As part of the Leadership Training Module (LTM) at IES MCRC, a four-day Outbound Training (OBT) program was organised for the first-year PGDM and PGDM-PM students at Kolad, Maharashtra. Outbound Training has long been an integral part of the institute’s philosophy of experiential learning, enabling students to understand leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving in an environment away from the traditional classroom.

The program was conducted in collaboration with Empower Camps, a reputed organisation known for its structured and professionally designed outdoor leadership and adventure-based training modules. Their experienced trainers ensured that the students benefited from a blend of physical, strategic, and team-based challenges in a safe and well-supervised setting.

Batch 1 attended the camp from December 3 to 4, followed by Batch 2 from December 5 to 6, 2025. Faculty members from IES MCRC accompanied each batch to facilitate reflection sessions and observe student engagement.

The schedule involved early morning assemblies, structured activities, and debriefing sessions where students discussed their learning and connected it to managerial concepts such as communication, leadership, resourcefulness, and resilience.

Empower Camps’ facilitators played a key role in setting the tone for each activity, explaining the objective, expected behavioural outcomes, and team dynamics involved. Despite the demanding nature of some exercises, the students participated wholeheartedly and demonstrated growing levels of initiative and cooperation as the program progressed.

Highlights of Activities

Students participated in a series of structured tasks designed to enhance leadership and teamwork.

• Key Punch introduced students to quick decision-making and coordinated execution.
• Raft Building and Rowing required teams to design a functional raft and navigate it on water, reinforcing cooperation and trust.
• Split Pipe tested precision and seamless communication within teams.
• Exercise Prahar, a set of commando-style endurance drills, challenged students physically and mentally, helping them build resilience and confidence.

Although the activity descriptions were brief, each task offered meaningful insights into collaboration, problem-solving, and individual responsibility.

Students across both batches displayed discipline, cooperation, and strong team spirit. The unfamiliar setting encouraged them to work closely with peers they might not interact with regularly, strengthening bonding and improving communication. Faculty observed emerging leadership qualities, better coordination, and increased confidence among participants.