21 st Sept, 2025; Sambalpur: Following the announcement made in May 2025, IIM Sambalpur launched these two cutting-edge programmes in Delhi, and has now welcomed the inaugural batch of its first-ever B.S. Programme in Data Science & AI and B.S. Programme in Management & Public Policy at the Sambalpur campus in Odisha.
In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, IIM Sambalpur has launched its two cutting-edge new undergraduate programmes: “Bachelor of Science in Management and Public Policy” and “Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence” in May 2025.
The course curriculum is aligned with the world’s top universities such as MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Carnegie Mellon University, all of which offer BS programs with similar names The inaugural batch welcomed 178 students across the two programmes, 88 in Data Science & AI and 90 in Management & Public Policy. Representing more than 20 states of India,including Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Lakshadweep, the batch reflects strong regional diversity. The B.S. in Data Science & AI programme has enrolled 69 male and 19 female students, while the B.S. in Management & Public Policy has 51 male and 39 female students, ensuring a healthy gender balance.
Admission Process
Admissions were made through JEE (Main) 2025 for Data Science & AI, with the highest admitted rank being 44,645, and through CUET (UG) 2025 for Management & Public Policy, where the top scorers achieved a 99.80 percentile. The academic credentials of the cohort are equally impressive, with an average Class 12th score of 90.5% for Data Science & AI students and 88.2% for those in Management & Public Policy.
Ratnesh Jha, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network India graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Amit Sareen, Managing Director, Accenture and Anjan A, Vice President, North Trust were present as the Guests of honour. Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur along with faculty and students were also present during the event.
The event also featured expert speaker sessions in which the esteemed speakers were Vivek Agarwal, Country Director, Tony Blair Institute; Harpreet Singh, Head –Counterparty Credit Risk, BFSI Sector; Gangadhar Yasam, Head of IT Strategy, Ford Motor Company; Divay Pranav, Business Strategy & Partnerships, Hyundai Motors; Arpit Bajpai, Co-Founder, Neurosensum, were present as key note speakers in the event.
During his inaugural address, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, said, “This is a historic step for IIM Sambalpur. By launching these B.S. programmes, we are investing in young minds who will become leaders in technology, policy, and society. These programmes will not only prepare students with academic excellence but also instil in them the values of integrity, innovation, and responsibility towards nation-building. Anchored in the core values of Integrity and Innovation, the programmes provides strong roots in data analysis, critical reasoning, and evidence-based decision-making. The cross-functional courses are designed to develop responsible leaders who can address intricate societal and industrial challenges with innovation, compassion, and a global perspective. This degree program is pioneering and will be adopted by other top management institutes.”
Apart from that, Prof. Jaiswal advised students and said, “Students need to nurture four kinds of intelligence for holistic growth. First is IQ, which sharpens the intellect. Second is EQ, which teaches them to manage their emotions effectively. Third is PQ, which emphasizes the importance of good health, physical fitness, and preferring naturopathy. And Finally, SQ – the spiritual quotient – which helps them reflect on the deeper purpose of life”.
While addressing the students, Chief Guest, Ratnesh Jha, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network, said, “Congratulation to IIM Sambalpur for excellent NIRF rankings 2025 and for successful inauguration of the first batch of the B.S. Programme. IIM Sambalpur continues to be a hub of creativity and inspiration, opening new avenues for the younger generation. The four-year B.S. Programme holds immense potential to transform students into accomplished professional, well-prepared to contribute meaningfully to the nation. He further emphasized that, while striving for academic excellence, ratings and rankings, it is equally important not to overlook spiritual growth and physical well-being. He added that students must focus on the four Cs, as the absence of any one of them makes progress incomplete and less fulfilling”.
The Bachelor of Science in Management and Public Policy programme is designed to meet national managerial aspirations in terms of Sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and community-led development. This programme aims to equip a new generation of change-makers to close the gap between policy and practice at the grassroots level.
The Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence is focused towards developing India's digital capability and global competitiveness. The programme, co-designed with industry leaders builds future ready skill set among young students and encourages the use of ethical AI, reaffirming the institution's pledge to innovation with integrity.
The inaugural marks a new chapter in IIM Sambalpur’s journey to shape responsible leaders with a balance of academic rigor, innovation, and social responsibility. Notably, IIM Sambalpur is the first IIM to offer admissions to its B.S. in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence programme through IIT JEE Main, and to its B.S. in Management & Public Policy programme through CUET, both prestigious national-level entrance exams conducted by the National Testing Agency.
IIM Sambalpur has reached a significant milestone this year, climbing 16 positions in the NIRF ranking 2025. Speaking on the institute’s accreditation journey, Prof. Soumya Guha Deb, Dean (Ranking & Accreditation), highlighted the strategic initiatives and sustained efforts that have contributed to this remarkable achievement.
Prof. Diwahar S Nadar and Prof. Rohit Gupta introduced the B.S. Programmes. The welcome address was delivered by Prof. Diptiranjan Mahapatra, Dean, (Academics), while the vote of thanks was proposed by Prof. Diwahar S Nadar.
About IIM Sambalpur:
IIM Sambalpur is one of the premier management institutions in the country and is widely known for its quality education. Spread over approximately 200 acres of land, the breathtaking and spectacular permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on 3rd February 2024. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone on 2nd January 2021, via video conferencing. Furthermore, the Union Education Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, recently inaugurated the Incubation Centre, I-Hub Foundation, to promote startups and the 'Rangavati Centre of Excellence in Cultural and Sustainable
Management'. It also has tie-ups with Flipkart, Amazon, and SIDBI to support, promote and connect regional weavers with global platforms. Equipped with sustainable practices and modernized facilities, the campus values its regional art by mapping the traditional IKAT, patterned textile-dyeing technique onto the brick façade. The institute is committed to providing excellent management education, harbouring a sense of entrepreneurship, and developing socially responsible leaders. IIM Sambalpur is known for its two-year flagship MBA Programme, and admissions are held via CAT. It also offers an MBA for working professionals at the Delhi Centre at ISID, Vasant Kunj, providing options for a dual-degree Programme in partnership with French universities. Furthermore, in addition to the Executive MBA Programme, the premier institute offers a PhD, Executive PhD, and Management Development Programme (MDP). IIM Sambalpur has played a torchbearer role for other IIMs in terms of gender-diverse classrooms. IIM Sambalpur cut-off is 92 percentile. IIM Sambalpur's MBA fee is INR 13.04 Lakh, whereas IIM Sambalpur's average package stood at INR 16.64 LPA and IIM Sambalpur's highest package stood at INR 64.61 LPA for the 2023 batch.