CAT is one of toughest exams to crack for a masters degree. There are many private colleges in India providing postgraduate management courses.

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You may find many MBA colleges in India, but not all of them can provide you with the same profile of candidates.

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Listed below are some key focus areas which can help you differentiate between Top IIM vs Top Private MBA college or Business School differences between IIM and top private MBA college

IIM has an old, mature student community with a diverse culture of students who are willing to work hard. Top b-schools generally admit young graduates around 22 years of age with average work experience, who are just getting started with their career .
IIM’s have a stable career graph as most of the students who pass out from IIM’s are at mid level positions with around 1-2 years of work experience. Top b-schools admit young graduates who may take a longer time to establish their name and image thus affecting their sales or marketing profile.
IIM’s have established brand names in the B-school circuit, so even if you are not on top of the class you can still secure a job. Top b-schools sometimes have to compromise on the quality of students as they want more and more students to fill seats so that their courses become financially viable.
IIM’s provide professional education with emphasis on marketing, finance and general management. Top b-schools generally offer specialized courses in product/services marketing, sales & distribution or supply chain management or sometimes even financial services
IIM’s are always on the lookout for students who can contribute to their academic research. Top b-schools want students who can enhance their own brand name in the marketplace with innovative marketing ideas which are accepted by the industry.
IIM’s prefer to hire Chartered Accountants, Cost Accountants and Engineers for Analyst positions. Top b-schools mainly look for sales & marketing executives.
The batch size in IIM is usually much smaller compared to Top b-schools. IIM’s have a maximum of 40 students per batch, whereas top b-schools have a much larger student community with 100 or more students in a single batch.
The fee structure is also different in IIM and top b-schools. Top b-schools charge higher fees compared to IIM’s, but do not offer much financial aid or scholarship.
IIM’s employ foreign faculty (mainly from US & UK ) who come for a short stint of 2 years in India. Top b-schools employ faculty from India itself who teach there throughout their career.
IIM’s have a strong alumni network which directly helps their students get placed in multinational companies and hence gives them an edge over others. Top b-schools do not follow such practices and concentrate more on building their brand name. There is a very thin chance of a top b-school alumni joining the same company as their ex-student.
IIM’s have research centers to carry out extensive research in business areas which is then published in the form of books and journals whereas most top b-schools do not follow such practices, but carry out MDP’s and consultancy projects for industry.
IIM’s have moderate infrastructure with average classrooms and labs to carry out research and provide education. Top B-schools follow more of learning through training thus creating a better workforce for multinational companies.
Top b-schools admit students purely on the basis of CAT score , whereas, IIM’s have a written test followed by an interview.
IIM’s look for students who are hardworking and can go the extra mile to grasp all knowledge offered to them. Top b-schools are more interested in students who have good communication skills. It is said that “Sales is a language” and top b-schools want students to be fluent in this language which can sell their knowledge.
IIM’s send out official placement letters once they finish all rounds of the hiring process, but top b-schools conduct only a limited number of recruitment drives during campus placements. In spite of that, top b-schools have a very good placement record.