Sachin Deshmukh, Principal, Vivekanand Education Society’s Business School

Innovation will define the future of business education in India, and MBA institutions have a pivotal role to play in shaping that future. As the country enters a phase of rapid economic, technological and social transformation, the next 25 years present an unprecedented opportunity for Indian business schools to emerge as global leaders in management education and entrepreneurial thinking. To seize this moment, MBA institutions must adopt a deliberate and structured blueprint that aligns academic excellence with innovation, industry relevance and global impact.

Creating an Enabling Environment

The journey begins with an enabling policy and governance framework that truly empowers institutions to innovate. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has already opened the door to greater curricular flexibility and global collaborations. However, real change will come when MBA colleges are granted increased academic autonomy, streamlined accreditation processes and the freedom to experiment with pedagogy.

Policies must also actively encourage deep collaboration between academia and industry, ensuring that research, case studies and live projects address real business challenges. Long-term funding for research – as opposed to short-term, project-based grants – will enable management institutions to undertake high-impact, multi-year studies capable of influencing business practices nationally and globally.

Reimagining the Curriculum

The curriculum must undergo a fundamental shift from being content-heavy to creativity-driven. Traditionally, many Indian MBA programmes have focused on theoretical knowledge, often relying on rote learning and rigid case study frameworks. Over the next quarter century, these programmes must pivot towards problem-based learning, design thinking and interdisciplinary projects that encourage students to tackle real-world business issues.

Innovation should be embedded into every stage of the programme – from foundational first-year courses to advanced electives. New-age subjects such as artificial intelligence in business, sustainability management, fintech and behavioural analytics should be integrated into mainstream teaching. MBA students should not merely learn established business strategies; they should be challenged to create new ones.

Research with Real-World Impact

Research and development must be placed at the heart of innovation in MBA institutions. While management research in India has advanced, it too often remains disconnected from industry application. The future demands the creation of dedicated Centres of Excellence focusing on emerging business domains such as digital transformation, ESG leadership, global supply chain resilience and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

These centres should operate as ‘living laboratories’, where students, faculty and corporate partners co-create knowledge. Such collaboration can lead to impactful white papers, patentable management innovations and globally relevant case studies – strengthening India’s position in the world of business education.

Building an Entrepreneurial Culture

India is already the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, yet the integration of entrepreneurial thinking into management education remains uneven. Over the next 25 years, every MBA institution should operate a dedicated incubation cell offering seed funding, mentorship and industry networks to aspiring student entrepreneurs.

Faculty entrepreneurship should also be encouraged, with professors supported in commercialising their research. This will help bridge the gap between classroom learning and market-ready innovation, ensuring that promising ideas develop into viable, scalable ventures.

Leveraging Technology as a Catalyst

Technology will be the most powerful enabler of this innovation-driven future. Digital transformation in MBA institutions must go beyond adopting online learning platforms; it should create immersive, data-rich environments where students can simulate complex business scenarios, analyse live market data and collaborate globally in real time.

Artificial intelligence can be used to personalise learning paths, while blockchain can secure credentialing and protect intellectual property. Such tools can also extend MBA programmes to underserved regions, ensuring that innovation is both inclusive and accessible.

Expanding Global Engagement

Global engagement will be another cornerstone of the innovation blueprint. In the coming decades, Indian MBA institutions must broaden their international partnerships to include joint research, global industry immersions and multi-country live consulting assignments. Hosting international business and innovation summits will position Indian business schools as conveners of global dialogue between industry leaders, policymakers and academics.

These collaborations should align with pressing global challenges – from climate change to public health crises – enabling Indian MBAs to develop solutions with worldwide relevance.

Measuring and Sustaining Innovation

To sustain a culture of innovation, outcomes must be measured consistently. Institutions should maintain internal innovation scorecards tracking metrics such as:

• The number of start-ups launched by students
• The commercialisation rate of research outputs
• The social impact of consulting projects
• The institution’s global rankings

Such measures will provide both accountability and motivation for continuous improvement.

The Vision for 2047

By 2047 – the centenary of India’s independence – the nation’s MBA institutions should aim to be recognised not only as centres of management education, but as engines of innovation driving business transformation worldwide. Achieving this vision will demand visionary leadership, substantial investment in faculty and infrastructure, and a cultural shift towards curiosity, experimentation and calculated risk-taking.

If pursued with determination, the next 25 years could see Indian MBA institutions rise to the top echelons of global business education – shaping leaders who are not just prepared to navigate change, but capable of creating it.

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