SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram

Overview

SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram, aims to create business leaders and transform society through its three unique full time courses: 2 year PGDM (equivalent to MBA in other Universities), 1 year PGPM, and 1 year PGPM - HR, both designed for experienced candidates. It also offers leadership and Executive MBA part time programs. SOIL Gurugram brings four unique elements to its experiential courses: Data-Driven Decision Making and Analytics, Design Thinking, Digital Transformation, and Industry Connections. With a strong focus placed on ethics and spirituality, it is a unique Business School, with up to 30% of the coursework time spent outside the classroom learning practical skills.

The Career Management Services department works to ensure record placement results at SOIL Gurugram every year. The highest CTC in the most recent placement season was INR 19.3 LPA, with the mean and median salaries offered both exceeding INR 10 LPA. 49 blue chip companies participated in the final placement process, including Cognizant, Mahindra AFS, Zomato, and KPMG Global. A large part of the placement success of SOIL Gurugram is the innovative one on one mentorship process, where each PGDM and PGPM student receives a customized plan for his/her placement preparation from a dedicated mentor.

The main campus of SOIL is located in the city of Gurugram, with a new campus location at Manesar, which is larger and more green. Its location near the industrial hotspot of Manesar, and its environmentally sustainable construction, ensure that it is one of the most unique Business School campuses in India.

Highlights

Fees

The various components of the two year PGDM program fee for students of SOIL Gurugram include:

• Tuition fee: INR 8.5 Lakh for the full two year program.
• Program fee (including examination charges, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, library charges, IT fees, etc.): INR 5.7 Lakh.
• Student Activity fee: INR 42,000.
• Medical Insurance (policy active for two years): INR 5,000.
• Journal subscription (active for two years): INR 3,000.
• Alumni fee: INR 10,000.

The total amount payable is, therefore, INR 14.8 Lakh for the entire MBA course. Students must also pay INR 30,000 as security deposit. This is refundable at the time of graduation after all dues are cleared, if there is no damage to institute property. Approximately 15% (INR 2.1 Lakh) of the fee is payable at the time of admission to SOIL Gurugram, with four equal installments of INR 3.25 Lakh payable after that, at the beginning of each semester. 

There are also two optional events with their own fees: Global Immersion Program (INR 1.35 Lakh) and Discover India Train Journey (INR 25,000). Students must also budget for living or transportation costs (SOIL does not provide hostel accommodation, and students must either travel to the campus daily or take up rented accommodation). Laptops are mandatory, and IT infrastructure is another projected expense.

Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram, are as follows:

• 2 year PGDM:
  • Only freshers and candidates with less than five years of work experience may apply.
  • Candidates must have a valid scorecard from any one of these entrance tests: CAT, GMAT, XAT, or MAT. Multiple scores may be submitted, and the best percentile performance will be considered.
  • All applicants must hold a valid Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized University, of minimum three years’ duration.
• 1 year PGPM (HR):
  • At least 50% aggregate across all UG semester examinations.
  • At least 60% in both Standard X and XII Board examinations.
  • Both freshers and experienced candidates may apply.
  • MBA Aptitude Test scores are not compulsory, though they do give the applicant an edge.
• 1 year PGPM:
  • Applicants must have full time work experience of minimum 2 years.

The steps in the application and admission process include:

• 2 year PGDM:
  • There are three cycles of admission, in December, January, and MArch.
  • The first step is to fill the online application form with personal information, academic performance details, extracurricular achievements, and MBA entrance test scores.
  • Soft copies of documents attesting the above details must also be uploaded.
  • The final step is the payment of the applicant fee (INR 2,000).
  • Shortlisted candidates must report to the campus / make themselves available online for a Design Thinking workshop and interactive exercise.
  • The final step is a Personal Interview session.
  • Within four weeks of the PI round, all students are emailed the final decision. Some are given offers outright, some have to appear for a second interview, and the rest are rejected.
  • All candidates who receive offers of admission must confirm their acceptance by paying the academic registration fee (INR 2.1 Lakh), and apply for any scholarships in which they are interested.
• PGPM and PGPM - HR:
  • The overall process is similar to that for PGDM students; however, they must also submit detailed work experience proofs, and must appear for the SOIL Talent Appreciation Test (STAT). This is a test of the candidate’s leadership potential.

Placements

As one of the top MBA colleges in India, the placement highlights  of SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram, are as follows: 

• The highest CTC offered in the 2023 placement season to PGDM students was INR 19.3 LPA, and the highest PGPM salary was INR 18.5 LPA.
• The average (mean) and median salaries offered were INR 10.3 LPA and INR 10 LPA, respectively.
• 49 companies participated in the final placement process, with additional employers hiring summer interns.
• The average CTC of the top 10% of all students in the graduating batch was INR 16.8 LPA.
• The average salary of the top 50% of all placed students was INR 11.8 LPA.
• Some common job roles offered to the PGDM students were Business Analyst, Senior Associate Consultant, Management Trainee, Digital Marketing Analyst, Area Sales Manager, and Human Resources Executive.
• The Career Management Services (CMS) department of SOIL Gurugram is responsible for the placement success of the PGDM and PGPM students. It conducts a unique one on one mentorship program, where each student works directly with a mentor to improve his/her placement preparation and receive customized advice about job searches and resume optimization. This is in contrast to most other MBA programs in India, where bulk training events are held.
• The CMS also organizes Industry Academia Networking weeks, where students can build networks, interact with alumni in various companies, and make a strong choice of career for both summer internships and final placements.
• Towards the advent of the placement season, the CMS organizes a set of simulations, including career workshops, resume feedback sessions, mock interviews, expected question databases, and group discussion training.
• Recruiters are divided into four categories based on industry sector. Some prominent recruiting companies are:
  • Marketing: Tech Mahindra, Zomato.
  • Analytics: KPMG Global, Cognizant.
  • Human Resources: Anand Group, Mahindra AFS.
  • Finance: Genpact, Paytm Money.

Cut-Offs

There are no cut-offs related to admission to the PGDM and General PGPM programs at SOIL Gurugram. The shortlist is prepared based on a quantitative combination of the entrance test score and academic performance, in addition to a qualitative consideration of extracurricular achievements. Therefore, no cut-off is announced in advance. However, applicants to the PGPM HR program must have an aggregate of 50% (or higher) during undergraduate studies, and at least 60% in the Standard 10 and 12 Board Examinations.

Faculty & Alumni

SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram, is home to 38 full time Faculty members, of which 21 are full Professors, 8 are Associate Professors, and 9 are Assistant Professors. Senior Professors also take on additional roles - Chairs of specializations (e.g. Finance, Marketing), Research Chair Professors, Career Heads, and Deans + Directors. The relatively large Faculty size ensures personalized attention and mentoring to PGDM and PGPM students while they prepare for the internship and placement season.

Alumni of SOIL Gurugram are employed in various senior positions in India and Abroad, including a Project Manager at the Boston Consulting Group, a Sales Director at Accenture Australia, and the former Global HR Head at the Welspun Group.

Scholarships

As in other top MBA colleges in India, there are multiple financial aid options available to students of SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram. Five main scholarships are available:

1. Need Based Scholarships: All students whose family income does not exceed INR 8 LPA are eligible to apply for these, and the amount is variable, and depends on both the total income and the decision of the management.

2. Merit Based Scholarships: Three criteria are taken into account while awarding scholarships based on academic merit: the previous performance of the student primarily during UG studies, the entrance exam percentile, and the performance in the Scholarship Interview after the best applicants are shortlisted.

3. Dr. Verghese Kurien Scholarship: All children and wards of farmers whose family income does not exceed INR 5 LPA may apply for this tuition fee waiver scholarship.

4. Defense Services Scholarship: All wards of serving or previous personnel of any Indian defense service or BSF staff, irrespective of income, may apply for this scholarship.

5. Unique Achievement Award: Students who have exceptional achievements (at national or state level) in any field of extracurricular personality development e.g. sports, art, or culture, are eligible for this scholarship.

Preparation & FAQs

The initial shortlist for the PI rounds at SOIL Gurugram is heavily dependent on the MBA entrance test score. Therefore, students should attempt multiple mock tests and attend classroom coaching programs to maximize their aptitude test score, and submit all the scorecards if they attempt multiple examinations. The Design Thinking workshop is a major component of the final round, and it is useful to read the principles before appearing for the Personal Interview round, where the communication skills in English are also tested.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the best Business School in Gurugram?

SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram, is one of the best MBA colleges in India, and is a contender for best Business School in Gurugram. It is ranked #44 among all Private Business Schools in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

Q. What is the practical training component in the PGDM program at SOIL Gurugram?

The PGDM students of SOIL Gurugram spend 30% of their academic time outside the classroom. More than 400 hours of field work are required to successfully complete all courses, and there are 5 Experiential Immersions, in addition to the summer internship.

Q. What advantages does the PGDM program at SOIL Gurugram have over other PGDM and MBA programs in India?

SOIL Gurugram calls its 2 year PGDM program the most experiential program in India. It starts with a unique 3 week Unlearning Module, where students are encouraged to let go of their prejudices and predictable thinking, and includes industrial training modules, social innovation projects, and a Himalayan Retreat.

Q. What is the main advantage of the one year PGPM program at SOIL Institute of Management, Gurugram?

The one year PGPM program at SOIL aims to admit professionals with 2-3 years of work experience. The USP of the program is to give them a large increase in salary after the degree program, in just one year. The average salary pre-PGPM is INR 4.99 LPA, and the batch sees an average increase of 137%, with the mean post-PGPM salary being INR 11.5 LPA.