GLOBALISING B-SCHOOLS

India's top B-schools need to position themselves as global destinations by bridging gaps between policy and perception

- ABHISHEK AGRAWAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MDRA

INDIA'S MANAGEMENT EDUCATION has come a long way—from a handful of institutes in the 1960s to more than 3,500 today. Our B-schools have fuelled India Inc., created global CEOs, and elevated managerial talent across sectors. Yet one frontier remains underdeveloped: internationalisation.

Despite excellence in pedagogy, infrastructure, and placements, India's top institutes attract only a handful of foreign students. While global peers such as Harvard, Wharton, and INSEAD get 35-95% international students, even the best Indian schools hover around 2-3%. Some programmes call themselves "Global MBAs" or hold the Triple Crown accreditations (AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA) but still lag global standards.

This reflects gaps in policy, perception, and positioning. India needs to position its campuses as global destinations.

Global Classrooms

Leading international B-schools achieve diversity in both students and faculty. For instance, INSEAD and London Business School have about 88% international faculty. Such diversity enriches curricula, research, and the global credibility that attracts applicants.

Even if large-scale foreign hiring takes time, Indian B-schools can begin by inviting visiting professors for specialised modules and collaborate on research.

The real question is no longer whether students abroad are interested in India—they are—but whether our system can convert that interest into enrolment.