XIME Bangalore

Prof. J. Philip is the Founder of Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship and a former Director of IIM-Bangalore. He is a visionary who believes in continuous learning and development of the individual which leads to the overall success of the institution. Having had a rich experience in the educational field, he believes that education should adapt to modern trends to resolve the persisting challenges. Read here what he has to say in his interview.

What is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

“Achieve the milestones which are expected out of you”

My philosophy is straightforward. You are put in a position of responsibility, and you must achieve the results expected of you. There can be many road-blocks on the way, but you must deliver the results expected of you. On several occasions, I have experimented with Blake & Mouton’s Managerial Grid, and I have come mostly something like 8 out of 9 on Concern for Production and 6 or 7 on Concern for people. Reasonably balanced.

How do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your college?

“I am a strong ‘Committee-man’ for generating ideas”

We have a Committee of Management (COM), which often meets on key management issues. On strategic issues, we have longer in-depth meetings. We also look at the best practices outside and pick up what suits us the most. I am a kind of 14-hour manager whose main preoccupation is to find ways and means to have strategic advantages in this competitive world.

When it comes to administration, one would be lucky if one had some competent colleagues. When I was at IIM Bangalore, I had 4 Deans to look after the essential functions. They were very knowledgeable, competent, and committed. I used to say, jokingly that I had no work. Effective administration also depends on competent subordinates. It is not so easy to get the right kind of people.

What can an inbound student gain from studying here at your institute?

“We are a robust student-centric Institution”

We take every effort to develop our students as Managers, with critical skills and values. When it comes to skills, we give special attention to: ‘Leadership’ and ‘Communication.’ Our Public Speaking course is conducted in a laboratory mode. On ‘Leadership,’ we firmly believe that it can only be developed through practice. So we give plenty of opportunities for students to organize events. Even when Institutional programs come, say like large seminars, the students are the event managers. They virtually run the whole show once we have settled the program. Putting it differently, they are developed with ‘hands-on-experience’. It is an almost ‘cast in stone’ belief with us that student is the justification for our existence. 

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Any insights into how your college could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

“Diversity brings new learning opportunities”

I must emphasize here that in the Indian context, we have one of the finest diversities: 58% girl students in the new batch; 23 states represented. No single state has more than 12 percent representation at the Campus, and all major subject disciplines are represented - the highest being Engineering with 37% representation. We do get students from economically weaker sections, and as a measure of supporting them, several merit-cum-means scholarships are given by the Institute.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the college and the students are?

“I am concerned with the governance of the system”

I try to make sure that our people run the system well, and the students have plenty of opportunities to experiment, exercise, and develop. Entrepreneurship is something that we particularly emphasize at the Institute. The Institution in itself is an example of Entrepreneurship. It started with a glorious capital of Rs.60,000/. But we have never taken a donation or a capitation fee from a student or parent.

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What would you like people to know about your institute they may not know?

“We make sure to inculcate etiquettes and values in our students to prosper in future”

The personalized attention and development that shape our students and the inculcation of the right kind of values in them. With two years here, we help them to realize that ‘attitude’ is central to success.

“We are fully a national and highly committed professional Institution. Students’ development of a superior kind and their eventual performance in the industry are our key concerns.”

What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for XIME specifically?

“There are certain key changes required in the higher education sector”

The biggest challenge that we see is the continuing control of higher education in the country. Free the institutions as they are in most of the western democracies. Only in a free atmosphere, creative thinking and real future-building take place. We have seen a full liberalization in the nation’s economy and finance, but not so in education. Liberalize them. Open them up. American Institutions are so creative, mostly because of the freedom that they enjoy. 

For XIME, one specific challenge is to move up from a single PGDM Institution to a multi-disciplinary university. This has to be brought about in 3 to 5 years’ time.