A SUMMER TRAINING PROJECT REPORT ON

“TO STUDY THE MARKET STRATEGY &

COMPETITORS ANALYSIS OF T.I.M.E. EDUCATION
PVT LTD.”
Submitted for the Partial Fulfillment of the requirement for the
Degree

Of
BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Affiliated to CH. CHARAN SINGH UNIVERSITY, MEERUT

(SESSION: 2016-2019)

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

PROF. SIDDHARTH KAUL SHREYA SINGH

ITS, MOHAN NAGAR, Roll No- 169349288

[1]
 BBA- III year

Date – 30th July, 2018

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify that Ms. Shreya Singh, Student of BBA, of Institute of Technology and
Science, Mohan Nagar, Ghaziabad, has completed his Project Assignment with us as a
requirement of Counselling and Marketing Intern.

The details of her assignment are as under :-

Project Duration - 15th June, 2018 to 30th July, 2018

Projects Title - “A Study of Market Strategy and Competitors Analysis”

Department - Counselling and Marketing Intern

Project Guide - Mrs. Satyam Modi

(Administrative Head of T.I.M.E., Ghaziabad, 201003)

During the Assignment, her performance was found to be good.

Authorized Signatory
[2]
T.I.M.E

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Shreya Singh from Batch (2016-19), a student of Institute of Technology

and Science has undertaken the Project on “A Study on Marketing Strategy and Competitors

Analysis .”The Project has been carried out by the student in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the Award of Bachelor of Business Administration, from C.C.S. University,

Meerut.

Under my guidance and supervision.

I am satisfied with the work of Shreya Singh

Date :

Place : Signature of the Guide

Prof. Siddharth kaul

[3]
 DECLARATION

I undersigned hereby declare that the Project Report entitled “ A Study on Marketing Strategy

and Competitors Analysis ” submitted by me to the C.C.S. University, Meerut for the partial

fulfillment of the requirement for the Award of Degree for Bachelor of Business Administration

under the guidance of Prof. Siddharth kaul is my original work and the conclusion drawn

herein are based on the material collection by myself.

Date :
Place : Shreya Singh
Roll No. – 169349288
BBA – III year

[4]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The internship opportunity I had with Triumphant Institute of Management Education Pvt.

Ltd. (T.I.M.E.)was a great chance for learning and professional development. Therefore, I

consider myself as a very lucky individual as I was provided with an opportunity to be a part of

it. I use this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude and special thanks to the

Administrative Head of(T.I.M.E.)Mrs. Satyam Modi,who inspite of being extraordinarily busy

with her/his duties, took time out to hear, guide and keep me on the correct path and allowing me

to carry out my project at their esteemed organization and extending during the training.

It is my radiant sentiment to place on record my best regards, deepest sense of gratitude to Prof.

Siddharth Garg for his careful and precious guidance which were extremely valuable for my

study both theoretically and practically. Hope to continue cooperation with all of you in the

future.

Date - Shreya Singh

Place - Roll No – 169349288
BBA – III Year

[5]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 PROJECT DURATION- 15th June 2018 to 30th July 2018

 PROJECT MANAGER – Mrs. Satyam Modi

 PROJECTMOTIVE – Counselling and Marketing

 TEAM HEAD- Mr. Ritesh Jain

 TOOLS USED - Ms. Outlook, HRIS, Knowledge management, Ms.excel

 SKILLS AQUIRED – Good Communication Skills, leadership Quality, Excel

skills, Good Coordination Skills, Team work, HR Functions.

 SOURCE OF DATA - Primary and secondary source

 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE - Systematic and judgement sampling

[6]
TABLE OF CONTENT

S No. TOPICS PAGE No.

1. ABSTRACT 10 -12
2. INTRODUCTION 13 – 23
3. PRODUCT UNDERSTANDING 24 – 48
4. IDENTIFYING COMPETITORS 49 – 53
5. PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY OF T.I.M.E. 54 – 64
6. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 65 – 67
7. CAREER LAUNCHER vs T.I.M.E. vs IMS 68 – 79
8. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY 80 - 86
9. FINDINGS 87 – 89
10. LEARNINGS FROM THE PROJECT 90 – 92
11. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 93 – 94
12. LIMITATIONS
13. ATTACHMENTS 95 – 98
14. REFERENCES
15. GLOSSARY
16. BIBLIOGRAPHY

[7]
ABSTRACT

The project deals with learning of Business Environment of Education Sector with prime focus

on Business Development of the organization & its products. It is followed by understanding the

Behaviour of the Customers & Competitor analysis which will benefit the organization by

increasing itsmarket share in the future. Thorough analysis of marketing strategies used by

different organizations in the sector has been done.

Project implementation is in the following order:

[8]
1. Studying the Education industries and understanding their trends.

2. Understanding the functions & operations of different departments of the organizations and

identifying theirs products in the market.

3. Identifying the Market leaders.

4. Sales and Marketing of the existing products by studying consumer buying behavior.

5. Understanding the promotional strategies used by market leaders and Identifying the strategy

best suited for the Organizations.

6. Critical Competitor Analysis to make peer comparisons of the companies strategies.

7. Managing activities of a full fledged operational centre (Vaishali).

8. Qualitative survey so as to understand consumer’s need and expectations.

Work executed at different stages of the project has been mentioned below:

To have an insight of the industry, I first started understanding the services & products of the

organization during my initial training days (June 15th, 2017 – July 30th 2017).

Promotion & Marketing started after the training & continued till the end of the project work.

As a beginner initially I gathered all the information about the industry and the

organization.During the training period of 5 days I got a chance to interact with the top

Executives and Chief Mentors of the organization, who introduced me to their products and

briefed me about their services.

Identification of market leaders was done by analyzing previous year’s statistics.

[9]
Segmenting & profiling of potential customers was done. Segmentation was done on different

parameters. Understanding consumer behavior, their buying pattern and marketing the products

to them was done.

In the middle I studied the market leaders, competitors, their evolution & comparative

comparison of their marketing & promotional techniques with that of the organization.

Handling the operation of the Vaishali ,Ghaziabad Center was given to me after this. This

operation also continued till the end of the project. Issues of renovation work were there in the

beginning but now the center is operating well.

In the final stage learning of each stage of the project work was used for a qualitative

survey.Latest up to date information of the organizations & effective tools of marketing research

likeghost shopping, questionnaire research, customer feedback, etc.

[10]
 INTRODUCTION

Triumphant Institute of Management Education Pvt. Ltd. (T.I.M.E.) is India's leading test-

prep institute with a pan-India presence and is headquartered in Hyderabad. Established in 1992,

T.I.M.E. today operates out of 250 offices located in 118 towns and cities across the country.

Over 40 IIT/IIM graduates form part of the core team at T.I.M.E.

[11]
 Established in 1992

250 offices in 118 cities/towns

Over 40 IIT/IIM graduates core team

India's Leading Test-prep Institute

TIME is to CAT coaching what rhetoric is to politicians. One of the most trusted names in the

MBA coaching industry, TIME is one of India’s biggest names in the educational sector.

Classroom programmes offered in TIME range from MBA, medical, engineering, CBSE and

[12]
banking to civil services and CA. Out of these, TIME CAT coachingis the most sought after

programme. 

Like all great companies, TIME started off in a small office in Hyderabad back in 1992. After 25

years with 250 offices in 120 cities in India, TIME has become an education conglomerate.

Breaking records in terms of results and selections every year, the propensity of TIME to churn

out top draw IIM quality students stands undiminished. Over 10 students from TIME scored the

perfect 100 percentile in CAT back in 2014. 

FUTURE PLANS

The company is planning to continue its aggressive growth rate by adding new courses to its

product portfolio and increasing its market penetration by the enhanced geographical spread.

T.I.M.E. Kids, the pre-school chain, which was launched in 2008 and T.I.M.E. School, are

expected to be the key drivers to the ambitious plans that T.I.M.E. has laid out for its growth. By

the end of 2017, T.I.M.E. is looking at almost 350 pre-schools being operational.

In order to support and sustain these growth plans, T.I.M.E. plans to increase the number of full-

time employees over the current base of 1900 employees in its faculty, research, management,

marketing and administrative teams.

Additionally, while T.I.M.E. has already made forays into the highly challenging area of training

for state-level engineering and medical entrance exams, it is now looking at achieving a national

presence in these fields soon. In addition to this very creditable organic growth, T.I.M.E. is

actively pursuing acquisition opportunities in the field of education and training.

[13]
PHILOSPHY

The following are the guiding principles for the working of all T.I.M.E. Centres. All of us at T.I.M.E.

consider these principles as supreme. We try to observe these principles both in letter and in spirit at all

times.

1. Provide highest quality education to students.

2. Give students more than what we promise them.

3. Charge very reasonable fees – without compromising on the quality of inputs that we give.

4. Act in the best interests of students at all times.

PROMOTORS

1.Mr. MANEK N. DARUVALA

Manek N. Daruvala

Mr. ManekN.Daruvala, he is a B.Sc. (Chemistry) graduate from the Bombay University where

he was a rank holder. He completed his postgraduate program in management from IIM-

Ahmedabad, the foremost management institute in India. After completion of his post

graduation, he worked for six years with Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. in the field of

Marketing and Sales.

[14]
Subsequently, he worked for one and a half years with M/s. VJ Info Systems Ltd. in Hyderabad

as head of the Education and Training Division.

He is one of the promoter-directors of the Triumphant Institute of Management Education better

known by its acronym T.I.M.E.

Headquartered in Secunderabad, T.I.M.E. is a formidable brand in the field of education training

across the country. With 250 offices in 118 cities and training about 1,50,000 students a year, it

is the leading entrance training institute in India.

Manek has been associated full-time with T.I.M.E. for the last 18 years training and guiding

students in preparing for a large variety of entrance exams. Even today, he takes a personal

interest in the careers of young people and guides students in their exam and GD and interview

preparation as well as in selecting the right B-Schools to apply to.

Manek has been associated with a variety of functional areas at T.I.M.E. from accounting and

finance to advertising and marketing. Like all first generation entrepreneurs he believes that if a

job has to be done, it has to be done.

Manek is a keen follower of a wide range of sports and is happiest watching cricket or tennis on

television. He also enjoys listening to music and is an avid reader. Wodehouse remains his all-

time favourite author.

[15]
2.Mr. PRAMOD KUMAR Ku

A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from College of Engineering, Trivandum, Kerala. He

completed his Post Graduate Programme in Business Management from Xavier Labour

Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur. He started his career with M/S Godrej & Boyce Mfg.

Co Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai and worked in various functions like after sales service, sales, branch

management for nearly 8 years and left the organization as a Branch Head.

Subsequently, He joined M/S Bahwan Automotive Centre in sales management function heading

the national sales of Daewoo Autombiles in Sultanate of Oman for four and half years.

Pramod Kumar is one of the promoter-directors of Triumphant Institute of

ManagementEducation Pvt. Ltd. (T.I.M.E.) and associated with the organization since 1995 on

a full time basis. The organization is present across the length and breadth of the country through

an efficient network of offices and offers various courses to prepare school and college level

students for their competitive selection process to various higher educational areas.

With his extensive past experience in various managerial functions, he is able to give strong

foundation and direction to T.I.M.E. in its current activities and do the planning for the future

[16]
growth. He is involved in all functions of the organization like training, faculty development,

content research and development, business development etc.

Pramod Kumar is actively associated with social organizations like Rotary Club and other

charitable educational and religious organizations and held various leadership positions in them.

He is interested in films, drama, and dance and enjoys listening to all types of music.

3. Mr. P. VISWANATH

He is an alumnus of IIT, Madras and IIM, Ahmedabad. He was a rank-holder at both the places,

and at IIM, Ahmedabad he was a recipient of the prestigious Industrial Scholarship (or I-Schol)

which is awarded to the top 15 students at the institute. After completing his Post Graduation in

Management from IIM Ahmedabad, Viswanath worked for one year in the field of Management

Consultancy and for six years in Sales & Marketing.

His last assignment at Godrej was as the national sales head for computer peripherals, from

where, he moved on in 1992 to start Triumphant Institute of Management Education better

known by its acronym T.I.M.E.

Viswanath also has about 24 years of experience in training and guiding students preparing for

CAT and many other competitive exams.

[17]
As a founder-director of T.I.M.E., Viswanath has been at the forefront of the planning and

implementation of the expansion of T.I.M.E. across the country. Today, T.I.M.E. is a formidable

brand in the field of education and training with 250 offices in 118 cities across the country,

training over 1,50,000 students a year. The fact that T.I.M.E. has become the leading institute in

a number of courses it offers, as well as the unmatched results its students get, bears testimony to

the leadership and direction that Viswanath has been able to provide to the organization.

His main focus now is to take T.I.M.E. to the next phase of growth.

Scope of the Project:

T.I.M.E. has been in the existence from many years and has nice grip over the market as

compared to its counterparts but threats of new entrants like Edumentor, Pratham Educational

services and old players like I.M.S & Career Launcher is present there. The project has been

undertaken by keeping business development of the organizations as the prime focus. The project

report will give the organization a view of the current market trends. The fact and information

provided in the report would give the company opportunities to expand their business & counter

the threats of its competitors. It will help the organization increase its efficiency by learning

effective promotional strategies implementing them & shelving old ones.

Product development at the organization meeting the changing requirements of the customers

will be taken into consideration during the course of the project. As during the project I will be

involved in selling & marketing of the organization products, it will also help me to understand

the consumer buying behavior. S.T.P analysis would be done to explore new segments thereby

providing the company with an opportunity of business development and hence increasing their

[18]
market share. Surveys conducted towards the end would help us to know customer satisfaction

level, and effectiveness of current promotional tools used by the company. Apart from this, it

will also help me in shaping my knowledge about the education sector.

Value Added to the Organization :-

 Finding out new products & courses in the industry.

 Business development of company

 Finding out loopholes in the organization structure

 Finding products of the competitor & their promotional strategies

 +Finding customer perception about the industry, products & factors affecting their

selection.

 Helping out the company in knowing the latest tools being used by market leader to

survive in the market.

[19]
PRODUCT UNDERSTANDING

[20]
CLASSIFICATION

The main business of T.I.M.E. is of providing specialized coaching to students preparing for the

Under Graduate Exams. The organization represents itself as a career development institute by

mentoring young class 12th passed out students. Its core competency lies in counselling

&mentoring young students to choose the right career path for themselves. Their products cater

to most of the undergraduate streams.

All the Undergraduate degrees are either three or four year full – time course for which coaching

is provided in a classroom format. Providing coaching in the these streams forms the products for

T.I.M.E. Coaching for each of the courses is itself a product of the organization.

All the streams in detail are discussed below:

I. MANAGEMENT – This stream deals with all the management courses at the undergraduate

level. Courses which fall under this stream are BBS, BBA, BFIA& BBE. BBS is the

management degree provided by Delhi University (D.U). The same management degree

provided by Indraprastha University is known as BBA. One major difference between both these

courses is that for writing a BBS exam a student compulsorily needs to have mathematics as one

[21]
of his subject in class 12th. A BBS/BBA provides students with knowledge of business

environment & managerial skills required to survive in the business world. BBE degree is the

study of business economics. It is the learning of product & services of the country & gives an

idea of economy. BFIA degree stands for Bachelors in Finance & Investment Analysis. It is

more towards financial learning of management.

II.LAW - Law preparation is for students who plan to become a legal advisor, corporate lawyer,

Magistrate, Judge, Litigation expert etc. Degrees which fall under this course are LLB, BALLB,

and BBALLB. For law preparation there are separate modules for legal aptitude which is added

to the syllabus. For this module separate workshops are arranged in the middle of the course for

the students.

COURSES OFFERED:–

1. CAT Coaching

2. BANK Coaching

3. GATE

4. IIT Foundation

5. MAT

6. SSC

7. XAT

8. JEE/ ENGINEERING

9.  GMAT® Coaching
[22]
10. GRE® Coaching

11. ICET Coaching

12. CMAT Coaching

13. CLAT Coaching

14. School Tutions

15. IPM Coaching

16. CRT Coaching

CAT/MBA @ T.I.M.E.

CLASSROOM COURSE

T.I.M.E. offers top class training for CAT and other MBA entrance exams. It's a one-stop shop

for your preparation to get into top B-Schools. The course T.I.M.E. offers takes care of your

preparation for the written exam as well as your preparation for the subsequent stages of Group

Discussions, Written Ability Test (Essay) and Interviews. T.I.M.E.'s training programme for

CAT is tailor-made to prepare you for CAT as well as other entrance exams like XAT,

SNAP,NMAT,MAT, IIFT, etc. In states where there are state-specific CETs, T.I.M.E. offers

separate courses for students who want to prepare only for the CETs

CLASSROOM PROGRAMMES

[23]
The classroom programme for CAT is the most preferred choice for thousands of MBA aspirants

every year. The programme is designed to take you from the basic concepts to the CAT level,

focussing on each area of preparation including the written test, form filling, GDPI prep and

OMET prep. The following section takes you through the training methodology in a step-by-step

manner.

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

Concepts training: Helps you develop basic knowledge and skill levels for various areas that

are tested in CAT and other management entrance tests. The fundamental concepts are taught in

great detail using ample handouts and test papers. Special assistance is given to non-mathematics

students to help them improve their quantitative skills.

Section-wise Testing: This module helps you achieve thoroughness in individual test areas and

is delivered in an online practice test format. They contain 9000 questions- across Verbal,

Logical Reasoning, DI, and Quantitative areas. A certain number of tests are uploaded every

month with the suggestion that you complete these tests as soon as they are uploaded. The test

are classified into the following: 

[24]
1. Foundation Tests

2. Intermediate Tests

3. Advanced Tests

Comprehensive Testing: Here you are tested and evaluated with a large number of test papers

modeled along the lines of recent CAT papers. This would help you identify your strengths and

areas of improvement for your CAT test.

1. Self Administered Mock CATs(SAMCATs - 25 nos.)

2. All India Mock CATs (AIMCATs – 25 nos.)

Training for Other Exams: Our CAT Course also prepares you for various other management

entrance tests like XAT, SNAP, IIFT, NMAT, MAT conducted by various B-schools across the

country. Institute specific classes and about 34 tests (OMETs - Other Management Entrance

Tests) prepare you completely to excel in these exams as well.

Essay, GD & Interview Training:This is provided in two modules, to help you prepare for the

final stage in the selection process.

Module I: Foundation and practice sessions with individual and group feedback. 

Module II: Extensive practice sessions, including mock Interviews and a series of GK lectures

for the students shortlisted for the GDPI round of B-school selection. Thorough feedback is

provided by professional and trained faculty members to help you optimise on your prospects.

*All variants include Test Taking Strategy video sessions for select AIMCATs / Chat Session for

All AIMCATs / GDPI Module at a nominal price for IIM Call getters.

*The above variants are targeted at CAT-2018 test takers.

[25]
BANKING@ T.I.M.E.

T.I.M.E. offers a comprehensive classroom training program to prepare students for Bank PO /

Clerical Examinations (IBPS CWE & SBI). Moreover, our course-ware can also help our

students in their preparation for other PO/Clerical exams of LIC, RBI, NICL, IB, etc. 

CLASSROOM PROGRAMME

The fundamental concepts are taught in great detail before working out the exercise. This helps

you to develop basic knowledge and skill levels for various areas that are tested in Bank Exams

and other related exams. Our sectional / topic-wise tests help you evaluate your learning and

performance across a given range of topics and help you to achieve thoroughness in individual

test areas.

By consciously deciding to keep batch numbers low, we give our students an opportunity to clear

their doubts in the class. In addition, students can discuss their performance and their preparation

plan with faculty members on an individual basis through doubt-clearing sessions conducted

regularly at our offices.

WEB BASED SUPPORT TO T.I.M.E. STUDENTS

A customized home page is provided for each student, through which the student can take online

practice tests. A host of other features like inputs on Descriptive Writing, inputs on Interview &

GD, Word-a-Day to improve your vocabulary, monthly updates on General Awareness, etc. are

also made available on the Student Home Page. 

MAGAZINES

[26]
'Current Affairs Cracker', a monthly magazine, is given to each student which also contains a

Model paper in every edition apart from a coverage of all important national and international

current affairs. These are presented in a flowing and simple language and are crucial for the

preparation of bank exams. 

BASIC STUDY MATERIAL (Booklets)

Our Study Material Booklets are all inclusive.These booklets help you develop and improve

basic skills and fundamental concepts in all the areas that are tested viz, Quantitative

Aptitude(including Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency) Reasoning Ability, English Language,

General Awareness, Computer Knowledge and Descriptive writing. Therefore, students who go

through this material diligently and practice regularly will be able to deal with all the common

patterns of questions easily and quickly tackle difficult questions as well.

COMPREHENSIVE TESTS / MOCK TESTS

Various mock tests on the pattern of Bank Exams (IBPS / SBI) are provided online through the

Student Home Page. These tests not only give an overall idea of the level you are required to

achieve but also provide ample practice to help you attain it. These mock tests replicate the

actual exam in every conceivable way. The mock tests given by T.I.M.E. simulate the actual

exam.

COURSE VARIANTS

Course Booklets Online Mock Tests Current Course

Variant Sectiona Affairs Fee
l Tests Cracker

Bank 6 150 65 (IBPS Clerk Pre 6 issues ₹ Enroll

Clerk -20, IBPS Clerk Main 1950/- Now
- 15, SBI Clerk Pre -
10, SBI Clerk Main -

[27]
 5, RRB PO pre -
5,RRB Clerk pre - 5
Paper Based IBPS
Clerk -5 )

Bank PO 11 165 110 (IBPS PO Pre - 6 issues ₹ Enroll

35, Main - 25, RRB 3450/- Now
PO Pre -5, Main - 5,
RRB Clerk Pre - 5,
Main -5, SBI PO Pre
-10, Main - 10, Paper
Based IBPS PO - 10)
Bank PO 14 285 145 (Bank PO : IBPS 6 issues ₹ Enroll
& Clerk PO Pre - 35, Main - 3950/- Now
25, RRB PO Pre -5,
Main - 5, RRB Clerk
Pre - 5, Main -5, SBI
PO Pre -10, Main -
10, Paper Based
IBPS PO - 10; Bank
Clerk: IBPS Clerk
Pre - 10, Main - 5 ,
SBI Clerk Pre -10,
Main - 05, Paper
Based IBPS Clerk -
5)
Bank PO 120+ E- 165 100 Online Mock 6 issues ₹ Enroll
(Online) Booklets(Online Tests (IBPS PO Pre - ( E- 2950/- Now
) covering all 35, Main - 25, RRB Books) ₹
Test Areas PO Pre -5, Main - 5, 2450/-
RRB Clerk Pre - 5,
Main -5, SBI PO Pre
-10, Main – 10
Bank PO + 17 325 160 ( SSC : 50 - 12 6 issues ₹ Enroll
SSC Paper Based, 28 5450/- Now
CGLE Online Practice and
2018 Tier I 10 Online All India
Mock Tests. Bank
PO : 110 - IBPS PO
Pre - 35, Main - 25,
RRB PO Pre -5, Main
- 5, RRB Clerk Pre -
5, Main -5, SBI PO
Pre -10, Main - 10,
Paper Based IBPS
PO - 10)
Bank PO 20 448 195 ( SSC : 50 - 12 6 issues ₹ Enroll
& Clerk + Paper Based, 28 5950/- Now
SSC Online Practice and
[28]
 CGLE 10 Online All India
2018 Tier I Mock Tests; Bank
PO : IBPS PO Pre -
35, Main - 25, RRB
PO Pre -5, Main - 5,
RRB Clerk Pre - 5,
Main -5, SBI PO Pre
-10, Main - 10, Paper
Based IBPS PO - 10;
Bank Clerk - IBPS
Clerk Pre - 10, Main
- 5 , SBI Clerk Pre
-10, Main - 05, Paper
Based IBPS Clerk -
5)

Note 1: Mock Tests will be given for notifications released during the one year period from the

date of joining. These mock tests could be less than the number specified if some of these

notifications are not released within one year.

MAT COACHING @ T.I.M.E.

MAT is conducted by Centre for Management Services (CMS) which is the specialized division

of AIMA undertaking testing and other management services. Graduate or Final year degree

course students in any discipline from a recognized university in India can write MAT. MAT

scores are considered by a wide range of B-schools including some good B-schools. While some

of the B-Schools using MAT scores for admission also accept CAT scores, the competition

levels in MAT may be lower than those in CAT.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MAT PROGRAMME

 120+ hours of class room training alone.

 Starts from the very basics, focus on fundamentals & in-class problem solving.
[29]
 English Foundation & Math Foundation Classes - Caters to students who are also weak in

English and/or Maths.

 Classes on Basic Communication skills(GD Basics & Interview Basics).

 Extensive Doubt-clearing with personal attention.

 Revision classes, discussion classes based on tests conducted.

 Workshops ensure student learning rather than mindless course completion.

THE COURSE MATERIAL

 Comprehensive material - Sufficient for regular classes and home study.

 11 Study Material Booklets(including solutions).

 70+ Individual Practice Exercises and Test papers.

 7000+ questions with solutions.

 Updated material that is inline with the latest test patterns.

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

 3 issues of 'MBA Education & Careers' magazine

 Seminars on Test taking strategy

[30]
 Advice from experts on institute selection

 Information and personalized counselling for your Test improvement & application

decisions

 Extensive web-based support

SSC-CGLE COURSES @ T.I.M.E.

CLASSROOM PROGRAMME

 200 - 220 hours of class room teaching.

 Basics / concepts of each topic covered in detail, before working out the exercise.

 Chapter-wise tests , after the basics and exercise have been completed.

 Regular Doubt-clearing sessions with personal attention

 Revision classes - during the course as well as after the completion of portion

 Experienced and dedicated team of faculty members, who have been acknowledged as

the best by students.

COURSE MATERIAL

 Comprehensive Study Material , both for class room coaching and take home packages

(for practice at home)

 Study Material Booklets covering all the test areas – Quant, General Intelligence &

Reasoning, English Comprehension, General Awareness

[31]
 Individual Practice Exercises and Test papers for ample practice

 Updated material according to latest pattern of SSC CGLE

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

 Special session on Test Taking Strategies

 Web-based support in the form of Student Home page.

 Regular updates on General Awareness on the Student Home page

 Well-stocked reference library.

 Training for Interviews

GRE TEST@ T.I.M.E.

TEST PATTERN

Section Number of Questions Time

Analytical Writing One "Analyze an Issue" 30 minutes per task

(One section with two separately task and One "Analyze an
timed tasks) Argument" task

Verbal Reasoning (Two sections) Approximately 20 30 minutes per section

Sample Questions questions per section

Quantitative Reasoning (Two Approximately 20 35 minutes per section

sections) questions per section
Sample Questions

Unscored Varies Varies

[32]
 Section Number of Questions Time

Research Varies Varies

 There will be only one topic given for Issue and Argument topics.

 One Unscored Section (VR or QR section), may appear at any point after the AW

section.

 Questions in this unidentified section are being tested for possible use in future and will

not count toward the candidate's scores.

 An identified research section that is not scored may also be included and comes at the

end of the test.

 The AW section will always be first, while the other five sections may appear in any

order. There will be a 10-minute break following the third section, and a 1-minute break between

the other test sections. Scratch Pad will be provided.

 There will be provision of on-screen calculator for the Quantitative Reasoning section.

 The computer-based GRE®Test allows the candidate to freely move forward and

backward throughout an entire section to change or edit responses, even skip questions one can

come back to later.

 The test allows the candidate to edit or change answers, skip questions and more,

all within a section.

 Preview and Review" capabilities exist within a section.

 "Mark and Review" feature to tag questions, so one can skip and return later.
[33]
 T.I.M.E. Offerings for Recruitment Training (CRT)

CLASSROOM PROGRAMME

T.I.M.E. has a comprehensive programme designed to train students for all the stages of Campus

Recruitments done at various colleges including engineering colleges and MBA/MCA colleges.

The programme has different modules for written test or aptitude test, group discussions and

personal interviews. This programme is updated on a regular basis to keep pace with the changes

in the recruitment procedures adopted by various companies at campuses. All the areas normally

covered in the aptitude tests of most companies, i.e., Quantitative ability, Reasoning, Verbal and

Basic Computer Skills are covered in detail in the course offered by T.I.M.E. As a part of the

course, students get practice exercises and test papers for each test area followed by

comprehensive tests on the pattern of the tests conducted by major companies.

HIGHLIGHTS OF T.I.M.E.'S CRT

 80 to 90 hours of vigorous classes covering various questions asked in Aptitude Test.

 Classes on basic communication skills (Group Discussion basics, Mock Group

Discussions, speaking skills, listening & writing skills, Psychometric test.

 Classes on computers (covering computer fundamentals, C language).

MOCK INTERVIEWS

 Two individual Mock interviews (one HR and one Technical) to equip the students with

the questions and the skill set required to handle the real interviews. Experts who have

experience in recruitment process conduct these Mock interviews.

[34]
 COURSE MATERIAL

 3 Study Material Booklets(including solutions)

 90+ Individual Practice Exercises and Test papers

 Five Paper basedComprehensive Tests

ONLINE TESTS (A total of 35 tests)

1. Comprehensive Tests: (20 tests): This includes tests on the pattern of TCS Infosys,

CTS, IBM, Tech Mahindra, Accenture, Psychometric Test

2. Practice Tests - Quantitative & Logical Ability: (9 tests)

One practice test related to each of the following:

i) Quantitative Ability

ii) Logical Ability

iii) A mix of Quantitative &

Logical Ability and 6 other topic wise tests

3. Practice Tests – Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability: (6 tests)

One practice test related to each of the following:

i) Reading Comprehension

ii) Verbal Ability

iii) A mix of Reading Comprehension &

Verbal Ability and 3 other topic wise tests.

Web-based Support

 Profiles of Major Companies

[35]
 IT & IT-eS Industry Updates

 GD Topics

 Interview Questions for Practice

 Test Patterns of different IT Companies

ONLINE TEST SERIES

T.I.M.E. offers a comprehensive Online Test series for Campus Recruitment Training (CRT).

The test series is designed and conducted, to help you build concepts, prepare strategies, identify

weaknesses, and take steps to eliminate them. The Online Test series for Campus Recruitment

Training is developed on the lines of written tests conducted by TCS, Wipro, CTS, Infosys, Tech

Mahindra, Accenture, IBM and other IT and Non IT companies.

Variant Description Price Validity

(Rs)

CRT Online  110 Topic based tests Rs. 6 months  Enroll

Test Series (2700+ Qs) 1,150/- Now
(Enhanced)
 15 Sectional Practice tests
(220 Qs)

 43 Comprehensive Tests

 1 Psychometric Test (100

qs)

CRT Online  80 Topic based tests Rs. 6 months  Enroll

Test Series (2200+ Qs) 950/- Now
(I-select
Superior)  15 Sectional Practice tests
(220 Qs)

 30 Comprehensive Tests
(Student has an option to select 30
Comprehensive tests out of 43
Comprehensive tests of various IT
[36]
 and Non IT Companies)

 1 Psychometric Test (100

qs)

CRT Online  50+ Topic based tests Rs.750/ 6 months  Enroll

Test Series (1300+ Qs) - Now
(I Select Basic)
 10 Sectional Practice tests
(150 Qs)

 20 Comprehensive Tests
(Student has the option to select
20 comprehensive tests out of 43
comprehensive tests of various IT
and NON IT companies)

1 Psychometric Test (100 qs)

CRT Online  30+ Topic based tests Rs.450/ 6 months  Enroll
Test Series (1000+ Qs) - Now
(I select Mini)
 10 Sectional Practice tests
(150 Qs)

 10 Comprehensive Tests
(Student has an option to select 10
Comprehensive tests out of 43
Comprehensive tests of various IT
and Non IT companies)

 1 Psychometric test (100

qs)

CRT Online  One Comprehensive test Rs.50/- 1 week  Enroll

Test Series (Student to select one Now
(I Select Comprehensive test out of 43
Single) Comprehensive tests of various IT
and Non IT companies)

 1 Psychometric test (100

qs)

COMPREHENSIVE TESTS 

Comprehensive tests are designed keeping in mind the pattern of the various companies written

tests. They give you sufficient practice and help you assess your time management skills. They
[37]
 also give you a feel of the actual testing environment. The Comprehensive tests are provided on

various IT companies patterns TCS, Wipro, CTS, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Accenture, IBM and

other & Non IT companies.

PSYCHOMETRIC TEST

Psychometric test is conducted to find out who is the best person suited for the role in an

organization, based on Personality characteristics and Aptitude. In a Psychometric Test, there are

no such things as right or wrong answers. The Test is an indication about the mindset of an

individual towards certain belief statements. The students are expected to answer the questions

spontaneously hence; they will be given very little time to answer the same.

T.I.M.E.'S OFFERINGS FOR CLAT \

T.I.M.E. offers a comprehensive course for CLAT, which has been developed covering all areas

of the test while keeping in mind the requirements of the students, both in the 11th & 12th

standard. The course material is updated periodically to ensure that the students are prepared for

any eventuality or surprise that the exams throws at them, and will be completely self sufficient

to ensure that those who follow it while attending the classes regularly will have an edge over

others.

In addition to CLAT, the material and classes will also help students prepare for other popular

Law school entrance tests like SET, AILET, LSAT, other NLUs, LAWCET (state level) etc.

 Around 1600 pages of material, which includes 16 Study Material booklets will be made

available to the students.

[38]
 40 Mock tests on the pattern of CLAT, AILET, SLAT, etc (including All India Mock

Tests)

 Detailed analysis along with national benchmarking, which is representative of the actual

test, is the hallmark of our All India Mock Tests.

 150 Online Sectional Tests, 30 tests in each of the areas Quant, Verbal, Legal Aptitude,

General Awareness and Logical Aptitude.

Students willing to get more information about CLAT and T.I.M.E.'s course offering for CLAT

can walk in to their nearest T.I.M.E. centres and meet our counselors for more information.

COURSE VARIANTS

Course Variant Videos E- Sectional Mock Tests Price Enroll

Book Tests Now
s

CLAT 2018 - 17 150 40 (16 CLAT, 6 SET, 4 ₹14,950   Enroll

Online Course LSAT, 6 AILET, 2 ₹10,950 Now
BHU, 2 IPU, 4
MHCET)

CLAT 2018 90 17 150 40 (16 CLAT, 6 SET, 4 ₹17,950  Enroll

Online Course- hours LSAT, 6 AILET, 2 ₹ Now
Enhanced (With (270+ BHU, 2 IPU, 4
Videos) Videos) MHCET)

ONLINE TEST SERIES

T.I.M.E. offers a comprehensive Online Test Series for CLAT 2018. The Online test series are

designed as per the pattern of the exam, and aims to provide maximum benefits to aspirants in

terms of preparation.

COURSE VARIANTS

Course Variant Sectional Mock Tests Price Enrol

[39]
 Tests Now

CLAT Online Test 75 21 (10 CLAT, 3 SET, 1 LSAT, 3 ₹4,750   Enroll

Series – Basic AILET, 1 BHU, 1 IPU, 2 MHCET) ₹3,750 Now

CLAT Online Test 150 40 (16 CLAT, 6 SET, 4 LSAT, 6 ₹5,950   Enroll
Series – Enhanced AILET, 2 BHU, 2 IPU, 4 MHCET) ₹4,950 Now

[40]
IDENTIFYING COMPETITIORS

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Competitor analysis is a critical part of a firms activity. It is an assessment of the strengths and

weaknesses of current and potential competitors, which may encompass firms not only in

theirown sectors but also in other sectors. Directly or indirectly, competitor analysis is a driver of

afirms strategy and impacts on how firms act or react in their sectors. Analysis is an

essentialcomponent of corporate strategy; most firms do not conduct competitor analysis. They

operateon what is called “informal impressions, conjectures, and intuition gained through the

tidbits ofinformation about competitors every manager continually receives.” As a result, it

places manyfirms at risk of dangerous competitive blind spots due to a lack of a complete

competitor analysis.

[41]
In utilizing competitor analysis as part of strategy formulation, firms are able to adapt or

buildtheir own strategies and be able to compete effectively, improve performance and gain

marketshare in their businesses. In a large number of instances, firms are able to tap new markets

orbuild new niches. In any business the main motive is to offer something better than the

competitor.

Competitor analysis framework focuses on four key aspects:

 Competitors objectives

 Competitors assumptions

 Competitors strategy

 Competitor’s resources and capabilities.

List of competitors according to their ranks is given below:-

Rank 1: IMS

Rank 2: T.I.M.E.

Rank 3: EDUMENTOR

Rank 4: SMART CAREERS

Rank 5: CAREER LAUNCHER

Rank 6: P.T. EDUCATIONS

Rank 7: PRATHAM

Rank 8: CAREER POINT

COMPETITORS PRODUCTS:

IMS CAT, Management, LAW, MEDIA, B.C.A, etc

[42]
EDUMENTOR Management, Law, Media, Mass-
Communication, CA-CPT, etc
CAREER LAUNCHER CAT, Management, Law, Hotel Management.
P.T. EDUCATION CAT, Management, Law, Hotel Management
PRATHAM Management, B.Ed, Hotel Management.

COMPETITORS REACH:

IMS National
EDUMENTOR Delhi / NCR
CAREER LAUNCHER National
P.T. EDUCATION National
PRATHAM West Delhi / Gurugram

MARKET SHARES OF MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MARKET

FOR LAST YEAR:
COMPANY PRODUCTS SOLD

T.I.M.E. 4000
IMS 3700
SMART CAREERS 1600
EDUMENTOR 1800
CAREER LAUNCHER 1250
P.T. EDUCATION 850
PRATHAM 900
Source: author compilation of various secondary sources.

4500
4500
4000
4000
3500
3500
3000
3000
2500
2500
2000
2000
1500
1500
1000
1000 Series1
Series1
500
500
00

[43]
MARKET SHARE OF MAJOR PLAYERS FOR THE CURRENT
YEAR:
COMPANY PRODUCTS SOLD

T.I.M.E. 4200
IMS 3900
SMART CAREERS 1450
EDUMENTOR 1700
CAREER LAUNCHER 1300
P.T. EDUCATION 800
PRATHAM 500
Source: author compilation of various secondary sources.

4500
4500
4000
4000
3500
3500
3000
3000
2500
2500
2000
2000
1500
1500
1000
1000 Series1
Series1
500
500
00

[44]
PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY OF T.I.M.E.

[45]
INTRODUCTION
The major work that I was assigned was to understand the company objectives, its customers,

company limitation and then to decide a marketing strategy for the organization which would

increase its brand awareness and ultimately lead to its business development.

There are basically two categories of sales promotion:

Above the line Sales Promotion

Above the line is a type of advertising through media such as TV, cinema, radio, print, banners

and search engines to promote brands. Major uses include television and radio advertising, web

and Internet banner ads. This type of communication is conventional in nature and is considered

impersonal to customers. It differs from Below the line advertising, which believes in

unconventional brand-building strategies, such as direct mail and printed media (and usually

[46]
involve no motion graphics).These strategies require huge amount of investments and are

majorly Capital intensive.

Television

Banner Ads Radio

Above the
line
promotion
Newspaper Internet

Mobile
Phone

Below the line Sales Promotions.

These are short-term incentives, largely aimed at consumers. With the increasing pressure on the

marketing team to achieve communication objectives more efficiently in a limited budget, there

has been a need to find out more effective and cost efficient ways to communicate with the target

markets. This has led to a shift from the regular media based advertising. These strategies

involve high level of ground work involving manpower and hence are more of Labor intensive.

[47]
 

Endorsement

Product
Direct Mail
Placement

Below the Line

Promotion

Public
Trade Show
Relation

Sponsorship

Before starting promotions, sales forecast is done to decide the amount to be spent on

thepromotions based on the revenue expected from the product. Successful advertising depends

onknowing the preferred methods and styles of communications of the target markets that has to

bereached with the ads.

STEPS FOR DEVELOPING PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY

The steps involved in developing strategies for T.I.M.E can be enumerated as:-

 1:Understanding company objective

 2: STP of the organization

 3:Analysingcompetitor promotional strategy

[48]
  4:Analyzing organization limitation

 5 : Selecting effective methods

UNDERSTANDING COMPANY OBJECTIVE

Major objective of T.I.M.E for conducting promotions are:-

 Understanding consumer buying behavior & their needs

 Hit the target audience in cost effective manner

 Create Brand Awareness for the company nationally.

 Create competitive advantage

 Increase in the customer base

 Positioning for company in the mind of target audience

 Generating sales

SEGMENTING TARGETING POSITIONING OF THE ORGANIZATION

SEGMENTATION

A segment is a group sharing one or more characteristics that cause them to have similar

productand/or service needs.A true market segment meets all of the following criteria:

• It is distinct from other segments (different segments have different needs).

• It is homogeneous within the segment (exhibits common needs).

• It responds similarly to a market stimulus.

• It can be reached by a market intervention.

BASIS OF SEGMENTATION

[49]
Segmentation of an organization can be done depending on many variables:

 Demographic

• Age,gender , family life cycle, education , income, occupation

• Socioeconomic, religion, nationality, language

 Geographic

• Region, Country , Climate

 Psychographic

• Attitude, Personality, Life style

 Behavioral

• Product usage rate, Brand loyalty, Product end use

• Readiness-to-buy, Profitability, Income status

SEGMENTATION

T.I.M.E defines its segment on the basis of Demographic Variables, i.e. age, educationand

income. The management coaching is provided at Under Graduate Level, so students are

required to be segmented on their age i.e.; 17-18 age group, their educational specialization

i.e.Science, Commerce, and Arts etc. Income of family helps to segment the students and thus

facilitates T.I.M.E to plan its target audience more accurately.

TARGETTING

For any organization serving all the segments is not possible, so specific segments have to be

targeted which can be most beneficial for the organization .T.I.M.E decides its target audience to

be students of Class 12th which comprises of Commerce students who are interested in the

management courses, that is, mainly students who do not expect a percentage beyond 95%.Apart
[50]
from this, students with specific interest in Law, Media, Hospitality, etc. are also targeted.The

parents of these students act as the Opinion leaders and Decision makers & at a later stagein the

season as target audience too.

POSITIONING

It is the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their

targetmarket for its product, brand, or organization. Most of the competitors serve more than

onesegment, with no clear positioning of a specialist management coaching institute. Many

players have positioning in terms of Quality-Prices model, others on basis of faculty and so on,

but no player in the market specifically focuses on management coaching at undergraduate level.

Thisforms as the core advantage of the product and the service provided at T.I.M.E. So, the

company decided to position itself as the “Only specialist institute for management coaching at

Under Graduate level”.

ANALYZING COMPETITOR PROMOTIONAL STRATEGIES

After conducting S.T.P of the organization it is required to analyze the strategies used

bycompetitors, considering both old and new players in the competition.

Strategies adopted by competitors are:

Most of the players are national level player enjoying high brand awareness in Delhi and NCR

region. One or two players like Edumentor, Pratham operate at local level & are growing at

analarming rate. They can be threat for the organization in the future. Being a major player of

theindustry it enjoys high financial resource back up and the study of their promotional strategies

portray that they conduct Capital intensive promotions. Few of above the line marketing

strategies used by the competitors are:

[51]
 o Newspaper (used throughout the season, with varying intensity and updated

offerings with respect to change in market conditions )

o Mobile ads (bulk SMS , to create buzz among the masses )

o Telemarketing ( most common tool used by any organization )

o Internet ( requires high investments , mainly used by old players )

o Banner ads ( used by both old & new players )

o Television ( used by I.M.S , tying up with local cable operators )

o Radio ads ( during start of the season )

The local players in the market are restricted to use Labor intensive strategies but its

drawbacksare that it gives relatively a cheap image of the organization.

Few of the labor intensive strategies are:

o Direct sales

o Sales promotion

o Endorsements

o Public relations

o Trade show

o Person selling

SALES FLOWCHART :

During my term, I was involved in each of the activity of the sales flowchart. Collection

ofdatabase was done by me during the board centre activity, checking of database was done in
[52]
theinitial months to track potential customers. Telemarketing, counseling & enrollments were

done till the end.

Walk-In (Student or
Checking of
Collection of his/her Parents)
Database by Quality
database attend counselling
Managers
Sessions

Outgoing Callls
Student gets
made to generate a
Enrolled
Walk-In

[53]
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

[54]
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This section includes the research methods, their rationale, validity, reliability, sample size,

alternatives and limitations faced during primary research.

 To know about the various needs of staff and what they want from their job.

 To discuss what steps do managers to take the motivate their staff and fulfill their needs.

 To gauge the impact of staff motivation on employee productivity.

METHODOLOGY ADOPTED:

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. Here we study the

various steps generally adopted by the researcher in studying the research methods to continue a

part of research methodology.

In this research, both Primary and Secondary data taken into consideration. The project would be

executed through primary data i.e. questionnaires, discussion with various age groups of

employee, information from other group of companies, internet data’s.

 Primary data: - This is those, which are collected as fresh and for the first Time, and

thus happen to be original in character. There are many ways of data collection of

primary data like questionnaire, observation method, interview method, through

schedules, pantry Reports, distributors audit, consumer panel etc.

[55]
Secondary Data: - Any relevant literature available from the organization on the Company

profile, recruitment & selection procedures, Job specifications (T.I.M.E.), department-wise

break up of manpower strength and the organizational structure.

Other Sources :Appropriate journals, magazines such as Human Capital, relevant newspaper

articles, company brochures and articles on www sites will also be used to substantiate the

identified objective

Methods or Tools used:

The methodology followed comprises of a brief study of the evolution of undergraduate

management entrance test preparation markets and its growth in India.

• Business Development Strategies

As a part of business development strategy various activities like Board center activity, public

relations, would be conducted throughout Delhi/N.C.R in order to reach the target audience.

Collection of information from all possible sources to understand the organization products,

competitor offerings would be done. Promotional techniques used by them would be studied

.•Profiling

Collection of primary & secondary data, its analysis & profiling of the potential customers

would be done by Tele-calling.

• Ghost shopping

In order to gain insights of the strategies of competitors a study would be conducted to gain

knowledge about the business model of various competitors like Career Luncher, I.M.S,

Edumentor, etc. On its basis competitive promotional strategy for Smart Careers would be

[56]
developed. Ghost calls would be made to understand the products of competitors and their

unique selling point.

• Relation building

Interacting with class XII students and their parents in order to get an idea of what all they

expect from an institute preparing for BBA/BBS/BBE entrance exam and also to brief them

about various options one has after XII.This will be done by

:a) Conducting counseling at all centers

.b) Counseling parents & students over phone by telecalling.

c) On the day of the Board exams, interacting with the parents, do short term counseling and give

them brief knowledge of our product and services we offers -:

• Marketing research:

The help of questionnaire & surveys would be taken to conduct this operation. This would be

done towards the end of the project as the company feels it would hinder the operations if

conducted during the peak sales season.

• Direct Sales :

Individual counseling of parents & students would be done to brief them about the product &

services offered by the company & ultimately make the enrollments by convincing them about

the products. This will benefit the company financially.

[57]
RESEARCH DESIGN

 Type of Research: Exploratory research

 Sources of Data: Primary Data & Secondary Data

 Primary Data – Questionnaire administered to employees of big bazaar.

 Secondary Data – Any relevant literature available from the organization on the

Company profile, Marketing Strategy, Job, Competitors Analysis (T.I.M.E.),

department-wise break up of manpower strength and the organizational structure.

 Data Collection Method: Survey Method

 Survey Instrument: Questionnaire (Closed and Open Ended)

 Method of communication: Collect the data through survey of the employees in the

organization

 Sample size: 100 Employees

 Sample unit: VAISHALI

 Sample Survey: Convenience sampling (sample collection).

[58]
CAREER LAUNCHER vs TIME vs IMS

[59]
Competitionis the paradigm of modern day life. The statement may seem ‘clichéd’, but the thirst

for competition has seeds seeped deep in our existence. The demand for rapid growth and

innovation only bolsters this insatiable desire to encourage competition for every available

resource.

Education stands the tallest amongst these resources. India’s top colleges and universities offer

admissions on the basis of performance in competitive entrance examinations. All the best fields

of study such as engineering, medicine, management, humanities and arts have their respective

entrance exams etched to their name.

The morality of such a trend is questionable. To measure students coming from different

backgrounds and struggles on a common pedestal is neither wise nor advisable. However, in a

country as vast as India, there sometimes remains no choice but to accept this problem as a

necessary evil. 

CAREER LAUNCHER VS TIME VS IMS: THE FACTORS?

Distinguishing between coaching centres is a very arduous task considering the similarity these

institutes exhibit. All three of them follow the same syllabus, have the same goal and share

similar teaching patterns. With all of these similarities, how does one choose one over the other?

IMS, Career Launcher or TIME? 

Six factors which are unique to each of these coaching institutes have been listed below. These

factors will help us dissect between these three prominent coaching centres.

[60]
1. Conversion rate

Before taking the decision to join an MBA coaching institute, it is important to find out the

number of students getting admission to top colleges successfully. This factor highlights an

institute’s ability to tap into raw potential and mold it into a successful MBA aspirant turned

student. 

2. Study Material

Coaching institutes design their own study material to cater to their own teaching methodology.

While coaching is important, self-study plays a big part in improving MBA preparation. Students

often rely on study material provided by coaching institutes for self study..

3. Fees

MBA itself is a very expensive course to pursue. Even government institutes like the IIMs charge

a very hefty fee for their two year PGDM programme. Considering the high expense of college,

is spending a pile of money on coaching classes a wise decision? 

Many students choose a cheap classroom programme at a smaller institute instead of spending

more money. To compensate the obvious gap in quality, these students join correspondence

[61]
courses at bigger institutes to remain at par with students attending those coaching classes. Thus

institutes with a lower fee are preferred over the ones with a higher fee. 

4. Flexibility

Amongst the students attending coaching classes, many are sometimes already working with a

company or completing their education. Such students require institutes with flexible class

schedules. Often coaching institutes can be rigid in their approach towards students. It is

advisable to choose coaching classes with a more flexible administration. 

5. Location

While preparing for competitive exams, the greatest resource available to a student is time. The

only problem is its replenishable nature. Thus, time should be considered a valuable resource

during MBA preparation. Often students tend to choose a coaching center two or three hours

away from their home. This mistake reeks of naivety. Students preparing for MBA should avoid

the hassle of travelling long hours and choose an institute near their home. 

6. Personalized Training

Amongst the lakhs of students who sit for MBA entrance exams, the voice of most students gets

lost at times. Personalized training is method with one motto, ‘No man left behind’. Each student

has his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Personalized training helps in bridging the gap

between brilliant students and the ones stuck in the middle. It is a very important aspect which

modern coaching institutes have to ingratiate into their teaching methodology.

[62]
CAREER LAUNCHER (CL)

Spread over 90 cities in India with nearly 170 prep centres, Career Launcher is one India’s

biggest coaching institutes. It provides educational resources for a wide variety of fields such as

MBA, medical, engineering, CBSE, banking, civil services and CA entrance examinations.

Established back in 1996, the founders of Career Launcher are alumni of IIM, highlighting their

obvious pedigree with regards to the management sector.

Out of all these fields, Career Launcher is more popular for its MBA entrance coaching

programmes. This popularity can be attributed to the success they have enjoyed in coaching

MBA aspirants over the years. Some of the highlights of Career Launcher’s MBA packages are

listed below 

 Flexibility in batch timings: Career Launcher isn’t rigid when it comes to organizing

batch schedules. Most students preparing for MBA entrance exams such as CAT, XAT,

NMAT and GMAT are either in their final year of graduation or working at a company.

To cater to this demographic, Career Launcher provides class programmes in weekdays

and weekends with separate morning and evening batches. Students can take up any

batch according to their experience.

 Online presence: Taking a leaf out of the advent of digital media, Career Launcher

offers online preparation courses as well for students who are more comfortable studying

at home. The online course comprises of web seminars, tutorials, digital study material

and notifications on quizzes and exams.

[63]
  Study material: The content is designed by a special team focusing on latest exam

trends. Along with the standard Career Launcher material, additional books are also

suggested for better understanding at times. Career Launcher CAT Test Series is also

amongst the most highly rated preparation modules in the country.

 Proximity to entrance exams: The test series designed by Career Launcher is often

regarded as one of the best preparation series for any MBA aspirant in India. This praise

is down to the close proximity of the test series with actual entrance examinations in

terms of difficulty. 

Career Launcher has many franchises across the metro cities as well as Tier-2 and 3 cities of

India. It’s easy to understand six-step franchise formation process has garnered praise from many

quarters.

TRIUMPHANT INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

(TIME)

TIME is to CAT coaching what rhetoric is to politicians. One of the most trusted names in the

MBA coaching industry, TIME is one of India’s biggest names in the educational sector.

Classroom programmes offered in TIME range from MBA, medical, engineering, CBSE and

banking to civil services and CA. Out of these, TIME CAT coachingis the most sought after

programme. 

Like all great companies, TIME started off in a small office in Hyderabad back in 1992. After 25

years with 250 offices in 120 cities in India, TIME has become an education conglomerate.

Breaking records in terms of results and selections every year, the propensity of TIME to churn

[64]
out top draw IIM quality students stands undiminished. Over 10 students from TIME scored the

perfect 100 percentile in CAT back in 2014. 

Some highlights from the services offered by TIME include:

TEACHING METHODOLOGY:

Teaching at TIME is done in three phases: concept, section-wise and comprehensive training.

This helps in building a cohesive process to learning and organized the manner in which every

topic is taught. Training for post-exam process includes GD and WAT exercises, SOP writing

and interview basics.

TESTING METHODOLOGY:

Apart from building a solid base while teaching, TIME has a unique process for evaluating

students. The evaluation tests are divided into three stages as well- foundation test, intermediate

tests and advanced tests. Besides these tests, special mock tests such as CAT Replica Tests and

All India Mock CAT Test Series are also held to bring students up to the level required to ace

entrance exams.

STUDY MATERIAL:

Years of experience in training CAT aspirants, TIME keeps updating its study material to be in

touch with current trends of entrance exams held around the world.

FACULTY:

Most of the teachers at TIME are experienced professionals from institutions such as IIMs, IITs,

SP Jain etc.The problem some experts cite with TIME is its high intake and lack of personalized

[65]
training. However, this only highlights it popularity and success. Only students capable of taking

care of themselves can excel in an institute like TIME.

IMS

Amongst the oldest coaching institutes in the country, IMS is a prominent name in the Indian

education sector. Founded back in 1977, IMS’s presence is felt in over 70 centres around the

country across 44 cities. Started back then with merely seven students and a rickety table, IMS

stands tall amongst MBA Coaching Institutes. 

Besides CAT, IMS also provides training for other management exams such as XAT, NMAT,

GMAT and MAT as well other fields like Law and Banking. 

Some of the features of the programmes offered at IMS are:

INTENSIVE COACHING: - Following the age-old motto of ‘No guts, no glory’, IMS follows

a similar methodology. Focusing on rigorous training and evaluation throughout the course, IMS

focuses on all aspects of student life to bring the best out of a student. The counseling services at

IMS focus on this very issue.

FLEXIBLE BATCH SCHEDULES: - Like Career Launcher, IMS also has provisions to deal

with students in colleges or working in offices. Batches are scheduled throughout the week to

allow students to join which ever batch they find convenient.

FACULTY: -With a workforce of nearly 1000 experienced professionals, IMS has no dearth of

talented teachers.

PERSONALIZED APPROACH:-Unlike other coaching institutes where students can

sometimes get lost in the crowd, IMS makes an honest effort to take along every student.
[66]
Personal attention to each student during classes adds a touch of flair to the methodology and

inspires them to work even harder. 

Amongst the top 10 rank holders in CAT 2017, two came from IMS.

Based upon the factors mentioned above, a table has been tabulated to
compare these three pillars on India’s MBA coaching factory. 
Factor Career Launcher TIME IMS

Conversion Rate 1000 selections (CAT 2429 selections (CAT 2300 selections (CAT
2016) 2016) 2016)

Study Material (out 4.1 4 3.8

of 5)

Fees Classroom-60,000? Classroom-39,500? Classroom- 44,900?

Correspondence- Correspondence- Correspondence-

12,749?  9,950?  7,965?

Flexibility (out of 5) 4.1 3.2 4.2

Location 90 cities and 170 120 cities and 250 44 cities and 70
centres offices centres

Personalized 3.8 2.7 4

training (out of 5)

Let’s analyze each factor based upon the score mentioned above.

[67]
1. CONVERSION RATE

While data for the total students enrolled has not been shown, selections for top IIMs are better

analyzed by counting the number of selections.

Considering this factor, the performance of TIME and IMS is much better than the like of Career

Launcher. The reasons behind this trend can be attributed to the holistic teaching methodology

adopted by these two institutes. Although results do fluctuate over time, the most recent data

suggests Career Launcher needs to catch up to its counterparts.

2. STUDY MATERIAL

The rating for this category has been awarded purely on the basis of student response. The most

important factor determining the score is the quality of test series each of these institutes’

designs. The best test series for CAT from the above data is provided by Career Launcher. CL

test series is regarded as one of the most trusted modes of preparation before CAT exam. Its

closeness to the level of CAT is considered ideal preparation for candidates before the exam

itself.
[68]
3. FEES

IMS and TIME CAT coaching fees are closes relative to Career Launcher. Although the

correspondence courses are usually around the same mark, classroom programmes show marked

variation when it comes to fees. 

5. LOCATION

TIME has the highest number of centres in India amongst the bunch. From small townships to

major cities, the reason behind TIME becoming a household name in India for MBA coaching is

its wide outreach. Career Launcher and IMS aren’t far behind, but they lack the countrywide

penetration TIME boasts of. 

6. PERSONALIZED TRAINING

As mentioned above, IMS has altered its methodology to inculcate personalized counseling for

students to motivate and inspire them for the coming exams. This feature isn’t unique to IMS,

but amongst the three mentioned above, it is the only one with special catering to students. 

TIME performs poorly in this regard due to massive sample size of students attending their

classroom programmes. Even if they tried, ingratiating such an idea is almost impossible.

[69]
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

[70]
Customer Satisfaction Surveys provide the tools to improve organizational performance &

profitability. Customer loyalty & satisfaction levels can be determined by analyzing the

datagathered from our survey questions. It can help the organization with the following:

 Discover new product & service development ideas.

 Determine what makes your customers loyal.

 Understand customer issues & relationship to your employees.

 Achieve a competitive edge with satisfied customers.

For the research, a survey of 15 questions was formed and 100 respondents (T.I.M.E Students &

parents) were surveyed. The analysis below shows the findings of the questions that were asked

in the questionnaire.

Q1. Which course did you enroll for?

Courses enrolled
CAT 45
MAT 20
BANK / SSC 10
CRT 9
GMAT 7
BBA/ BBS 9

Which course you were enrolled in?

CAT
MAT
BANK / SSC
CRT
GMAT
BBA/BBS

[71]
The survey shows that 45% of the students joined T.I.M.E. for the preparation of CAT, while

20% of the students were enrolled for MAT, 10% for Bank/SSC, 9% each for BBA/BBS and

CRT and rest 7% of the Students for GMAT.

Q2. What do you like most about T.I.M.E.?

What do People like most about the T.I.M.E.?

Test Series 48%
Study Material 14%
Faculty 28%

Test Series
Study Material
Faculty

48% of the students liked the Test Series offered by the T.I.M.E, 28% of the students liked the

Faculty of T.I.M.E, while 14% liked theStudy Material.

Q3. Did you get Proper Motivation fromthe Teachers of T.I.M.E. ?

Did you get Proper Motivation fromthe Teachers of T.I.M.E.

YES 71%
NO 29%

Did you get the proper Motivation

from the Teachers?

NO
29%

YES
71%

71% of the students were satisfied with the motivation from the faculties of T.I.M.E.
[72]
Q4. Did the Centre Manager communicate important Information timely?

ALWAYS 90%
ONLY WHEN ASKED 8%
NEVER 2%

Did the Centre Manager

communicate important information
timely?

8% 2%
Always

Only when asked

Never
90%

90% of the students were satisfied with the information provided by the Centre Managers

whereas only 2% was dissatisfied.

Q5. Was syllabus of all the subjects finished on time?

YES 76%
NO 24%

Was syllabus of all the subjects

finished on time?

24%

Yes No

76%

It is seen that the 76% of the students were satisfied with time taken for the completion of the

syllabus ofvarious subjects whereas 24 % were not satisfied.

Q6. Did the faculties helped in solving the doubts?

[73]
 YES 94%
NO 6%

Did the faculties helped in solving the

doubts?
6%

Yes No

94%

As we can see that the 94% of the students were satisfied with the faculty in solving their doubts.

Q7. Do you think that sufficient numbers of classes were allotted for all the
subjects?

YES 73%
NO 27%

Do you think that sufficient numbers

of classes were allotted for all the
subjects?

27%

Yes No

73%

It is observed that the 73% of the students were totally satisfied with the number of classes

allotted for the various subjects.

[74]
Q8. Were classes held on Time?

Were classes held on Time?

YES 86%
NO 14%

Were classes held on Time?

14%

Yes No

86%

It is seen that the 86% of the students were satisfied with the scheduling of the classes.

Q9. How do you rateoverall Faculty?

Very Good 57%

Good 29%
Average 14%

How do you rate overall Faculty of

T.I.M.E.?
Very Good Good Average

14%

29% 57%

It has been seen that the in total 57% of the students rated the faculty as verygood, 29% of the

students as good only 14% rated them as Average.

[75]
Q10. How do you rate Study Material?

How do you rate Study Material?

Very Good 71%
Good 14%
Average 15%

How do you rate the Study Material?

15% 14%
Very Good

Good

Average

71%

It has been observed that 71% of the student rated the study material as Very good.

Q11. How do you rate test series offered by T.I.M.E.?

How do you rate test series offered by T.I.M.E.?

Very Good 29%
Good 57%
Average 14%

How do you rate the Test Series ?

14%
29% Very Good

Good

Average

57%

Total 86% of the students rated the test series as good and very good.

[76]
Q12. How do you rate infrastructure of the T.I.M.E.?

How do you rate the Infrastructure of the T.I.M.E.?

Good 73%
Average 20%
Poor 7%

7%

20%
Good
Average
Poor
73%

It has been observed that the infrastructure was rated as good by 73% of the students.

Q13. Were your problems/ issues taken seriously?

Were your problems/ issues taken seriously?

Yes 73%
No 27%

Were your problems/ issues taken

seriously?
Yes No

27%

73%

It has been seen that the in total 73% of the Students’ problems were solved within the time
frame.

[77]
Q14. Did you likethe Management at T.I.M.E.?

Did you like the Management at T.I.M.E.?

Yes 71%
No 29%

Did you like the Management at

T.I.M.E.?
No
29%

Yes
71%

71% of the students were satisfied with themanagement of T.I.M.E.

Q15. Will you refer T.I.M.E. to your friends/relatives in future?

Will you refer T.I.M.E. to your friends/relatives in future?

Yes 71%
No 29%

Will you refer T.I.M.E. to your

friends/relatives in future?
No
29%

Yes
71%

71% of the students were satisfied with T.I.M.E. as a whole and would not refer it to their friends

and relatives.

[78]
FINDINGS

Research shows that majority of students enrolled opted for CAT (Management) course .

[79]
Development of this particular product stream can be thought of as it accounts for almost 80%

revenue generation.

Since Media & B.C.A products did not get enough public response, new streams such as CRT,

BBA, Bank P.O, etc. courses can be considered for inclusion in the product range.

After interviewing parents it was found that the major factors which influence their decision of

choosing a coaching institutes are :

 Quality of education ( past records , brand image )

 Product price

 Infrastructure

 Course features

 Faculty qualification

It can be seen by the customer satisfaction survey that most of the students were not happy with

the infrastructure conditions at the various centers. It is because Competitor doesn’t have any

infrastructure of their own, they are using the facilities of the local tuition centers in various

areas without checking the facilities there. Therefore, there should be certain parameters which

every center should satisfy before getting a brand name of T.I.M.E.

[80]
 As T.I.M.E. is active full year they start. Apart from the courses offered, they also conduct

Personality development classes ,which help students to crack the Personal Interview and

thereby helps in boosting their confidence.

According to the students, the syllabus of most of the subjects was not completed on time and

sufficient number of classes was also not allocated to most of the subjects. This has led to

students not referring Competitors Centres to their friends and relatives. This is a very serious

issue on which T.I.M.E. has to pay much heed on.

[81]
LEARNING FROM THE PROJECT

[82]
By far the project has given me immense exposure of the marketing environment & theeducation

sector. There has been learning at each stage of the project. Lot of responsibilities during the

project has helped me to explore the industry completely.Few of my learning at the organization

have been listed below:

From BUSINESS:

I. Understanding education industry and their trends.

II. Competition in Education industry.

III. Understanding organizational structure & their responsibilities.

IV.Employer & Employee relationship.

V. Business development activities.

VI. Flexibility for learning different skills

From INDUSTRY:

I. A little variation in the pricing strategy of the competitors may divert lot of customers. So, a

continuous check over competitor’s products & prices should be kept.

II. In an education industry which has a seasonal operation, promotional strategies are needed to

be updated almost every other day to have an edge over the competitors.

III. Advertising in the form of educational newspapers is the best marketing tool in the education

industry.

IV. A good mix of capital intensive & labor intensive techniques should be used in the

promotional activity & it should be influenced by the demographic factors.

V. Quality of service should be the last resort of any organization.

[83]
VI. While deciding on promotional strategies or distribution material, nothing should be left on

the customer to comprehend; a simple language creates a greater amount of response rather than

using bombardic words.

VII. Temporary workforce has very low accountability; back up of H.R. should always be

present so as to ensure the successful completion of the activity even in case of crisis and back

outs.

VIII. In outdoor publicity activity is always mentally and physically tiring, hence rotation of

workforce to different centers is important to reduce monotony in work.

IX. Promotional activities are all about response generation. During this, the masses should get a

strong reason to respond.

From CUSTOMERS:

I. Customer relationship management with new, existing & also with those customers who reject

the product.

II. Understanding customer needs & dealing with them differently.

III. Profiling of potential customers.

Other Learning:

I. Grooming personality

II. Time management

III. Team management skills

IV. Team player & leadership skills

V. Communication & Interpersonal skills

VI. Conflicts & grievances handling

[84]
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

[85]
According to research work following conclusions & recommendations

can be drawn from the findings.

  The company is having its good brand image in the market and

through the different tie ups, promotional activities, Scholarship

test we can increase the business at less profitable centers. 

  We can work on our attrition rate becausefamiliar trainers and

staffs play the major roles in every year admission 

  Incentive based sales will ensure quality work & hard work from

the workforce.

  Majority (say, 60 %) of the workforce in the organization is part

time or full time interns. Recruitment of the workforce is done on

a random basis as the company doesn’t have a responsible H.R

division. With permanent employees in the organization cost of

training the new employees can be saved.

  Employee transfers in the organization during the operational

period results in employee demotivation. It should be minimized

to boost up employee confidence level.

  Incentive based sales will ensure quality work & hard work from

the workforce.

[86]
Project Limitations

The major constraints or limitation of the project is given below:

• Primarily the project requires a lot of secondary data & the availability of this data forms the

limitation also the precision of the data collected cannot be measured.

• The results and conclusions of the project cannot be generalized as my area of work is

restricted to central zone.

• Exact information about no. of products sold by the competitors would be out only relating to

the time period of the Internship i.e., from June 15th 2017 to July 30th 2017.

[87]
ATTACHEMENTS

[88]
APPENDICES

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

1. Which course you were enrolled in?

 CAT
 BANK / SSC
 MAT
 CRT
 GMAT
 BBS/BBA

2. What do you like most about TIME?

 Faculty
 Study Material
 Test Series
 Others________________

3. Did you get proper motivation from the teachers at TIME?

 Yes
 No

4. Did the Center Manager communicate important information timely?

 Always
 Only when asked
 Never

5. Was syllabus of all the subjects finished on time?

[89]
  Yes
 No

6. Did your faculty help you in solving the doubts?

 Yes
 No

7. Do you think that sufficient number of classes was allotted for all the subjects?

 Yes
 No

8. Were classes held on Time?

 Yes
 No

9. How do you rate Overall Faculty?

 Excellent
 Very Good
 Good
 Average
 Poor

10. How do you rate Study Material?

 Excellent
 Very Good
 Good
 Average
 Poor

11. How do you rate Test Series?

 Excellent
 Very Good
 Good
 Average
 Poor

12. How do you rate Infrastructure?

 Excellent
 Very Good

[90]
  Good
 Average
 Poor

13. Were your problems/issues taken seriously?

 Yes
 No

14. Did you like the management at TIME?

 Yes
 No

15. Will you refer TIME to your friends/relatives in future?

 Yes
 No

16. Please share your experiences and tell us how we can serve better?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Name: _____________________ Address: ______________________

[91]
REFERENCES

• Smart Careers, 2017. Information booklet.

• IMS, 2017. Information booklet.

• T.I.M.E, 2017. Information booklet.

• EduMENTOR, 2017. Information booklet

• Times of India, 2017. [Advertisement], New Delhi, Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd.

• Career & Education Times [2017] , New Delhi

• Hindustan Times, 2017. [Advertisement], New Delhi, Birla Group.

• Kotler Philip, 2007.MARKETING MANAGEMENT, New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India)

Pvt. Ltd. licensees of Pearson Education in South Asia.

• SPSS Conjoint 14.0PDF file, copyright 2005 by SPSS Inc., Printed in the United State of
America.

• SPSS Conjoint 8.0PDF file, copyright 1997 by SPSS Inc., Printed in the U.S.A

WEBSITES :

http://www.imsindia.com [accessed 2 August 2017]

http://www.edumentor.co.in [accessed 2 September 2017]

http://www.en.wikipedia.org [accessed 13 August 2017]

www.businessworld.in[accessed 6 September 2017]

[92]
 www.smartcareers.co.in[accessed 2 August 2017]

www.careerlauncherindia.com[accessed 2 August 2017]

www.expressindia.com[accessed 6 September 2017]

GLOSSARY

BBS- BACHELOR OF BUSINESS STUDIES

BCA - BACHELOR OF BUSINESS APPLICATION

BBA - BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

BBE- BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ECONOMICS

BElEd- BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

HM- Hotel Management

IMS- INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

CL- Career Launcher

T.I.M.E- Triumphant Institute of Management Education Pvt. Ltd.

[93]