IIM Lucknow 40th Convocation: 807 degrees awarded; 504 MBA students

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow conferred degrees upon 807 students at its 40th convocation today, March 19, 2026. The management institute’s 40th batch of Post Graduate Programme in Management (MBA) recorded the highest number of graduates, with 504 degrees.

Moreover, 114 students from the 18th batch of the International Programme in Management for Executives had degrees conferred upon them at the ceremony.

The 21st batch of the PG in Agri-Business Management (MBA- ABM) saw 55 students graduate, while the 10th batch of the PG in Sustainable Management (MBA- SM) recorded 46 students.

Whereas, there were 18 students from the Doctoral Programme in Management (PhD) and 6 from the Executive Fellow Programme in Management (Ph.D.) who were awarded degrees.

There were also 64 students from the 20th batch of the Post-Graduate Programme in Management for Working Executives who were conferred degrees.
The ceremony marked an important milestone for the students as they completed their academic journey and prepared to enter the professional world.

Degrees were awarded by N Chandrasekaran, chairperson of the board of governors, along with director MP Gupta. Sanjiv Bajaj, chairman and managing director of bajaj finserv, attended the event as the chief guest and addressed the graduating batch.

In his speech, Bajaj spoke about how quickly the world is changing, driven by shifts in technology, the economy and global dynamics. He pointed out that artificial intelligence is not just another tool but a major force that will reshape how organisations work and make decisions.

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IIM Lucknow convocation sees 807 students graduate

The batch included 504 students from the flagship MBA programme, along with participants from agri-business management, sustainable management, doctoral and executive programmes.

Top performers were also recognised during the ceremony, J Soundarya received the chairman’s gold medal, while Vanshita Goenka was awarded the director’s medal. The reshma sareen excellence award for best girl student was reintroduced this year and jointly given to both students.

IIM Lucknow leaders stress adaptability, lifelong learning

Bajaj encouraged students to focus on building resilience and staying adaptable, noting that success will depend more on preparation than prediction. He also highlighted the importance of continuous learning and developing skills over time.

N Chandrasekaran echoed similar thoughts, urging graduates to stay aware of their surroundings and use technologies like AI effectively in their careers.

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Director MP Gupta, in his report, highlighted key achievements of the institute over the past year, including earning the “triple crown” accreditation—EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. He also mentioned the introduction of new programmes focused on emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and technology-driven management.

The institute said the convocation reflects its ongoing effort to prepare students for leadership roles and contribute meaningfully to industry and society.