finance MBA gets dollar-paying jobs much easier, so it offers a bigger return on investment, while a marketing MBA gets jobs specific to the Indian market. Do students agree?

"No!" is the resounding answer from B-school campuses.

Shradha Damani, who is pursuing her marketing MBA at Welingkar, Mumbai [ Images ], thinks success is all about "individual skills, aptitude and initiative" regardless of specialisation. She adds that marketing offers better growth challenges. 

Rupesh Srivastav, who is doing a finance MBA at NMIMS, Mumbai, does not agree either, but his reasons are different. He feels "returns depend on the institute one graduates from." 

Mirap Trivedi, a marketing batchmate at NMIMS, nods in approval. Earnings depend on "the kind of companies that come to your campus for recruitment," he says.

Miten Jain, who is pursuing a finance MBA at Welingkar, thinks sectoral cycles also play a role. Besides, some companies allow you "to hold twin portfolios of finance and marketing".

To Rahul Sabharwal, who is doing his post-grad programme at IIM-A, the issue is not based on return-on-investment, but on a choice of lifestyle.

Initial pay packets make no difference to his batchmate Sharath Coorg either. To Coorg's mind, the calculation should be driven by a single factor: ambition. "Marketing has been traditionally recognised as the most critical business function," he says, "and a company invariably prefers a marketing man to lead the company." 

But what are Sabharwal and Coorg's specialisations? None. IIM-A doesn't have any.

How come? "It gives students the flexibility to mix and match courses from different streams," they reply in unison.

What do you think? Is a finance MBA better than a marketing MBA? Or will any kind of MBA do? Do let us know.

Don't forget to add your age, educational qualification, the institute/university where you studied and your contact number.

The last date for sending in your views is July 20. E-mail us now!