~ The two-year degree programme integrates management education with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, preparing working professionals and entrepreneurs for data-intensive leadership roles.
Ahmedabad : The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), India’s leading management institution, has announced admissions to the second batch of its two-year Blended MBA Programme in Business Analytics & Artificial Intelligence (BPGP: BA & AI). Developed for working professionals and entrepreneurs, the programme addresses the growing need for business leaders who can interpret complex data, evaluate emerging technologies, and apply analytical thinking to strategic and operational decisions.
The announcement was made at an event held at the IIM Ahmedabad campus in the presence of Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; Prof. Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes), IIMA; Prof. Anindya S. Chakrabarti, Chairperson, BPGP: BA & AI, IIMA; Prof. Ankur Sinha, Chairperson, Krishnamurthy Tandon School of AI, IIMA. Ms. Chandrika Tandon, Business Leader, Humanitarian, Grammy-Award-Winning Musician, and alumna of IIMA’s PGP Class of 1975, who has established the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of AI at IIMA with a generous endowment, joined the event virtually. The programme reaffirms IIMA’s commitment to advancing management education to evolving business requirements while preserving the academic rigour, research orientation, and practical relevance for which the Institute is recognised.
Remarking on the announcement of the second batch of BPGP: BA & AI, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said, “One of the most important things we teach at IIM Ahmedabad is how to examine a problem carefully before arriving at a decision. Today, managers have access to increasingly sophisticated analytical tools, but they must still understand the assumptions and limitations behind the answers those tools produce. Through the second batch of this programme, we intend to strengthen that combination of technical competence, independent thinking, and managerial responsibility in aspiring business leaders.”
Adding on the importance of AI and the programme, Ms. Chandrika Tandon shared, “We have powerful tools, but tools alone will not tell us which problems truly deserve attention. When we envisioned the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of AI, we wanted the emphasis to remain on people, institutions, and purpose. I hope this programme encourages managers to think critically and create solutions that drive value for the economy and society. The programme will allow IIMA to stay ahead of the management curve to help create forward-thinking, relevant managers, leaders, and institution builders.”
Speaking about the programme, Prof. Anindya S. Chakrabarti, Chairperson, BPGP: BA & AI, IIMA, said, “We have designed the curriculum to integrate mathematical modelling, programming, and machine learning with core management disciplines such as finance and strategy. Through case discussions, capstone assignments, and action-learning projects, participants will learn to critically examine analytical recommendations, understand their practical implications, and apply these insights to complex business decisions.”
Indian companies are scaling AI despite gaps in preparedness. Businesses need managers to examine evidence, weigh opportunities and risks, and make investments worthwhile. IIMA’s Blended MBA in Business Analytics & AI serves this need across finance, marketing, operations, supply chain, logistics, legal, IT, and HR.
Spanning six terms over two years, the programme combines live, direct-to-device classes with three on-campus modules, accommodating working professionals. Management, statistics, analytical modelling, machine learning, and advanced AI are taught through cases, simulations, capstones, and action-learning projects. Its wide range of electives spans Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, Product Management, Finance and Risk Management, Human–AI Collaboration and Change Management, AI Ethics, Policy and Regulation, Supply Chain Digitisation, Generative AI, and Agentic AI. IIMA’s case method grounds analytical learning in commercial, organisational, and ethical questions.
Throughout the programme, participants will have remote access to IIMA’s academic and research resources, including the Vikram Sarabhai Library, computing infrastructure, and an extensive collection of databases. The Blended MBA Programme in Business Analytics & AI also offers an exit pathway after the first year, leading to the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Analytics and AI. Participants completing the two-year MBA will become part of IIMA’s global alumni network.
Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree, CA, CS, ICWA, CMA, or an equivalent qualification in any discipline, with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA from a recognised university. Working professionals and entrepreneurs must have at least three years of full-time work experience following a three-year undergraduate degree (10+2+3+3) or two years of full-time work experience following a four-year undergraduate degree (10+2+4+2), calculated as of March 31, 2027.
Candidates are required to submit a valid CAT, GMAT, or GRE score obtained within the preceding five years, with test dates no earlier than January 1, 2022. Scores from both GMAT Classic and GMAT Focus Edition are accepted. Alternatively, applicants may appear for the Round 1 IIMA Admission Test for BPGP: BA & AI as part of the Institute’s selection process.
