- Women’s participation in IIM Kozhikode’s Executive Post Graduate Programme (EPGP) rises to 26 percent, doubling over three cohorts.
- EPGP sees record 615 graduates, growing urban and non-engineering enrolments, and strong industry-diverse representation.
- Director Prof. Debashis Chatterjee launches ‘1 Minute Wisdom’ at Bengaluru event, reinforcing focus on mindful leadership.
Marking a major milestone in gender diversity, the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode has seen women’s participation in its two-year Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) rise to 26 percent a 100 percent increase over the past three cohorts. The increase reflects a growing aspiration among women professionals to pursue advanced management education at one of the country’s most respected institutions.
This steep increase in attendance comes on the back of IIM Kozhikode's deliberate action to widen inclusivity and expand access to leadership learning for working professionals. Women presently represent more than a quarter of the present batch, a trend that was welcomed by Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode, at a recent masterclass on 'Mindful Leadership' in Bengaluru. The event, witnessed by top professionals from all over the country, exhibited the institute's zeal for attracting talent from all walks of life. During this interactive session Prof. Debashis Chatterjee spoke about the relevance of the term Mindfulness and how awareness and purity of thought and action become critical for decision-making managers to make well-informed choices.
Prof. Chatterjee underscored the EPGP's changing way of learning one that emphasizes accessibility, innovation and applicability to the real world. "This is our vision since inception. We feel elated to witness women making ever-increasing numbers of choices to pursue IIM Kozhikode's EPGP as the destination for building leadership competence. Our effort is to continue improving representation of women in all of our academic programs", he stated. Prof. Chatterjee also launched his latest book '1 Minute Wisdom', a book containing leadership and life learnings at the event, published by Penguin India.
IIM Kozhikode, ranked second among IIMs in India and 22nd in the Asia-Pacific region in the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2025, has further strengthened its position as a top option for mid-career professionals. The 15th batch of the EPGP graduated recently with a record-high 615 learners. The programme continues to attract students from India's large urban cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. Urban admissions have increased from 51 percent for the 13th batch to 67 percent for the 17th batch, reflecting wider recognition of the value of the programme in developing professionals for cross-function and cross-industry leadership roles.
The institute has also witnessed higher admissions from non-engineering candidates up to 25 percent of the batch group as professionals in industries outside of technology aim to develop more robust management skills. The widening popularity of IIMK's curriculum among professionals trying to move into strategic and leadership roles explains this diversification. "With more than 5,000 professionals who have advanced since its establishment, EPGP has played a key role in developing domain experts as strategic decision-makers".
"The programme's industry-agnostic focus, coupled with our renowned faculty and real-world learning pedagogy, continues to attract a diverse student body year after year. Our robust public and private sector links, and facilities like IIMK LIVE our entrepreneurship development center offer learners unparalleled exposure, opportunity and innovation and growth launchpad. These factors have enabled the programme to develop rapidly and stay very relevant in today's fast-paced business world", he added.
The Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management continues to draw professionals from diverse fields like IT, aerospace, public sector, education, manufacturing, finance, energy and consulting. Approximately 30 percent of the present batch includes individuals with professional experience ranging from six to nine years, reflecting high interest from mid-level managers looking to step up their career progress.
Applications for the 18th batch of the Executive Postgraduate Programme in Management are now available. The course is interwoven with core subjects like Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Strategy, Operations and Human Resources along with modern electives like International Business, Corporate Accountability, and Digital Transformation. Provided by way of a mix of live online classes, case studies, assignments and industry projects, the programme has three one-week campus and international immersions through its global partnerships. Students are mentored by renowned IIMK faculty members and veteran industry leaders and have lifetime access to a professional alumni network of more than 13,000 members across industries and geographies.
