Environment challenging but will successfully complete placements: IIM Udaipur Director

The year gone by posed challenges for both engineering and management schools. Placements, which are ongoing, haven’t been smooth either, Professor Ashok Banerjee, Director of IIM Udaipur, told Moneycontrol in an exclusive interview.

Comparing the current placement season to the previous one, he noted a 10 percent variation in terms of students securing jobs. But despite certain companies reducing their campus intake, he remains optimistic “that increased company participation will lead to successful placement outcomes in the next two weeks”.

Edited excerpts:

Recent reports suggest a change in the placement scenario, highlighting a less favourable situation compared to the last few years. What is your perspective on this shift?

This year has been challenging for everyone, including both engineering and management schools. For institutes like ours, placement extends over time, not just in a single week or three days. Our placement process continues until January, with no placements in the last week of December due to the holiday season.

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Comparing this year to the previous one, we observe a 10 percent difference, with some students yet to be placed. However, our placements typically conclude by the middle or end of January. Our batch includes around 320 two-year MBA students and 110 one-year MBA students. Although some companies have reduced their intake from the campus, we are confident that with more companies participating, we will successfully complete the placements in the next two weeks.

What about the sector-wise hiring trends?

In the current job market, consulting, banking, and financial services sectors are actively hiring. However, sectors such as marketing, retail, and manufacturing show limited hiring as they increasingly adopt automation.

We offer specialised MBA programmes in supply chain and digital enterprise, attracting unique companies that exclusively recruit from our one-year MBA programs. While AI skills are sought after, traditional IT companies have reduced their intake. Even large e-commerce platforms Flipkart and Amazon have scaled back, and are no longer hiring in double digits.

Over the last 3-5 years, have there been notable changes in enrolment trends at your institute?

As an AACSB-accredited institution, diversity in the classroom is a significant parameter for evaluation. This encompasses both societal and academic diversity. Affirmative action has facilitated wide socio-economic diversity, addressing one aspect.

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However, academic diversity, acknowledging the dominance of engineering backgrounds in Indian B-schools, has become a focus. Currently, non-engineering students, including those with backgrounds in physics or English, account for nearly 30 percent of our enrolment. This marks a conscious effort to reduce the reliance on engineering backgrounds, shifting from 90 percent to 70 percent in recent years.

How do you train management students for AI's role in corporate decision-making, considering its impact on organisational behaviour in major companies?

At IIM, our MBA programmes emphasise three horizontal themes: sustainability, digitalisation (including AI), and entrepreneurship/innovation. Sustainability is integrated into various courses, addressing environmental impacts. The digital theme covers modules on AI, digital marketing, operations, product management, fintech, and more.

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Students, regardless of programme duration, undergo AI-related courses and learn programming languages such as Python and Ruby. Additionally, students in the digital enterprise management programme engage in a four-month industry project, specifically focusing on digital transformation.

Have industries provided feedback about the specific skills lacking in management students, for additional training? If so, please share some instances.

We regularly receive feedback from recruiters and industry experts. While not all suggestions are immediately integrated into our core curriculum, if a consensus emerges across organisations, we consider incorporating it.

Typically, we introduce changes as electives or co-curricular activities, without disrupting the core curriculum. For instance, two years ago, based on feedback, we added a visualisation course using Tableau because visualisation is not required for only one industry but across. Likewise, we try to provide students with essential skills applicable across industries.

With the evolving landscape of generative AI, various institutes have changed their assessment models for college assignments. Where does IIM Udaipur stand?

Adapting to the prevalence of tools like GPT, we faced challenges last year with take-home assignments as students naturally utilised these resources. Instead of discouraging usage, we incorporated it into the curriculum.

For instance, in our written communication course, students now write their assignments and then input them into ChatGPT for self-evaluation. They underline differences between their original work and the AI-generated output, allowing for self-correction. Instructors then review the use of ChatGPT as part of the assessment process.

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Additionally, we’ve shifted towards in-class examinations and quizzes for certain courses, minimising reliance on take-home assignments to address concerns. The focus is on encouraging the adoption of such methods in communication courses.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 urges institutions such as the IITs and IIMs to embrace a holistic and multidisciplinary approach. How do you perceive this, given that IIMs traditionally have a niche focus?

There’s no external pressure, but there’s a contemplation on diversifying our product portfolio in alignment with the NEP and the IIM Act. While we aren’t considering undergraduate programmes, the opportunity lies in diversifying between two-year MBAs and master's programmes.

With the shift from offering diplomas to degrees, particularly in PhD programmes, we can explore attracting students from emerging and nearby countries for full-degree courses. International student exchange, both in MBA and PhD programmes, presents an untapped area for growth.

However, as a business school with limited faculty and already in the global ranking space, cautious diversification is key. Our focus is on creating a diversified product mix with variations in duration (two years vs one year) and mode (online vs offline). Additionally, we aim to enhance internationalisation, gradually incorporating both faculty and students into our campus community.

The rise of Executive MBA programmes has been noteworthy, with IIM Udaipur itself launching one. What changes have led senior management professionals to pursue such programmes?

The trend in Executive MBA programmes has roots in the history of online education in India, dating back to 2006-2007, initially focusing on certificate courses of shorter durations. Companies sponsored these programmes for employee retention and upskilling. However, regulations limited offerings to certificates or, at most, diplomas with longer durations.

Professionals who, for various reasons, couldn’t pursue an MBA during their initial academic journey now find the need for a management degree to progress in their careers.

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Many resorted to online programmes from foreign universities. With the recent legal amendments allowing IIMs to offer degrees online, there’s an opportunity to fulfil this demand domestically. Recognising this, IIMs, with their expertise in online education since 2006, are well-positioned. The challenge now lies in differentiation, as more institutes enter this space, indicating a growing demand for Executive MBA programmes.

How do you intend to establish a unique selling proposition (USP) for your programme?

The first differentiation is a multi-level entry-exit structure. Recognising that the two-year continuous format might not suit all executives, our programme is modular. Participants can earn a diploma upon completing a portion of the programme and return later to convert it into a degree. Even those with certificates from other IIMs three years ago can join and receive course waivers.

The second unique aspect involves leveraging advanced technologies. We plan to incorporate Virtual Reality (VR) modules to provide participants with a transformational learning experience, taking them through simulation exercises using VR. Understanding the time constraints of busy professionals, our third differentiation involves an extended session structure. Each class will have an additional half hour dedicated to tutorials or Q&A to ensure effective learning within the limited time.

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The fourth differentiation focuses on nurturing entrepreneurial aspirations. We have introduced a platform called ‘p2p Exchange’, where participants can brainstorm ideas. Successful concepts may receive mentorship through our incubator unit, fostering entrepreneurial skills among participants.
Lastly, recognising the challenge executives face in interacting with top leadership, we plan to organise monthly online fireside chats with CXOs.

Over the 24-month programme, each participant will have the opportunity to interact with 24 different CXOs, offering insights and networking opportunities.