asking for impossible

I do not know how many of us have heard of TAS. The first time I came to know about it was during 1980s when I was the student at an Indian premier business school. For a fortnight or so the school campus had been bustling with the life; companies of the repute came rushing for campus recruitment of the best possible lot. But then that day in the campus there was a sudden commotion. Tingled with excitement and looking at each other quizzically, the students would curiously discuss about the recruitment plans of TAS. Someone had learned from the placement office of the institute that TAS might invite resume for recruitment from our batch. 

TAS, formerly known as the ‘Tata Administrative Service’ is a Tata Group resource that was conceived by J.R.D. Tata, the late chairman of the Tata Group in 1957. It was aimed at the selection and grooming of young managers and to provide them with the opportunities for professional growth using that pool of talent as a resource to be tapped by companies across the Tata Group.

Today also TAS is the only Indian employer among the 10 most preferred recruiters at Indian B-school campuses according to A Nielsen’s Campus Track 2006 survey. It invites resume applications from the selected 7 management institutes. A GMAT score of 650 and the maximum age of 27 are now often being stated as a need for TAS by those within the Tata Group. The selection process has a requirement of needing at least two appraisals if the pathway for entry is from within the Tata Group. The first year as a TAS Manager consists of four cross-functional, cross-business, and cross-location assignments. These include three 15-week business stints in sales and marketing, manufacturing and operations, and corporate strategy, finance and human resources and one seven-week rural assignment. Upon completion of the first year the TAS managers are placed with different group companies.

The entry into the TAS during our times was very tough. It involved several bouts of unimaginably rigorous selection processes. The initial short listing itself was not quite easy. It required a strong, high profile family background of the candidate. It was only when the recruiters satisfied themselves with the family background of the candidates, that the further action would be taken. In the entire history of about 25 years of our institute half a dozen boys (from the institute) were hired by TAS.

Bharat Mandloi, my class fellow, was one such fellow who was all ears to know the fate of the recruitment plans of TAS. Perhaps because of his apparently strong family background he was with his fingers crossed. TAS came and TAS went. It did not find a single candidate with the required family background. What surprised many, including me, was that Bharat’s maternal grandfather was the ex-Cabinet Secretary of government of India (I had a chance to speak to the grand old man when he last came to visit the city) and his paternal grandfather, the ex-Chief Minister of his state.

Bharat always spoke of joining Tata Exports and avoided appearing in the campus interview of several other companies. At the end of the day he was one of the two boys selected by Tata Exports. Bharat is now a days a leading business man operating from Singapore.