MBA admission in Indian B Schools is a fairly weird process in comparison to that of foreign B Schools. In India, the admission process requires a candidate to have some work experience and in certain B-schools, it even carries a certain weightage. But during Final Placements, this scenario changes entirely as the recruiters prefer freshers over experienced candidates. The major reasons for this contrast are:

• The recruiters offering Marketing roles are on the lookout for candidates who can initially go through a sales job for a few years. They believe that the route to Marketing is through sales only. Now Sales requires a lot of traveling that too to rural areas. The recruiters know that these tough job conditions cannot be undertaken by Experienced professionals and thus prefer freshers who they can mold easily.
• The companies offering Finance roles know that the candidates with prior work experience won’t be working for the long hours they require them to. So they prefer freshers who can work long hours without complaining.

Recruiters are looking for candidates with work experience of not more than 11-12 months. Honestly, this strategy is illogical as a person with more work experience is bound to excel much better than a fresher, and restricting him from getting a job just because they cannot be exploited to the fullest extent is a bit cruel. 

The scenario is pretty much the opposite in foreign countries that prefer MBA candidates with work experience only. This is because in India MBA is considered a way to become more employable or earn a fatter cheque. Whereas in the West, it is a means to upgrade your career and take it to new heights. The entire concept of MBA is at fault in India thereby this illogical strategy.

In my opinion, MBA candidates should have a work experience of at least 1 year, only then they can harness the MBA program to the fullest and not approach it just as a source of placements.