New Delhi: IIM Bangalore has received a major philanthropic commitment from Tata Trusts to establish and develop its new undergraduate school, even as the institute prepares to welcome its first batch of 80 undergraduate students on August 31.
IIM Bangalore and Tata Trusts signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise the contribution towards the development of the school, which will be named the IIM Bangalore – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies.
The institute said its first undergraduate intake attracted around 12,000 applications for 80 seats, making the inaugural selection process highly competitive. The first cohort will comprise 40 students each in two four-year, full-time residential programmes: BSc (Hons) in Data Sciences with a minor in Economics and BSc (Hons) in Economics with a minor in Data Sciences.
Tata Trusts to support campus and academic development
Under the agreement, Tata Trusts will support the establishment and initial development of academic infrastructure for the School of Undergraduate Studies. The Trusts will also contribute to its strategic direction and vision-setting, policy formulation and governance oversight.
The philanthropic contribution will support development of the school’s new residential undergraduate campus in the Jigani-Anekal area, around 23 km from IIM Bangalore’s existing Bannerghatta Road campus.
The dedicated campus is being designed as a residential academic environment focused on interdisciplinary learning, research and innovation. It will include academic facilities and student housing, along with accessible infrastructure and dedicated facilities for people with disabilities.
Noel Tata said the partnership reflected the Tata Trusts’ approach of supporting institutions that can contribute to India’s long-term development.
“For over a century, the Tata Trusts have seeded some of India’s most defining institutions that have influenced generations, and continue to serve public good long after the initial investment,” Tata said.
He said the partnership with IIM Bangalore was aimed at supporting an institution that could set new benchmarks for undergraduate education.
Dr Devi Shetty said the partnership would provide the undergraduate school with a foundation to develop a multidisciplinary model of education.
IIM Bangalore expands into undergraduate education
The School of Undergraduate Studies marks a significant expansion of IIM Bangalore’s academic footprint beyond its established postgraduate programmes.
The institute said the school is being developed with an emphasis on multidisciplinary education, research and global academic standards. Its academic focus will include areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, economics and business.
Prof Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIM Bangalore, said the school was being developed at a time when AI is changing businesses, governments and society.
“Through world-class infrastructure, research capability and globally benchmarked learning, IIM Bangalore aims to nurture an ecosystem where students deeply engage with the defining challenges of an AI-driven world,” he said.
The institute said the Tata Trusts’ support will also contribute to strengthening research and academic capabilities at the school, including research clusters at the intersection of AI, data science, algorithmic design, Indian Knowledge Systems and applied business learning.
The funding will also support the development of a dedicated multidisciplinary faculty body and the school’s longer-term academic objectives.
Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, said undergraduate education needs to prepare students to work across disciplines as technology and AI reshape the nature of work.
“It is no longer enough to build specialised knowledge; young people also need the ability to think across disciplines, ask new questions, and apply what they learn to real-world challenges,” Sharma said.
With its first cohort of 80 students set to begin classes on August 31, IIM Bangalore’s new undergraduate school will now move from its initial development phase to the start of academic operations.
