'We have a completion rate of 80-90%'

During an interaction, Mayank Kumar, co-founder and managing director of upGrad, spoke to Sheena Sachdeva about new courses in accounting and management, the profile of learners, trends in online MBA courses, and more. Edited excerpts from the conversation below

- Sheena Sachdeva

Q. What are some of the signature management courses at upGrad?

A. There are several kinds of management programmes. The most popular courses are some with our global university partners, as well as our Indian partners. The three different categories where we are witnessing more people applying include the international MBA programme because we believe that credentials add to the international flavour overall. The premium international MBAs are pursued by people who earn Rs 7-8 lakh per month. The second segment is of shorter courses which span less than two years. So, we see people with three-to-five years of experience seeking guidance for a oneyear or 18-month programme. The third part is the affordable MBA we offer with Indian universities at a cost of Rs 1-2 lakh. These programmes are taken up by learners who are early in their experience level.

Q. Which specialisations are popular these days?

A. Specialisations like leadership and strategy are popular. Second, marketing and finance have turned out to be broad themes. The third one which has gained popularity in the last two to three years is technology and management with artificial intelligence analytics built in.

A larger number of people who apply for these management courses are working professionals. An online course addresses a key concern. This happens when they notice that their career growth and trajectory are limited and taking up an MBA programme will help them in their overall growth.