The incoming class of 2022 at MICA, Ahmedabad - India’s premier management school for Strategic Marketing and Communication, has set a new gender diversity benchmark, with nearly 90% of the Fellow Program in Management (FPM), almost 70% of the Crafting Creative Communication (CCC), and almost 55% of the flagship PGDM-C and PGDM are women. While MICA has always maintained its position as among the most genderdiverse B-school, this year has been a record year.
Commenting on the increase in female representation, Dr. Shailendra Raj Mehta, President & Director, MICA, said, “Admissions at MICA are purely based on merit. Our entrance test MICAT not only tests for analytical skills but also for the creative skills of the students. We look for students whose left brain capabilities are as high as their right brain capabilities. It is because of this difference that MICAns stand out. “Women are naturally creative. As a result, without any preference being granted to them, they stand out in our tests, leading to all three of our programs being majority female this year. We also have a substantial proportion of women faculty members – now nearing 50%.”
He added, “MICA also ensures a nurturing environment. Last year, we launched ‘MIVoice Matters,’ a conversational series where the women of MICA shared their experiences at the workplace and about issues such as work-life balance, etc. It was designed as a safe place, of, by and for women.”
The new batch of PGP has a total of 119 female students and 97 male students as against 103 female students and 113 male students last year. For the FPM doctoral program this year, there are 7 female students and 1 male student whereas for Crafting, Creative, Communications (CCC), out of 41 students, 27 are female students and 14 are male students.
Dr. Preeti Shroff, Dean, MICA, shared her views as, “We warmly welcome the new batch of MICAns, and are delighted to see the growing number of female students represented across all programs at MICA. These qualified women professionals arrive from all over India and contribute to a women-friendly campus, caring community, and exciting academic learning culture. MICA’s curriculum emphasizes life long learning to nurture future-ready women leaders. We encourage debates and discussions on issues faced by women in the workplace and society in India and around the world. What makes MICA a unique community is also the participation of men who understand, respect, and support their women fellow-students.”
“Based on my interactions with students, I would say that women students find MICA to be a safe space where diverse views and ideas are welcomed, and equal opportunity is provided to all genders,” said Professor Ruchi Tewari, Chair, Admissions at MICA.
Student Speak
For Deveshi Jaisalmeria, who hails from Jaipur, choosing MICA was mainly for its congenial environment. She says, “At MICA, we do not just study, but we learn. The faculty, as well as the students, are supportive and friendly. Here, ideas are not discarded. Instead, they are nurtured. In my opinion, this makes MICA unique.”
Shrutika Chaudhary from Noida said, “MICA lets its students' spirits run free, there are no limitations set to our ideas and thoughts, and at least in the three weeks so far, I have observed that we are always encouraged to question everything. As compared to other institutions, MICA initiates interactions and discussions on art, movies, and other cultural subjects, and we are encouraged to develop our own opinions on everything.
Year-wise data:
| PGP Batch | Female | Male | Total |
| 2020-22 | 119 | 97 | 216 |
| 2019-21 | 103 | 113 | 216 |
| 2018-20 | 86 | 94 | 180 |
| 2017-19 | 85 | 95 | 180 |
| 2016-18 | 84 | 96 | 180 |
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