eager to expand
Janat Shah, Director, IIM Udaipur says, “Considering the need for digital technology in business and management education due to changes in the nature of the industry due to the pandemic, IIM-U has launched a full-time one-year course on digital . Enterprise Management, which has helped the institute to carve a niche in the digital space.”
At IIM Raipur, modern day MBA education has been introduced in the form of Center for Digital Economy, which offers courses like supply chain management, says Ram Kumar Kakani, Director, IIM Raipur. “The fact that a young institution like ours has a National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) of 15 shows that we are on the right track of providing future relevant courses.”
Bhimaraya Metri, Director, IIM Nagpur, says, “The pandemic changed the industry and the products in the market changed rapidly. Situated in the heart of an industrial hub, we are focused on upskilling and reskilling executives who can meet the shifting demand. We are positioned in providing long term executive education and short term certificate courses. In this format, blockchain, cyber security and data science are our special programs.”
DP Goel, Director, IIM Shillong says, “It is our focus to inculcate compassion and a value system in all students. We have started a compulsory community internship, in which students visit nearby villages, understand their issues , and come back with possible solutions. Our teaching-learning process also focuses on sustainability,” he adds.
inclusive in nature
While some higher education institutions may have a slightly apathetic attitude towards the inclusion of students from marginalized sections, the new IIMs are going out of their way to ensure welcoming of all students, says Kakani. “At IIM Raipur, out of the total student strength of 519, 261 students are from socially challenged categories of SC/ST and OBC.
The new IIMs are focusing on increasing gender diversity as girls account for 25% of the total student strength at IIM Nagpur, and 40% female students at IIM Shillong.
clear up misconceptions
For IIM Shillong, the location was considered a deterrent for the students. “Earlier, some companies were hesitant to come to our campus for placements, but the shift to an online mode has helped during the pandemic. As we have seen, there has been a 25% increase in employers in the last two years. We have also opened a satellite center in Guwahati so that recruiters can participate in our recruitment process.
On new IIMs not having access to quality faculty, Meitri says, “As new IIMs, access to funding is a minor issue, retaining quality faculty can be problematic. Might have to depend on visiting faculty, but trying to find a solution at the earliest.”