All About FMS: Placements, Fee, Campus Life, Exchange Program & More ft. Sneha Roy

Summary

Key Points

• The CAT weightage for shortlisting has been reduced from 80% to 50%, and within the CAT score the VARC section carries 40% weight, while DILR and QA each carry 30% weight. 2:52
• FMS admission now uses a 50% CAT percentile weightage combined with 50% other criteria such as 10th/12th marks, personal interview, SOP discussion, and an extemp round, with 287 seats and shortlisting of roughly the top 2,500‑3,000 candidates; female applicants receive an additional five points for diversity. 4:26
• Because FMS is a non‑residential campus, most students rent flats near North Campus, incurring living expenses of approximately ₹10,000‑₹15,000 per month, which adds up to about ₹3 lakh over the two‑year program. 7:55
• Combining tuition, living costs, and the annual society fee, the total cost of attendance at FMS is estimated to be around ₹6 lakh for the full MBA duration. 9:19
• Tuition fees have risen dramatically: earlier batches paid about ₹25,000 for the entire two‑year program, whereas the current batch pays roughly ₹50,000 per semester (about ₹2 lakh total) plus an additional annual fee of around ₹50,000 for society and placement activities, bringing tuition to roughly ₹3 lakh. 9:45
• Placement at FMS is strong in consulting (e.g., Accenture), FMCG (e.g., Nestle, ITC), and e‑commerce (e.g., Amazon, Flipkart), while finance placements are mainly with boutique firms; salary offers are comparable across campuses but reported CTC figures often include bonuses and ESOPs. 11:26
• Campus life is characterized by a close‑knit, homely atmosphere with students living in nearby flats, numerous academic and non‑academic societies, sports teams, cultural festivals, and a vibrant student community despite the lack of hostels. 14:01
• The academic structure consists of a two‑year MBA with eight subjects per semester; the first year covers compulsory core subjects, while the second year offers a wide range of electives allowing students to pursue majors, minors, or double majors, followed by a summer internship after the first year. 18:01
• Key drawbacks of FMS include the absence of a residential hostel experience, which limits batch bonding, and the lack of formal exchange programs or international university tie‑ups, leaving interested students to arrange their own short‑term overseas study trips. 22:17
• Choosing FMS involves weighing personal priorities such as return on investment, total cost, placement prospects, and campus fit; prospective candidates are advised to consider tuition and living expenses, speak with alumni, and reflect on their own goals before making a decision. 23:31