A student who recently graduated from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) has taken to Reddit to share an unfiltered account of his two-year journey, describing life at an IIM as less of an academic milestone and more of a survival test.
The post sheds light on the immense pressure, rigid hierarchies, and unpredictable placement process at India’s top B-schools. “You don’t really graduate from an IIM. You survive it,” the graduate wrote, explaining that the experience is one that students process in fragments long after they leave campus.
Coming from a Tier-3 engineering background, he was quickly hit by the stark reality of peer competition. “Your undergrad, your work-ex, your PORs, your CGPA, even your grooming – everything is currency. And your worth on campus is constantly recalculated based on it.”
The first term, according to the post, was chaotic, with students scrambling to get their resumes reviewed even before settling in. “You walk around in the same formal shirt for three days straight, editing your resume down to a single line, obsessing over font size and bullet structure,” he recalled.
Summer placements, a high-stakes event, proved to be more about pedigree than performance. “Finance? Forget it unless you’re CFA+SRCC/St. Stephen’s+Excel wizard. You pivot to consulting. Everyone does. Not because they love it, but because it’s Day 0.”
By the second term, the initial excitement had faded, replaced by a pragmatic approach to survival. “You don’t romanticize the campus anymore. You don’t post about ‘grateful to be here’ unless you just got a shortlist.”
As placements loomed, anxiety ran high. “Some people get PPIed, others get ghosted. You watch it all unfold like a simulation with a dicey algorithm.”
“Your GPA matters way more than you think. The brand on your undergrad still follows you. Some seniors will ignore you; some will become family. No one’s journey here is the same. But the pressure? That’s equal-opportunity. And you never really get used to it – you just learn how to carry it better,” the student added.
Despite the struggles, the post concluded on a reflective note: “The best part of this journey? The resilience you build. And the people who help you build it.”