Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: The Indian Institute of Management Jammu inaugurated and welcomed the 5th Batch of Ph.D. (Working Professionals) [Ph.D. (WP)] and the 6th Batch of Executive MBA (EMBA) for the academic session 2026–28 at the Institute’s Jagti Campus on Thursday, August 27, 2026. The inaugural and orientation programme marked the beginning of a new academic journey for the incoming batches, with a strong emphasis on academic rigour, experiential learning, professional excellence and leadership development.The programme brought together the newly admitted scholars and executive learners along with senior academic and administrative leadership of IIM Jammu and representatives from Accenture LearnVantage.
Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, welcomed the new batch and underscored the Institute’s commitment to nurturing professionals and scholars who can contribute meaningfully to industry, academia and society. He encouraged the participants to make the most of their association with IIM Jammu by embracing academic challenges, engaging with faculty and peers, and developing a broader perspective towards leadership and nation-building. He urged the learners to write down their expectations from the programme at the outset and revisit them at the end of their academic journey, reflecting on how far those expectations have been met and how the learning and experiences at IIM Jammu have contributed to their personal and professional growth.
Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Faculty & Research, IIM Jammu, highlighted the significance of research orientation, knowledge creation and engagement with contemporary management challenges, emphasising the importance of developing a strong analytical and research-driven mindset. He encouraged the scholars and executive learners to cultivate intellectual curiosity, undertake meaningful inquiry and leverage their academic journey to generate innovative, relevant and impactful insights that can contribute to industry, academia and society.
Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, welcomed the new learners and emphasised the importance of academic discipline, intellectual curiosity and continuous learning in successfully navigating the demanding programmes. Referring to the strength and diversity of the new cohorts, he assured the learners that the Institute would stand by them throughout their academic journey, supporting, guiding and growing with them, while coming together to celebrate their achievements and successes at every milestone.
The inaugural session commenced with a presentation on the student profile by Dr. Sarbjit Singh, Chairperson, Admissions, providing an overview of the incoming cohort and highlighting the diversity of professional and academic backgrounds represented by the new batch.
Delivering the special welcome address, Ms. Isha Bhalla, Managing Director, Accenture LearnVantage, extended her best wishes to the new batch and spoke about the evolving nature of business, technology and the workplace. She encouraged the participants to leverage the learning ecosystem to develop future-ready capabilities, strengthen their professional competencies and create meaningful impact in their respective fields.
The inaugural session concluded with the Vote of Thanks by Dr. Anuja Akhouri, Chairperson (EMBA), IIM Jammu, followed by the National Song and National Anthem. The orientation programme thereafter focused on familiarising the new participants with the academic and learning ecosystem of the Institute. Ms. Geeta Ratori, Manager – Learning Operations, Accenture LearnVantage, conducted a session on the Learning Management System, providing participants with insights into the digital learning environment and its effective utilisation.
This was followed by a session on “Academic Rigor, Pedagogy and Expectation from the Program” by Prof. Nitin Upadhyay, Dean (Academics), who outlined the academic expectations, learning approach and pedagogical framework of the programmes. The orientation further included a detailed session on “Academic Regulations, Academic Discipline and Student Handbook” by Shri Arup Bhattacharya, Chief Program Officer, IIM Jammu, familiarising participants with the Institute’s academic regulations, disciplinary framework and key provisions of the Student Handbook.
The orientation programme provided the new cohorts with a comprehensive understanding of the academic framework, learning processes, institutional expectations and opportunities available at IIM Jammu. It also set the tone for a transformative learning experience combining academic excellence with professional relevance.
The Ph.D. (Working Professionals) programme at IIM Jammu is designed to enable experienced professionals to pursue rigorous doctoral research while continuing their professional careers, fostering research capabilities and generating knowledge relevant to contemporary organisational and societal challenges. The Executive MBA programme, meanwhile, is designed to equip working professionals with advanced management knowledge, strategic thinking and leadership capabilities suited to the rapidly evolving business environment.
Welcoming the new cohorts, IIM Jammu reiterated its commitment to creating an intellectually stimulating and professionally enriching environment that empowers learners to become responsible leaders, researchers and change-makers.