In The ‘A’ League of IIMs

What makes an institution maintain its lead amid a galaxy of competition is not only the legacy but having ears to the ground and innovating according to the changing spirit of times. This is what IIM Ahmedabad, the first IIM to be launched in 1961, along with IIM Calcutta, stands for. In an earlier interview with BW Businessworld, Director Errol D'Souza had said, “A significant contributor to our accomplishments is that we have been continually re-inventing and evolving to ensure that we remain relevant…. IIM Ahmedabad has earned the distinction of an institute of excellence in imparting education at par with global standards, creating knowledge through cutting-edge research, and supporting policy making in line with its mission of influencing business and societal advancement.”

Spirit of reinvention

In keeping with that spirit of reinvention, the institute has unveiled a “redesigned website as well as a refreshed logo to enhance its digital and global reach”. As per the announcement on the institute website dated November 3, “The idea was to make it more engaging with the prospective students, alumni, current students & faculty and reflect the institute’s voice as a global leader in research, teaching, and innovation while maintaining the bold & global image of the institute. In a digital-first ecosystem, it was important to adapt to a more user-friendly interface. New features have been added which will make the site compatible with various formats such as smartphones.”

About the logo, it says, “For a digital-first world, the refreshed logo has ‘IIMA’ as a single wordmark which is a recognition of the unique identity of the Indian Institute of Ahmedabad as an institute of national importance that is built on the association with this city since its inception.”

While the institute boasts of some iconic buildings designed by the legendary Louis Kahn, it has also announced the reconstruction of some buildings on the old campus. “The Institute takes pride in its antecedents and the rich legacy including the iconic architecture, which was all pivotal in its growth into a premier world-class institution. However, over time, some of the buildings have been facing structural damage, and deterioration and have become uninhabitable, posing a safety concern for the campus's residents,” the announcement says.

Making the campus green through ground-water harvesting, drip irrigation, roof-top solar generators, energy-saving appliances, and composting are important dimensions of working in tandem with time. 

Vibrant campus

Attracting the brightest of brains – both faculty and students – the institute has an invigorating academic atmosphere that is practice-driven and geared towards industry needs. There are constant industry partnerships and tie-ups, like, for example, a ‘Nykaa Chair in Consumer Technology’, for which the agreement was signed with IIM-A alumna and Nykaa Founder Falguni Nayar, or a partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation for research, advisory and student projects.

While the experience has meant different things to different people, most passouts vouch for the great learning atmosphere. Santosh Desai, IIM-A alumnus, columnist, author, and MD & CEO of Futurebrands India, says, “The greatest value of B-schools is not what happens in the classrooms. It’s in the discussions with batchmates and friends, in the dorms. The conversations that you have with very intelligent people, coming from very diverse backgrounds, and the ability to work with them is the biggest takeaway for me.” (Read “Pressure Creates Its Own Bonds”, page XX)

As far as academics are concerned, he points to the case study method of pedagogy, “which I think was a good idea because it’s a dramatic shift from the education that you have till graduation level”. There were no textbooks. And the tests were also about cases, he informs.

Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder & Executive Vice-Chairman, Info Edge, shares his experience at IIM Ahmedabad: “I have never worked harder in my life than I did in those two years…. It's academically rigorous, competitive and it’s a very high bar for grades.” (Read the article “All Illusions About One’s Smartness Quickly Dispelled”, pg XX)

Placements

The rigour and reputation of the institute also translate into the phenomenal placements that the institute sees each year. As per the placement details provided by the Institute for the final placement process for the PGP class of 2021 all the students were placed across more than 20 cohorts. 

The summer internships also draw leading corporates. For the PGP batch of 2023, 132 companies, including 53 new recruiters, participated.  And all 389 students of the batch found meaningful placement. 

The 2022 batch of the Post Graduate Programme in Management for Executives (PGPX) had 121 out of 136 students seeking placement, and 119 students had accepted the offer.