ISB’s PGP Displaces IIM A’s PGPX On Top in Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2018

The 1-year full-time management programs of four Indian Management institutes make it to the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2018 released on January 29.

The Indian Business School with its 1 Year Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP) retains the top spot among Indian schools though slipping one spot down to the 29^th rank. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad’s 1 Year MBA (PGPX) comes next at 31 down two places from its 29^th rank in 2017. ISB’s PGPX has for the first time displaced IIM A’s PGPX from the top slot in the ranking.

IIM Bangalore said it has specifically improved in the parameters related to value for money that went up three places to 57, increase in salary percentage at 114%, a rise of 18%, aims achieved at 81%, up by 4% and recruitment of women students at 30%, a rise of 16%.

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore’s Executive Post Graduate Program in Management (EPGP) climbed 14 spots to rank 35.

The biggest jump for Indian schools in the rankings was by Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta’s Post Graduate Program for Executives (PGPEX) moving 17 places up to rank 78 from 95 in the previous year.

The FT Global MBA Rankings, which ranks 100 top global one-year and two-year postgraduate programs for candidates with prior work experience, had surveyed around 155 B-schools. The assessment is based on the career progression of alumni, the school’s idea generation and the diversity of students and faculty, among others.

None of the 2-year PGP programs run by the IIMs and other Indian schools qualifies for the rankings as prior work experience is not a mandatory requirement for admission. Hence, they are classified as Masters in Management (MiM) in international rankings.

ISB has managed to be among the top five globally in terms of percentage salary increase at 164% and placement three months after graduation at 97%.

The school’s alumni recommended rank is 26, weighted salary in US$148,974, aims achieved at 85% and placement success.

ISB Dean Rajendra Srivastava says the research ranking at 70 puts the school ahead of other Indian b-schools in terms of investment in faculty and research and corresponding research output.

Pointing out that research rankings depend on total versus per capita research productivity, he expressed the hope that there will be an improvement with induction of more resident faculty. The school will continue to focus on providing world-class education while steadfastly investing in faculty, research centres and institutes, he added.

IIM Ahmedabad stands second in career progress rank. While 85% of graduates found employment within three months, the weighted salary stood at US$175,801. The salary percentage increase was 101%.

Errol D’Souza, director-in-charge, IIM Ahmedabad, noting the drop in the rankings, termed it as marginal. He expressed the hope that it would energize the institute to do better next time.

IIM Bangalore said it has specifically improved in the parameters related to value for money that went up three places to 57, increase in salary percentage at 114%, a rise of 18%, aims achieved at 81%, up by 4% and recruitment of women students at 30%, a rise of 16%.

“We have constantly tried to improve the learning experience of students in the programme even while keeping an eye on their career aspirations. We have strengthened our career development services to specifically understand how our students can realize their professional goals. We are glad that all these are showing a positive impact on the rankings, but we are acutely aware that there is a lot of room for improvement,” Professor Sourav Mukherji, Dean of Academic Programmes at IIMB, said.

IIMC’s PGPEX has shown remarkable progress in the rankings. The weighted salary stands at US$139,244. The salary percentage increase is 117%, value for money rank 44 and career progress rank 9. IIMC also reported 100% employment within three months of graduation.