Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate in the survey?
The survey is generally restricted to institutions approved by AICTE or recognized by the UGC. However, at the discretion of Business India and keeping in view the high quality of academics and brand equity some schools are admitted to our Rating process every year.
The institutions in their own interest are requested to contact Business India for your eligibility in case your school is not listed under AICTE or approved by UGC.

Please mail atraman@gmail.com for details.

Disclaimer: Please note that the onus of responsibility of providing authentic and reliable data rests with the B-Schools responding to this survey. Business India or its associates will not be responsible for the factual content or the authenticity of the data and information provided. We may however, reserve the right to validate the data and information provided and decide not to admit the questionnaire on the basis of our findings. Business India or any of their associates would not be held responsible for the quality of data or the consequences of using the same for rating or ranking of any B-school. The use of the Rating or Ranking scores by the institutions concerned is based entirely on the responsibility of the schools concerned and Business India or its associates will not be held accountable for the use of the Rating or Ranking scores in the merchandise or promotion of the school concerned. The Schools should bear in mind that the rating and ranking is only for the PGDM or MBA courses and not for the entire school. Compliance of the local laws is the most desirable qualification in participating in our Rating process.

Why is it my institution is included even when I chose not to return your survey form?
The Business India B-Schools survey is a voluntary effort to quality benchmark the Indian B-Schools and your cooperation in furnishing the details using our questionnaire would make our effort easier. However, in cases where the questionnaire is not returned by the institutions and in the interest of our readership we feel that it is imperative that we benchmark the institution, we would do it on the basis of available data. We, therefore request all the b-schools to participate in the survey.

Where do you source your data in case where the school has not responded?
The data is derived from all available open source information channels, including websites of the schools concerned, industry websites, AICTE, UGC and MHRD websites and also from individual faculty, alumni, students and recruiters.

Whom do we get in touch with for Survey related queries?
The Survey Team is headed by A.Thothathri Raman who can be contacted at atraman@gmail.com or seaastandards@gmail.com

What is our responsibility in providing the data?
All data being provided should be authentic and fully verifiable. The data being collected, collated and sent should have an official approval. While you submit the final submit button your data is deemed to have been authenticated by you. We would assume all data being provided as coming from the responsible management of the team and as such would accept these as such. The onus of responsibility of providing the right set of data and statements lies with the management of the B-Schools. Please see the disclaimer above.

What aspects one should consider while filling and sending the questionnaire?
The answers should be provided only in the columns listed for each. Wherever the annexure are asked for these could be provided. No questions should be altered or its sequence changed while answering our survey form.
All answers should be sent in electronic form. While in extraordinary circumstances we would permit the school to fill out and send the questionnaire in hard copy form, under no circumstances can a handwritten form would accepted.
The filled out questionnaire is to be emailed to us and also sent by CD along with the annexure. Even the annexure, wherever possible should be set in electronic form and sent as attachment.
The photographs should be of high resolution and copied to the CD being sent. or sent as an attachment.

Do all the survey details carry marks?
Generally all the details that are being asked for would have due weightage while computing marks. The institutions are requested to carefully fill out each and every detail to avoid any disappointment or dispute over the survey outcome.

Do the stakeholder survey carry any marks?
A combined scale has been evolved for the stakeholder survey markings and this would be used mainly while ranking the B-Schools. The stakeholder survey marks would not be separately indicated.

Are all the institutions ranked?
No. Not all the institutions are ranked for survey purposes. Only a select number of institutions are ranked every year. Until the Seventh Survey was carried out in 2006 we had ranked only 10 institutions and in that year the Ranking list was enlarged to 20 based on industry feedback. Last year the ranks were raised to 50 even though the difference between the schools were marginal. The rest of the institutions are being Rated under the clusters A++ A+ A, B++ B+ B, C++, C+ and C giving the widest range of choice of clusters among all surveys.

Do the institutions have access to survey details?
Almost all the details of the survey are published in the Business India issue carrying the cover story on the Best B-Schools survey. The www.bibschoolsurvey.com site would also be carrying the details of the survey. However the individual break up of marks and how these have been added up would not be available to any institution.

Can we ask for a detailed comparison of our institution vis a vis peer institutions?
Yes, we are planning to commence a rating card service to help institutions benchmark themselves against their peer in specific subject areas. For details contact www.atraman@gmail.com, marking “rating card”. This would be a paid service.

What is the formula for assessing the details provided for the survey?
The survey details being provided would be authenticated and assigned marks based on a formula that the Survey Team would use.

The four parameters further expand in the following manner with each sub section being accorded marks based on the industry average scores that emerge in our final analysis.

I. Brand value and market positioning   (300)

II Intellectual Capital (400)

III Learning Ambience (200)

IV Growth (100)

Who should fill out the questionnaire?
A responsible faculty person or group of persons should fill out the questionnaire with the active participation and direction of the Director, Dean and the Chairman of the Board of Governors. Since institution sensitive information may be provided in the questionnaire it is in the best interest of the institution authorities to allocate responsibilities to get the best results.
Please do not allocate questionnaire filling work to students even though you may take their help. Correspondence between the survey team and the school should be only through the head of institution or a responsible senior faculty not through any student. Any deviation would result in your filled in questionnaire being resent with a request for redrafting resulting in delays and consequent.

Will the information provided be used only for the survey?
No the information being listed for the survey may be used for the Best B-Schools Directory of Business India and also the Management pages of the fortnightly magazine. This would however, expand the visibility of your institution.

Is it compulsory to advertise in the Business India’s special survey issue?
No. It is not compulsory to advertise in the issue. However it should be borne in mind that the survey copy would be read by the highest pool of readership of India as Business India has the largest readership base in the country. Also the B-School directory being a pioneering effort also has a large loyal institutional and individual readership. Both the issues have long shelf life ensuring that your message stays longer in the minds of your readers.

Can we advertise in the website?
You can. For rate card etc., please contact atraman@gmail.com marking “advt” in your mail.

What additional details I have to provide for the survey?
There are no additional details but most questions in the survey may require backup information. A checklist provided in the printed survey questionnaire has been reproduced for your information. For your convenience these have been placed in excel sheet format for easy filling up and storage.

What is the mode of submission of the survey form?
Best method is to send an e-mail containing as an attachment the completed questionnaire along with the annexure through courier. It is also advisable to send a CD containing the filled up questionnaire and annexure details. The brochures, photographs and other material could be sent by post or courier to our Mumbai or Delhi offices.

How do I use the online questionnaire?
The online questionnaire being used for the first time in the website with its accompanying polls for alumni, faculty and student, also in the online mode has been designed for ease and comfort in answering the questions. The user has to first log in by providing his e-mail as a login name and give a password of his choice which will have to be kept till the final submission of the questionnaire for use. The institute will have to nominate one person for handling the survey questionnaire and his or her e-mail is the one that should be used to register for getting the questionnaire.