With a relentless existence of gender biases in all aspects of society, does educating women aid them in stepping up the ladder in their career and taking up leadership roles that have been under male dominance ever since it all commenced?
The ratio of female students in leading Institutes like IIMs is less than 30%. As of 2019, just 29 companies on the Fortune India 500 list had women in executive roles. These statistics and figures are striking enough to make one wonder why there are fewer women in positions of leadership in the corporate sector. The World Economic Forum projects that at present pace, women would not attain economic equality for another 202 years. The fact that this topic is still an agenda and a theme for discussion and thought is abysmal.
As Indra Nooyi, the former chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo states, “If you have to improve the organisation, you have to improve yourself and the organisation gets pulled up with you.” The only way women can get the entire ‘male dominance’ in the leadership roles in the corporate world is by pulling themselves up and equipping them with everything needed for the role. This is exactly how an MBA provides an edge to women. By helping them finesse their personality and accelerate their growth, there are a lot of elements added to a woman’s personality that prepares her for the real business world.
An MBA isn’t just about imparting theoretical knowledge but giving a larger preview of the actual picture. The first and the foremost one is an innate amount of Confidence. An MBA degree breeds confidence, which has a positive domino effect on a woman’s life and outlook by being more susceptible to innovation, risk, pushing boundaries and having an insane amount of practical experience that more or less prepares them to be open to opportunities and become flamboyant in every aspect of their being. Undertaking an MBA helps women narrow the confidence gap they have while making decisions, taking up roles and accepting opportunities.
Networking is central to learning and is the core of every MBA program. Making connections that matter won’t just help women to stay in touch with various dynamic aspects of the business world but also give them a larger view and an advantage to get through. The Alumni network, peers, faculties of a particular program, all of them getting into their different specialisation fields develops a huge asset for their future career path. It’s all about building bridges that aid them to crossroads when they need them because, in the end, your Network is your Net Worth!
According to the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), more than 90% of Fortune 500 organisations aim to recruit new MBA graduates in 2024. After undertaking an MBA, its worth goes beyond just the classroom in form of the job offers, positions, pay and respect that a woman earns.
Although a major ratio of students taking the MBA program and also teaching it are male, this innate gender bias in the curriculum and system is slowly changing with women becoming more vocal, fostering debates against the pre-established ideologies not just within the classrooms but taking it to actual work and going beyond.
We all are aware that as fascinating as the 9-5 world appears to be, there’s always some corporate politics that goes around and women are majorly the ones who have to subdue themselves. But undertaking an MBA gives them a real business-like experience by equipping them with all the broad subjects and functions and not just a particular specialisation. It not just makes them aware but also smart enough to even come with a whole new business of their own.
As Michelle Obama says, ‘There are no limits to what we as women can achieve,’ and I believe that the only way we will break all these barriers is by empowering ourselves, getting educated, reaching the utmost top level that there is. And this is also what The Vedica Scholars Program for Women focuses upon – Preparing young women for professional excellence. Helping women walk the journey from education to empowerment and setting examples, everywhere they go.
A student from Vedika Class of 2019-20, Shagorika Das concurs the same and in her exact words, “I had my reservations about Management courses. But here the courses encourage you to look at the business models differently. It’s not about learning Finance but understanding it in a business context, which is exactly what you need.”
The program is the first of its kind helping women network and learn from like-minded women in an intellectually stimulating environment and building on their leadership capabilities. Time and time again women have proven themselves by maximising their potential and coming through. It’s high time that the same change comes in concerning women pursuing MBA degrees, upping their game and in the end, landing the leadership role they deserve.
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To know more about the Post Graduate Programme in Management Practice and Leadership for Women @ Vedica Scholars, Join: [Official] The Vedica Scholars Programme for Women | Admissions 2023