IIM Ahmedabad launches India's first-of-its-kind two-year Blended MBA Programme in Business Analytics & AI

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], November 6 (ANI): The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) announced the launch of its pioneering two-year Blended MBA Programme in Business Analytics & AI during an event at its campus on Thursday. This innovative degree-granting MBA programme is designed for professionals and entrepreneurs who want to integrate advanced analytical and AI-driven capabilities with leadership, strategy and management expertise.
The launch emphasises IIMA's long-standing leadership in designing future-facing management programmes that are benchmarked to global standards and attuned to rapidly evolving industry needs.
The announcement of admissions and the presentation of the programme's cutting-edge curriculum was made in the presence of Prof Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; Prof Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes), IIMA; and Prof Anindya Chakrabarti, Chairperson, Blended MBA: Business Analytics & AI, IIMA.
The authorities emphasised the growing demand for management professionals who can integrate contemporary leadership and strategic competencies with advanced data-analytical and artificial intelligence frameworks to deliver business impact at scale.
As markets shift to data-led decisions and AI embeds across value chains, professionals seek capabilities to build intelligent, productive, growth-ready organisations.
India's data-AI ecosystem mirrors this momentum. India's data analytics market is projected to reach USD 21,286.4 million by 2030 with a CAGR of 35.8 per cent between 2025 and 2030.
The 2024 BCG-NASSCOM Report also reaffirms India's leadership in AI talent, noting that India ranks first globally in AI skill penetration and that demand for AI-ready professionals is likely to exceed one million by 2026. This surge is being fuelled by the exponential generation of data across enterprise functions and the rapid embedding of AI/ML into big data platforms, tools and applications.
In response to these opportunities, IIM Ahmedabad's programme aims to upskill professionals in data-intensive roles across marketing, finance, operations, supply chain, logistics, legal, IT and HR.
Commenting on the launch of the Blended MBA Programme in Business Analytics & AI, Prof Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA said, "Analytics and AI are no longer peripheral enablers, they are at the core of how enterprises compete, innovate and create stakeholder value. This reality has created an urgent need for professionals who can bridge managerial expertise with deep techno-analytical fluency. With this first-of-its-kind offering from IIM Ahmedabad, we are creating a rigorous pathway for ambitious managers and entrepreneurs to acquire high-impact skills, master AI-enabled business models and lead digital transitions responsibly and at scale. It will play a pivotal role in shaping innovation, competitiveness and responsible AI-led transformation across sectors."
Adding his perspective, Prof Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes), IIMA said, "At IIM Ahmedabad, we design programmes that address real, contemporary challenges and the volatility of business. This blended MBA develops leaders who solve cross-functional problems with data, AI and sound managerial judgement. Learners build multidisciplinary capability, translate analytics into outcomes and progress confidently in tech-driven contexts. Our endeavour is an analytically strong, strategically oriented workforce."
Speaking about the programme architecture, Prof Anindya Chakrabarti, Chairperson, Blended MBA: Business Analytics & AI said, "This two-year blended MBA unites IIM Ahmedabad's general-management rigour with advanced technical depth in analytics and AI. We teach learners to frame problems in data-first terms, apply sophisticated toolkits and lead responsible AI adoption across sectors. Participants learn to convert analysis into superior decisions and to rethink how they design and implement business solutions for impact."
Delivered in a blended mode, the programme combines live, Direct-to-Device learning with curated in-person touchpoints at IIM Ahmedabad, including three on-campus modules, guided by globally respected faculty and robust peer interaction. It follows a three-term structure across each of the two years and offers an advanced curriculum that integrates business management, analytics and AI through case-based discussions, capstone engagements and action-learning projects.
Learners can choose from 20 electives spanning areas such as Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, Product Management, Finance and Risk Management, Human-AI Collaboration and Change Management, AI Ethics, Policy & Regulation, Supply Chain Digitisation, Gen AI and Agentic AI, among others. IIMA's distinctive case method will bring real-world strategic, operational and governance dilemmas into the virtual classroom, enabling learners to apply analytical techniques in business-relevant settings.
Learners will also gain remote access to IIMA's world-class learning infrastructure throughout the programme, including the Vikram Sarabhai Library, advanced computing facilities and a comprehensive suite of databases. The programme provides a flexible exit option after the first year with the award of a Post-Graduate Diploma. Successful learners will join the globally-renowned IIMA alumni network.
To be eligible, applicants should hold a Bachelor's degree /CA/CS/ICWA/CMA or equivalent in any discipline, with at least 50 per cent aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA from a recognised university.
Working professionals and entrepreneurs must have either a minimum of three years' full-time experience after a three-year graduation (10+2+3+3) or two years' full-time experience after a four-year graduation (10+2+4+2), as on 31 March 2026.
Candidates must submit a valid CAT/GMAT/GRE score taken within the previous five years (GMAT Classic/Focus and GRE accepted; test dates not earlier than 1 January 2021) or appear for Round-1 IIMA Admission Test for BPGP: BA & AI scheduled to be held on December 14, 2025. (ANI)