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Grab your seat at IIM-Ahmedabad for a day. That's if you are willing to pay. The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, has organised an online auction under the ‘Joy of Giving' week where 50 bidders would be chosen to spend a day at the premier institution.
The best part of the deal: the wannabes do not have to sit the Common Admission Test for this experience, unlike the other IIM students. But then, they will not get the MBA certificate.
The chosen ones will get to live on campus like a first year student — attend classes, submit assignments and participate in the varied activities.
The online bidding started on Tuesday at Rs 501. The institute expects to auction the seats at anywhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 per seat. By the evening of the first day, the stakes had already reached Rs 2,000.
Part of the money raised from the process will be used for the event and the bulk of it will go to Prayaas, a social initiative of IIM-A students geared towards betterment of slum children, according to a spokesperson.
“The batch of students will be taught by our professors using the pedagogy of IIM-A that is, the case method. They will be privy to some of the traditions and quirks that make up our dorm culture. They will also learn interesting things about our campus and experience first-hand the academic rigour that we students are exposed to,” said Mr Parampreet Singh Bhasin, General Secretary, IIM-A student body.
However, his enthusiasm for the project is not shared by everyone. Some dismissed it as a mere gimmick, others as hypocrisy. “Educational institutions will oppose reservation of seats for SC/ST students, but they will put up shows to help slum kids. It is indeed an attempt to flout existing norms taking the guise of altruism,” said a student.
However, IIM-A sees it as an opportunity to attract prospective students and interested professionals. The auction is up on eBay India for four days and ends on September 30. Each day, 10 to 15 seats will be auctioned, with each seat going to the highest bidder.
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