Kozhikode, Feb 17, 2026: The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) has recorded a remarkable ascent in the Financial Times (FT) Global MBA Rankings 2026, with its one-year Post Graduate Programme in Business Leadership (PGP-BL) climbing to 65th position worldwide, up from 86th rank in 2025. The 21-place leap within a year marks one of the sharpest upward movements globally and reinforces IIMK’s growing stature as an international business school of repute. After making its historic debut last year as the highest new entrant in the FT Global MBA Rankings, the PGP-BL has consolidated its global standing with strong gains across critical performance indicators.
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Strong Career Outcomes and Alumni Impact
A standout improvement this year is in Career Progress, where IIMK advanced significantly to 26th globally, up from 54th in 2025. This sharp rise highlights accelerated leadership mobility, expanded responsibilities, and strong professional growth among alumni of the programme.
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The Institute’s value proposition continues to receive global recognition. IIMK is ranked 19th worldwide in Value for Money, reflecting strong alumni salary outcomes relative to programme cost and duration. IIM Kozhikode has also reported the highest salary increase of 216 percent before vs after the completion of programme, the highest among any IIM.
Further strengthening its global footprint, IIMK secured an impressive 22nd rank globally in Alumni Network, placing it in the top quartile of business schools worldwide for alumni engagement and network strength. This ranking reflects vibrant global connectivity, active alumni participation, peer mentoring, and career support ecosystems that significantly enhance long-term professional success.
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The Careers Service rank of 53 underscores the continued effectiveness of institutional support in facilitating career transitions and leadership advancement. In sustainability metrics, IIMK recorded a Carbon Footprint rank of 57 globally, reflecting measurable progress in environmental responsibility among peer institutions.
Expressing his delight over the progress made by the one-year MBA programme at IIm Kozhikode, Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode, said: “The remarkable rise from 86th in 2025 to 65th in 2026 reflects IIM Kozhikode’s growing global stature, strategic academic focus, and strengthening international impact. This sharp upward movement in the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings is a validation of our commitment to academic excellence, leadership development, sustainability, and global engagement. Our strong performance in Career Progress and Alumni Network rankings demonstrates the enduring value of the PGP-BL and the powerful professional ecosystem we have built. We remain committed to shaping globally responsible leaders who drive transformation across industries and geographies.”
IIM Kozhikode tops in India & ranked 3rd Globally
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The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking evaluates leading full-time MBA programmes worldwide on parameters including salary increase, career progress, value for money, diversity, sustainability, research, and alumni outcomes. With this 21-place jump in just one year, IIM Kozhikode’s PGP-BL has emerged as one of the fastest-rising MBA programmes globally, consolidating its position as a dynamic and high-impact leadership programme from India on the world stage.
About Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode: The fifth IIM to be established by Govt. of India in 1996, IIMK started its academic journey in 1997 with its flagship Postgraduate Program (PGP). The Institute is on a high growth trajectory today, offering widest range of academic programs in the field of management education. These include Doctoral Programme in Management (PhD), Executive PG Programmes, Management Development Programmes and Faculty Development Programs. IIMK set up a Satellite campus at Infopark, Kochi, in 2013 dedicated to Executive Education. IIMK has also the unique distinction of launching a PhD (Practice Track) programme for working professionals besides bringing in new dynamic courses like one-year Post Graduate programme in Business Leadership (2019) MBA in Finance and MBA in Liberal Studies & Management (2020). IIM Kozhikode also launched a one-of-its kind 4-year full-time undergraduate programme – Bachelor of Management studies in 2025. The institute is also home to IIMK LIVE a first-of-its-kind startup incubation programme, the Indian Business Museum and seven other Centres of Excellences encompassing diverse areas. IIMK is ranked 3rd as per NIRF Rankings 2025: Management. The institute also made its global debut for its flagship MBA and EMBA programme in the 2020/21 QS World University Rankings. In 2023, IIM Kozhikode also broke into Top-100 in Financial Times Ranking for Masters in Management (MBA) and gained 9 spots in 2024 to reach global #68. The Institute also attained global rank #70 in the FT Open Enrolment Programme for 2024. The Institute is globally accredited by EQUIS (EFMD) and AMBA (UK). Submitted by IIM Kozhokode PR Team
