A dedicated IPMAT aspirant must day dream about getting into one of the prestigious Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) at Indian Institute of Management (IIM). Be it IIM Indore, Rohtak, Jammu or Bodhgaya, the goal of your dream institute can be at times overwhelming and often tiresomely demotivating. Often to avoid burnout at this time, aspirants like taking motivation from leaders they look up to. If you are someone who inspires from their idols, this article is for you! This fun yet motivational takes a hypothetical dive and imagines what history would look like if the world’s most iconic CEOs sat through IPMAT… 

Like the exam demands a blend of analytical power, communication skills, logical and quick thinking, yielding inspiration from the real-life background of these thought leaders can add value. Hitbullseye has speculated who would likely pass (all of them, you might think!). Let's dive in and draw inspiration from these motivational lessons.

You all might know Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani quite well. He is the chairman of Reliance Industries and hails from Mumbai. He is now one of the richest men globally estimated at a net worth of $108 billion, however, that wasn’t always the case. Ambani holds a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) and briefly attended Stanford for an MBA before returning to build his father's empire. He always had something to build further, but he decided to first complete his education. 

If Mukesh Ambani were to focus at IPMAT, his interest and mindset towards engineering would allow him to crush Quantitative Ability questions, especially in applied math like ratios and processes, mirroring his petrochemical innovations. With his practice to deliver clear vision statements, his Verbal Ability is now professional. His strategic decision making, like that of Jio’s launch shows exceptional puzzle solving skills, making Logical Reasoning his strong suit. 

Would Ambani pass? Yes, with exceptional performance! To inculcate that motivational nudge in you, try taking inspiration from real-world problem solving techniques to trump theory. Focus on Data Interpretation sets to channel entrepreneurial spirit and secure your IPM future.

Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet (Google’s parent) holds an impressive professional trajectory that screams IPMAT is a piece of cake for him! Pichai completed his Bachelor’s in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and went on to pursue Master's in Materials Science from Stanford and an MBA from Wharton.

Now imagine this talent preparing for the IPMAT. His global exposure and knowledge towards articulate leadership, which is quite evident through his TED talks and interviews, would make Verbal Ability a breeze for him. Further, since he has been consuming annual reports and business briefs as a daily routine, followed by giving interviews makes him subconsciously practice and ace reading comprehension along with building on vocabulary. Since the ladder upwards, being the CEO of Alphabet has given Pichai practice in regards to crisis management and problem solving, allowing him to recognize strong patterns. By now, he should be skilled to innovate Logical Reasoning. 

As a young talent, Pichai can confidently leverage his STEM and Quantitative strengths, to finally be equipped to turn his challenge of appearing in IPMAT as an opportunity, just as he did from IIT to Silicon Valley… so can you! 

Born in Mumbai, Falguni Nayar is the Founder and CEO of Nykaa. She started her journey with a Bachelor's in Commerce from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, went on to an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. After completing her education, she began her career at Kotak Mahindra Bank, which honed her financial expertise before she transitioned to entrepreneurship by launching Nykaa.

Fictionally, Falguni Nayar’s commerce roots would leverage her knowledge to ace Quantitative Ability questions. With little practice and concept clarity, she can easily master finance-like problems such as those in arithmetic, data interpretation, and logical puzzles. Further, in terms of Verbal Ability, her persuasive communication skills are known to propel Nykaa’s innovative culture, which can help Nayar handle vocabulary and critical reasoning.

Lastly, the elephant question of would she pass? Absolutely! With a stellar score that safely reflects her visionary approach. IPMAT warriors can take inspiration from Nayar’s journey and teach themselves the importance of establishing concept foundation along with consistent practice mocks to adapt you to ace that IIM edge!

Born in South Africa, Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Physics from the University of Pennsylvania but decided to drop out of Stanford's PhD program. Apart from his educational trajectory, he has also demonstrated interest to learn coding since the age of 12 with consistent resilience and determination. 

Talking about IPMAT, his educational expertise would help him crack Quantitative Ability, leveraging innovation from calculus and probability questions. His infamous tweeting controversies would inversely bless him with Verbal Ability and his rapid thinking would help him ace Logical Reasoning. 

Answering the question of would he pass? Likely! Musk’s self learning can spark his knowledge further and motivate him to go beyond the books, tackle advanced puzzles, stay curious and innovate his way to IIM success. Can it innovate yours?

If the above-mentioned CEOs would let themselves spiral in self-doubt and these whimsical thoughts of what if, they would never have reached where they are today! Their journey proves that IPMAT is a stepping stone in testing your confidence, hard work, consistency and smart application skills. Common entrance tests like IPMAT are just stepping stones to a much wider and beautiful journey! Stay motivated, dedicate more time in strengthening your weaknesses, take mock tests seriously and remind yourself that perseverance pays.