IIM Kozhikode Convocation 2026: 1,432 graduate across 8 courses, 37 get PhD degrees; 14 receive gold medals

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode held its 28th annual convocation on April 4, awarding degrees to a total of 1,432 students across eight courses, including master of business administration (MBA) and doctoral courses. Of these, 1,395 students received MBA degrees across multiple courses, while 37 scholars were conferred PhD degrees, including candidates from both regular and practice-track doctoral streams.

IIM Kozhikode said that the event saw the conferment of 37 doctoral degrees, including 22 awarded to DPM (regular) scholars and 15 to those from the DPM (practice track) courses.

The IIM Kozhikode convocation saw 14 students receiving gold medals across courses.

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As per the official press note, the convocation included graduates from several full-time MBA courses, with 488 students from the post graduate programme (PGP), 62 from PGP-BL, 53 from PGP Finance, and 54 from PGP-LSM receiving their degrees. Additionally, two Executive MBA cohorts were honoured, comprising 581 participants from the main campus EPGP and 157 from the Kochi campus.

IIM Kozhikode: Focus on stress adaptability, ethics, diversity

T. V. Narendran, CEO and managing director of Tata Steel, attended the ceremony as chief guest. Addressing the graduating cohort, he emphasised adaptability in a rapidly changing global environment, stating that students should “view technology—particularly AI—not as a force to be resisted, but as a powerful enabler to be embraced and leveraged.” He also underlined the importance of self-awareness and urged students to remain sensitive to social inequalities while building leadership capabilities.

Acting chairperson of the board of governors, V. P. Nandakumar, highlighted the relevance of management education in addressing global uncertainties. He noted that institutions like IIM Kozhikode play a key role in preparing leaders capable of “navigating complexity, driving innovation, and making responsible, ethical decisions.” He also encouraged graduates to focus on long-term value creation and inclusive development.

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Director Debashis Chatterjee, in his report, pointed to the institute’s academic and global progress, including improvements in international rankings and expansion of courses. He stated that several cohorts recorded over 50% women participation, reflecting ongoing efforts towards gender diversity. He advised students to remain grounded while pursuing ambitious goals, adding that “real progress often lies beyond comfort zones.”