By Prof. Sandeep Goel
The changing landscape of MBA curricula in India is one of the largest changes we have seen in the last few years due to the rapid pace of technological advancement, globalisation,
and shifting workforce expectations of employers. The increased demand from industry for an MBA graduate to be able to operate in an increasingly fluid, digital, and multi-disciplinary environment will require that business schools start re-designing their curriculum to align with the skills, knowledge and behaviour needed in the future workplace. Additionally, 2026 will mark a pivotal turning point in how Business Schools are designing their programmes in line with the new abilities, resources, and mindsets required to succeed in the new economy.
Technology Will Be The Core Of MBA
Technology has influenced management education over the past decade, but it will define it in the coming years. Tools such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Cybersecurity frameworks, and advanced Data Analytics are no longer peripheral topics. They are becoming central to how MBAs are structured and delivered.
To prepare future business leaders for working with the latest technology, business schools have completely revamped their curricula. Business schools now teach students not only how the latest technology works, but how to incorporate it into their everyday business life. These new skills will be needed in managing variety of functions in an organisation, including Finance, Marketing, Operations, Human Resource Management, and Governance. Algorithmic trading, predictive supply chains, artificial intelligence-based human resources, and digital first marketing strategies are a few examples of the new technologies that managers of the future will employ.
This shift is also impacting the pedagogy. Hands-on projects, real-world datasets, industry simulations, and lab-based learning environments are replacing purely classroom-driven formats. The message is clear: future managers must become proficient in technology.
A Robust Move Toward Specialisation
Students are now favouring specialised degree programs that map with their desired careers rather than pursuing general management degrees. Because of this, businesses are increasingly looking for young managers with specialised knowledge rather than general management expertise. These days, a lot of young professionals are now specialising in areas such as AI and ML, FinTech, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability/Environmental Sustainability, Supply Chain and Logistics, and Digital Strategy, among other niche fields.
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This trend reflects the changing nature of management careers. Today’s employers prefer graduates who can make a significant contribution right away, whether through comprehending regulatory governance, managing digital transformation, developing data models, or working with financial technologies. In response, business schools offer customised pathways, interdisciplinary electives, and industry-backed concentrations that sharpen expertise around specific sectors or competencies.
Hybrid & Online Learning Is The Long-Term Norm
One of the most enduring changes accelerated by the pandemic has been the adoption of flexible learning formats. Working professionals particularly are opting for online and blended MBA programmes that enable them to upskill without disrupting their careers.
As educational institutions create digital infrastructure (virtual classrooms and interactive platforms) that provide high-quality distance learning, it is anticipated that hybrid learning in India will have a fully developed model by 2026. These formats provide great benefit through their practicality, flexibility, decreased opportunity costs, and access for learners from different geographical areas.
These types of learning formats support continuous career development and help many working professionals bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement.
Soft Skills Will Have Equal Importance As Technical Skills
Organisations are placing equal emphasis on interpersonal and behavioral skills as they do on technologically proficient managers. In an increasingly collaborative and globalised workplace, communication, negotiation, emotional intelligence, teamwork, and cross-cultural sensitivity are becoming critical leadership skills.
Industry feedback from hiring managers themselves emphasises the importance of leadership and trust-building skills—skills that cannot be replaced by technology. To prepare students with this knowledge and skill set, MBA Programs are being developed to incorporate workshops (hands-on training), experiential learning opportunities, personality development and multicultural immersion programs to create a comprehensive leadership profile.
Looking Ahead
The MBA of 2026 will be defined by a balance between strong human skills and deep technological understanding, industry-aligned specialisations supported by adaptable learning pathways; and global perspectives anchored in local relevance. As India increases its global position and continues to strengthen, it prepares career graduates with management degrees who are prepared to enter the workforce and ready to face the future.
Business schools that will embrace these changes with flexibility, a solid academic foundation, and collaboration with industry will be the ones that foster the development of next generation of leaders for the ever-changing and dynamic world ahead.
(The author is Professor of Accounting & Finance and Corporate Governance and Dean – Research at MDI Gurgaon. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.)
