IIM NAGPUR
Leading the Way for Industry-Academia Collaboration with Its Considerate Approach
The Incredibly Growing Business School in 2024
We are all living in a rapidly evolving world. Those who rely on a particular skillset need to understand that the shelf life of skills is constantly diminishing. Especially students need to become adept change-masters, capable of navigating unfamiliar roles in yet-to-be-established companies. The uncertainty of post-graduation scenarios underscores the importance of preparing students to embrace new challenges and opportunities as they emerge.
Given this backdrop, IIM Nagpur has launched a revolutionary teaching methodology based on research-based insights to empower its students and alumni with modern learning methods that resonate with the contemporary world.
In exclusive talks with Dr. Bhimaraya Metri, our team conversed about various facets of the Institution’s excellence in Business Studies. In this article, let’s explore some insights shared by the luminary.
Worth More Than A Glance
IIM Nagpur has the reputation of being an Institution renowned for its transformative impact. Today, it stands tall in the Business Education landscape, crafting countless success stories that resonate across the student community. Its unwavering commitment to excellence and industry integration has positioned it as a beacon of innovation and learning.
In fostering industry connections and collaborations, IIM Nagpur has pioneered a robust Executive Education Division. The Administration always focuses on embodying a two-fold approach. Firstly, it provides tailor-made short-term programmes catering to esteemed organizations like Coal India Limited, Western Coalfields, Lupin, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, NLC India, MOIL, Bharat Petroleum, Samsung, etc. These steps empower senior and top management leaders with specialized skills.
Secondly, the Institution offers a diverse range of long-term postgraduate certificate programmes and proudly hosts 24 distinct offerings. Dr. Metri shed light on the ground-breaking 1st Cyber Security Programme, a pioneering initiative in collaboration with FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis, followed by an in-house venture. This programme, including Blockchain, marks unprecedented educational strides, attracting participation from global cohorts.
Moreover, IIM Nagpur actively undertakes Consultancy projects in collaboration with esteemed organizations such as Larsen and Toubro, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra, Bosch, Titan, and the National Cancer Research Institute. These engagements serve as practical learning opportunities and inform the Institution about industry trends and emerging skills, enriching the academic discourse within MBA classrooms.
Committed to Student Welfare
The Institute’s commitment to connecting Industry Leaders is exemplified by its distinguished Business Leadership Series. This interactive platform features prominent CEOs and Industry Leaders as a living library of entrepreneurial wisdom, offering students a golden opportunity to glean knowledge directly from the industry pioneers.
Dr. Metri also mentioned the Institute’s incorporation of practitioneroriented courses, such as Sales and Distribution and Consumer Behaviour, where industry experts conduct the entire course. This approach allows students to dive into Business Education with the latest information, trends, and insights into corporate disruptions. These methods are a part of the holistic approach adopted by the Business School, encompassing teaching, training, research, and consulting.
The holistic nature of the Business School implies that new knowledge generated through these avenues is reinvested into teaching, benefiting the student community. Furthermore, industryrelated research plays a crucial role, with its findings contributing to the development of the academic curriculum and enhancing the learning experience for students.
Thought Curriculum
To keep the curriculum updated according to industry needs, Dr. Metri elucidated that the Institution conducts a comprehensive review of its curriculum every two to three years. Within the past two years, a complete overhaul of the curriculum has been executed. This process involves 16 corporate leaders from various sectors collaborating with the faculty curriculum review committee in devising a new MBA curriculum.
Core courses were refined during these meetings, and elective courses were identified. The curriculum revision was aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, reflecting the Institution’s commitment to staying current with the educational reforms.
Simultaneously, the curriculum has been customized to remain relevant to the industry trends and disruptions, reflecting a dual objective of aligning with NEP guidelines and adding value to the rapidly changing corporate landscape.
New courses have been introduced to address emerging needs. Courses like ‘Indian Ethos & Business Ethics’ and ‘Corporate Governance, CSR & Sustainability’ emphasize ethics and sustainability in business practices. Additionally, recognizing the importance of mental well-being in high-pressure corporate environments, a course titled ‘Science of Happiness’ was created to explore proactive stress management and well-being measures.
The Institution’s acknowledgment of the significant influence of Indian culture and traditions in global leadership allowed to launch courses such as ‘Management Perspectives from History & Scriptures,’ aligning with the ethos of the National Education Policy’s emphasis on the Indian Knowledge System.
‘Change Masters of India’ is also a remarkable addition to this series. The core focus is on keeping the value of tradition at the forefront while teaching the students, asserts Dr. Metri. He adds, “we reside in a disruptive world where everyday contexts and skillsets are changing.”
The Role of Common Admission Process
Discussing the 2024 admission process, Dr. Metri explains that IIM Nagpur joined the Common Admission Process (CAP) this year, marking a significant milestone as the Institute becomes a Member Institution under CAP.
This move is underscored by the recent announcement of CAT results, where IIM Nagpur emerged as one of the top choices among students in terms of the number of interested applicants, out of 2.88 lakh candidates.
Despite being a newcomer to the CAP process, IIM Nagpur’s popularity is evident, as it accounts for a large number of students’ interest among the participating institutions. This trend validates the decision to join CAP, as it simplifies the admission process for students and reduces the logistical challenges associated with multiple interviews and examinations.
By adopting CAP, IIM Nagpur ensures students have a streamlined experience, with one exam and interview as the gateway to multiple institutions. This approach benefits students and allows IIM Nagpur to access a larger pool of potential candidates, enhancing the Institution’s diversity and academic excellence.
Staying Relevant to The Business Community
IIM Nagpur is the epicenter of 96 companies within the MIHAN Multiproduct Economic Zone. It has held a unique position for years, bridging academia and industry. Located in the Industrial Zone, IIM Nagpur knows the business community’s pulse.
It symbolizes its strategic location at national and industrial levels, underscoring its commitment to fostering a strong connection between business education and real-world practices. Through a myriad of events, activities, and conferences, the Institute actively builds a robust interface between academia and industry, propelling the industryacademia interaction to new heights.
In 2023, IIM Nagpur hosted many prestigious conferences that reflected dedication to advancing knowledge exchange and collaboration. The Zero Mile Samvad (ZMS) Conference gathered industry leaders, government officials, and thought leaders from various sectors to discuss navigating disruptions in the evolving business landscape. Insights and strategies were shared on adapting to changing work dynamics, facing disruptions, and leveraging innovation to stay ahead in the competitive market.
Another mega-event was the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Working Group 8.6 Conference, focusing on Information Systems Research and Industry-Institute Connect. Renowned researchers and scholars from around the world converged at Nagpur to share cutting-edge research trends and discuss the evolving dynamics of industry-academia partnerships.
Additionally, in collaboration with the German organization Humanistic Management Network (HMN), IIM Nagpur hosted the 11th Annual Humanistic Management Conference, bringing together HR leaders from India and Germany to address challenges posed by technological advancements and automation. This conference delved into managing Human Resources in an increasingly automated world, emphasizing the importance of maintaining human values and sustainability amidst technological disruptions. `
Dr. Metri affirms that such gatherings allow the convenient exchange of new knowledge and facilitate valuable networking opportunities and collaborative research endeavors. Additionally, IIM Nagpur’s recent collaboration with the Vidarbha Management Association (VMA) led to the organization of Central India’s largest MSME conference – Central India Management Conclave’24 (CIMCON’24), attracting over 500 participants from the MSME Sector.
This conference addressed vital management challenges faced by MSMEs in Central India, further demonstrating their commitment to supporting and empowering local businesses.
Career Support and Placement
IIM Nagpur has established a dedicated Cell that orchestrates many activities to support current students and alumni. Through this Cell, experts are invited to provide valuable career guidance and direction, benefiting our students in charting their professional journeys. Additionally, alumni actively engage in e-mentoring initiatives, further bolstering our students’ development and success.
The remarkable placement record of IIM Nagpur speaks volumes about our commitment to excellence, with consistent growth trajectories reflected in our placement statistics. This sustained growth has positioned IIM Nagpur as the fastest-growing IIM, earning us a reputation as a dynamic and thriving Business School within India and internationally, akin to India’s status as the fastest-growing economy globally.
“IIM Nagpur has nine quality collaborations. We have collaborated with institutions from Japan, France, the UK, the US, and other parts of the world. As a part of these collaborations, we offer exchange programmes and dual degree programmes. For instance, we have collaborated with the University of Lille, France. As part of this collaboration, five students can come to our Institute, and our five can go to theirs without any tuition fee exchange.
Students from the University of Lille spend six months at our campus for academic activities. Our students spend time at the University of Lille for the next six months. At the end of the two years, the students will receive two degrees, one from IIM Nagpur and one from the University of Lille, France,” mentions Dr. Metri, emphasizing the importance of providing students with global exposure through the Institution.
Major Highlight
IIM Nagpur’s innovative Entrepreneurship Development Cell primarily empowers women entrepreneurs. With 42 mentored individuals already benefiting from these training programmes, six have successfully transitioned from startups to scalable enterprises.
The Institution’s achievements extend to securing significant funding from prestigious bodies like NITI Aayog, notably receiving the highest funding of 10 Crore Rupees for the Atal Innovation Centre (AIC).
The InFED also implements the DST’s NIDHI – EIR scheme for supporting ten aspiring entrepreneurs with a fellowship grant of Rs. 30,000/- per month for one year. These initiatives, supported by the Government of India and implemented by InFED, aim to bolster young talents and foster a nurturing start-up ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs.
Parting Words from Dr. Metri
Before signing off, Dr. Metri shared a few words with our readership, “Tomorrow’s leaders should be great sense-makers. They should lead ahead of time and have a growth mind-set.
Sense-making, leading ahead of time, and having a growth mind-set are three parameters essential for students to lead in this uncertain, dynamic world. I must say that all great leaders are great readers, and everybody should read more to lead.”
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