For decades, India’s premier business schools have been laser-focused on placement statistics, and rightly so. From small towns to metros, the MBA has symbolised a ticket to a higher rung on the economic ladder, a passport to opportunity and influence.
But is this narrow lens enough in today’s rapidly changing world? What about learning or learning mindset, and contribution to entrepreneurship, job creation, and society? Institutions need to embrace a more holistic approach, one that recognises learning quality, research, alumni networks, social impact, and well-being as equally vital. Business education has to be about preparing leaders who can not only thrive but also relearn and reinvent themselves in complex and ambiguous environments, not just secure a job on Day One.
International accreditors like Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Global are also amplifying this shift. These global standards also urge Indian B-schools to expand their ambitions.
A robust B-school evaluation should look at a multiplicity of parameters:
Multiple Stakeholders’ Voices
Students today are far more nuanced in what they seek. For India’s socially conscious millennials and GenZ, a degree’s value is measured as much by the quality of life on campus and long-term employability as by starting salary. Active alumni networks worldwide are powerhouses for career growth, fundraising, curricular reform, and much more. Faculty often debate about the obsession with placements leading to a transactional culture, where short-term job outcomes trump long-term intellectual growth and critical thinking. Employers also stress the importance of emotional intelligence, teamwork, and resilience. These traits thrive in environments where well-being and holistic development are emphasised, making balanced metrics a direct pipeline to workforce readiness.
Well-Being: Often Overlooked
The relentless focus on placements puts immense pressure on students. The growing competitiveness also takes a toll on the schools, which must constantly stretch resources to secure recruiter relationships and meet high expectations, sometimes leading to extended strain and conflict between programmes and placements. Perhaps the most transformative addition to business education could be a focus on well-being. According to some reports, graduates who experience holistic care on campus report stronger adaptability, leadership maturity, and satisfaction in their careers.
Beyond Numbers
The move to balanced metrics is not just about scoring higher in ranking lists. It signals a profound shift towards transformational management education, a focus on the value of learning, crafting leaders who can manage complexity, demonstrate empathy, and drive innovation sustainably. As AI becomes integral to industries worldwide, its influence on business education will accelerate. AI promises to transform how students learn, collaborate, and apply knowledge, offering personalised learning experiences, immersive simulations, and real-time feedback that sharpen technical and analytical skills. Yet, as machines take on more tasks, the human-centric elements of education, empathy, ethics, adaptability, and leadership will become even more crucial.
A Better Future
As placement bells ring this season, the real scorecard belongs to schools that produce graduates who have learnt to learn, who thrive in complexity, adapt with grace, and give back with conviction. This is the future of Indian business education, and it promises to be richer, kinder, and more enduring than any package can measure.
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