'Top B-school placements resilient despite global uncertainty': IIM-A's Bharat Bhasker

Placement prospects at leading management schools remain strong despite economic uncertainty, IIM Ahmedabad director Bharat Bhasker told FE's Manu Kaushik. He also discussed plans to expand funding for AI start-ups, the impact of the West Asia conflict on the institute's Dubai campus and how management education must evolve as businesses increasingly adopt AI.

With high crude oil prices, rising inflation and global trade uncertainties weighing on the economic outlook, how do you see these factors affecting final placements at IIM Ahmedabad?

We saw some impact last year. However, I can speak for the top five or six institutes in the country, where the impact is likely to be limited. The economy is large, and the pool of high-quality management graduates available for immediate managerial roles remains limited. There are perhaps 25 management schools producing graduates who are ready to take on such roles.