IIMA starts 19 th batch of MBA with 158 high achievers

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) welcomed a total of 158 qualified professionals to the 2024-25 batch of its One-Year Full Time MBA (PGPX).

This is the 19 th batch of the globally well-recognised programme which attracts high achieving working professionals from around the world seeking to upskill themselves for senior leadership positions.

The PGPX programme is tailor-made for ambitious executives who want to accelerate their career progression with a truly global management education and bring out the best of their potential to lead in a dynamic world.

Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA said, “At IIMA, we understand the compelling need, in the industry today, for dynamic business leaders who understand the industry beyond textbooks, are hands-on as decision-makers, and take a practical approach towards real-world business challenges. The PGPX programme offers you a meticulously designed curriculum delivered by our world-class faculty and the opportunity to engage and learn from the biggest names in the industry today. I am confident that you will make the most of this opportunity and emerge as the pragmatic and sensitive business leaders that IIMA is globally acknowledged for.”

This year’s cohort consists of 117 (74 per cent) male students and 41 (26 per cent) female students from around 19 states and UTs, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal and Gujarat, among others. Three of the students in the batch hail from foreign countries i.e. USA, Germany, and Nepal.

Professor Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes) and Professor Amit Karna, Chairperson, MBA-PGPX, along with other faculty members and staff of the Institute welcomed the incoming batch at IIMA. The batch will go through a 3-day orientation programme to help them acquaint to the Institute and the learning journey.

In his speech welcoming the PGPX batch of 2024, Professor Amit Karna, Chairperson, MBA-PGPX, said, “We are delighted to welcome the participants of PGPX Class of 2024-25, and their families to the campus. The One Year MBA at IIMA is well-known for its ability to transform high achievers into senior leaders. The programme has consistently ranked #1 in the career progression category of global rankings, and it continues to be a game changer for executives looking at accelerating their career growth. The programme design is a unique mix of academic rigour and industry relevance, such that it helps the participants level up their skills to those required in today’s tech-enabled work environments. I wish the participants the very best and invite them to make the most of their stay at IIMA.”

Reminiscing on the early days of the programme, Professor Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes), IIMA spoke to the students about the history and philosophy behind it.

Professor Ghosh said that PGPX was established in 2006 for professionals who mainly held expertise in a single vertical and providing them exposure for training in general management, thereby creating a pool of leaders who could meaningfully contribute to the growth of the industry and the economy, at large. “In a short span of 18 years, the PGPX programme has grown to become the top management programme for experienced professionals in the country and it is one of the top 50 in the world with more than 1700 alumni across the globe.” he said.

Professor Ghosh also spoke about the efficacy of IIMA’s signature Case Learning Method in helping students get a deeper understanding of real-life business challenges. He urged the students to actively participate in case discussions as they serve as the most efficient vehicles for peer learning and team bonding.

Like previous years, this new PGPX batch also comprises of professionals from diverse industrial backgrounds, including Academic and Education, Advertising/Media, Aerospace and Aviation, Banking, Financial services and Insurance, Consulting, Defence and Security, Energy and Utilities, FMCG, Food and Food Processing, Government Enterprises, Infrastructure and Construction, IT & ITeS, IT Products, Manufacturing, NGOs and Social Services, Pharma/Healthcare, Retail/Ecommerce, Shipping, Telecom, Travel and Hospitality, among others.

They are coming with average work experience of 7.6 years and having an average age of 30 years and 11 months. Interestingly, 36.43 per cent of them are having international exposure in terms of work and studies. The highest number of students in this batch have joined from IT Products (19); Government Enterprises and Public Sector Undertaking (17); Consulting (17); Manufacturing/Engineering (16); Banking, Financial services and Insurance (13); Energy and Utilities (12); Pharma/Bio-Tech/Healthcare/Hospitals (9); Defence and Security (9); Retail/Ecommerce (7); and IT & ITeS (5).