Faculty of Management Studies, Sri Sri University, Cuttack

Overview

The Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Sri Sri University, is a highly ranked Business School in Cuttack, Odisha. It is home to 158 PG students. The Faculty has five Programs: BBA, B.Com. (Honors), General Management MBA (with six specializations), Agribusiness MBA, and Entrepreneurship MBA. It is also home to 36 part time PhD students. FMS uses innovative teaching techniques (e.g. Video-based education, webinars, and quizzes) to maintain student interest, and has several practical modules (e.g. industry defined live projected) to ensure that students are well prepared for internships and placements.

The 2023 placement season at FMS, Sri Sri University, was the most successful so far, with 98.6% of students receiving job offers. The highest placement package offered was INR 13.58 LPA, and the median salary was INR 6.89 LPA, representing a steady increase from year to year. Other MBA career paths are also encouraged at SSU, with an active entrepreneurship cell (Srinovation) and several companies incubated at the University and started by alumni of the Faculty of Management Studies.

FMS, SSU, is home to four Centers of Excellence: the Center of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Family Business, the Center for Advanced Business Analytics, Global Financial Studies, and Ethics & Leadership. The highlight of the student event calendar is Orion, which is one of the biggest youth festivals in Odisha. It has cultural, business, and technical events, and the students of FMS play a major part in its organization, in a manner similar to the best Business Schools in India.

Highlights

Fees

The total fee (inclusive of both tuition fee and living costs) for the entire two year MBA (General Management) program for domestic students is INR 7.9 Lakh, and it is USD 20,000 for international students. The amount payable is the same for the MBA (Entrepreneurship) program. The fee is marginally lower for the MBA (Agribusiness) degree program: INR 6.9 Lakh (for domestic students) and USD 17,500 (for international students). The tuition fee per semester for domestic students is INR 1.8 Lakh.

The tuition fee alone per semester for international students is as follows:

• BBA: $1,200.
• B.Com. (Honors): $1,100.
• MBA: $4,000.

The living costs for Indian students enrolled in FMS, SSU, are mainly made up of the hostel and mess fees. Details of the amounts are as follows:

• Hostel Fees: Range from INR 30,100 to INR 70,200 per semester, depending on amenities and occupancy:
  • Three students per room + no AC: INR 30,100.
  • Three students per room + AC: INR 60,200.
  • Two students per room + no AC: INR 35,100.
  • Two students per room + AC: INR 70,200.
• Mess Fees: INR 27,000 per semester for all students (three meals per day).
• Transportation Fees: These are only for students who do not live in the hostel, and are organized from two pick up points: in Bhubaneswar (INR 21,000 per semester) and Cuttack (INR 18,000 per semester).

Admissions

The eligibility criteria for the MBA program at the Faculty of Management Studies, Sri Sri University, are as follows:

• The applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline of study.
• The average performance across all the semester examinations during the undergraduate studies must be at least 50%, or 45% for SC/ST candidates.
• The candidate must have a valid score and rank in any MBA entrance examination, including the CAT, MAT, CMAT, or SSU-CET (the entrance test of Sri Sri University).

The steps in the application and admission process are as follows:

• Filling up the online application form. Offline applications are not accepted.
• Payment of the application fee: INR 500 for Indian applicants, and USD 50 for international candidates.
• If a student wishes to apply for both BBA and B.Com. (Honors), or two MBA degree types, two forms need to be filled separately.
• During the initial application (the window to apply for 2024 opens in December 2023), the candidate may leave the qualifying entrance examination section blank and update the score after appearing for the test in 2024.
• Depending on the quality of the application, candidates will be informed of the next steps over email. MBA applicants may receive any of the following instructions:
  • Personal Interview schedule.
  • Written Test request.
  • Group Discussion date.
  • Direct Admission offer.
• The shortlisted candidates must report to FMS, SSU, and confirm their admission by paying the first semester’s fees and presenting all their original identity and academic history documents for verification.
• After receipt of the offer letter, the Provisional Admission window is open for one week, within which time the candidate must pay 50% of the semester fee and upload any additional documents required.
• There is no age limit for admission to PG programs. However, UG applicants who are older than 21, and MBA applicants who are older than 35, may be required to appear for an additional interview before they are offered a place in their chosen program.

Placements

The overall success of the SSU MBA placement process has steadily improved over time: in the pandemic year (2020-21) for which placement statistics are available, 55 out of 94 (approximately 60%) of students entered the placement funnel and received at least one job offer (and 19 opted for higher studies), and the median salary was INR 5.28 LPA. The median salary before the pandemic was INR 7.1 LPA, and the number has started increasing again after the pandemic dip. In the latest placement year (2021-23), 98.6% of the students were placed, and the highest placement package offered was INR 13.58 LPA, with an average salary of INR 6.89 LPA. This is in addition to encouragement offered to startup enthusiasts through Srinovation - the Incubation Center and Entrepreneurship Cell, structures that also exist in the best Business Schools in India.

Prominent recruiters on campus include:

• Big 4 Consulting Firms: Deloitte, KPMG, Accenture, EY.
• Banks: ICICI, HDFC, Federal Bank, DCB, Bank of America.
• Financial Services Firms: Edelweiss, Bajaj Finserv, Aon, ICICI Securities.
• IT Companies: Tata Consultancy Services, Turing.
• Startups: Property Pistol, Jaro Education, EaseMyTrip, Byju’s, Square Yards.
• Industrial Giants: Jindal Steel and Power, Manipal Hospitals,

The main career roles for graduates of FMS, SSU, are Production Manager, Operations Analyst, Quality Manager, Corporate Finance Executive, Credit Risk Manager, Business Manager, and Human Resources Executive.

Cut-Offs

There are two levels of cut-offs during the application process to the MBA program at Sri Sri University:

• UG aggregate: The average marks across all the years of undergraduate study must be at least 50% (or 45% for reserved category candidates). If there is a grade point system, the equivalent of 50% is considered.
• Entrance Examination performance: There is no percentile or score cut-off announced ahead of time, since different entrance tests are allowed. However, a better rank is always better, since exceptional performers may be offered Direct Admission instead of having to go through the GD and PI rounds. After the process concludes, the cut-off for each entrance test is the score of the last candidate accepted through that mode.

Faculty & Alumni

The Faculty of Management Studies, SSU, has 29 teaching staff members. Almost 25% of them (7 out of 29) are Full Professors, 5 are Associate Professors, and the others are Assistant Professors. In addition to having different fields of specialization, they also have extensive academic and industry experience: for example, some of the distinguished Professors of the Faculty are Members of the Rajya Sabha and Directors of National Partnership for the University.

Sri Sri University has a dedicated alumni portal; it is maintained by the SSU Alumni Association, and showcases News & Updates, Alumni Achievements, an Event Calendar, Career Opportunities, and Funding through Alumni. It has a special focus on entrepreneurship; 9 successful startups have been founded by SSU alumni in the past few years, and they act as sources of employment and internships for current students of the Faculty of Management Studies.

Scholarships

The Scholarship Support Division (SSD) at Sri Sri University has four main aims: spreading awareness about various funding support options, providing details of specific scholarship schemes, facilitating applications to different organizations, and streamlining verification procedures. There are two main categories of financial aid available to MBA students of SSU: Government Scholarships and Private Scholarships. Under the first category, there are 11 Central Government Scholarships (including the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for Minorities), 4 UGC Scholarships, and State Scholarships for students from Bihar, Tripura, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Other Sponsored Scholarships (8 in total) include:

• Tata Capital Pankh Scholarship: This is a merit-cum-means award, intended for students with at least 60% aggregate during UG studies, and whose family income is less than INR 4 LPA.
• Sitaram Jindal and HDFC Bank Parivartan Scholarship: The criteria are similar to those of the Tata Capital Scholarship.
• Krishna Merit Scholarship: It provides tuition fee assistance to students with no backlogs, attendance above 80%, and family income below INR 6 LPA.

According to the NIRF 2023 statistics, 9 students of the MBA program at SSU received full tuition fee scholarships, of which three received various State and Central scholarships, and six received funding from Private Bodies and Trusts.

Preparation & FAQs

Preparation tips for different parts of the application process to the Faculty of Management Studies, SSU, are as follows:

• Entrance Test: Candidates should attend online and offline preparation classes for the CAT / MAT / XAT, and work out previous years’ exam papers, especially for the SSU CET. They should also attempt at least five mock tests before the exam date.
• Group Discussion and Personal Interview: Candidates must improve their communication skills in English and ensure that they can express their thoughts clearly. They should also practice how to summarize their thoughts in a few sentences, while being able to present a business case keeping profitability and feasibility in mind. Students who do not have relevant experience should sign up for a mock interview series to improve their confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the top MBA college in Cuttack?

The Faculty of Management Studies, Sri Sri University, is the top MBA college in Cuttack, and one of the best Business Schools in Odisha, with a national IIRF Ranking (top MBA colleges in India) of # 69 among Private B-Schools.

Q. What specializations are available to MBA students within the FMS, Sri Sri University?

There are six specializations available to MBA students of the Faculty: Human Resources, Operations, Finance, Marketing, Business Analytics, and Good Governance / Public Policy.

Q. What facilities are available to assist budding MBA entrepreneurs at Sri Sri University?

In addition to the MBA (Entrepreneurship) program, SSU has set up Srinovation: the Sri Sri Innovation Center. This entrepreneurship cell conducts workshops and events, and was initially conceptualized by the FMS team, though its benefits are now available to all SSU students.

Q. How are MBA students of Sri Sri University trained for placement interviews?

All MBA students of Sri Sri University go through the Career Readiness Program (CRP). This is designed to expose them to real world needs and give them all the skills they need to begin contributing in an industry setup as soon as they graduate.