IIM Kozhikode Creates History with 66% Women in Flagship PGP’s 30th Batch

KOZHIKODE:
The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode marked a historic milestone in the Indian management education by inducting its new cohort for the academic year 2026–28, with the Institute recording the highest-ever representation of women in the history of the IIM system.

At the inauguration ceremony, 599 students were formally inducted into IIM Kozhikode’s three full-time MBA programmes, while 99 Doctoral Scholars joined its Doctoral Programmes in Management, reaffirming the Institute’s commitment to academic excellence, diversity and inclusive leadership. The inaugural function was graced by Raghu Polisetty, Senior Managing Director, Accenture, as the Chief Guest and was presided over by Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode.

In a landmark achievement, 329 out of 499 students admitted to IIM Kozhikode’s flagship Post Graduate Programme (PGP) are women, taking female representation to nearly 66%—the highest ever recorded by any IIM for its flagship PGP.This remarkable achievement further consolidates IIM Kozhikode’s position as India’s leading management institution in promoting gender diversity.

The Institute has consistently set national benchmarks in this area over the past decade:
2013 (PGP-17): First IIM to cross the 50% mark with 54% women, breaking the traditional gender barrier in management education.
2021: Once again surpassed 50% women admissions.
2024: Achieved 59% women, then the highest among the older IIMs.
2026: Sets a new national benchmark with 66% women in the flagship PGP.
Across its three full-time MBA programmes, this year IIM Kozhikode has achieved an overall gender diversity of nearly 63% women, one of the highest among premier business schools globally.

Programme-wise gender diversity stands for 2026, is as follows:
Post Graduate Programme (PGP)
Total Students: 499
Women: 329 (66%)
Post Graduate Programme in Liberal Studies & Management (PGP-LSM) – Batch 07

Total Students: 51
Women: 82%
Post Graduate Programme in Finance (PGP-Fin)

Total Students: 49
Female students: 12%
Together, the three programmes inducted 599 MBA students in 2026, reflecting IIM Kozhikode’s sustained emphasis on creating diverse learning environments.

Alongside gender diversity, IIM Kozhikode has also significantly strengthened academic diversity. The flagship PGP has admitted 57% non-engineering graduates, further reinforcing the Institute’s long-standing effort to broaden the academic composition of MBA classrooms. Programme-wise academic diversity includes:

PGP: 57% non-engineers
PGP-LSM: 96% non-engineers
PGP-Fin: 45% non-engineers
Overall, 59% of students across the three full-time MBA programmes come from non-engineering backgrounds, reflecting IIM Kozhikode’s commitment to multidisciplinary management education.

The Institute also welcomed 99 Doctoral Scholars (PhD) into its growing doctoral ecosystem. Among them:
27 scholars joined the regular Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM).
66% of this regular doctoral cohort are women, making it the highest-ever female representation in a regular PhD batch at IIM Kozhikode.
72 scholars joined the Executive Doctoral Programme.
The intake also includes the inaugural batch of the Doctoral Programme in Management (Teaching Track), IIM Kozhikode’s newest doctoral offering aimed at developing future management educators and researchers.

Raghu Polisetty, Senior Managing Director, Accenture, congratulated IIM Kozhikode for setting a national benchmark in inclusivity and gender diversity among the IIMs. He encouraged the incoming students to view Artificial Intelligence as a powerful enabler rather than a replacement for human capability, emphasising that the future will belong to those who combine technological proficiency with empathy, creativity and strong values. “AI can enhance intelligence, but it cannot replace human judgement, ethics or purpose. The leaders who will thrive are those who remain lifelong learners, adapt continuously, build meaningful human connections and focus on creating collective success rather than individual achievement. Leadership today carries both the responsibility and the opportunity to build a more equitable and inclusive world,” he said.

Addressing the incoming students, Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode, said: “The Class of 2028 marks a significant milestone for IIM Kozhikode and for management education in India. The highest-ever representation of women in the history of the IIM system reflects our long-standing belief that diversity and excellence go hand in hand. Beyond gender, we remain committed to building classrooms enriched by varied academic backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The leaders of tomorrow will emerge from learning environments that celebrate neurodiversity, curiosity and collaboration.”