Kozhikode, July 03, 2026: The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM Kozhikode) officially welcomed its 2026-28 student cohort and made history for Indian Management Education by having the highest female cohort in the Indian Institutes of Management system. At this event, 599 students were welcomed to one of the 3 Full-Time MBA Programs. In addition, 99 students were welcomed to one of the Doctoral Programs in Management. Mr. Raghu Polisetty, Senior Managing Director, Accenture, was the Chief Guest for the event, which was presided over by Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode.
A Landmark Year for Gender Diversity
For the flagship Post Graduate Program (PGP) at IIM Kozhikode, 329 out of 499 students are women. At nearly 66% female representation, this is the highest number of women for any PGP at any IIM.
This accomplishment strongly reinforces IIM Kozhikode's position on the national and international front for its commitment to gender diversity.
The Institute has broken new ground for the other IIMs over the last decade, and includes:
- IIM Kozhikode PGP 17 (2013): First IIM to cross the 50% mark with 54% women.
- 2021: Surpassed the 50% mark for women admissions again.
- 2024: Women admissions at 59%, the highest of the older IIMs.
- 2026: 66% of women in the flagship PGP, a new national record.
Among its three full-time MBA programs, almost 63% of the students are women from IIM Kozhikode, making it one of the most successful business schools in terms of gender diversity globally.
Gender Diversity by Program
Post Graduate Program (PGP)
- Total students = 499
- Women = 329 (66%)
Post Graduate Program in Liberal Studies & Management (PGP-LSM) – Batch 07
- Total students = 51
- Women = 82%
Post Graduate Program in Finance (PGP-Fin)
- Total students = 49
- Female students = 12%
IIM Kozhikode encourages the creation of diverse learning environments. The three programs together admitted 599 MBAs in 2026.
Gender Diversity is not the Only Area of Improvement
In addition to gender diversity, IIM Kozhikode is on its way to improving academic diversity as well.
The flagship PGP admitted 57% of students who are not from engineering, improving IIM Kozhikode's aim to widen the academic range of MBA students.
The academic diversity, by program, is as follows:
- PGP: 57% non-engineers
- PGP-LSM: 96% non-engineers
- PGP-Fin: 45% non-engineers
Diversity beyond engineering is IIM Kozhikode's step in the direction of Multidisciplinary Management Education, and this commitment is evidenced by the fact that 59% of students in the three full-time MBA programs are from non-engineering backgrounds.
99 Doctoral Scholars Join PhD Program of IIM Kozhikode
The doctoral ecosystem of IIM Kozhikode is growing and recently added 99 PhD students, of which:
27 joined the regular Doctoral Program in Management (DPM). This regular doctoral cohort of women is 66%, which makes it the highest female representation in a regular PhD batch at IIM Kozhikode.
72 joined the Executive Doctoral Program.
The batch also includes the first batch of the Doctoral Program in Management (Teaching Track), IIM Kozhikode's newest doctoral offering to prepare future management educators.
Chief Guest's Address
Mr. Raghu Polisetty, Senior Managing Director, Accenture, praised IIM Kozhikode for creating a national milestone in inclusivity and gender diversity among the IIMs.
He advised the new students to look at Artificial Intelligence as a massive facilitator rather than an alternative to human capacity. He said the future will be for those who have a combination of empathy, creativity, technology and values.
AI can assist intelligence, but it will never substitute human judgement, ethics and purpose. The successful leaders of the future will be the ones who are lifelong learners, continuous adaptors, who create connections and are concerned with the larger picture of success as opposed to the smaller picture of personal success. Leadership brings with it the responsibility and the privilege of creating a world that is more just and equitable.
Director's Message
In his address to the new students, Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode, said the following:
The Class of 2028 is a landmark occasion for IIM Kozhikode and for management education in India. The largest proportion of women in the history of the IIM System has shown that excellence and diversity are complementary. IIM Kozhikode is committed to complementing gender diversity with a variety of academic and experiential backgrounds. The leaders of the future will come from classrooms that celebrate curiosity and collaboration.
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