Product management at IIMs is less demanding than MBB consulting on work hours but tighter on tech proficiency, per the AMA host: "Nope, not as demanding atleast where I am. Good companies come, but bad scenes this year because tech companies://" At IIM Ahmedabad (Rs 27.5L fees, Rs 35.
22 LPA avg, 99%+ CAT cutoff), PM roles pay Rs 30-50 LPA entry vs MBB at Rs 35-40 LPA. Work hours: PM typically 45-55 hrs/week; MBB 60-80 hrs/week including travel. However, PM requires tech fluency, data analysis, and product thinking that comes more naturally to engineers than MBA-style strategy.
The 2024 market context the AMA host mentioned: tech sector layoffs reduced PM placement volumes significantly at IIMs. Post-layoff recovery has been slow, making PM competitive. Typical PM recruiters at IIM ABC: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, Paytm, Ola.
Fresher PM access: 20-30% of fresher batch gets PM shortlists at IIM B specifically; IIM A has fewer pure PM recruiters. For engineers transitioning from SDE to PM, IIM B is the strongest choice due to curriculum focus and recruiter mix. For non-engineers targeting PM, expect tougher road but achievable with case comps and relevant projects.
The engineering + MBA + PM combo is the most common profile. Don't pick PM over MBB for WLB alone - the differential is smaller in year 2+ (PM hours creep up). Check your eligibility at collvera.