Alard Institute of Management Sciences, Pune

Overview

ALARD Institute of Management Sciences (AIMS), Pune, is a rapidly growing Business School in Maharashtra. Through its reputed MBA degree program, it aims to reduce the gap between Campus and Corporate. It accomplishes this through a three part culture of regular live projects and industry interaction sessions, compulsory and optional internships, and a strong final placement program. AIMS has five core values: Global Competence, Academic Excellence, Techno-Economic Development of Society, Entrepreneurship Support, and Professional Ethics.

ALARD Institute of Management Sciences has a consistently excellent placement record. The highest salary package offered during the most recent placement season was INR 13.5 LPA, while the average (mean) CTC was INR 4.2 LPA. Multiple blue chip MNCs took part in the placement process, including Vodafone Idea, Axis Bank, Barclays, Asian Paints, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Tata Motors, HDFC Bank, Infosys, and Hindustan Unilever Limited. The robust summer internship culture is a key part of the final placement success. The Training & Placement Officer plays an important role in ensuring that students receive the best job offers, starting with Job Description circulation to career counseling, shortlisting, and final interviews.

Campus life at AIMS is vibrant, with multiple student festivals (e.g. Tej, the cultural fest). There are also several national-level seminars organized under the Fun & Learn umbrella, complemented by Guest Lectures by distinguished alumni and industry leaders. Industrial visits to nearby areas are arranged throughout the semester, and the NSS chapter in the Institute organizes social activities e.g. flood relief in Kolhapur.

Highlights

Fees

The MBA program at ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, is offered in association with Savitribai Phule Pune University. Therefore, the basic academic fee is in accordance with the Pune University guidelines, and totals INR 15,205 per semester. This includes tuition fees, examination fees, self study material costs, and admission fees. AIMS Pune may also charge additional fees over and above the basic University academic payment given above.

Living costs: Students who choose to stay on the AIMS campus must pay the semester hostel and mess fees. MBA candidates who stay off campus must budget for daily transportation fees to the campus. In addition, all students must pay for textbooks and other academic infrastructure.

Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, for students from Maharashtra, are as follows:

• The candidate should hold an undergraduate degree (of minimum duration three years) awarded by any University recognized by UGC, India. Students in the final year of such a degree may also apply.
• The aggregate over all the UG semester examinations must be at least 50% (or 45% for reserved category candidates).
• The candidate should have a valid non-zero rank after successfully appearing for the Maharashtra CET MBA examination.

Candidates whose domicile is outside the state of Maharashtra can submit CAT or CMAT scores in lieu of Maharashtra CET scores. NRI and OCI applicants must have a minimum percentage of 50% or equivalent GPA in their UG degree, with no relaxation.

The application and admission procedure to the MBA program at AIMS Pune is done as per the guidelines laid down by Savitribai Phule Pune University. Details of the procedure can be found on the Maharashtra CET website:

• Filling up academic history details on the Maharashtra CET website, including marks obtained and subjects taken at Standard X and XII level and detailed UG transcripts.
• Uploading all documents required to the Maharashtra CET server.
• Payment of the registration fees through any online mode (netbanking / debit card / credit card).
• Verification of documents in person at any authorized Savitribai Phule Pune University center.
• Checking the Merit List on the CET website on the prescribed date, and appearing for the final Group Discussion and Personal Interview round on campus.
• Filling up the counseling choice sheet. The College Code for AIMS Pune is 6135.
• After a student receives the allocation notification of an MBA seat, he/she must report to the AIMS campus on the prescribed day to complete academic registration formalities and pay the tuition fees.

Placements

As one of the top MBA colleges in India, the placement highlights of ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, are as follows: 

• The highest CTC offered during the most recent placement season was INR 13.5 LPA.
• The average salary package was INR 4.2 LPA.
• Prominent recruiters include Vodafone Idea, Axis Bank, Indian Railways, Barclays, Asian Paints, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Tata Motors, HDFC Bank, Infosys, WNS Pune, Hindustan Unilever Limited, and Indiamart. 
• The location of the campus within one of India’s biggest IT Parks - in Hinjewadi, Pune - ensures that it has access to top MNCs for internships and live projects as well.
• The Training & Placement Officer manages soft skills workshops, interactive sessions, group discussion training, and recruiting relationships.
• The placement process has the following major steps:
  • 1-3:  Preliminary: During these steps, there are informal interactions with company representatives, company onboarding, and sharing of the Batch Profile.
  • 4-6: Training: During this phase, the Training & Placement Cell works with students for sector specific training, Group Discussion mock sessions, and soft skills enhancement.
  • 7-9: Expression of Interest: The Job Descriptions are shared to the MBA students and applications are submitted via the online placement portal.
  • 10-11: Resumes are shortlisted and the relevant candidates are informed.
  • 12: The final recruitment process happens on the ALARD campus, with Group Discussion, Aptitude Test, and Personal Interview rounds.
  • 13: Final job offers are made by companies to all students who make it through the final rounds.
  • 14: Post the placement season, the companies stay in touch with selected candidates to make sure that their transition to the corporate world is smooth.

Cut-Offs

The common cut-off for all applicants to the MBA program at AIMS Pune is an aggregate of 50% averaged over all undergraduate semester exams. This criterion is relaxed to 45% for reserved category applicants and persons with disabilities, but there is no 5% relaxation for NRI and OCI candidates. No cut-off is specified ahead of time based on the entrance test score for applicants to the MBA program; all candidates who have a valid score in any of the accepted entrance examinations can apply. The final cut-off is determined only after all rounds of counseling are complete.

Faculty & Alumni

ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, is home to 5 full time Faculty members. Four of these are Assistant Professors, and one has additional duty as a librarian. All of them have Master’s degrees (two MBA, one MMS, and one MCom). They play an important role in ensuring that MBA students have a strong theoretical understanding of all their subjects before they sit for internship and placement interviews.

MBA graduates of AIMS Pune become part of the ALARD Alumni Association after completing their degrees. Through this, they can volunteer to spend time with current students on Saturdays and Sundays to spread awareness and mentor their juniors. They can also assist with finding internships and placement positions for MBA students of AIMS. Alumni are a part of the Board of Studies of the Institute, and actively participate in adding practical elements to the curriculum. Finally, they also help conduct mock interviews and disseminate summer internship feedback to students.

Scholarships

As in other top MBA colleges in India, there are multiple financial aid options available to students of ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune. There are five main scholarships for MBA students of AIMS Pune:

1. Dr. LR Yadav Chancellor's Scholarship: This is primarily an academic merit scholarship, along with weightage for community service and leadership. It is based on the Maharashtra CET score, and has four tiers. Applicants with a score above 150 will be given a full tuition fee scholarship, and there are also 75%, 50%, and 25% scholarship tiers.

2. Rakshak Scholarship: This aims to honor wards of Defense Personnel who have contributed significantly to the security of the nation. Full scholarships are awarded to wards of martyrs and gallantry medal winners. Children of Seva medal winners are given 50% tuition fee waivers. Wards of winners of other defense service honors are given 15% academic scholarships.

3. Khel Scholarship: Exceptional sports achievers are given financial aid at AIMS Pune. International medal winners receive full tuition fee scholarships, national medal winners receive 75% scholarships, state medal winners are given 50% tuition fee waivers, and district medal winners 15%.

4. Dhanyawad Scholarship: 50% tuition fee waivers are given to wards of current ALARD University employees, and 25% scholarships are given to siblings of existing students and wards of ex-ALARD employees.

5. Protsahan Scholarship: Orphan students are given 50% tuition fee scholarships.

In addition, MBA students of AIMS Pune are free to apply for various Maharashtra State and Indian Government Scholarships primarily meant for reserved category candidates e.g. the Post Matric Scholarship for SC and ST students.

Preparation & FAQs

The major part of the preparation for admission to the MBA program at AIMS Pune is focused on the entrance test. Whether the student chooses to appear for the CAT, CMAT, or Maharashtra CET, he/she must prepare for the quantitative, logical reasoning, and verbal sections through a combination of theory classes and mock tests. Students are advised to attempt sample papers to familiarize themselves with the pattern and difficulty level of their chosen examination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the best Business School in Maharashtra?

ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, is one of the best MBA colleges in India, and is a contender for best Business School in Maharashtra. It is ranked #95 among all Private Business Schools in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

Q. How does ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, ensure that its MBA students are industry ready?

AIMS Pune conducts multiple add-on courses every semester that aim to add value to the core MBA degree e.g. digital marketing. Every specialization (e.g. Human Resources, Marketing, Finance) also has relevant Certificate Courses.

Q. Which specializations are available to MBA students of ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune?

MBA students of ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, can choose from among 5 specializations, including Marketing Management, Finance Management, Human Resource Management , Operations & Supply Chain Management, and Business Analytics.

Q. Which are the Professional Certificate courses offered in the first year of the AIMS MBA program?

First year MBA students of ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, can choose from among 4 Professional Certificate courses, including Data Science, Digital Marketing, Six Sigma, and  Corporate Leadership.

Q. Which are the Professional Certificate courses offered in the second year of the AIMS MBA program?

Second year MBA students of ALARD Institute of Management Sciences, Pune, can choose from among 4 Professional Certificate courses, including Supply Chain Management, Banking & Finance with BlockChain Technology, Salesforce & AWS, and Advanced Excel with SAP HR.

Q. What is the pattern of the Maharashtra CET MBA exam?

The Maharashtra CET PG entrance test for MBA aspirants will have four sections: Logical Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and Verbal Ability (Reading Comprehension). These sections will respectively consist of 75, 25, 50, and 50 Multiple Choice Questions, with an average of 45 seconds per question.