84 % of top Indian B-School students prefer consulting as a career: TCS survey

About 84 per cent of business school students in India prefer consulting as a career, as it provides global engagement opportunities and good mentoring programmes, according to a survey by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

Eight out of the 10 students surveyed would like to take up consulting as a career, while 79.2 per cent of surveyed have a positive opinion of consulting, reveals the survey, which was carried out in collaboration with the Association of Management Consulting Firms (AMCF).

''The insights from this study will be invaluable in helping the consulting profession increase its appeal to high-calibre MBA students in India, an important source of global talent,'' said J. Rajagopal, executive vice president and Head of TCS' Global Consulting Practice.

About 20 per cent of the respondents were women, and 63 per cent of women view consulting as a favourable career choice.

More than half of the respondents were of the opinion that consulting companies provide global engagement opportunities, while 41.3 per cent of students with prior experience in IT or consulting are more interested in consulting.

The students are more likely to choose consulting if an internship is offered by consulting companies, while mentoring programs also attract students to this profession.

The online survey carried out during November-December 2012, surveyed 979 students from India's top 10 B-schools. They were asked about their interest in consulting as a career, what influenced their opinions about consulting, and their perceptions about specific issues, including work-life balance, and career options post-consulting.