Sharan Sethi’s PGDM Journey at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore

It is easy to keep going when you are already good at something.

Most people do. They take the experience they have earned, apply it to the next role, and build steadily from there. There is nothing wrong with that. It is safe. It is sensible. And for most people, it is enough.

Sharan Sethi looked at that path and chose a harder one.

After building a successful career, Sharan made the bold decision to return to the classroom and pursue further growth. Rather than remaining in a comfortable professional role, he challenged himself to step outside his comfort zone because he understood that he had the potential to achieve far more than he already had.

That kind of honesty is rarer than talent.

From Akola, with a B.Com degree from Amravati University and prior experience as an Assistant Regional Manager at OM Electrical and Fabrication, Sharan arrived at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore, not as a fresh graduate trying to understand the world. By this stage of his career, Sharan had already managed clients, navigated markets, and carried significant commercial responsibilities, giving him valuable firsthand exposure to the realities of the business world.

What he did not yet have was the language for why some of his decisions worked, and others did not. The framework. The rigour. The ability to take everything he had learned through instinct and turn it into something he could build upon with precision.

Jio-bp eventually offered him the role of Area Sales Manager. But that offer was not given to the professional who walked into Jaipuria. It was given to the one who walked out.

He Already Had Experience. He Chose to Come Back Anyway.

Sharan’s decision to pursue a PGDM at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore, was not made in uncertainty. It was made from clarity.

His experience in the corporate world taught him what separates professionals who perform from those who lead. He chose Marketing and HR as his specialisations because they aligned with both the path he had already pursued and the capabilities he wanted to strengthen.

“Before joining Jaipuria Institute of Management, I expected an MBA to give me practical business exposure, improve my communication, and build a structured understanding of marketing and HR,” he shares.

What the programme gave him was all of that, and something harder to name: a fluency in connecting strategy to execution, analysis to action, and individual capability to organisational impact. For someone who had already been operating in professional environments, the shift was not about learning business from scratch. It was about finally understanding why some business decisions work and others do not, at a level precise enough to make a consistent difference.

When Everything He Knew Clicked Into Place

For Sharan, the most valuable moments of his PGDM journey at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore were not the ones that introduced him to new concepts. They were the ones who explained the concepts behind things he had already been doing intuitively.

Live projects gave him structured exposure to client handling, sales processes, team coordination, and real market challenges. His prior experience as an Assistant Regional Manager, where he had worked on reviving client orders and managing complex business relationships, suddenly had language, theory, and strategic context around it.

“Live projects and internships gave me practical exposure to client handling and sales,” he says.

The peer community at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore, stretched his thinking further. Working alongside students from different cities and academic backgrounds exposed him to ways of approaching problems he had not encountered in his professional experience. As he progressed through the programme, he improved his adaptability, sharpened his communication skills, and strengthened his instincts with a solid foundation of analytical rigour.

The Conference That Built a Leader Before Placements Could Test One

Among everything that shaped Sharan’s time at Jaipuria Institute of Management, one experience stood apart as the clearest test of the person he was becoming.

As a member of the Research Lab, Sharan coordinated the National Youth Conference. The role demanded much more than routine execution. He managed teams, ensured logistical precision, handled pressure, and demonstrated the kind of composed leadership that only reveals itself when real-time challenges arise.

“Managing teams and handling responsibilities during the National Youth Conference significantly boosted my confidence and leadership skills for placements,” he shares.

When Sharan walked into his final placement interviews, he did not speak about leadership as a concept he had studied. He spoke about it as something he had practised in a high-stakes, visible, consequential environment at Jaipuria Indore. That distinction, between knowing what leadership looks like and having done it, is precisely what separates candidates that companies remember from those they politely decline.

Sharpened by Every Mock, Tested by Every Room

Sharan did not treat placement preparation as something to begin near the end of his programme. Instead, he immersed himself in a culture of preparation from day one.

Mock interviews, group discussion practice, and continuous faculty mentorship consistently sharpened his skills throughout the placement season. More than any individual session, he remembers the discipline of showing up, accepting honest feedback, and improving without letting ego get in the way.

“Mock interviews and GD practice improved my communication and confidence, while faculty mentorship helped me present myself effectively,” he says.

Alongside this, he used AI-powered tools to simulate interviews and sharpen his responses.

“I used AI-based tools to simulate mock interviews and refine my answers, which improved my clarity and confidence,” he explains.

By the time he appeared for his Jio-bp interview, Sharan was not hoping to perform well. He entered with the quiet confidence of someone who had already proven—to himself and to every mock interview panel at Jaipuria—that he could deliver.

For Every Professional Who Wonders If Going Back Is Worth It

There is a limit to what professional experience, without formal structure and strategic education, can build. Sharan understood this better than most, because he had lived on both sides of that limit.

His advice to MBA aspirants, particularly those who arrive with prior experience and wonder whether a PGDM will genuinely add something to what they already have, is direct.

“Jaipuria Institute of Management offers a strong ROI if you are willing to be proactive. The institute gives opportunities, but your outcome depends on how well you use them,” he advises.

For students from other cities considering Jaipuria Institute of Management, he adds: “Step outside your comfort zone, stay consistent, and actively participate in every learning experience the journey offers. That participation is where the real transformation happens.”

Two Years. One Completely Different Person.

Sharan Sethi arrived at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore, already capable. He left transformed: strategically sharper, more confident, more precise in communication, and more prepared for the demands of a senior commercial role than his experience alone could have made him.

Jio-bp saw an Area Sales Manager in him.

Jaipuria Institute of Management helped shape him into a professional who truly earned that title. For Sharan, the difference between arriving capable and leaving exceptional remains the clearest measure of what two fully committed years at Jaipuria Institute of Management achieved.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why did Sharan Sethi choose to pursue a PGDM after work experience?

Sharan Sethi pursued a PGDM at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore to build a structured understanding of business strategy, strengthen his communication skills, and develop leadership capabilities beyond his prior industry experience.

How did live projects and internships help Sharan Sethi during his PGDM journey?

Live projects and internships gave Sharan practical exposure to client handling, sales processes, team coordination, and real business challenges, helping him connect theoretical learning with industry applications.

What role did leadership opportunities play in Sharan Sethi’s growth?

Coordinating the National Youth Conference at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore, helped Sharan develop leadership, team management, and decision-making skills under pressure, which strengthened his confidence during placements.

How did Jaipuria Institute of Management support Sharan Sethi’s placement preparation?

Jaipuria supported Sharan through mock interviews, GD practice, faculty mentorship, industry exposure, and AI-powered interview preparation tools that helped improve his communication, clarity, and interview performance.

How did Sharan Sethi secure a role at Jio-bp?

Through industry experience, consistent preparation, leadership exposure, internships, and structured learning during his PGDM journey, Sharan developed the strategic and professional skills that helped him secure the role of Area Sales Manager at Jio-bp.

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