IIM Ranking in the World 2025: Top Indian B-Schools

The IIM is the acronym for the renowned management institute, the Indian Institute of Management. The IIM was first opened in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on 13th November 1961 (Monday) by the Government of India (GoI) or the Ministry of Education (MoE). The idea of establishing these types of institutes was to enhance knowledge and insights into high-level learning about business and management. Along with that, it was also among the institutes that were later known as the ABCs of management institutes, because after Calcutta, the next two IIMs were opened in Ahmedabad and Bangalore. With time, its high-tech facilities, great learning model, and strategies on management & business, it was widely spread all over India. Since then, many other IIMs have started building in various regions of India, including Jammu, Indore, Kasipur, Shillong, Visakhapatnam, etc. 

The Central Government of India has been funding the IIMs directly from the very first day of inception. These institutions are basically known for offering courses such as undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and even executive degrees. However, now many IIMs have started giving the facilities of short-term courses like certification and diploma courses with a short course duration of 6 months to 24 months. 

Later, the IIMs have been ranked by the NIRFs and the Global QS World Ranking. In fact, many IIMs have been listed among the top institutes, such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and many more. Here is the tabular data of a few IIMs that are on the list of QS World Ranking Global 2025 for the overall category. 

Names of IIMs	Establishment Year	IIM Ranking 2025 (as per QS World Ranking Global)
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad	1961	#60
Indian Institute of Management Amritsar	2015	-
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore	1973	#53
Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya	2015	-
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta	1961	#65
Indian Institute of Management Indore	1996	#201-250
Indian Institute of Management Jammu	2016	-
Indian Institute of Management Kashipur	2011	-
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode	1997	-
Indian Institute of Management Lucknow	1984	#201-250
Indian Institute of Management Mumbai (formerly NITIE)	1963 (renamed in 2023)	-
Indian Institute of Management Nagpur	2015	-
Indian Institute of Management Raipur	2010	-
Indian Institute of Management Ranchi	2010	-
Indian Institute of Management Rohtak	2009	-
Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur	2015	-
Indian Institute of Management Shillong	2008	#501-550
Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur	2015	-
Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli	2011	-
Indian Institute of Management Udaipur	2009	#201-250
Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam	2015	-

In this blog, you will get to know about the overall positioning of various IIMs on the global stage. Let’s have a look: 

What are the Global Recognitions of IIMs?

After making a constant position in the NIRF ranking almost every year, the IIMs are on their journey to marking their stronghold over the Global Rankings that include QS World Rankings or Financial Times (FT) Rankings. In fact, leading IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, and IIM Lucknow have already listed themselves in the top 100 global b-school rankings by FT MBA Rankings. 

These rankings assess the institutions in terms of different parameters such as academic reputation, employer reputation, research output, faculty/student ratio, and international exposure.

The Indian business educational sector has made a big break into the world map with many IIMs ranked among the best across the world in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025 (Global Category).

Why IIMs Are Gaining Global Recognition?

Over the past few years, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have moved steadily upward up the global ranking ladder, making them the focus of attention of academia, multinational employers, and prospective students all over the world. This is not merely a coincidence, but the outcome of a calculated policy that included the emphasis on academic excellence, worldwide coverage, and industry applicability. These are the main reasons why IIMs are becoming well-known all over the world:

Good Academic Reputation & Tough Curriculum

Their highly rigorous, case-based, and analytical pedagogy is a fundamental attribute of IIMs that encourages the development of critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities in the real world. The curriculum is regularly revised according to the business trends and industry demands all over the globe.

• The case method of Harvard Business School is entrenched in the teaching philosophy of IIM Ahmedabad.
• Learning is done through courses such as simulations, live projects, and industry-based projects, which are similar to the best B-schools in the world.

Also, the faculty includes PhDs from Ivy League/universities all over the world, so the academic delivery is of international qualifications.

International Co-operations and Exchange Programmes

Leading IIMs have now established vast international educational relations and have the ability to view the world and learn abroad.

• IIM Bangalore is a member of the Global Network of Advanced Management (GNAM) launched by Yale.
• The only Indian school to join the CEMS Global Alliance in Management Education alongside LSE, HEC Paris, and ESADE is IIM Calcutta.

Student Exchange Agreements: The top schools that IIMs have student exchange agreements with include:

• Wharton School (USA)
• School of Management Kellogg (USA)
• Bocconi University (Italy)
• School of Management, Rotterdam (Netherlands)

Such international collaborations enhance the academic and employer presence internationally.

Outstanding Placement & International Career Results

IIMs have high Return on Investment (ROI) even with lower tuition fees than the prestigious Western-style B-schools, and their placements are among the highest:

• MNCs such as McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Amazon, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and Google regularly hire out of IIMs.
• Alumni serve as senior officials in multinational companies in the US, UK, Singapore, UAE, and Australia.
• A large number of IIM graduates are CEOs, CFOs, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers in multinational companies.

This continuous stream of international managers adds to the presence and reputation of IIMs in surveys of international employers, a significant element of such lists as QS and FT.

Global Recognitions & Accreditations

The main reason behind the high success rate of recognitions of IIMs over the Global Forum is having many global recognitions and approvals by the leading IIM institutions, such as IIM Calcutta, which has a triple crown of global recognitions of AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore are accredited with EQUIS & AMBA, and last but not least, IIM Kozhikode holds an accreditation from AMBA. With these accreditations, the institutes can easily get international quality standards that can fluctuate the global rankings of those institutes, and there are high chances that students are more likely to choose the IIM that has a good global ranking and more international accreditations.

Entrepreneurship & Start-up Ecosystems

As India has emerged as a start-up powerhouse, IIMs have turned into innovation and entrepreneurial powerhouses. IIM Bangalore NSRCEL is one of the most successful start-up incubators in India.

Unicorn founders are largely IIM alumni (examples include):

• Sanjeev Bikhchandani (Naukri.com, IIM Ahmedabad)
• Deepinder Goyal (IIM Calcutta, Zomato)
• Ritesh Agarwal (OYO, IIM Mentor)

This expanding ecosystem makes IIMs not only institutions of corporate leadership, but also institutions of entrepreneurial excellence, with global business values.

Expansion of Digital/Online Programs

Most IIMs have adopted online learning and currently provide online and blended education that is accessible worldwide:

• ePGP IIM Kozhikode is one of the earliest completely online MBA-equivalent programs in India.
• Partnership with edX, Coursera, and Emeritus will enable international students to get IIM certificates.
• AI, Data Science, FinTech, and Strategy executive programs bring working professionals to Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe.

This technological transition will make IIMs more available to a global learner base, increasing their presence even more in the global context.

Government Subsidy & National Branding

The IIMs are also well supported by the Central Government of India, in terms of funding, flexibility of policies, and academic independence. These institutions, using the IIM Act 2017, were given greater autonomy to:

• Award their own degrees
• Partner with other universities abroad freely
• Design tailor-made international services

Besides, IIMs also have the advantage of soft power projection through India as an emerging world knowledge center, which strengthens the brand name across many parts of the world.

Online MBA from Top IIMs? Yes! It’s Reality Now….

Many IIMs, including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, and IIM Calcutta, have begun to provide online MBA courses and executive programs via Coursera, edX, Emeritus, and their portals. These courses are designed to attract unsophisticated working professionals and are taught by the same high-quality faculty as those who instruct on campus. The curriculum provides real-world, practical skills in leadership, strategy, marketing, data analytics, and transformation. I mean, all the things you would want to see when attending a top-tier business program.

The greatest benefit of these online programs is flexibility. You can learn at your own pace, from anywhere, without leaving your job. They are also much less expensive than full-time on-campus MBAs, which makes them more affordable. You are also interfacing with a broad array of professionals in different industries, which brings a great layer of learning and networking to the table. If you want to climb the career ladder or make a career switch, an online MBA from an IIM strikes the perfect chord between Quality, Convenience, and Credibility.

Conclusion

Due to their strong academic foundation, global partnerships, and placement histories, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have become some of the best business schools in the world. From the original Calcutta, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad campuses, the IIM network has spread throughout the entire country, gaining worldwide recognition from Financial Times listings and QS World Rankings. Today, institutions such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta are not only known in India but are recognised all over the world for their business schools and their leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who went through their programmes.

What is even more exciting is that this education no longer requires physical presence. IIMs have introduced online MBA programs and executive programs offered on Coursera, edX, and Emeritus. Such programs are very well suited for professionals who are currently working and wish to upgrade their skills without resigning. IIM has experienced teaching faculty that teaches learners, and students can also learn at their own convenience, which is quite valuable, especially in leadership, strategy, marketing, and analytics. 

Furthermore, the networking opportunities are awesome since one is able to engage with professionals from different industries and locations. If you want to enhance your career or change to a different line of work, the online MBA designed by the IIMs, known for their stellar reputation, is bound to deliver quality education, flexibility, and tangible benefits.