Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) announced the launch of a two-year blended MBA program in Business Analytics and AI during an event held on campus on November 6, 2025. This degree-granting MBA program is designed for professionals and entrepreneurs who want to integrate advanced analytical and AI-driven capabilities with leadership, strategy, and management expertise.
The announcement of the admissions and the curriculum of the program took place in the presence of IIMA Director Prof. Bharat Bhaskar. Prof. Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes), IIMA, and Prof. Anindya Chakrabarti, Chairman, IIMA’s Blended MBA: Business Analytics & AI. Officials highlighted the growing demand for management professionals who can integrate modern leadership and strategic capabilities with advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence frameworks to impact businesses at scale.
demand
As markets shift to data-driven decision-making and AI is embedded across the value chain, professionals are seeking the ability to build organizations that are intelligent, productive, and ready for growth. India’s data AI ecosystem reflects this momentum. The Indian data analytics market is projected to reach USD 21,286.4 million by 2030, at a CAGR of 35.8% from 2025 to 2030. 1 The 2024 BCG-NASSCOM report also reaffirms India’s leadership in AI talent, noting that India ranks first in the world for AI skills penetration and the demand for AI-enabled professionals is likely to exceed 1 million by 2025. 2026.2 This explosion is fueled by the exponential generation of data across enterprise functions and the rapid incorporation of AI/ML into big data platforms, tools, and applications. 3 In response to these opportunities, IIM Ahmedabad’s programs aim to improve the skills of professionals in data-intensive roles across marketing, finance, operations, supply chain, logistics, legal, IT, and human resources.
Commenting on the launch of the Business Analytics and AI Blended MBA program, Prof. Bharat Bhaskar, Director of IIMA, said, “Analytics and AI are no longer peripheral enablers, but rather critical to how companies compete, innovate and create value for their stakeholders. This reality creates an urgent need for professionals who can bridge managerial expertise with deep technical analytical fluency. With this first-of-its-kind offering from IIM Ahmedabad, we are helping aspiring executives and entrepreneurs acquire high-impact skills. We are building a rigorous pathway to master AI-powered business models to responsibly lead digital transitions at scale. This will play a pivotal role in shaping innovation, competitiveness, and responsible AI-driven transformation across sectors.”
Adding his perspective, Professor Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes) of IIMA, said, “At IIM Ahmedabad, we are designing a program that addresses the practical challenges and volatility of business today. We develop leaders who use full business judgment to solve cross-functional problems. Learners build interdisciplinary capabilities, translate analysis into results, and advance confidently in technology-driven situations. Our commitment is to create highly analytical, strategically oriented employees.”
“This two-year blended MBA combines the rigor of general management at IIM Ahmedabad with advanced technical depth in analytics and AI. We teach learners to frame problems from a data-first perspective, apply sophisticated toolkits, and lead responsible AI adoption across sectors. Participants will learn to transform analytics into better decisions and rethink how they do it,” he said about the program’s architecture. They design and implement impactful business solutions. ”
About the program
Delivered in a blended mode, the program combines live device-direct learning with selected face-to-face touchpoints at IIM Ahmedabad and includes three on-campus modules guided by faculty and peer interactions. Following a three-semester structure spanning two years each, we offer 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 across areas such as predictive and prescriptive analytics, product management, finance and risk management, human-AI collaboration and change management, AI ethics, policy and regulation, supply chain digitization, Gen AI, and agent AI. IIMA’s case method brings real-world strategic, operational, and governance dilemmas into the virtual classroom, allowing learners to apply analytical techniques in business-relevant environments.
Throughout the program, learners will also have remote access to IIMA’s learning infrastructure, including the Vikram Sarabhai Library, advanced computing facilities, and a comprehensive set of databases. The program offers a flexible option to graduate after one year with the award of a postgraduate diploma.
To be eligible, applicants must have a Bachelor’s Degree/CA/CS/ICWA/CMA or equivalent degree in any field with at least 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA from a recognized university. Professionals and entrepreneurs must have at least 3 years of full-time experience after 3 years of graduation (10+2+3+3) or 2 years of full-time experience after 4 years of graduation (10+2+4+2) as of March 31, 2026. Candidates must submit a valid CAT/GMAT/GRE score taken within the past five years (GMAT Classic/Focus and GRE are accepted; test dates are on or after January 1, 2026). 2021) or BPGP: BA & AI Round 1 IIMA Entrance Test scheduled to be held on December 14, 2025.
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issued – November 7, 2025 2:51 PM IST
