LEAD College of Management

Here, LEAD College of Management, an emerging leader in the business education sector, provides students with unparalleled effectiveness in accomplishing the endeavor for which it was created namely crafting potential LEADERS encompassing leadership qualities and spirit of entrepreneurial adventure. Let us get a deeper insight into how they build potential leaders.

An avant-garde and futuristic MBA institution, approved by AICTE and affiliated with University of Calicut and accredited by NAAC, LEAD College of Management was founded in 2011. Here, the Institute offers a two-year, full-time residential MBA course with an enrollment capacity of 225 including provisions for international students. The world-class institution envisages the development of an academic atmosphere in which the highest academic and professional standards are met.

With a vision to become one of India’s leading management institutions, LEAD Colege provides a carefully crafted mix of intensive international academic learning, overall development of the students with entrepreneurs and industry experts.

The Inception of the Institute and the journey…
The concept of starting a business school in Kerala was conceived by Dr. Thomas George, a professional life-skill trainer for various engineering and MBA students in and around Kerala. Further, the idea was executed, and it became a reality in 2011. Interestingly, the name ‘LEAD’ is derived from “Leadership & Entrepreneurship Academy, Dhoni”.

LEAD College is a participatory and egalitarian Institute which is spread under the lap of the Western Ghats. The green and the eco-friendly campus is packed with cutting-edge technology and amenities. Besides, the after-class recreational activities provide a room for introspection and overall growth of students and faculty members.

Under ‘LEAD talks’, the college posts videos on different subjects for the benefit of students, and it is an inter-mentor community competition on the various management games held for 12 days. Further, activities like business quiz, debates, JAM, Mock Press, Communication and Online Games are also conducted.

The team consists of business-oriented experts who have contributed significantly to the industry and community. LEAD, backed by an effective management team, is armed with qualified and skilled faculty members and academic facility members. Furthermore, the Institute continues to improve the quality of teaching, curriculum, and co-curricular activities to play an essential role for the students to grow as humble-beings.

Fighting Pandemic – The LEAD Way
The LEAD and team have taken a lesson from the global pandemic to find creative ways to ensure continuity and development. The Institution is the leader in management studies and has set a benchmark in online training and classes.

As it is an educational institution that focuses on the core principle of enlightening students to their full extent, during the lockdown time, LEAD College worked on NAAC and NBA documentation. For students of the 2nd semester and 4th Sem MBA, online classes and exams were conducted. Besides, Onam was celebrated online. In a highly stimulating learning environment, the members of the faculty and students have attended SWAYAM online courses.

Online systems for Written Ability Test and Online VC for Personal Interview have been introduced by LEAD.

Practical Business Exposure through the diversified industry rich faculties

LEAD believes that the spirit of doing business cannot be acquired from classrooms alone. The practical blending of theoretical concepts is possible only in real business environments reinforcing what is learnt in the classroom. With well-designed programmes, the course intends to take the students through live business environments and provide them with the real taste of business. This is largely accomplished through a battery of dedicated faculties of reputation and commitment besides meeting international standards in all domains.  Around 40% of the faculties are Ph.D., holders with enviable research appetite and publication credentials.

Internship
The Institute has experienced a highly sought-after pool of first-time recruiters like Amul, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail (Pantaloons), Bajaj Allianz General and Life Insurance and DSM Group are noteworthy mentions. Here, the highest stipend was INR 60,000 per annum and an average remuneration of batch’s top quartile remained INR 72,000 per annum

Placement
This year, the influx of recruiters has increased by more than 40 per cent, offering opportunities in several domains, such as advertisement, clothing, automobile, analyst, BFSI, chemicals, consultancy, consumer goods & services, e-commerce, Edu-tech, financial services, FMCG, insurance, IT / ITES, pharmaceuticals, and retail. The complete batch’s average and median compensation stood at INR 355,432 per annum and INR 3,50,000 per annum respectively. However, the top quartile of the batch income stands at INR 421,000 per annum.

The LEADing Team
Behind the success of an organization are the teams who work hard with a strong focus on team building. At LEAD, they offer total freedom to put forward the ideas and suggestions and follows an open culture with participatory work practices followed by rewards and incentives.

The core values of LEAD consist of exposure to innovation, intellectual freedom, high moral and ethical values, and compassion. Furthermore, the Institute is highly student-driven where they have authority and responsibility equivalent to that of the faculties and management. Further, there are off-campus activities that add to the experience of the students.

LEADing towards technological innovation, the Institute follows a model of blended online and conventional education. To record and design the video lectures, they have a dedicated videography centre. Further, the Institute has syndicated with a host of 10 other management institutions and acts as an anchor to the entire admission and related teaching and learning process till placement. All these initiatives have contributed to the reputation building of the Institution. In a short time, the school has become an accredited member of AACBS (international accrediting agency), and working for the NBA accreditation too.

Awards & Accolades
From inception to till date, LEAD College has come a long way and have won awards for its outstanding performance. The list of awards and accolades is never-ending since 2014, and in the last three years it has touched the sky, some of them are:

• Institute was nominated as “10^th Best Institute for Finance Studies in India” by Knowledge Review.
• They are ranked as the “Management Institute of the Year” by Business India.
• Further, the College was ranked 3^rd in Kerala by NIRF B-School Ranking 2018.
• Silicon India nominated the Institute in “Top Emerging B schools in India”.
• Besides, the college was acclaimed as “B-School of the Year” for the southern region by EduTech Review Summit.
• The Times of India Ranked Lead College of Management as the 9th position in South India among Management ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Institutions in 2019

With a vision to cater the students from across the globe, LEAD Business School intends to be accredited in India in the next five years by recognized credit rating agencies. The goal is to establish a college environment that fosters academic rigor and fruitful collaboration. Also, the Institute aims to expand 50 per cent of student/faculty towards exchange programmes by 2022 along with prestigious institutions and reputed international universities. Further, they are aiming towards including foreign faculty members along with twinning programmes in India and abroad with international universities by 2025.

Way forward
LEAD contemplates to initiate a private incubation centre for the larger benefit of the students studying and graduating from LEAD shortly in association with industries and professional associations to augment the potential emerging scenario in the business landscape where ‘startups’ initiatives create what is called a “Gig Economy”’