Hello Atul,

I introduce myself as a practicing Chartered Accountant. My academic and professional qualifications includes B.Com.+ Company Secretary (C.S.), DISA from ICAI which is equivalent to CISA of USA and have recently cleared CWA (Inter) securing 5th All India rank.

I am practicing here for last almost 1.5 years now but want to do more in life. As such was looking for a better opportunity and also can put some more time for studies as currently not married and my dad supports my endeavors (he’s a Chartered Accountant himself).

I see basically six options for myself :

1. M.Sc. in Finance & Economic from London School of Economics.
2. MBA from IIM-A ((Only from A))
3. Fellow program from IIM-A which will be possible only if I secure at least 55% in my ICWAI Finals for which I will be appearing in Jun 2005 and am confident of getting 55%+.
4. MBA from ISB
5. MBA from the top topmost B-School of US
6. MBA from the top topmost B-School of UK

I am confident of getting the admissions in IIM-A or USA or UK and basically want to settle in India after further studies. So far as finance is concerned I can spare 3-4 Lakhs at most. In case of USA I heard that in the Second year you can take up a part time job and cover-up expenses(I don’t know the actually position)

My queries to you, if you may please, are :

1. Which option is the best and why ?
2. If MBA, what specializations should I go for ?
3. If MBA from ?

I basically want to settle in India and want to work for institutions like RBI or HDFC, IMF World Bank and the like i.e. policy making type jobs.
Please bail me out !
Thanking you,
Regards,
GG

Hi

I think you shall look at the whole issue from two perspectives one is by the backword calculation where you set your eyes on target and move backwards and other by seeing the possibilities as they open.
iN life things are not that strataight hence we need to work a little around it.

Right now if you wish to do MBA, US top schools are out as majority of them require at least 3 years of work ex, hence it wont be prudent for you to get into that.

Now regarding MBA from IIMA, that is fine goal and you can work on that but FPM is not that lucrative.. It is more suitable if you wish to move in consulting / teaching and still does not carry that weight so as to grant direct entry into Raiseena hills.

Regarding your aim of getting into public policy etc, I think best bet for you will be to aim for PhD from US or Europe ( Chicago or LSE) in area related to Economics or public policy or something like that. Then try to get into world bank etc.

Hey GG,

I would tend to agree with the previous response to your query. However I'd like to make some suggestions:

1) Do not get squeezed by your current financial constraints in making applications to your schools of choice. You may be able to secure scholarships at some of the programs and that should take care of your current financial constraints.

2)Look beyond the B Schools to public policy schools like John Hopkins or the Kennedy School at Harvard in addition to the M.I.T., UChicago or even the LSE. You could even explore options in economics at Oxford and Cambridge which are also considered a good route into public policy.

3) I do not see the RBI giving you any benefit of your having done a course overseas. Your best bet is to take the route of the World Bank/IFC or the IMF to a senior role in central banking. This is a route that the likes of Montek Singh Ahluvalia and Manmohan Singh are likely to have taken.

4) The IRS/IAS is another route to positions in public policy and can help propel you into a good position straight away, atleast in the Indian context.

5) Lastly, if you want to settle in India, you could always work overseas for a few years and repay any educational loan that you may have taken before returning to build a long term career in India.

Hope this adds to the insights provided by the earlier respondent.

Atul Monga

Hey GG,

I think you have figured it out. :o)