At Your Service
By mukul on Jul 23, 2008 in Overthere
The institute of advanced management, calcutta:->
The Institute of Advanced Management (IAM), Calcutta, is one of the premier hospitality management institutes in the country, which initialised the process of awarding UK degrees to students in India, back in the early nineties. This makes the institute unique in itself, says Maitreyee Chaudhuri, the director of IAM. The institute is recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education and the HRD ministry. IAM is also affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), New Delhi.
IAM has always tried to upgrade its curriculum in order to adapt to the demands of the changing business environment. This has enabled the institute to establish itself as a premier hotel management institute in the country. “Our reputation has been further strengthened by the association with the Napier University, Edinburgh, the UK,” says Chaudhuri.
Chaudhuri points out that the motto of IAM is to bring out the extraordinary in the ordinary. The institute has rigorous training programmes, designed and structured in a way so as to enable students to achieve more than they are capable of. Students are groomed in a manner that helps them get accustomed to the demands of the industry and to offer quality service to customers. IAM not only equips the students with a thorough understanding of the administrative and production skills required in the hospitality industry, it also gives them practical exposure to its various aspects. IAM has its own business hotel, Indismart, where the students get acquainted with the nitty-gritties of the industry.
At present, two courses are being offered at the institute, one being a BA in hospitality management, awarded in collaboration with the Napier University, and the other is a BSc in hotel and tourism from the Punjab Technical University. While the BA degree in collaboration with the Napier University highlights the managerial aspects of the service industry, the BSc degree is more operational in nature and gives an insight into other facets of the industry. Students enrolled at the IAM also get an opportunity to do a six-month internship with the leading hotel chains of the country.
Students are eligible to appear for the IAM entrance examination if they have cleared or appeared for the Plus Two examination. The exams are conducted online. A candidate is selected based on his / her performance in the group discussion and in the personal interview. The fee for the Napier University degree is Rs 1,30,000 per year and the BSC degree costs Rs 80,000 per year.
There is also a provision for scholarships at IAM. If a student secures more than 80 per cent in the Plus Two exams, he gets a concession of 20 per cent in the first year fees. If the student performs well at the institute, this reduction in fees will continue in the following year as well. Fifteen students are eligible for this scholarship, says Chaudhuri. Speaking about the placement cell, Chaudhuri says that 100 per cent placement is ensured. The students of IAM are placed in senior positions not only in leading hotel chains like the Taj, Oberoi, ITC and other international hotels, but are also making a mark in the banking and aviation sectors.
The students who have passed out from the institute have fond memories of their days at IAM. Sayantan Ghosh, a former student of the institute currently employed with a private airline, says that IAM made them familiar with the nuances of corporate culture. He says that management stalwarts from IIM, Joka, frequently visit the institute as guest lecturers.
Another student, Raghib Abbas Zaidi, presently employed at The Imperial hotel, New Delhi, says that his tenure at IAM enabled him to accept challenges with open arms. Not only were the faculty members helpful; the infrastructure is equally good. With well-equipped labs, Internet facilities and a wellstocked library, IAM was a different experience altogether and, Zaidi believes, helped them emerge winners.
Vital Statistics
WHAT IS IT? It is a hotel management school in Calcutta
WHO’S THE BOSS? Maitreyee Chaudhuri is the director
WHAT IS THE COURSE FEE? Rs 1,30,000 per year for the international degree and Rs 80,000 per year for the Indian degree
Where is it? AE 486, Salt Lake,
Calcutta-700064
Phone: 23377726, 23588232
Website: www.iam.ac.in
Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)
Related articles by Zemanta
