IIM-B starts courses for first batch of UG programmes

A view of the Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore (IIM-B) in Bengaluru. | Photo credit: SHAILENDRA BHOJAK

Classes for the UG BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Economics program began on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) at the Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore (IIM-B) – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies. Around 80 students joined the inaugural cohort from 20 different states across India.

Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson, IIM-B, and Chairman and Founder, Narayana Health, termed it a momentous occasion for the Indian education system and an event that they believe will transform Indian education.

Dr. Shetty positioned the new school within a legacy of institutions set up by Tata, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Tata Memorial Center for Cancer Care. He also noted that 25% of the inaugural cohort of 80 students were enrolled on full or partial scholarships.

When explaining the vision of the school, Dr. Shetty said the goal was to train bilingual minds, not yet entrenched in their worldviews, able to move as comfortably between business and public policy as between economics and science.

Meanwhile, Siddharth Sharma, chief executive of Tata Trusts, outlined the institution’s long-term ambitions, saying the founding cohort of 80 was expected to grow to around 2,400 students by 2034, supported by 150 teachers, although he was clear this was not the scale.

Noting that India’s lack of high-quality higher education institutions relative to its population has made admissions what he described as a process of elimination rather than a selection process, Mr. Sharma said the partnership with IIM Bangalore was conceived as a long-term investment in the country’s youth.

The inaugural cohort consists of 80 students each from data science and economics, with 56 male and 24 female students. While 39 students studied commerce, 39 studied natural sciences and two studied arts and humanities. The majority of students, 51, are from CBSE background, followed by 23 from state boards, four from IB curriculum and one each from NIOS and ICSE.

Published – 01 Sep 2026 18:46 IST