Greater Noida (GNIOT) Institute of Management Studies, Greater Noida

Overview

GNIOT Institute of Management Studies (GIMS) is one of the top MBA colleges in India, with more than two decades of educational and placement success. It has an annual intake of almost 200 MBA students, and emphasizes collaboration between corporate experts and Faculty members to create well rounded professionals. GIMS has several strategic partnerships, including one with the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, for certificate courses. It is the only Business School in North India to be accredited by Higher Learning Accreditation Consultant & Training, UK. 

Student life at GIMS provides an ideal counterpart to the busy academic schedule, with multiple successful Talk Series throughout the year (Chanakya, Prabodhan, and Samreek, dealing with important management topics like decision making and leadership). There are also well equipped sports and recreational areas, with frequent student events like Genesis - the cultural extravaganza - providing opportunities to students for personality development and extracurricular excellence.

Students choose to study MBA at GIMS because of the impressive placement record. In 2023, the highest international salary offered was INR 23.31 Lakh, and the average has consistently been above INR 6 Lakh in previous years. The placement process is further strengthened by the presence of a Corporate Advisory Board, with senior C-Suite level executives from top companies like Tata Power, Abbott Healthcare, Nalanda Learning Systems, and Lexus Corp Solutions. Prominent recruiters on campus include Deloitte, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ITC Limited, Croma, Universal Books, ICICI Prudential, SBI, ANZ, Berger, Nerolac, and 99 Acres.

Highlights

Fees

The total tuition fee for MBA students of GIMS, Greater Noida, is INR 7.38 Lakh:

• Registration fee: INR 50,000.
• Semester 1 fee: INR 2.2 Lakh.
• Semester 2 fee: INR 1.76 Lakh.
• Semester 3 fee: INR 1.46 Lakh.
• Semester 4 fee: INR 1.46 Lakh.
• Any delays in payment will attract a fine.

In addition to the regular tuition fees, students must also pay a security deposit of INR 10,000 at the time of admission. This will be refunded at the time of graduation, as long as the student submits a no-dues certificate. There is also a refundable Hostel Security Deposit of INR 5,000. The tuition fee includes an academic laptop and entry into the International Immersion Program.

The hostel and mess fees (per year) range from INR 1.18 Lakh to INR 1.68 Lakh, according to the following breakup:

• Registration fee (payable annually): INR 5,000.
• Hostel + Mess Fee (triple occupancy; cooler only): INR 1.13 Lakh.
• Hostel + Mess Fee (double occupancy; cooler only): INR 1.23 Lakh.
• Hostel + Mess Fee (triple occupancy; AC): INR 1.5 Lakh.
• Hostel + Mess Fee (double occupancy; AC): INR 1.58 Lakh.

Staying in the hostel is optional. Students who do not choose to stay in the hostel can avail of a bus service with multiple pick-up points throughout Delhi NCR, whose annual fees range from INR 23,000 to INR 40,000.

Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to the MBA program at GNIOT Institute of Management Studies are as follows:

• The student must possess pass certificates at three levels: Standard X and XII Board Examinations (from a recognized Board of Higher Secondary Education in India or abroad), and undergraduate studies, from any recognized University.
• The aggregate across all undergraduate semester exams must exceed 50%. This condition is relaxed to 45% for reserved category students.
• Students in the final year of a UG degree may also apply, on the condition that they submit their final mark sheets before 30 October of the year of application.
• Any one of the following entrance test scores is mandatory: CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, or GAT (which is the entrance test conducted by GIMS).

There are five steps in the application process:

• Filling up the application form: This can be done either online or offline. After entering all personal and academic information, candidates must pay the application fee of INR 1,200.
• Shortlisting of applications: The GIMS authorities take three main criteria into account while selecting candidates for the next stage. Academic consistency is the first; where the applicant shows steady growth across the past 6-8 years. Academic versatility is the second. Finally, work experience is also considered, though it is not a compulsory point.
• GIMS Aptitude Test (GAT): This is only for students who do not have a valid rank in other national entrance tests e.g. CAT, XAT.
• Group Discussion (GD): Candidates are invited to take part in the GD round either virtually or on campus, and are evaluated by at least two panelists. They must also write a short essay on their point of view.
• Personal Interview (PI): All the GD candidates must also appear for the PI round, and the final selection is made after all interviews are completed.

The weightage given to different components in the application are as follows:

• 40%: Personal Interview.
• 20%: Group Discussion.
• 20%: Entrance Test percentile.
• 5% each: Standard X, Standard XII, UG performance, Work Experience.

Placements

GIMS follows a structured 8-step process to ensure the best placements for its students. 

• Company onboarding and acquisition of information about hiring priorities.
• Opportunity details sent to students in Year 2 of PGDM.
• Student application deadline, and details shared with the company.
• A Pre-Placement Talk to solve students’ queries.
• Assessment and Aptitude Tests, Group Discussions, and Personal Interviews.
• Final shortlist and selection process.
• Offer letters sent to students.
• Final acceptance of offers.

The process is highly successful. In the batch graduating in 2022, for which the latest full placement reports are available, the highest international package was INR 17.55 LPA, the highest domestic package was INR 12.56 LPA, and the average salary offered was INR 6.46 LPA. 45% of students joined Marketing & Sales jobs, 20% went into IT Consulting & Business Analytics, 16% into Finance, 14% into Human Resources, and 5% into Operations. The highest international package offered in 2023 was INR 23.31 Lakh, by Property Pistol.

Some of the most renowned recruiting companies across different sectors are as follows:

• Banking, Financial Services & Insurance: Deloitte, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Prudential, ANZ, SBI Securities.
• Manufacturing: Berger, Nerolac, Decathlon, Kent Health Care Products, Outlook, Hindalco, Hitachi.
• E-Commerce: Blinkit, upGrad, IndiaMart.
• FMCG: ITC Limited, Blue Tokai.
• F&B: Cafe Coffee Day, DS Group.
• Retail: Croma, Testochem.
• Advertising: The Magicians, The Times of India.

Cut-Offs

During the application phase, a cut-off of 50% on the UG aggregate performance across all 3/4/5 years is applied; this is relaxed to 45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates. There is no predetermined cut-off during any subsequent phase of evaluation (Entrance Test, GD, PI), though higher scores increase the probability of selection. There are cut-offs related to scholarship awards: 65% for students who wish to apply for financial aid based on UG and Board Examination Performance, and also for students who apply for scholarships based on Entrance Exam score (e.g. above 70 percentile on the CAT is linked to a scholarship of INR 50,000).

Faculty & Alumni

GNIOT, Greater Noida, is home to 23 full time Faculty Members, including 6 full Professors, 1 Associate Professor, 1 Adjunct Professor, and 15 Assistant Professors. They are divided into five sectors: Marketing, Finance & Economics, Operations, Statistics & Business Analysis, Human Resources, Organizational Behavior & Entrepreneurship, and Business Communication. GNIOT also has 8 Visiting Faculty members to further increase the industrial exposure in its courses, including respected business experts with several decades in the professional sphere, ranging from 18 to 42 years.

The GNIOT Alumni Cell organizes Talks on campus from successful alumni. In addition, all graduates of the Institute become members of the Cell, and they can use its resources to keep in touch with other alumni who work in their field, and network with business leaders and Faculty members of GNIOT. From the Institute’s side, it uses the Alumni Cell to provide internship and full time job opportunities to its students.

Scholarships

There are four main types of scholarships offered by GIMS to its MBA students:

1. Academic Record Scholarships: Any student with a cumulative aggregate of 65% or higher, across Standard 10, 12, and all UG semesters, is eligible for a flat reduction of INR 30,000 in the tuition fee payable. This waiver is also seen in the best MBA colleges in India.

2. Entrance Exam Scholarships: All five accepted entrance examinations (CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, and GAT) have GIMS scholarships linked to exceptional performance. Most of them have two tiers: INR 50,000 for an excellent rank (e.g. above 70 percentile in CAT) and all of them have a scholarship tier of INR 30,000 for good performance (e.g. 55-69 percentile in the CAT or XAT). 

3. Quota Based Scholarships: A reduction of INR 30,000 in the tuition fee payable is awarded to national level sportspersons, and to students who are children or wards of armed forces and police personnel. 

4. GIMS Shakti Scholarships: This is intended for female students with academic merit across Standard 10, 10+2, and graduation, and entails a reduction of INR 30,000 in tuition fees.

Even if a student qualifies for multiple scholarships in the categories above, only one can be awarded to a single student.

Preparation & FAQs

The three main components of the selection procedure are the Personal Interview (40%), GD (20%), and Entrance Test (20%). During the PI, candidates must pay attention to the five major components of evaluation: vision, academic knowledge, general knowledge, communicable skills, and attitude towards learning. During the GD phase, candidates are evaluated based on confidence, content, team work, and reasoning skill. Finally, in order to do well in the chosen entrance test, candidates should attend virtual or in person classes, work out several sample papers and mock tests, improve their conceptual understanding of topics in which they are weak, and ensure that they look through previous years’ solved exam papers to understand the format thoroughly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the best Business School in Delhi NCR?

Greater Noida (GNIOT) Institute of Management Studies is one of the top MBA colleges in Greater Noida, ranked #106 in India according to the latest IIRF list of best MBA colleges in India - Private.

Q. What professional certifications are available to those who study MBA at GIMS?

MBA students of GIMS can opt for a wide range of Skill Augmentation Certificates, including Power BI, SPSS, French / German, Blockchain, Marketing Analytics, Six Sigma (Yellow Belt) and HR Analytics.

Q. What specializations are available for MBA students of GNIOT?

MBA students can choose one or two of seven specializations: Marketing, Finance, Business Analytics, Human Resource Management & Organizational Behavior, International Business, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, and New Age Startups & Entrepreneurship.

Q. What partnership does GIMS have with IIM Bangalore?

GNIOT Institute of Management Studies, Greater Noida, has entered into the IIMBx School Partnership Program, through which it trains its top students in all specializations via sessions led by IIM Bangalore Faculty members. It also uses innovative teaching and case members to help students become industry ready by leveraging the wisdom of one of India’s best Business Schools.