As AI, automation and changing business models reshape workplaces, Bengaluru’s B-schools are rethinking an MBA model that was long measured by placements, packages and first jobs
For years, the MBA story in India has largely been told through one metric: placements. The bigger the package, the stronger the perception of the institution. That equation is now being challenged.
As artificial intelligence, automation and technology-led business models reshape workplaces, management schools are being forced to answer a tougher question: are they preparing students only for their first job, or for careers that may change multiple times?
Bengaluru offers a unique backdrop for this debate. The city’s technology companies, startups, global capability centres and innovation ecosystem have created a business environment where the gap between classroom learning and workplace reality is becoming harder to ignore.
Three senior management education leaders from the city are approaching this transition differently. For Prof (Dr ) AV Arun Kumar, Director, IFIM Institutions, the change is visible in how technology is transforming specific job roles. For Prof (Dr ) Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE Bengaluru and former Director of TAPMI, the question is much larger: what should universities actually create in a changing economy? For Dr Madhvi Sethi, Dean, School of Business, RV University, the answer lies in moving from placement-driven thinking towards skills and adaptability.
Together, their perspectives point to a larger shift underway in Bengaluru’s management education ecosystem.
The city has long been India’s technology capital. But with technology companies, startups, global capability centres (GCCs), consulting firms and innovation-led businesses shaping the economy around it, Bengaluru is also becoming a testing ground for the future of management education.
The question facing business schools is no longer only, “What job will an MBA graduate get?” It is, “What capabilities will help a manager remain relevant as industries keep changing?”
Bengaluru advantage: When the city becomes a learning laboratory
For management schools, Bengaluru offers an advantage few cities can match: access to businesses that are constantly evolving. The presence of technology companies, startups and global organisations allows institutions to bring real business challenges into classrooms through projects, internships and industry partnerships.
Prof Arun Kumar believes this ecosystem should influence not just student exposure but the way management education itself is designed. Industry engagement, he argues, cannot remain limited to guest lectures or recruitment. It has to become part of curriculum design, pedagogy and learning outcomes.
The changing workplace requires managers who can understand business fundamentals while also working with technology, data and new business models.
The MBA question: Beyond the first job
The MBA degree has faced growing questions globally around return on investment, employability and relevance. Education leaders argue that the answer is not abandoning the MBA but redefining what it delivers.
Prof Madhu Veeraraghavan believes universities need to focus on creating professionals who can build long-term careers rather than simply secure their first job. “Universities are here to create great careers, not provide jobs,” he said, highlighting the importance of adaptability, curiosity and interdisciplinary thinking.
According to him, the workplace of the future will require people who can continuously learn and adapt, rather than rely only on a fixed set of skills acquired during graduation.
The job transformation happening inside businesses
For Prof. Arun Kumar, the impact of technology is already visible in traditional management roles. He points to areas such as BFSI, where several analytical tasks that earlier required manual effort are increasingly being automated.
The change, he argues, does not mean business knowledge becomes less important. Instead, it changes what employers expect from management graduates. Students will need to understand fundamentals, but also know how to use technology to improve decision-making.
At IFIM, AI is being integrated across the MBA curriculum rather than treated only as a separate technology subject. The focus is on combining management understanding with emerging tools.
From placement packages to capability building
The traditional measure of a B-school has often been placement outcomes. But institutions are increasingly questioning whether that alone captures the value of management education.
Dr. Madhvi Sethi says the conversation needs to shift from job matching to skill matching. RV University’s MBA approach focuses on analytical thinking, resilience, agility and leadership capabilities, while integrating AI tools into learning.
The argument is that employers are increasingly looking for problem solvers who can work across functions and adapt to new challenges. The first job matters, but the ability to grow beyond that role may define long-term success.
AI and the future manager
Artificial intelligence has become the biggest force reshaping business functions, creating a new challenge for management schools.
Should technology understanding now become a core managerial capability?
Prof Madhu Veeraraghavan believes the future is not about humans competing with machines. “We should not do humans versus machines. We should do humans and machines,” he said, explaining that AI can support analysis, but human judgement, creativity and decision-making remain critical.
For business schools, the challenge is not only teaching students how to use AI tools. It is ensuring they understand where human judgement remains irreplaceable.
Redesigning the MBA classroom
The MBA classroom itself is changing. Business schools are experimenting with:
- AI-enabled learning tools
- industry projects
- simulations
- interdisciplinary courses
- corporate-led certifications
At RV University, Dr Madhvi Sethi says business problems today rarely fit into one discipline. A challenge in marketing may involve technology, consumer behaviour, data and strategy at the same time.
This is driving greater interest in interdisciplinary models where students learn to connect different areas of knowledge.
Industry-academia partnership: Beyond recruitment
Industry collaboration has been discussed for years, but education leaders believe the next phase has to go deeper. Prof Arun Kumar says companies and institutions need to work together not only on hiring but also on understanding future skills, curriculum design and learning models.
The emerging approach includes:
- industry participation in curriculum development
- real business problem-solving
- faculty exposure to industry
- applied research
Prof Madhu Veeraraghavan believes universities and companies need to collaborate around larger problems. “Industry has a lot of questions. Universities have resources and capabilities,” he said, highlighting the need for stronger research and knowledge partnerships.
Why Bengaluru matters for management education
| Bengaluru ecosystem | Impact on MBA education |
| Technology companies | Exposure to digital transformation and AI adoption |
| Global capability centres | Understanding global business operations |
| Startup ecosystem | Entrepreneurship and innovation learning |
| Diverse industries | Access to real business challenges |
What will define the MBA of 2030
| Traditional MBA focus | Emerging MBA focus |
| Functional knowledge | Cross-functional thinking |
| Placement outcomes | Long-term career capability |
| Classroom-only learning | Industry-linked learning |
| Business fundamentals alone | Business + technology understanding |
| Role-specific skills | Adaptability and leadership |
The MBA is entering a new phase. Bengaluru’s advantage is not simply the number of companies around its campuses. It is that the future of business is already unfolding around them.
The challenge for management schools is whether they can convert that ecosystem into meaningful learning and create leaders who can navigate a workplace being reshaped by technology.
