With the competition increasing in the job market, a sole academic qualification may not be enough to build a successful career. Students need to develop the ability to learn, adapt, communicate and work with people, while also staying curious and open to new ideas.
For those choosing a management institute, Professor Debashis Chatterjee, Director of IIM Kozhikode, says students should look beyond rankings, placements and brand value and consider the institution’s culture, faculty, peer learning and opportunities for holistic development.
Is an AI degree enough to make students job-ready? skills students need to succeed
While speaking with HT Digital, Professor Chatterjee discusses how artificial intelligence reshapes classrooms and workspaces, how students should learn intelligently with technology without losing human skills that machines cannot replace, and emphasises critical thinking. Read the complete interview here:
What should students look for when choosing a management institute beyond rankings, placements and brand value?
When students choose a management institute, they are not merely choosing a degree; they are choosing an environment that will shape the way they think, work and lead. Rankings, placements and brand value are important, but they tell only part of the story.
Students should first look at the legacy and culture of the institution—what does it stand for, and what kind of individuals does it seek to create? They should examine the quality and accessibility of its faculty, the opportunities for peer learning, and the extent to which the institution promotes holistic learning beyond the classroom.
Gender diversity and diversity of perspectives are equally important. Management education is ultimately about understanding people, organisations and society. A diverse classroom enables students to learn not only from faculty but also from peers with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives. At IIM Kozhikode, we have experienced the transformative power of this diversity firsthand. We were the first IIM to have a batch with women in the majority, and this has helped create a powerful ripple effect—encouraging a new generation of young women to aspire to and see themselves as part of the IIM system.
At IIM Kozhikode, our educational philosophy is anchored in three intellectual pillars: Satyam, Nityam and Purnam—authenticity, sustainability and fulfilment. These are not merely philosophical ideas; they inform the culture we seek to create. Our endeavour is to develop managers who are competent and employable, but also compassionate, conscious and capable of creating meaningful value.
The question, therefore, should not simply be, “What will this institution do for my career?” but also, “What will this institution do to me as a person and as a leader?” The best management education should equip students with the skills to succeed in the world of work while giving them the intellectual depth, ethical grounding and human sensitivity to contribute meaningfully to the world beyond work.
What are the biggest skills students need today to succeed in a fast-changing job market, beyond academic qualifications?
Academic qualifications may open the door, but it is the ability to learn, adapt and work with people that determines how far one can go in a fast-changing job market.
Students today need strong soft skills—communication, collaboration, empathy, resilience and the ability to navigate ambiguity. Alongside IQ, they must develop their emotional quotient (EQ): the ability to understand themselves, relate to others and respond thoughtfully to complex situations.
Creativity is equally important. In a world where technology and AI can increasingly provide answers, the human ability to ask better questions, think differently and imagine new possibilities becomes even more valuable.
Ultimately, students need to remain lifelong learners. The most valuable skill today is perhaps the capacity to continuously acquire new skills while retaining the curiosity, creativity and human sensitivity that technology cannot substitute.
For students who do not come from a business or commerce background, what can they do to make the most of an MBA programme?
For students without a business or commerce background, an MBA can actually be an opportunity to bring a different perspective into management education. They should not feel compelled to erase their disciplinary background; instead, they should learn to connect it with management.
At IIM Kozhikode, we recognise the value of such interdisciplinary learning. Our MBA in Liberal Studies & Management brings together the humanities, liberal arts and management, creating an environment where students can develop both analytical and managerial capabilities. The idea is that management is not merely about numbers and spreadsheets; it is also about understanding people, society, culture and context.
Practically, students from non-business backgrounds should spend time building a foundation in areas such as accounting, finance, economics and statistics, while also bringing the strengths of their own disciplines into classroom discussions and case studies. They should actively participate in peer learning, work on live projects, seek internships and engage with people from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
Most importantly, they should see their non-business background not as a deficiency to overcome, but as a different lens through which to understand management. In an increasingly interdisciplinary world, that diversity of thought can become a significant advantage.
With AI changing the way we study and work, how should management students prepare themselves to stay relevant and competitive?
AI is changing not only the way we work, but also the way we learn. For management students, the answer is not to compete with AI, but to learn how to work intelligently with it.
At IIM Kozhikode, we are strengthening capabilities in AI, data analytics and digital transformation across our programmes. But technology must be integrated with, rather than separated from, the fundamentals of management education. Students must learn not only to interpret data, but also to question it, contextualise it and exercise sound judgement in using it.
This makes critical thinking, creativity, communication, empathy and ethical reasoning even more important. AI can process enormous amounts of information and generate increasingly sophisticated answers; the human advantage lies in asking the right questions, understanding context and taking responsibility for the decisions that follow.
Technical proficiency alone does not create leaders. The managers of the future will need to combine technological fluency with strategic thinking, emotional intelligence and ethical clarity. AI is a powerful tool; wisdom in applying that tool is what creates lasting value.
That is why, at IIM Kozhikode, our endeavour is not simply to add AI as another subject, but to embed AI literacy and data-driven decision-making across management education. The future belongs to those who can continuously learn, think deeply and lead responsibly in an AI-augmented world.
Online or In-Person? Why hybrid learning may be the better fit for working professionals
You have mentored thousands of managers and educators. What are some common mistakes you see young students making when it comes to choosing their career or defining success?
One of the most common mistakes young people make is to borrow someone else’s definition of success. They often choose a career because it is fashionable, financially rewarding, socially respected or because others have chosen it—not because it is aligned with their own aptitude, curiosity and sense of purpose.
Another mistake is to confuse achievement with fulfilment. A good salary, a prestigious designation or a successful career are valuable, but they are milestones, not the destination. Success becomes meaningful when what we achieve is also aligned with who we are and the value we create for others.
Young people also sometimes become too anxious about making the “perfect” career choice. Careers today are rarely linear. What matters is not predicting the entire journey at the age of twenty, but developing the capacity to learn, adapt and reinvent oneself along the way.
I would encourage students to ask themselves three questions: What am I good at? What am I curious about? And what can I contribute to the world? The intersection of these three questions can provide a much stronger compass than simply following the market.
At IIM Kozhikode, we speak of Satyam, Nityam and Purnam—authenticity, sustainability and fulfilment. In many ways, these offer a useful framework for thinking about a career too: be authentic to yourself, create value that is sustainable, and ultimately seek fulfilment rather than merely achievement.
Success, therefore, should not be measured only by how high one climbs, but also by what one becomes while climbing and whom one lifts along the way.
How important are leadership, communication and emotional intelligence for students who want to build successful careers, and how can they start developing these skills while still in college?
Leadership, communication and emotional intelligence are no longer optional attributes; they are fundamental to building meaningful and successful careers. Technical competence may help you enter an organisation, but your ability to communicate, collaborate, understand people and lead through uncertainty determines how effectively you can create value.
These capabilities can and should be developed while students are still in college. Write, participate and engage. Writing helps clarify thought; participating in discussions, clubs, competitions and projects teaches you to articulate ideas and listen to others. Leadership is not something one learns only after receiving a designation—it begins with taking responsibility, working with people and learning from experience.
I would also encourage students to never let their curiosity die down. Observe what is happening around you—within your campus, your community, your industry and the larger world. Develop a keen sense of understanding of people and situations. Ask questions, listen carefully and try to see issues from perspectives different from your own.
Emotional intelligence begins with this awareness: awareness of oneself, and sensitivity towards others. A student who learns to listen before responding, understand before judging and collaborate across differences is already developing an important leadership capability.
Ultimately, leadership is not merely about being heard; it is about learning to listen, learning to understand and then having the courage and clarity to act.
For students looking beyond traditional MBA careers, what emerging opportunities or fields should they explore, and what kind of mindset will help them make the most of these opportunities?
I often describe an MBA as “Master of Business Ambiguity.” The world of business is becoming increasingly complex, and the ability to navigate uncertainty may be more valuable than having answers to every question.
Students should therefore look beyond traditional career tracks and explore emerging spaces at the intersection of technology, AI, sustainability, entrepreneurship, healthcare, creative industries, public policy and social impact. Many of the opportunities of tomorrow will emerge in spaces that may not even have clearly defined job descriptions today.
But the real differentiator will not simply be the ability to use new technology. With the advent of AI, we need to ask a more fundamental question: What is uniquely human that we must retain and strengthen? Creativity, curiosity, empathy, imagination, ethical judgement and the ability to understand people and context will become increasingly valuable.
Students should therefore develop a mindset of continuous learning and reinvention. Technology will keep changing, industries will evolve and career paths will become less linear. The individual who can remain curious, embrace ambiguity and combine technological fluency with distinctly human capabilities will have a powerful USP.
The future of management, in my view, will not be about humans versus machines. It will be about humans who know how to use machines without losing their humanity.
