How to Evaluate B-School Industry Exposure

Filter Results

Audience

Industry

Year

How to Evaluate a B-School’s Industry Exposure Before Choosing a Management Programme

19 Oct 2026
- Author - Arindam Mukherjee
Industry exposure can take different forms across management programmes. Some B-schools invite senior executives to teach classes. Others involve students in live projects, company visits and industry mentorship.

When evaluating B-schools, look at how these opportunities fit into the curriculum, how regularly students participate and what they gain from them.

How to Evaluate a B-School’s Industry Exposure: A Checklist

On curriculum and teaching
- Which companies contribute to curriculum design?
- Do industry practitioners teach alongside academic faculty?
- Are students exposed to current business cases and practitioner-led discussions?
On live projects and internships
- Do students work on challenges presented by industry partners?
- Does the programme include projects with businesses or NGOs?
- Is a full-time internship part of the curriculum, and how is it assessed?
- What deliverables are students expected to produce during projects?
On industry immersions and leadership interactions
- Do students visit partner organisations and observe their operations?
- Can they interact with cross-functional teams and senior leaders?
- Do leadership sessions allow students to discuss real business decisions?
On mentorship
- Does the programme offer personal mentorship from experienced leaders?
- Check whether mentors provide individual feedback on your strengths and career goals.
How to Tell Whether Industry Exposure Offers Real Learning

Company visits and guest lectures can show students how businesses operate. The key question is whether these experiences connect back to what they learn in class.

Live projects work differently depending on the problem and the constraints involved. Some ask students to research a business issue, analyse information, and present recommendations. Others stay closer to case-study work. What matters is understanding what you’ll actually do.

Internships have the same variation problem. Before committing to a programme, look into what the placement involves, what work you’ll be expected to do, and how you’re assessed.

Learning from industry practitioners

Academic faculty bring subject knowledge and research to the classroom. Industry practitioners contribute experience from business decisions, workplace challenges and changing market conditions.

Practitioners who help design a curriculum can bring examples from their industries into classroom discussions. Students can look at the choices companies face and discuss the reasons behind them.

How Consortium Partners Shape the Curriculum

SOIL was co-created with 32 Indian and multinational companies, including SAP, Johnson & Johnson, Infosys, Hindustan Unilever and Tata Group. The partnerships contribute to curriculum design, student mentoring and live case studies.

A financial strategy class illustrates the difference. Practitioners walk through how finance teams compare funding options, assess risks, and explain their recommendations to a board. Academic learning alone doesn’t provide that kind of grounding.

SOIL connects classroom learning with current industry practices through case discussions and practitioner sessions. In one session, students discussed an HBR case on metaverse-based e-learning at RedBus before hearing from its HR Director, Srijit Sarar.

Working with real business problems

Live projects bridge classroom concepts and business problems. Some involve ongoing client work; others focus on specific problems over defined periods.

Implementation of student recommendations varies by company. The value lies in the process itself, students develop solutions and navigate the constraints of real-world application. That experience shapes how they approach future work.

How SOIL approaches live projects:

SOIL’s Industry Action Learning Projects give students opportunities to work on business challenges presented by industry partners. Its Social Innovation Program extends this experience to live projects with NGOs.

SOIL’s programme also includes a full-time internship as part of the learning experience. The internship is assessed as part of the programme.

Learning directly from industry leaders

Company visits and leadership interactions show students how organisations operate beyond the classroom. They can observe how teams across functions work together and how daily operations support business activities.

How SOIL approaches industry immersions

SOIL’s field immersions take students into partner organisations to observe their operations. They meet teams across functions and see how business strategies shape day-to-day work.

At leadership roundtables, students discuss business challenges with senior professionals. They can ask leaders about the decisions they made and the reasons behind them.

Mentorship beyond the classroom

Students can use mentorship sessions to discuss career options, get feedback on their strengths and understand which skills they need to work on. They can also talk through career concerns with experienced professionals.

Explore SOIL’s PGDM programme

Looking for a management programme with structured industry exposure? Explore SOIL’s PGDM programme to learn about its curriculum, industry immersions, live projects and mentorship opportunities.

About the Author

Arindam Mukherjee Professor of Practice – Marketing, National Head,
Hindustan Times, FMS Delhi

Arindam Mukherjee is a Professor of Practice in Marketing at SOIL Institute of Management with over 30 years of industry experience. He has worked with leading companies such as Asian Paints, Coca-Cola, Gillette, Dabur, Wrigley, and Hindustan Times Media. His expertise includes marketing, brand management, sales, distribution, and business development. He has also held senior leadership roles in the FMCG, media, and education sectors.