For, aspiring MBAs will now have the option of appearing for campus interviews within two years of graduating from the institute.

In a major initiative to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among its graduates, the B-school has introduced a deferred placement policy which allows students to stay away from placement procedures.

“The global trend today is that students want to begin their own venture instead of routinely joining the corporate sector after completing their MBA. But uncertainty discourages them from taking the risk. So, we launched this unique policy by which students would have two years in hand to choose their desired path but can also come back if they fail to make a mark,” said Uday Damodaran, the chairman of the XLRI placement committee.

Introduced recently by the B-school, the deferred placement policy would be applicable for students from the next academic year.

This year, too, seven students opted out of the placement procedure at the B-school.

“It often becomes tough for students to choose between a lucrative corporate offer and their own entrepreneurial desires. We feel two years is enough to test waters before opting for campus placements,” added Damodaran.

Similar placement options already exist at IIM, Ahmedabad; IIM, Calcutta; Vinod Gupta School of Management; IIT (Kharagpur) and IMT, Ghaziabad.

But are XLRI students excited about the new policy, introduced to promote both capital and social ventures?

“It’s too early to judge. At least now we know students wouldn’t be afraid of taking the risk. For they have a safety net,” said Madhukar Shukla, a senior faculty member in-charge of the newly established social entrepreneurship trust at the B-school.

In fact it was only last year that a group of students had finalised all the details of launching a community radio service for promotion of rural education but had to drop out at the last minute due to the absence of such a policy.

The ball has already been set in motion as XLRI has decided to fund www.parichay.co.in — the portal developed by students for sale and promotion of tribal products.

Courtesy: Telegraph