAT, some changed their career trajectory altogether. One of my batchmates ended up going for Commercial Pilot Training and is now a cadet pilot. Another batchmate of mine has now started his own venture of mushroom farming!
Exit Options in IPM Programme
Now that we know the reasons why people leave the IPM programme, let’s discuss what are the exit options available:
Exit after completing UG
This is a popular route that many IPM students (including myself) opt for every single year. Although it’s a 5 year dual-degree programme, you can choose to just complete your undergrad and exit the institute. Many students who end up in IPM write CAT in their 3rd year of college, hoping to get a better institute for their MBA. If they are successful in doing so, they can choose to just take an undergraduate degree and leave their IPM college. But, if their CAT attempt doesn’t go as planned, they always have an option of continuing with their current college for the MBA too, giving them a safety net.
Every year, approx 20% of the IPM batch across all the institutes exercise this option. Most of the students leave to upgrade institute for their MBA. However, as mentioned earlier, some may also leave to pursue an entrepreneurial venture or a different degree altogether. All the IIMs offering IPM provide this option.
Annual Exit Options Based on NEP
IIM Jammu and IIM Shillong have created their IPM programme keeping in mind the New Education Policy (2020). Both of these institutes offer multiple exit options, allowing the students to take an exit from the programme after completing each year up to the third year of their course. In addition to this, IIM Shillong allows its students to exit the programme in the fourth year too where they get a BBA (Hons) degree. The exit options for both the institutes are as follows:
IIM Jammu
IIM Shillong
These exit options are usually not exercised by students as they’d need atleast an undergraduate degree to pursue their MBA later on. Most of the exits happen at the end of third year only. IIM Shillong is a new entrant in the IPM space and we’re hoping that some students will opt for an exit in the fourth year as it allows students to attempt CAT twice (in their 3rd as well as 4th year of college), giving them a second chance to upgrade their college if the first attempt doesn’t go well.
Sabbatical Leave
As mentioned earlier, one downside of the IPM programme is that students end up having a lot of theoretical knowledge but lack actual corporate experience given they get placed as freshers. While it’s not a dealbreaker, some companies may not open up their roles to IPM students given a minimum work-experience requirement. To bridge that gap, IIM Indore offers an option to take a sabbatical leave wherein a student can choose to temporarily exit the programme after their UG to work in the corporate or their own startup for a duration of 2 years. Post that, they can join IIM Indore to complete their MBA without having to give CAT.
Of all the IIMs offering IPM, IIM Indore is the only institute that offers an option to take a sabbatical leave. Furthermore, this option is available to only those students who are in the top 10% of the batch academically and they have to sit for an interview before getting their sabbatical approved. The number of students opting for this option every year is usually in single digits given the CGPA and interview barrier.
Also Read: Is IPM Worth Pursuing?
Conclusion
The exit options available in the IPM programme reflect the very essence of what modern education stands for: flexibility, experimentation, and growth. Regardless of whether a student continues with IPM for all 5 years or decides to take an exit midway, the curriculum equips the student with clarity, discipline, and a thorough understanding of a multitude of subjects that stay valuable to them throughout life.
And in case you’re someone preparing for this journey, choosing the right guidance makes all the difference. At AceIPM, we’ve exectly been in your shoes – IPM aspirants who once dreamt of cracking IIMs after 12th and eventually built India’s leading IPMAT preparation platform. With both online and offline IPMAT coaching programs available, our mission is simple: to help students not only ace all the IPMAT and management exams but also make informed career choices once they get there!
