3 days ago
QS 2027 Shows Indian B-Schools Lag in Specialised Masters
A new ranking looked at business master’s programmes around the world.
Indian schools appear more often than before, but they do much better in general management courses than in specialised subjects.
General management teaches students about many parts of running a company.
Specialised courses focus on areas such as finance, data analysis, marketing or supply chains.
Three major Indian Institutes of Management placed relatively well in general management.
However, Indian schools ranked much lower in the specialised subjects listed in the article.
A former IIM director said that many schools give their best teachers and resources to traditional two-year programmes.
The article says companies in India increasingly need experts as well as general managers.
It concludes that Indian schools must build stronger specialised degrees to stay globally competitive.
Indian institutions have increased their presence in the QS Business Master’s Rankings, but leading IIMs slipped several positions.
Of 41 Indian programme entries from 28 institutions, 19 are in the generalist Master’s in Management category.
IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta rank 31st, 46th and 57th globally in Master’s in Management.
All seven Indian schools listed for Finance rank outside the global top 200, while all three Supply Chain Management entries rank outside the top 100.
The article argues that Indian B-schools need stronger specialised programmes in areas such as Finance, Business Analytics, Marketing and Supply Chain Management.
- Who
- Indian business schools, including the Indian Institutes of Management, are the subject of the analysis.
- What
- The analysis says Indian B-schools perform relatively well in generalist Master’s in Management programmes but poorly in specialised business master’s rankings.
- Where
- The rankings compare programmes globally, including institutions in India and Europe.
- When
- The latest QS Business Master’s Rankings were released on September 16.
- Why
- The article says Indian B-schools need specialised programmes to meet growing demand for expertise in finance, analytics, supply chains and cross-border risk.
Specialisation Advocates
Generalist Programme Advocates
Business school priorities
Specialisation Advocates
Indian B-schools should invest more in intensive specialised degrees that develop skills in quantitative finance, predictive analytics, algorithmic trading and supply-chain risk modelling.
Generalist Programme Advocates
Traditional two-year general management programmes remain important because Indian companies still need many general managers.
Preparing for corporate demand
Specialisation Advocates
Growing global capability centres and financial firms in India require specialists who can build financial models, use AI to optimise supply chains and manage cross-border risk.
Generalist Programme Advocates
The established generalist model was designed to supply managers for expanding corporate operations and continues to serve a substantial need.
Resource allocation
Specialisation Advocates
Specialised master’s programmes should receive stronger faculty, corporate relationships and infrastructure rather than being treated as secondary offerings.
Generalist Programme Advocates
The prominence of generalist programmes reflects their continuing importance, even as schools consider expanding specialised offerings.
Key facts
- Indian programme entries
- 41 entries from 28 institutions appeared across the QS rankings.
- Generalist entries
- 19 of the Indian entries were in the Master’s in Management category.
- Top Indian MiM result
- IIM Bangalore ranked 31st globally, followed by IIM Ahmedabad at 46th and IIM Calcutta at 57th.
- Finance
- Seven Indian B-schools appeared, and all ranked outside the global top 200.
- Supply Chain Management
- Three Indian B-schools appeared, and all ranked outside the global top 100.
- Business Analytics and Marketing
- No top Indian institution entered the global top 50 in either field.
- European comparison
- HEC Paris was described as ranking first globally in Finance, Management and Marketing.
Quotes
A former IIM director
Former director of an Indian Institute of Management commenting on business-school strategy.
“Indian business education was built for a different era — at a time when corporate India needed general managers to oversee expanding operations. Today, global capability centres and top financial firms setting up shop in India don’t just need general managers, but also specialists who can build financial models, optimise supply chains using AI, and manage cross-border risk.”
financialexpress.com
“European powerhouses like HEC Paris, ESSEC, and London Business School treat specialised master’s degrees as premier talent pipelines. HEC Paris, for instance, holds the number-one spot globally across Finance, Management, and Marketing.”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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