Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow) has inaugurated the second batch of its Blended MBA Programme (2026–28) and the Executive Fellow Programme in Management (EFPM) at its campus on August 27, 2026.
The programmes are part of IIM Lucknow’s efforts to expand access to management education through flexible learning formats aimed at working professionals, executives and aspiring management researchers.
The inaugural programme was attended by IIM Lucknow, Director, Prof. M.P. Gupta, Chief Guest Sun Life Financial, Country Head – India, Sandeep Asthana, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow’s PGP Batch of 1993, and Guest Speakers Ashutosh A. Sinha, Business Head, Putzmeister India, and Subodh Vardhan, Independent Consultant – Business Strategy and Market Access.
Senior IIM Lucknow officials, including Dean (Programmes), Prof. Sanjay Kumar Singh; Chairperson, Blended MBA Programme, Prof. Omkarprasad S. Vaidya; and Dean (Faculty), Prof. Sanjeev Kapoor, welcomed the new cohort.
Flexible learning for professionals
IIM Lucknow, Director, Prof. M.P. Gupta, said the management education landscape is changing, with programmes designed specifically for working professionals gaining increasing relevance.
He noted that conventional full-time management programmes can be difficult for professionals to pursue alongside their careers, making blended and executive education increasingly important.
Such programmes enable professionals to continue working while upgrading their knowledge, developing new capabilities and remaining relevant in a rapidly changing business environment.
The Blended MBA enables participants to combine classroom learning with workplace experience, while the EFPM provides experienced professionals and management practitioners with an opportunity to pursue advanced research and contribute to management knowledge.
Linking classroom learning with work
Chief Guest Sun Life Financial, Country Head – India, Sandeep Asthana, who is also an IIM Lucknow alumnus, encouraged the new cohort to make the most of their time at the Institute.
Highlighting the distinctive nature of the Blended MBA, Asthana said, “In the Blended MBA, you are going to be in the classroom as well as at work. You will learn the theory and practise it at the same time. Your case studies will be live, happening all around you.”
He added that the programme provides participants with an opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world situations and gain a deeper understanding of management in practice.
Multiple pathways for lifelong learning
The Blended MBA and EFPM together represent IIM Lucknow’s focus on creating multiple pathways for lifelong management education.
While the Blended MBA enables working professionals to strengthen their managerial capabilities without stepping away from their careers, the EFPM provides a route for experienced professionals and practitioners to pursue advanced management research.
The Institute said the programmes are designed to respond to the evolving requirements of professionals and the changing nature of management education, while strengthening the link between academic knowledge, workplace experience and management practice.