How has the uncertainty in the business environment affected placement?
During the past couple of years, huge uncertainty prevailed over placement. But this year, the situation seems to have improved. Marketing-finance roles are diminishing, but strategy and technical consulting roles are increasing. Industry seems to prefer management graduates with prior work experience, and placements based on summer internship-based performance. At the same time, startups are becoming attractive for management graduates.
The placement trends will always evolve based on industry requirements. Except for a few industry segments like FMCG and banking, roles for management graduates will always remain in flux. The volatility and uncertainty of placements seen during the past few years seem to be stabilising now. Yet the global trade winds are yet to stabilise leading to only speculation about the future trends.
Any student cohort changes over the years?
There are the usual Gen-Z characteristics—more focused, tech savvy, aspirational, impatient, highly ambitious, less respect for conformity. But I am not sure if they are focused on the learning or on placement outcome. They are technically sound, but superficial on a broad base of knowledge. Their desire to learn through dialogue and discussion is also low. I have also observed that they are highly individualistic, [team spirit and camaraderie among cohorts] is declining and humility and restraint are also low.
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What new areas have become popular in India?
Agentification tools (AI) and business analytics, digital marketing, marketing analytics, fintech, HR analytics, sustainability, green finance, ESG, climate change, and public policy are all becoming popular.
The economic landscape has affected all businesses. That must have changed the role of managers. What kind of changes have you observed?
The role of managers in all spheres of organised activities has grown. There is also an increasing demand for managers in the social sector, government, not-for-profits and startups. This has only diversified the field of management education. Management institutions are finding it challenging to cope with these diverse sets of demands.
With so many fast-paced changes, will management education remain relevant?
Management education will always remain relevant as long as organisations exist. However, the character of management education will keep changing. Management education needs to be more contextualised to meet the country's socioeconomic and demographic demands. India has unique economic and governance challenges. If the management curriculum in Indian b-schools are modelled as per the management education curriculum in the US, we tend to lose relevance.