Dr. Alok Mittal is presently working as Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology and Management, Indore. He completed B.E. (Mechanical) in 1987, MBA (Marketing) in 1994, Post Graduate Diploma in Operations Management (PGDM) in 2005, Post Graduate Diploma In International Business Operations (PGDIBO) in 2006 for which he was awarded Gold Medal for securing First Position in the order of merit by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. He was awarded Ph.D. (Management) by Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Indore in the year 2007 on “Impact of Brand Image in Selection of Banking Services by Business Houses” and M.Com (International Business) in 2009 by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi. He is a Fellow Life Member of Professional Bodies - Institution of Engineers (IEI), Kolkata, Indian Society of Lighting Engineers (ISLE), Mumbai, Life Member of Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD), New Delhi, Indian Commerce Association (ICA), New Delhi, and All India Management Association (AIMA), New Delhi. He has contributed 57 Research Papers and 05 Case Studies in the field of Marketing and Operations Management.

LBSITM

What are the key factors that kept you in the best positions at educational institutes?

“The respect, nobility, and Knowledge associated with the educational institutes kept me glued to it”

Yes, I have held key positions in different educational Institutes throughout my professional career. The various key positions held by me include Professor in charge of Training and Placement, Professor in charge of Library where the responsibility included procurement of Text and Reference Books for Library, subscription of Magazines, Journals, Newspapers and periodicals for Library. In another Institute, I successfully handled the work related to procurement and purchase of a variety of materials required for the Institute. Later I got promoted as Professor and the key responsibilities included the work related to the branding of the Institute, documentation work related to regulatory agencies, participation in B-school survey work, accreditation work related to NAAC and NBA, ISO Certification of Institute to name a few. Due to my flair for academics, I opted for this profession. I chose this profession to share my knowledge and real-life experiences with the younger generation and groom their personality to make them industry-ready.

What is your philosophy of leadership?

“To maintain balance within the organization by collaboration, teamwork, and guidance”

I would describe my leadership style as direct and leading by example. I enjoy delegating tasks and taking the lead on projects, but I also like to stay involved and inspire my team by showing that I'm working hands-on to help them, too. I believe in participative management and have an open door policy. Any staff member who is facing difficulty in completing any assigned task is encouraged to discuss and resolve the problem. I ensure to assign tasks in small teams and each team comprises senior experienced staff members along with junior staff members. When they work together, it becomes a learning exercise for the junior staff members.

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

“Key Plans include online as well as offline advertisements and marketing”

Various strategies that can be implemented when cultivating a business's early marketing plan are to make sure that your products stand out. Thereafter let the target markets know how the products can be differentiated from their competitors by using data to locate the right audience and communicate with them constantly. Nowadays the majority of educational institutes are adopting the strategies in the form of Video Marketing of their Institute. The institutes are also encouraging User-Generated Content by having the word of mouth testimonials from present students as well as alumni. Then looking at the popularity of social media among the youth segment it is being extensively utilized. Digital marketing in the form of keyword searches about the Institute on search engines and search engine optimization have also gained importance in the present era. We at LBSITM use a balanced approach while marketing the programs offered by the Institute to make them more believable and realistic for the students. 

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

“The Indian Education system prepares students for the toughest exams”

The approach to higher education in India v/s education abroad is fundamentally different. The differentiating characteristics include education system, approach, research in education, curriculum, etc. As a developing nation, the Indian education system has been developed on the pillars that support thorough theoretical knowledge and prepare the students for some of the toughest competitive exams in the world. Whereas education systems of other developed nations are more flexible allowing students to pursue varied career opportunities other than the mainstream options. Now the situation will change in the Indian context with the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) in near future. Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology & Management, Indore has been established to spread the culture of staying rooted with values and ethics and at the same time develop skills and competencies to help every student that joins the institute to give back to society and take the nation to the zenith; a dream that was relished by the second Prime Minister of India, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.

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How does the curriculum of your college ensure the best practice of industry?

“Providing Students with various industrial visits, industrial meets, and Internships”

LBSITM offers AICTE approved two-year full-time Regular Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) along with MBA (Full Time) Programs which are unmatched PG courses. At the UG level, the Institute offers BBA, B.Com (Plain), and B.Com (Honours) Programs. The curriculum is designed to cater to industry requirements and is subjected to continuous revision by an ever-changing dynamic environment. Guest lectures of eminent persons from industry, industrial visits, summer and winter internships, case study methodology, role plays are some of the pedagogical approaches followed at LBSITM to ensure that best practices of the industry are made available to the students.

How could your university be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

“Colleges follow the Unity in Diversity Concept”

At LBSITM all the students hailing from different religions, castes, and communities, economic backgrounds are treated at par without any discrimination. However, the Institute ensures that students coming from weak economic backgrounds are given sufficient support in form of merit cum need-based scholarships to ensure that they pursue their studies without any hassles. The Institute has tie-ups with financial institutions that provide educational loans to deserving students. Similarly, the book bank scheme in our library permits the students to draw textbooks for their curriculum. 

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

“Providing students with quality education in all academic fields”

Management education is expected to offer a system for developing industry-ready, practically oriented, and conceptually sound professionals for managing and excelling in business operations. LBSITM has built the process and practices for developing all the requisites of successful managers like communication and soft skill development, association with industry for training and exposure, creative and innovative research, teaching based on modern pedagogy, and an excellence-driven culture. We believe in developing human potential by offering exposure to modern work practices in the global economy.

What do you think should be the University’s top priority over the next 10 years?

“To Develop, support, and sustain a collaborative education workforce”

The top priority areas over the next ten years can be summarized as follows –

  • Provide every child access to an aligned high-quality system from early childhood through a multi-stakeholder collaboration with business and industry and higher education – to maximize lifetime learning and success.
  • Implement with strong leadership, high-quality instruction in every classroom through a highly coherent, child-centered instructional model where students meet their self-determined academic and personal goals to their highest potential.
  • Reduce the impact of high-risk factors, including poverty, and provide equitable resources to meet the needs of all students to ensure that they have access to quality educational opportunities.
  • Ensure that parents/guardians are engaged and supported partners in their child’s education.
  • Create a strong alignment and partnership with job providers, community colleges, and higher education to assure a prepared and quality future workforce, and informed and responsible citizens.

What was your vision for the university? Has it evolved, and how far along in implementing that vision are you?

“To build an excellent, accessible, and value-based management education system”

The vision of LBSITM is to be a leader in providing excellent, accessible, and value-based management education through innovation and research while building a symbiotic relationship with corporate and community. The world of Management is undergoing tremendous transformation. With globalization, new business opportunities are opening up. Management students can now seek careers in diverse domains, both traditional as well as modern. Several students still opt for traditional career options like Marketing, Finance, and HR in sectors like Manufacturing, Retail, Telecom, and Pharmaceuticals. Simultaneously, students are also looking for career options in Media, Fashion Designing, Education, Training, Adventure Sports, and Cultural Tourism. The more enterprising ones set off on an adventurous entrepreneurial journey. Interestingly, LBSITM looks into the interests of such diverse groups of students and motivates each one to fulfill his / her dreams.

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

“LBSITM, Indore trains young managers with an ethical and social vision”

Every citizen of this country has the fundamental right to be educated, but only a fortunate few are privileged to get an opportunity to study in an institution that has a rich historical legacy. Lal Bahadur Shastri Group of Institutions is one such group comprising technology and Management Institutions across the country, where only a chosen few manage to secure admission. LBSITM, Indore is an institution that firmly believes that highly successful corporate managers must be socially sensitive, true to their values, and committed enough to deviate from the beaten track. The institution takes special care to ensure that students are motivated and trained to become job-creators.