Bengaluru: Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) has marked a new chapter in its academic journey by welcoming the first-ever batch of undergraduate students to the IIM Bangalore – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies.
The inaugural ceremony was held on August 31, marking IIM Bangalore’s entry into undergraduate education with its BSc (Hons) programmes in Data Sciences and Economics. The first cohort comprises 80 students selected from nearly 12,000 applicants across India, making the occasion a significant milestone for the institute and Indian higher education.
The event brought together IIM Bangalore’s leadership, faculty members, former directors, Tata Trusts representatives, partners and the inaugural cohort of students.
80 Students Selected from Nearly 12,000 Applicants
The first cohort consists of 40 students each in Data Sciences and Economics. Of the 80 students, 56 are male and 24 are female.
Following a highly competitive selection process, 453 candidates were shortlisted for interviews, from which the final 80 students were selected for the 2026-30 academic session.
The batch has a strong academic profile, with more than half of the students scoring above 90% overall in their Class 12 examinations. As many as 44 students scored above 90 marks in Mathematics.
The students come from diverse academic backgrounds, with 39 having studied Commerce, 39 Science and two Arts and Humanities.
Students Represent 20 States
The inaugural cohort also reflects the pan-India appeal of the programmes. Students have joined from 20 states across India, with Maharashtra contributing the largest number at 18, followed by Karnataka with 13 and Uttar Pradesh with 10 students.
In terms of school boards, 51 students come from CBSE, 23 from State Boards, four from the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, while one each comes from NIOS and ICSE.
Dr Devi Prasad Shetty Calls It a Momentous Occasion
Addressing the gathering, Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore, and Chairman and Founder of Narayana Health, described the inauguration as a momentous occasion for India’s education system.
He acknowledged the contribution of Tata Trusts Chairman Mr Noel Tata towards building the institution and highlighted the legacy of Tata-founded institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and the Tata Memorial Centre.
Dr Shetty said the new school aims to nurture students with multidisciplinary capabilities, enabling them to move comfortably between areas such as business, public policy, economics and science.
He also revealed that 25% of the inaugural batch is receiving full or partial scholarships.
Tata Trusts CEO Urges Students to Focus on Excellence
Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, encouraged the students to make the most of their unique opportunity as the first cohort of the institution.
He urged them to follow four core principles — honesty, integrity, hard work, and continuous learning and re-learning — while emphasising that personal growth is as important as professional success.
Highlighting the importance of institutional culture, Sharma said that institutions are built not merely through infrastructure and facilities, but through faculty, teaching, learning and a culture of excellence.
He said the inaugural cohort of 80 students is expected to grow to approximately 2,400 students supported by 150 faculty members by 2034, while stressing that scale itself would not be the primary objective.
New Campus Coming Up in Bengaluru
Prof U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIM Bangalore, acknowledged the contribution of various individuals, institutions and partners involved in establishing the new school.
He noted that the Government of Karnataka has provided more than 100 acres of land for the upcoming campus. Tata Trusts, Axis Bank, State Street and Wipro are among the partners supporting the initiative.
Prof Kumar drew inspiration from India’s ancient tradition of learning, particularly Nalanda, and said the new school would promote a learning environment where students and faculty collaboratively create knowledge.
The inauguration was followed by a tribute video showcasing the efforts that went into establishing the school. A Campus Integration Run, led by Prof Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Faculty, IIMB, also featured as part of the celebrations, connecting the institute’s Bannerghatta Road campus with the new undergraduate campus in Jigani.
Abhejit Agrawal, Head of Sustainability and CSR, Axis Bank and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, also addressed the students and encouraged them to make full use of the faculty, campus and opportunities available to them.
With its first batch bringing together students from across the country and diverse academic backgrounds, the IIM Bangalore – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies has formally begun its journey to create a new model of multidisciplinary undergraduate education in India.
