The Institute of Business Studies and Research (IBSAR) is a multi-disciplinary business school. It is a government university, recognised by the UGC and the AIU. The institute continuously invests in research activities and the faculty includes experienced teachers, researchers, top management professionals and consultants in fields like strategy, finance, marketing, retail, operations, general management and IT.

The postgraduate programme in retail management has been designed by IBSAR in collaboration with the Retail Association of India (RAI), which is an emerging unified voice of Indian retailers. Retail professionals and RAI are involved in this programme in terms of faculty, inputs and placement. The programme is a 12-month full-time course and is equivalent to an MBA programme. The learning process involves advanced training in concepts and applications in the retailing business. The course is divided into three trimesters of four months each.

Students are also involved in processes like the admissions, administration, faculty selection, corporate interaction, internships and placements. There are several skill development workshops, client field projects, seminars and conferences as well.

The notification comes out in all the leading newspapers at the end of August. You can buy the prospectus by sending a demand draft for Rs 600 in favour of IBSAR, payable at Mumbai or download it from the website, www.ibsar.ac.in.

The other programmes conducted by IBSAR are masters in international business, master of business administration and bachelor of business administration.

For more information, contact the institute at Thapar Complex, Sector 15, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai 400614, or log on to the website.

Eligibility

You should be a graduate with a CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA or IBSAR test score.

Entrance exam

The IBSAR test is conducted for those candidates who do not have a CAT, MAT, XAT or ATMA test score. It is conducted in September. After the candidates are shortlisted, they have to appear for the group discussion and interview.

Pattern of exam

The IBSAR test is of an objective type with multiple-choice answers. The test is designed to assess your general aptitude in the following areas: Language comprehension, mathematical skills, reasoning, general knowledge and current affairs. The duration of the exam is one hour.

How to prepare

Brush up your English comprehension and usage by attempting the exercises from Barron or Princeton Review’s GMAT/GRE guides. Also do some exercises from books by Wren and Martin and Norman Lewis.

Revise your maths from books like Quantitative Ability by R.S. Agarwal and Mathematics by Tata McGraw Hill.

Practise reasoning exercises from Test of Reasoning by R.S. Agarwal, and books by Edgar Thorpe and Tata McGraw Hill publishers. To brush up your current affairs, read newspapers and magazines like Outlook, Frontline, India Today, etc. You can go through GK guide books by Pearson, Spectrum or Manorama.

Once the written exams are over, concentrate on personality development exercises. GDs and personal interviews are conducted to assess your suitability for a management course.

sample test paper

Mathematics
A solid sphere is cut into four equal parts. If the total surface area of each part now is x times that of the sphere, then what is the value of x?
a) ¼ b) ½ c) ¾ d) 3/8

English
Which of the following words is opposite in meaning of the word given in bold:
1. Myth
a) reality b) mystery c) misery d) misconception
2. Extensive
a) intensive b) abominable c) inherent d) negligible

Reasoning
Four of the following five are alike in a certain way and form a group. Which is the one that does not belong to that group?
a) Wolf b) Tiger c) Hyena d) Monkey

GK and Current Affairs
Agriculture contributes approx. _____ of India’s total GDP
a) one quarter b) one half c) one third d) two thirds
Which company is the world’s biggest automaker ?
a) Toyota b) General Motors c) Ford d) Suzuki