Operations

IIM Calcutta MBA curriculum has a two-tier structure. It consists of a core curriculum (compulsory credit courses and compulsory non-credit courses), a summer internship (compulsory industry training between first and second year) and elective courses (optional courses in the second year).The first year is committed to developing business fundamentals through compulsory courses spanning the areas of economics, finance, marketing, operations, systems and organizational behavior. The second year offers more number of electives than any other B-School in India, the flexibility ensuring that a student never makes a compromise with his desired area of pursuit. Students aspiring to delve deeper into topics can undertake term papers under faculty supervision.

MBA Curriculum: First Year

• Consists of a core curriculum (compulsory credit courses and compulsory non-credit courses)
• A summer internship (compulsory industry training between first and second year)
• The first year is committed to developing business fundamentals through compulsory courses spanning the areas of economics, finance, marketing, operations, systems, organizational behaviour, human resources, strategy and public policy. 

MBA Curriculum: Second Year 

• The second year offers a plethora of electives in different functional areas that students can choose based on their desired area of pursuit
• Students aspiring to delve deeper into topics can undertake term papers under faculty supervision.
• Elective courses (optional courses in the second year) include  Finance, Human Resource Management, Economics, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Operations Management, Organizational

IIM Calcutta MBA Ex curriculum is divided into six terms. Students are required to take 25 compulsory courses spread over six terms. The students are required to take 15 electives course spread over three terms (Terms IV, V and VI). They choose form a wide range of elective courses offered.

IIM Calcutta pedagogy involves learning beyond the classroom. While case discussions enrich the practical experience of unraveling real life business puzzles, informal discussions on varied topics from thoughtfully chosen adjunct readings broaden individual perspectives. Individuals also make time to participate in business case competitions, branding exercises and self-interest career advancement clubs. An integrated course package for this programme has been developed and updated annually.

MBA Ex international immersion programme helps future business leaders hone their skills while tackling real world challenges. The 17th batch of MBAEx (AY 2023-24) visited SDA Bocconi Business School, Italy and ESADE Business School, Spain for their immersion module in 2024. The students were at the business schools for two weeks; they had individual and group project, the topics and scope of which were developed by the faculty member(s) from the business schools.

What sets IIMC apart from all other management schools in India is its analytical pedagogy. It is a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and case discussion that equips future managers to develop deep understanding of required skills and their application. Debate and interactive discussions are an integral part of IIMC’s pedagogy.

IIMC offers a high number of elective courses giving students a huge variety of courses to choose from depending on their interests and career plans. Key specializations include Finance, Human Resource Management, Economics, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Operations Management, Organizational Behaviour, Public Policy and management, Strategic Management among others

IIM Calcutta PGPX VLM curriculum is divided into 8 terms and more than 1170 classroom contact hours, spread across 3 campuses during the 12 month period. It starts with an “Ice breaking session and Breakthrough Management” in IIM-Calcutta with a thrust on the "Big Picture" perspective. The primary focus lies on how to build a strategy based on core competencies and then to integrate an organization to execute this strategy and achieve the desired outcome.

The next two terms impart management knowledge in diverse areas ranging from Business Strategy, Marketing, Finance, Operations, People Management and Global Business scenario. Various modules on Supply Chain Management, Customer-centric approach, Lean methodologies, New Product Design & Development, SAP ERP, ISO 9001: Auditor training and some high-end technology related courses like Advanced Materials, Robotics, Ergonomics are taught in IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Madras campuses. The final term at IIM-Calcutta puts special emphasis on Leadership and Change Management with key focus on building an Entrepreneurial and Innovative culture. The terms also stress on the needs and nuances of Ethics and Ethical behaviour for today’s managers who compete a rapidly globalizing world.

The program’s learning methods are an assortment of regular class discussions, case studies, group work, live presentations and action-learning opportunities like management games and short consultancy assignments. A significant proportion of the program is undertaken in teams to further enhance the dynamic learning experience.

PGPEX VLM has 36 weeks of classroom study which includes lectures, case studies, tutorials, lab sessions, videos, individual and team assignments, guest lectures from Japanese faculty, industry experts, and business leaders, totaling 1173 interaction hours. The programme has 1 week of industry visit in Japan for studying Best Manufacturing Practices under the aegis of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The program has a proper balance of theoretical inputs and practical training to develop a high degree of leadership skill which would enable Indian companies convert manufacturing into a competitive weapon. The program introduces courses on Green Manufacturing, Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, Internet of Things (IOT) along with ISO9001 Lead Auditor Training.

The program attracts promising engineers from the manufacturing and allied businesses, who have the potential for top management positions.
 

Students spend an average of four to five years in the programme, which includes two years of intensive coursework. Beginning with the first term, students take advanced Doctoral level courses in their area of high levels of specialization, as well as some suggested Post Graduate Programme (PGP) courses that provide a comprehensive management overview and develop fundamental skills for analysing managerial issues. After completing the coursework, students must pass an Area Comprehensive Examination to demonstrate that they have attained a high level of expertise in their area of high levels of specialization. Students then work on their doctoral dissertations. It is intended that these dissertations will make original contributions to an area of management or one of management's parent disciplines.

The Executive MBA (EPGP) provides students with a solid foundation in key management concepts and disciplines. The academic year is divided into five terms. Two terms are devoted to core courses, one term for the International Immersion module, and two terms primarily for electives. Themes drawn from the realm of the social sciences have been integrated into the programme in a structured manner leading to a nuanced, multi-layered understanding of management issues.

The core courses are compulsory for all EPGP students and concentrate on the range of knowledge and skills required of all successful senior managers. On completion of the core courses, students have the choice of a broad range of electives to align with their career objectives and personal interests. In addition to electives designed specifically for the EPGP, students also have access to designated electives from other Institute programmes, including the two-year Post Graduate Programme, the PGPEM (Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management) and the PGPPM (Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management), each offering specialized topics of study.

Students also work on a live project, the Comprehensive Project, that helps them to apply learning from the programme to a real management problem or an impending business opportunity.
The Comprehensive Project, carried out under the direction of a faculty member, examines a contemporary live issue/topic pertaining to either a specific company or an industry. The objective of the project is to integrate classroom learning with practical experience, concepts and methodologies to real-world management issues. The comprehensive project carries three credits and it can be done jointly by a team of two or three students during the third term.

IIMB PhD students actively engage with its world class faculty work at the cutting edge of research, teaching, and implementation of management research. The PhD programme at IIMB has two main phases: an initial phase of coursework aimed at providing breadth and depth in management disciplines, and a subsequent phased focused on development of the doctoral dissertation under the guidance of a dissertation advisory committee. Periodic milestones are inbuilt in the programme to ensure timely progress towards the degree.

The programme duration is 5 years and has two phases: coursework and thesis research. The first phase covers the first two years and includes the following components: (a) coursework (b) independent study (c) a summer research project at the end of the first academic year. Successful completion of the first phase requires passing the Comprehensive Examination (written and viva) at the end of the second academic year. 

The student then begins the second phase focused on the dissertation research. The dissertation work which takes roughly three years has milestones such as formation of Dissertation Advisory Committee, Dissertation Proposal Defense, Dissertation Submission, Dissertation Evaluation, and Public Defense of Dissertation. 
Doctoral students also work as a Research Assistants (RA) and Teaching Assistants (TA) periodically during various stages of the Doctoral Programme. Students are expected to graduate at the convocation at the end of their fifth year in the programme.

IIM Bangalore PGPEM Students are provided a strong grounding in general management through the core courses in the first year and ample opportunity to acquire specialized knowledge through a rich choice of electives in the second year.  A unique feature of this programme is that students can choose not only from the electives offered by the PGPEM but also from the other degree-granting programmes at IIMB. 

The on-campus classes for the PGPEM are offered over the weekends, allowing students the opportunity to pursue a quality management programme without compromising on their fulltime jobs. The PGPEM also provides participants opportunities to go on full-term exchange programmes with IIMB's international partner institutions.

The PGPEM has four terms of three months each in an academic year. PGPEM-specific courses are scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays. In the second year, students with flexible work schedules may also choose to enrol in elective courses offered across other Post Graduate Programmes in the institute between Monday and Saturday. Each student is expected to complete the required 750 contact hours of the programme, within a maximum of five academic years.

IIMB uses the concept of credits to define the weightage of a course for both core and elective courses. Each course is typically of three credits. The thumb rule is that a three-credit course involves about 100 hours of work – 30% in the classroom and the rest for preparation and assignments. Core courses are offered during the first year. Elective courses are offered during the second year.
The course pedagogy includes classroom lectures, collaborative discussions, online (broadcast) sessions, case analyses, individual and group projects, role plays, live projects and business games.
The three-credit project course (on a conceptual problem or an industry analysis) is an essential part of the programme that offers students the opportunity to specialize in an area where a formal elective may not be offered. Action Learning Project encourages students to take up a turnkey project from within the company, analyze it and make recommendations. 
 

IIM Bangalore MBA curricula, innovative teaching methods, exposure to industry-best practices and experiential learning emphasize the distinctive challenges of managing in the global context. Various clubs, social projects, action-oriented courses, contemporary studies and student self-governance initiatives help develop critical thinking and leadership skills.
IIMB MBA programme offers Core and Elective courses. The Core courses are compulsory courses offered in the first year. Elective courses are offered in the third term of the first year and all terms of the second year, where students get the opportunity to choose from a basket of multidisciplinary courses. IIMB courses are delivered through a combination of lectures, classroom discussions, industry interactions, case analyses, individual and group projects, term papers, role plays, dissertations, simulations, business games, films, and various experiential learning methods. During the first year, a PGP student is required to undertake sixteen core courses and two electives (totalling 49.5 credits). The first year consists of three terms. 
Summer internship is scheduled between the end of first year and the beginning of second year. Internship is optional for students who have at least 34 months of work experience prior to enrolling for the programme.

A PGP student should earn a minimum of 45 credits and a maximum of 51 credits in elective courses over three terms in the second year. The electives cover a wide array of topics including Social Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure Development, PPPs and Regulation, Business Analytics and Intelligence, Spreadsheet Model-Business Decision, Current Economic Scenario; Indian Economy and Policy Matters for Business, Global Securities Markets, Corporate Governance: Indian and International Perspectives, Corporate Valuation, Digital Marketing, Research for Marketing Decisions, Brand Management, Entrepreneurship in Action, Personal Values, Goals and Career Options, Creating High Performance Organizations, Supply Chain Management, Technology and Operations Strategy, Green Business Management, Strategic Thinking and Decision Making

Apart from electives on functional areas, IIMB also offers different types of courses such as language courses (German, French, Spanish and Japanese), courses with international immersion (like Business Planning in International Markets, Developing Technology Partnerships between Firms in India and Israel), and experiential courses (like the Himalayan Mountain Challenge and Motorcycle Immersion in Local Entrepreneurial Settings), based on the interest of students.