Prepare a short essay of 600 words on yourself in the space provided below.

You may wish to talk

about your background, significant events, accomplishments, experience at your workplace,
extracurricular activities, relationships with friends and family, career plans and how the Post
Graduate Programme in Management from IIMB fits into your dreams and ambitions. Please make
sure that your essay forms a coherent whole.

SAMPLE #1

Hailing from a middle class nuclear family with working parents, hard work and determination are two
values which were instilled in me since early childhood. My father, an industrious self made man, who
faced immense financial constraints while completing his CA, is now the CFO of XXXXXXXX. Anecdotes
exemplifying his determination have continued to serve as a source of inspiration to me, motivating me
to keep going despite failures and striving hard to achieve my goals.

In 9th standard, I remember bursting crackers on Diwali when I saw a poor kid continually staring from
the corner. His gloomy eyes gleamed instantly once I handed over the lit sparkler to him. It is then that I
realized even a small gesture can make an enormous difference to someone’s life.

Juggling between art-craft classes and Bharatnatyam training sessions for three years, alongside school
taught me time management skills at an early age. While holding several positions of responsibility, such
as Head Girl of the school and design head of the Economics Department at XXXXX, I was placed in
various thought-provoking situations. Such instances enhanced my problem-solving skills and presence
of mind.

I utilized my college vacations to intern and expand my skill set. My first internship experience was with
the Transport and Economics Department, Rites Ltd, where I learned how to perform financial appraisal
of a project. Next, I interned with National Institute for Urban affairs, where I worked XXXXXXX….
research project on status of Demographic, Economic, Basic Infrastructure etc of differently sized classes
of urban settlements by performing tabulation, data analysis and graphical representation of various
indicators. Lastly, I interned with Ernst and Young in the valuation and business modeling team wherein I
assisted in the valuation of companies using various methods and performed industry research and
analysis, screened companies, prepared valuation reports etc.

As the next step, I wish to get a holistic perspective over the business world, consolidate my leadership
and management skills and acquire new soft and hard skills – something I believe is best done in the
precincts of a business school. This program would provide a platform to be familiar with different
sectors and learn about the cross functional complexities that exist in an organization.

Post completion of MBA, my objective is to build a career at a leading consulting firm, and design and
implement solutions for real life business situations. Working with clients provides one with exposure
that is unmatched by any other career path. It offers ample room to grow, learn and enhance one’s
competencies.

My ultimate aim is establish my own NGO. I've always tried to bring about a difference in people's lives.
After entering college, I joined the National Service Scheme(NSS) as a volunteer. Subsequently, I was
appointed as a core team member and then the Cultural Secretary, to represent more than 700
members associated with over 26 NGOs. If chosen for your programme, I hope to join Vikasana Society,
to get equipped with the managerial skills required for driving change in the social sector.
Setting up and running an NGO is similar to running one's own enterprise: building it from scratch and
eventually taking it to an impactful scale. A person proficient in raising money, handling daily logistical
concerns, hiring employees who share the same passion and vision, among other things will be needed
to run the NGO successfully. I believe, IIM B will help to further develop the aforementioned skills.

IIM Bangalore, with a rich accomplishment history, ranks among the premier business schools. Such a
platform to learn from the ‘best of the best’ and interact with a diverse student community will ensure
that my growth is multi-dimensional. I cannot think of a better springboard to a successful career and
live the life that I have imagined.

SAMPLE # 2

The uncertain global business scenario along with unprecedented business complexities has
created a great opportunity for business leaders who can rejuvenate the organization with power
of their ideas and perfection in execution of their ideas. My long cherished career goal is to
evolve myself as a future business leader and to contribute in the field of management in such a
challenging time.

To achieve my career goals, I need to learn about managerial skills including intense
understanding of business challenges, modern methods of management, business strategy and its
execution and various important aspect of business such as marketing, finance and human
resource. A Post graduation in management will provide me an excellent platform to evolve
myself as a business leader.

My motto has been “Academic excellence and all round personality”. My curricular and extra-
curricular attainments are fruition of my hard work, intelligence and perseverance and have
helped me to emerge as an all-round personality.

My Mantra of Academic excellence has led me to achieve many milestones such as being topper
in school, success in NTSE & RMO and admission in XXXXX through IITJEE and These
successes has helped me to develop self-belief, sharp analytical skills and ability to deliver in
intense competitive scenario.

Apart from academics, extracurricular skills are indeed essential to be a good manager. To
accomplish the same, I fervently participated in and organised various events as well as fulfilled
rigorous academic commitments right from my school life and I intensified my efforts when I
became a part of the diversified culture of XXXXX…. and these activities made me more
dynamic, proactive and nurtured my leadership skills. I was given the responsibility of the Event
Manager of ‘Mechathlon-2010’ where my contribution towards the events conception,
sponsorship generation, successful organization and smooth management was appreciated by all.
The whole experience honed my leadership qualities and team spirit along with organizing and
planning skills. I confronted many challenges while working with a large team and gained
various insights about management skills.
I consider social sensitivity as an important ingredient to be a good manager and this compelled
me to involve with “Kartavya” - a social initiative by XXXXX….., working for the educational
reformation of local slum children. Starting as a volunteer in first year, with utter dedication and
determination, I became the head of its Finance team responsible for income and expenditure of
the society and introduced programs like Mr. Juice, Mr. Rickshaw-walah and Kartavya
Notebooks. I count volunteering Fast Forward India, being head of the Robotics club and being
editor of the student newspaper of college as other notable activities. I also developed the skills
of a good graphics designer which helped me making some money while studying.

My approach to any situation never ends up only in developing the theoretical model; rather I
consider the profitable implication of it from business point of view. The best example is my
B.Tech project on ‘XXXXXXXXX…… which promises to double the productivity of present
jaw crushers.

The myriad of exciting experiences like organizing and leadership activities, social work, field
trainings, interaction with people have imprinted a versatile personality and enriched basic
ingredients of management in me. Now I strongly believe that I am fully equipped to pursue a
post-graduation in management to understand the challenges and complexities of business and to
learn the various strategic and quantitative tools of management to fulfill organizational needs
efficaciously. I am confident that I will be able to add value by infusing new perspectives and
vision in classroom discussions, case studies etc. at IIMB. At the same time, with state of art
facilities of IIMB, I will be able to enrich my repertoire of skills and nourish myself as a future
leader.

SAMPLE # 3
Everyone on this planet has a unique story with twists and turns. I too have my own. It begins
with the earthquake at Bhuj in 2001. I was all excited to celebrate 52nd republic day with my
family when the earthquake, which lasted for mere two minutes, turned my world upside down.
The calamity took away my father, who was serving Indian Airforce, and my beloved younger
brother. My father gave away his life but not let a single scratch harm me. I was survived with
my mother who struggled for years to come out of the trauma.

After the tragedy, we started our life afresh. I was sent to a convent as it was my father’s dream.
Despite hardships, I completed my schooling in flying colors. I was entrusted with the
responsibility of assistant school Pupil Leader in class 11 and for the first time in the history of
the school, I was reappointed as the School Pupil Leader in class 12. During the tenure, I
represented my school at different platforms, organized the annual fest and various other events.
I also actively participated in singing, dancing, drama and playing instruments such as tabla,
congo and bongo. I learnt how to balance my academics along with the co-curricular activities.

Later I pursued my graduation in computer science from XXXXXX…... The transition to a

metropolitan was quite overwhelming. Also I could see a multitude of opportunities lying in
front of me. I joined NCC and served at the post of Lance Corporal. During the NCC camps, I
learnt the importance of team work. The noble cause of connecting with people drove me
towards joining and leading the student run NGO “BloodConnect”. We, as a team, organized
blood donation camps and conducted awareness sessions. I also kept up my technical spirits by
organizing and participating in various tech events. During my final year, I got placed in
XXXXXXXXX….. as Associate Analyst with the profile of a developer in Hyderabad.

The exposure of different geographic culture and the professional world added another adventure
to my experience basket. I worked on two projects which sought to provide the civic amenities
more conveniently to the people. I learnt how to prioritize tasks and deliver the project in a
stipulated time. I also learnt the importance of garnering the trust of our clients by asking the
right questions and delivering the required. The ability to understand the technical aspects and
the business requirements of the project made me a strong link between the offshore and the
onsite teams. It enabled a smoother completion of the project. My manager, recognizing my
potential gave additional work and also awarded me. I also got a chance to interact with Cathy
Engelbert, CEO of Deloitte, during Global Entrepreneurship Summit in 2017.Her appreciation as
one of the best new recruits instilled a new sense of confidence. The CSR events organized by
the firm helped me stay connected to the social causes.The plethora of opportunities in
consulting to abreast oneself with the evolving technology, trainings to improve the
communication skills, interaction with the peers and the seniors in the industry opened up the
ocean of growth and development for me. Every new project challenged me to move out of my
comfort zone.

I learnt from my seniors that a major contributor to their exceptional decision making skills,
leadership qualities and in-depth knowledge of the industry was the rigorous training they went
through in a reputed B-school. My values as an individual were cherished in the organization
where I got the chance to work for the development of society through innovation and
technology. I find a perfect blend of the same in the vision shared by IIM Bangalore. I am
extremely enthralled to learn from the renowned faculty as Shankar Venkatagiri sir, visit the
centres of excellence, meet and learn from the leaders behind MOOCs, Swayam initiative and
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. I humbly believe that my life was given back to me because I have a
purpose to fulfill, a purpose which is greater than me. IIM B will be a great facilitator in this
journey of mine to be of use to the mankind and create a beautiful and peaceful world of ours. I
also promise to bring value to the institute, to give my best in all the endeavors and enrich the
culture of this temple of learning.

Sample # 4

My father headed the Accounts department of a chemical manufacturing company for 30 years. As a kid, I
always saw him immersed in numbers and excel sheets. I was drawn to his conversations about
revenues, profits, balance sheet and other financial jargons.
As a result, I intuitively opted for Commerce after my tenth grade and got admission in the very reputed
XX College of Commerce in Mumbai. I researched endlessly about my stream and signed up for the
Chartered Accountancy (‘CA’) to satiate my curiosity about the world of Finance. I completed my
Chartered Accountancy in 2016 in the first attempt and secured an All India Rank – XX in the
Intermediate Exam. This was the proudest moment for me and my family.

I realised the importance and seriousness of the articleship period and decided to work with a leading firm
to give myself the best possible exposure. I got selected as an article in XXXX, one of the leading big
four. I joined XXXX as a ‘Staff Accountant’ at the age of 19 and moved on to became a Senior Executive
after my CA qualification.

I thoroughly enjoyed my journey at KPMG and the learning has been immense. My primary responsibility
was to provide tax and regulatory consultancy services to private equity investors on buy and sell deals. I
was thrilled to witness and learn how investments were conceptualized. Unlike the usual belief, I
discovered that most private equity firms not only invest in firms but also provide them strategic
management expertise. Their guidance and mentoring creates a financial turnaround in a lot of
companies. This exposure aided me in drilling down my specific area of interest in the finance domain.

Apart from my professional aspirations, I am a trekking enthusiast. To mention a few, I have trekked the
renowned Stok-Kangri ranges situated at height of 16500 feet and also the Dhauladhar Mountain range in
Himalayas. Trekking taught me that the journey is as beautiful as the destination. To understand more
about how companies can contribute via CSR, I completed a foundation course in Corporate Social
Responsibility from the Indian Centre of CSR (ICCSR). Recently, I was part of an awareness drive about
solar cooking. We led a group of 7,438 school children who cooked using a solar cooker. This event has
claimed a Guinness World Record for highest number of students using solar apparatus at the same time.

My mother is a staunch practitioner of spirituality and it is from her that I inherit my calm and composed
frame of mind. My sister works in the social-development sector and has always shared with me the
harsh realities of the under-privileged life and I think that has embedded the value of gratitude in me.

Post MBA, I aim to work as an analyst with a leading investment bank. An MBA with IIM-B will
complement my technical competence with strong strategic and financial management skills. The courses
offered at IIM-B aligns with my vision of learning about Strategy, Organizational Management and
Economics in depth.

In the long run I want to lead a private equity or a venture capitalist firm. The skills of negotiating deals,
analysing trends, working with diverse group of investors and consultants would be the building blocks of
my career path and I am confident that IIM-B will be school to learn and master them.

The initiatives at IIM – B such as NSRCEL, a mandatory course on entrepreneurial learning give it an
edge in creating an entrepreneurial mindset amongst its students. IIM-B strongly believes in encouraging
diversity in the program as learning curve increases exponentially when we have people from different
backgrounds, experiences, gender, perspectives in the same circle. With my Chartered Accountancy
background, I seek to assimilate and contribute to this diversity with my peers in IIM-B. IIMB has the
unique distinction of producing the country finest professionals. I look forward to joining IIM B as it would
hone my managerial skills and fastrack my career in line with my aspirations.

________________________________________________________________________

Sample # 5

I have always tried to step out of my comfort zone and I continually push myself to accept both personal and
professional challenges. The drive to achieve excellence enabled me to attain the third rank in my school in the ICSE
board examinations. After 10th grade I moved to an international boarding school in Bangalore for two years before
pursing my undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. I maintained my academic standing in the
International Baccalaureate board examinations and throughout my University life as well. I was on the dean's list at
the University of Virginia and I also received a Certificate of Intermediate Honours for attaining high distinction as an
undergraduate student during the first two sessions in the College of Arts and Sciences. While it was challenging to
manage my academic commitment of a double major in Commerce and Economics with my extracurricular activities,
I persevered towards my goal of excellence.

Studying abroad for four years was a challenging, new experience that helped me broaden my horizon and gave me
the opportunity to grow as an individual and as a professional. I had the academic freedom to study subjects such as
History that were not part of my majors but helped in shaping the way I think. The work ethic that was instilled at the
McIntire School of Commerce, the undergraduate business school, helped me navigate professional challenges in
the future. I also joined a debating club that helped me overcome my fear of public speaking.

After graduation, I cleared CFA Level 1 and worked with Deloitte in the Transaction Services department in India. I
was involved in conducting financial due diligence on M&A deals and my responsibilities included data management
and analysis. My last project with the firm was highly successful and my team members were impressed with the
quality of my work and my curiosity to learn more about the deal. Towards the end of my first year at Deloitte, I was
due for a promotion and this was exciting but at the same time I had the opportunity to start an online sales arm for
our existing family business. I thus created the brand 'Vivace Homes'. This was a significant professional challenge
since I had not started a venture from scratch before. I was responsible for brand building, cataloguing, working with
partners and merchandising.

Social work has been an integral part of my life over and above my academic and professional commitments. In
college, I was the Program Director for CASH, a student run volunteer program through which we provided tax filing
assistance to taxpayers who needed it the most. I also received a scholarship for my work with CASH. For a year
now I have also been volunteering with Mentor Me India, an NGO that aims to match mentors with children from
underprivileged communities. I also volunteered to crowd source funds on behalf of the NGO and raised over Rs.
30,000. Along with social work I am also passionate about dancing. In college, I was an active member of the
Ballroom Dance club and the Salsa club.

With professional experience of working in two distinct fields, I believe that an MBA in Finance at this stage will be a
turning point in my career as it will propel me towards my goal of working in a Corporate Finance role. My long-term
goal is to lead a company as its CFO and be involved in making strategic financial decisions, maximising shareholder
value through financial planning and negotiating potential mergers and acquisitions. The challenging coursework and
the people, including faculty members and students, at IIM Bangalore will help in setting a strong foundation for my
career aspirations. IIM B attracts the best and brightest minds from all over the country and I look forward to engaging
in discussions with my peers and learning from their diverse experiences.

# SAMPLE SOP – IRMA

Since i belong from a business background so I was keen to know about background , profile and stories of
successful entrepreneurs. While pursuing BBA I therefore decided to do MBA as it will not just compliment but also
will enhance my degree and exposure in the field of business and management.

After deciding that I want to do MBA to enhance my career I also spent good amount of time finding possible option
available to me . Out of my research your xyz college was my very first choice. I took some time researching about
your college and compared with other alternatives and options I decided that this is a place I want to study. This
decision was taken due to good reputation of your collage in specific aspects including research teaching as well as
business partnership .

I believe that culture of team work that I can get exposed to in your MBA program will able me strengthen my skills
across cross national environment . I am expecting significant opportunities for personal and professional
development learning from best.

I believe in order to succeed in life there is a need to become focused on what is vital in order to achieve the goal .
therefore it is very important to understand what you really want and why this can help in reaching goals and where
you need to be . I know that this is self reflective process, which is not really easy for me. However this can identify
why you really want to do something .
SAMPLE SOP FMS #1

Strong academic background coupled with leadership positions, particularly as chief of …..XYZ institute’s
journalism body, has groomed my resource management skills. My education and professional
experiences taught me to break down problems, design architectures and build solutions. But, I feel
constrained due to lack of business perspectives critical to a robust solution. An MBA will help me in
bridging the gap and gaining deeper insights of management to develop a holistic business perspective.
Further, Excellent pedagogy blended with inquisitive minds at FMS will be a podium to hone managerial
skills and realize my goal of being a future business leader.

Sample 2

Despite being an engineer working in IT, I have long desired to study management. Two stimuli provided
the impetus for this dream. The first was when, as a child, I observed my father’s pride in his three
decades in a sales and marketing role; the second was during my internship with ----------, where I
observed the confidence, maturity and erudition of people just a few years my senior. I believe that the
PGDM from ******, with its world-class faculty and peer group, would imbue me with the necessary
knowledge and sensibilities and mould me into a future-ready manager.

# SAMPLE SOP NMIMS

As a child, I was always told that the path of truth is the right path and gives you courage, peace, and
discipline. For me, following this path meant crossing ways with wrong-doers, but I walked unassailably.
In school, when the outspoken me called out on the immorality and misdemeanour of others, I was
often bullied, heckled, and rumoured around. At times, it dented my confidence but the satisfaction of
adhering to the right fuelled the courage in me. As society ignores the problems of bullying, ragging, and
heckling, it severely impacts a student’s productivity, growth, and mental health. Hence I decided to
handle this issue in my own capacity and initiated mental health awareness, its stigmatization, and its
paucity in various school forums. Further, I got an opportunity to spread awareness about this issue
through an inter-school nukkad-natak competition. I lead a team of 12 members and won the
competition. This experience helped me to identify leadership qualities in me.

My interest in leadership skills and goal of bringing mental wellness led me to pursue a course in
management. I choose to pursue BBA, which opened numerous possibilities and opportunities for me.
From the first year, I spearheaded many sessions on mental health awareness and invited various
speakers to our campus. I along with my team won a business plan competition in my college. During
COVID, we collaborated with MPower (a mental health awareness organization) to conduct a series of
webinars to help my college mates and their families deal with mental health issues. I also conducted
talk shows of budding entrepreneurs discussing their start-ups and journey.
I was also selected in Winter School conducted by RTERC, IIM Ahmedabad. The various social issue and
public policies discussed in the workshop exposed me to an entirely different pedagogy and learning
environment of a b-school. It has fuelled my desire to pursue MBA to experience the culture and
pedagogy of a b-school.

In the final year, I cleared the NISM VA certification for Mutual fund distributors and started practicing
under the guidance of my father, who is a broker for more than 25 years. During this work, I realized the
problems faced by intermediaries. The key problems being stiff competition with fintech companies, lack
of technical expertise to sell online and difficulty in identifying the target customers in post-covid new
normal. But this exposure developed a deep inclination towards finance and marketing. I realized that a
deep understanding of business and management is required to handle unprecedented challenges
posed by dynamic business scenario.

Professionally, my aim is to be a successful professional in corporate finance and personally is to

become a change agent in the field of mental wellness. I am confident that an MBA from NMIMS will
help me to achieve my career goals through its case based pedagogy, renowned faculty & industry
experts and network of alumni. Further, Clubs and other activities related to finance at NMIMS will help
me get hands-on experience of the same. I promise to bring value to the institute and look forward to
engaging in discussions with my peers and learning from their diverse experience.