GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam

Overview

GITAM School of Business (GSB), Visakhapatnam, was established in 1988, and has since grown to become one of the largest and most reputed MBA colleges in South India. It offers five programs (including BBA, MBA, and PhD in Management), and is well known for its unique teaching methodology, that incorporates the case study method, participative learning, social welfare projects, capstone business games, and the GITAM Excellence Meet, where quality control enthusiasts from the other University campuses come together.

GITAM School of Business is well known for its placement success. For example, in the 2023 placement season, the highest salary offered was INR 14 LPA, and 230 job offers were made to 184 MBA students. The median salary has consistently exceeded INR 6 LPA, and the Placement Cell provides training to students from the time they join the School, including soft skills sessions, workshops, and interactive sessions with successful alumni before the internship and final placement seasons.

GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam, is part of GITAM University, which has a large campus in the city, housing multiple Schools. Therefore, student life is vibrant, and there are several clubs specific to GSB, including Aikya (the Human Resources and Communications Club), FinLords (the Finance Club), Prerana (the Entrepreneurship Club), and AlmaKonect, through which students build strong bridges with Alumni of GITAM University.

Highlights

Fees

The academic fees (including tuition, examination, registration, and placement fees) for the different degree programs offered by GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam, are as follows:

• BBA: INR 8.07 Lakh for the full program (with approximately equal installments payable every year).
• MBA: INR 10.19 Lakh for the two year program. This amount is the same for both the General and Hospital Management specializations.
• BCom: INR 5.39 Lakh for the three year course.

In addition, students of GITAM School of Business must pay the hostel and mess fees, which vary according to the occupancy of the room chosen. Additional costs are likely to be incurred on shopping for personal items and recreation.

Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam, are as follows:

• MBA:
  • The applicant should have a valid undergraduate degree of at least three years’ duration from any recognized University.
  • The aggregate across all years of UG study must be at least 50%, or the equivalent grade.
  • The candidate must have a valid score in the GAT entrance test.
• BBA:
  • The applicant must hold a 10+2 pass certificate from any recognized Board of Higher Secondary Education.
  • State Board students must have an aggregate of 60% or 6.0 GPA. National Board students (e.g. CBSE, ISC, IBDP) must have an aggregate of 55% or equivalent.
  • The candidate must qualify via the Undergraduate GAT examination.
• PhD in Management:
  • The candidate must hold a Master’s degree in Management (MBA or PGDM) or be a registered CA or CS.
  • Students with Master’s degrees in other disciplines may also apply, provided that they have at least seven years of relevant leadership experience in a business.

The steps in the admission and application process for UG and PG students are:

• Filling up the application form on the online GITAM application portal.
• Registering on the portal and providing application details.
• Selecting the relevant program (BBA or MBA and Visakhapatnam campus) and paying the application fee of INR 1,200.
• Downloading a soft copy of the application form for future reference.
• Submitting the GAT score (PG or UG version depending on the program in which the candidate is interested).
• A Personal Interview round is conducted after the GAT examination.
• Paying the registration fee (first installment of tuition fee) to confirm application of the admission offer, after the merit list is released.

Placements

As one of the top MBA colleges in India, the placement highlights  of GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam, are as follows: 

• 49 recruiters participated in the most recent placement season. Prominent companies included ICICI Bank, HDFC Mutual Fund, Berger Paints, Accenture, Amazon, and HomeCenter.
• 79% of the class of 2023 was placed successfully, with 184 students receiving 230 offers. The placement percentage in previous years was approximately 95%.
• The highest CTC offered was INR 14 LPA.
• The average (median) MBA salary in the most recent placement year for which data is available (2022) was INR 6.25 LPA. This represented a remarkable growth from INR 4.5 LPA in 2020 and INR 5.5 LPA in 2021, amounting to a y-o-y growth rate of 18%.
• In addition to the direct support provided by the Placement Cell, GITAM School of Business also ensures industry readiness by incorporating training goals into the academic curriculum. Therefore, courses have components that allow students to perform better in interviews, including soft skills, internships, live projects, social projects, capstone business games, yoga, and professional certifications (e.g. in Business English).

Cut-Offs

The cut-offs for both MBA and BBA program aspirants at GITAM School of Business is based on the aggregate in the qualifying examination. MBA applicants must have an average performance of 50% or higher across all semesters of their Bachelor's degree. BBA applicants must have an average of 60% in their Standard 12 Board Examination if they are from any State Board. If their 10+2 was completed via the CBSE, CISCE, or IB Boards, the cut-off is 55% or the equivalent Grade Point Average.

Faculty & Alumni

GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam, is home to 83 full time Faculty members. This is much larger than most other MBA colleges; it is necessary to maintain a healthy student to teacher ratio. 92% of all Professors hold a PhD degree, and 42% (or 35) Faculty members have industry experience. Therefore, all the students can access a storehouse of academia and corporate wisdom as they prepare for the final placement season.

The Alumni Cell of GITAM School of Business is a part of the larger GITAM University alumni cell. The portal facilitates several major activities online: alumni mentorship of current MBA students, giving back through donations and workshops, interactive sessions and alumni meets, job opportunities for current students or recent graduates, and spotlight features on alumni success stories. Through this portal, alumni from all three campuses and all the Schools within GITAM University can network for sustained professional success.

Scholarships

As in other top MBA colleges in India, there are multiple financial aid options available to students of GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam. The prestigious academic excellence scholarship has the following tiers for both UG and PG students, based on their performance in the GAT entrance examination (UG and PG) or other MBA aptitude test (only for MBA aspirants):

1. 100% tuition fee waiver (highest tier): A score of 180 or higher in the GAT UG or PG test, or 85 percentile or higher in the CAT or XAT, or 98 percentile or better in the MAT or NMAT examination.

2. 75% tuition fee reduction: Between 75 and 85th percentile in the CAT, between 160 and 180 in the GAT, between 95 and 98 in the MAT / NMAT, or a rank between 25 and 75 in the AP ICET examination.

3. 50% tuition fee reduction: Between 65 and 75th percentile in the CAT, between 150 and 160 in the GAT, between 90 and 95 in the MAT / NMAT, or a rank between 75 and 150 in the AP ICET examination.

4. 25% tuition fee scholarship: Between 55 and 65th percentile in the CAT, between 130 and 150 in the GAT, between 85 and 90 in the MAT / NMAT, or a rank between 150 and 500 in the AP ICET examination.

The continued award of these scholarships is subject to the maintenance of a CGPA above 8.0 after each semester of MBA or BBA studies. Students of GITAM School of Business are also free to apply to national and Andhra Pradesh state scholarship schemes, over and above any financial aid they receive from GITAM University.

Preparation & FAQs

All applicants to management courses at GITAM School of Business must pass the GAT examination. This has five sections. Four of them are similar to those in other MBA aptitude tests, and the preparation can be done on similar lines: Language Comprehension, Mathematics, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, and Data Analysis and Sufficiency (which is similar to the GMAT question type). However, the fifth section - Indian and Global Environment - is unique, and requires careful customized preparation by going through past examination papers and attempting mock tests before the date of the examination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the best Business School in Visakhapatnam?

GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam, is one of the best MBA colleges in India, and is a contender for best Business School in Visakhapatnam. It is ranked #58 among all Private Business Schools in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

Q. Which specializations are offered to MBA students of GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam?

The General MBA program at GSB Visakhapatnam offers six specializations: Marketing & Sales, Finance & Accounting, Operations & Supply Chain, Human Resource Management, Business Analytics, and International Business. The MBA in Hospital and Healthcare Management is a separate degree program.

Q. How does GITAM School of Business encourage budding entrepreneurs on campus?

Management students of GITAM School of Business who wish to pursue their startup dreams can access funding, mentorship, and alumni networks through the Venture Development Center (VDC).

Q. Which are the different Bachelor of Business Administration programs offered by GITAM School of Business, Visakhapatnam?

GSB Visakhapatnam has two BBA programs: the BBA in General Management, and the BBA in Business Analytics. 

Q. What is the expected date of GAT 2025?

GAT 2025 is expected to be held in March and April 2025, for applicants to UG and PG courses at GITAM School of Business.