Courses will be comparable to that of overseas institutes to help student exchange programmes.
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are busy updating and revamping existing curriculum for their two-year flagship post-graduate programme (PGP). They typically conduct a comprehensive review of the syllabus every 3-4 years to incorporate developments and changes in industries and the economy. The aim is to ensure that they teach the latest and best in management practices.
This time around, the updated curriculum at IIMs will include subjects that have been the trademark of the respective institutes while simultaneously introducing subjects which identify a trend in business management programmes across the globe. Moreover, care will be taken that the course is liked by students while being at par with other overseas institutes to facilitate a smooth transfer during student exchange programmes and cross-cultural learning.
IIM Calcutta (IIM-C), for instance, has used its student and employer feedback to plan and develop new courses for its academic groups, which will be implemented from the current academic year. Prashant Mishra, chairman of PGP at IIM-C, says: “In the current academic year, we are adding around three new courses in the finance group. In the marketing group, we are adding marketing theory and contemporary issues as well as courses in marketing for the bottom of the pyramid.” For financial modelling, IIM-C intends to invite faculty from US-based business schools to help develop competence in course modelling and restructuring.
IIM Indore, on its part, has rejigged its curriculum. L V Ramana, chairman of PGP, IIM Indore, says: “From this academic year, all compulsory courses in PGP will be part of the first year syllabus, while the second year will be more elemental. We have also updated the course material and introduced new courses in the second year curriculum.” IIM Indore has also made compulsory courses more relevant and fine-tuned the sessions and sequencing in the courses. The rejig in curriculum is on the basis of inputs the institute collected from leading business schools abroad.
Likewise, IIM Kozhikode intends to have more optional courses and less core courses. Debashis Chatterjee, director, IIM Kozhikode, says: “We are going through a thorough revamp of the curriculum with the help of business schools abroad. It would take around six months for us to get a skeletal structure in place. We would implement the revised curriculum from next academic year.”
IIM Kozhikode intends to design a curriculum that would be futuristic so that it can address the management needs for the next two to three years. “The current curriculum is such that it does not reflect some of the concerns of the industry. Industry demands have shifted too over the last few years. So we have to rejig the curriculum,” says Chatterjee.
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IIM Lucknow (IIM-L), on its part, is in the process of updating its syllabus which would reflect reality and would be more issue-oriented. It will also include courses on ethics. Devi Singh, director, IIM-L, says: “From this academic year, we are introducing new courses and topical workshops. We are also changing our pedagogy.” IIM-L consults its alumni and faculty to revamp its syllabus.
Meanwhile, based on student, recruiter and industry feedback, IIM Bangalore (IIM-B) is in the process of reviewing its existing curriculum. The aim is to ensure the courses offered are futuristic and groom management graduates in tackling the future business agenda. Trilochan Sastry, dean - academic, IIM-B, says: “We are introducing a new set of electives for the second years. A review of the existing curriculum is under process to anticipate what kind of courses and management grooming is required for our students in future.”
IIM Ahmedabad, which revamped its syllabus recently, has introduced the slot system instead of the term system. Abraham Koshy, PGP chairman of IIM-A, said, “The slot system ensures greater flexibility to courses. We have also made ethics a compulsory course for the first years. We are currently reviewing the curriculum after the revamp to fine-tune it further and identify what other improvements are needed.