'B-schools' applied knowledge creation must get due credit in rankings'

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, has updated its one-year PGPM and the two-year programme has seen applications nearly double in four years. Chief operating officer, Gautam Lakhamraju explains how Great Lakes has “moved management education from being content-heavy to context-driven", the latest trends in placements and what NIRF needs to change for a fairer assessment of standalone B-schools, in an email exchange with Aeshwarya Tiwari. Edited excerpts:

- Aeshwarya Tiwari

Q. How does Great Lakes’ one-year PGPM programme compare with the two-year one?

A. The one-year PGPM and the two-year PGDM cater to professionals at different career stages and learning needs.

The one-year PGPM is a truly accelerated, future-ready programme for professionals with a minimum of two years of work experience and it allows them to get back into the industry within a year, minimising the opportunity cost while transforming their career. The latest PGPM 2.0 update makes it even more relevant for the evolving business world. We’ve reimagined the curriculum to mirror how business decisions are made today: integrated and data-driven. Apart from traditional functional specialisations, the programme offers new industry-focused specialisations in consulting, data science, product management, and analytics - areas that will be in demand over the next decade. Students can pursue dual majors while building functional grounding in marketing, finance, or operations.

The two-year PGDM, meanwhile, serves as a career accelerator for early-stage professionals and fresh graduates. It provides the time and structure to build foundational skills, explore multiple domains, and gain real-world exposure through internships and live projects. The programme focuses on building a strong analytical core while developing business communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills that employers consistently rate highest in first-time managers. By the time they graduate, they don’t just have a management degree, they have industry exposure, personal coaching, and placement readiness that puts them a step ahead of peers, entering the job market for the first time. The programme has gained immense traction with the applications nearly doubling over the last four years and also attracting marquee recruiters.

Q. What are the most pressing challenges facing management education in India?