Tri-Institute Alliance Formally Welcomes PGDBA Batch 12 (2026–2028)
The Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics (PGDBA) programme—jointly offered by IIM Calcutta, the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), and IIT Kharagpur—officially commenced its academic cycle for Batch 12 (2026–2028) with 61 students on board. An intensive four-day orientation programme was conducted at the IIM Calcutta campus to provide foundational, institutional, and technical insights to the incoming cohort.
Day 1 & 2: Onboarding and Ecosystem Integration
The orientation initiated with formal registration and administrative onboarding at IIM Calcutta. The second day focused on introducing students to institutional infrastructure and governance frameworks:
- Programme Overview: Prof. Abhipsa Pal (Chairperson, PGDBA) outlined the curriculum architecture and academic expectations.
- Resources & Labs: Dr. Narayan Chandra Ghosh (Librarian) and Prof. Samit Paul (Chairperson, Finance Lab) detailed the utilization of advanced research databases and financial modelling infrastructure.
- Campus Governance & Welfare: Prof. Rahul Kumar (Chairperson, Student Affairs) addressed community integration, while Prof. Anupama Kondayya (Convenor) led a mandatory brief on anti- ragging policies, equal opportunities, and mental health support.
- Digital Systems: The IIT Kharagpur technical team facilitated institutional Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform registration.
Day 3: Formal Inauguration and Industry Panel
The third day integrated formal institutional protocols with critical tech discussions:
- Institutional Ethics: Prof. Ramya Tarakad Venkateswaran (Chairperson, Internal Complaints Committee) conducted an essential session on gender sensitization and academic equity.
- Industry Panel: A panel titled "GenAI: Redefining Analytics" featured insights from Prof. Ankit Kumar (IIM Calcutta), Dr. Ramasubramanian Sundararajan (SOLUS.ai), Mr. Adhi Narayanan Y R (Bank of New York), and Mr. Vishal Bagla (AmbitionBox).
- Inauguration Ceremony: The batch was officially inducted by the leadership of the tri-institute alliance, featuring formal addresses by Prof. Alok Kumar Rai (Director, IIM Calcutta), Prof. Bhaskar Chakrabarti (Dean, IIM Calcutta), Prof. Biswabrata Pradhan (Dean of Studies, ISI), and Prof. Rudra Prakash Pradhan (PGDBA Coordinator and Dean, VGSoM, IIT Kharagpur).
Day 4: Academic Masterclasses and Alumni Insights
The orientation concluded with preparatory masterclasses and strategic professional guidance:
- Methodology & Integrity: Prof. Chetan Joshi (Organizational Behaviour) lectured on case study methodologies, while Prof. Apoorva Bharadwaj (Business Ethics and Communication) emphasized academic integrity and plagiarism prevention.
- Technical Masterclasses: Dr. Ramasubramanian Sundararajan delivered an executive session on "Data Science on a Budget," and Prof. Vimal Kumar M (Management Information Systems) provided frameworks on operationalizing GenAI tools.
- Alumni Mentorship: Mr. Adhi Narayanan Y R (Batch 2) and Mr. Vishal Bagla (Batch 1) shared strategic insights on navigating the rigorous curriculum and leveraging the tri-institute network for career transitions. The PGDBA administration extends its gratitude to the leadership, faculty, and alumni who facilitated this seamless onboarding. The alliance wishes Batch 12 a transformative two-year journey.
