In a landmark move to make quality management education more inclusive and accessible, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Udaipur has announced the launch of India’s first-ever fully online bilingual Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree programme. Scheduled to begin in July 2026, the programme will be delivered in both English and an Indian language—starting with Hindi—marking a significant step toward democratizing business education for diverse learners across the country.
The bilingual BBA is designed especially for students who face barriers in accessing premier management education due to language, geography, or socioeconomic constraints. This includes students from Hindi-medium schools, first-generation college-goers, homemakers, learners from rural or semi-urban areas, and those from non-commerce or non-English educational backgrounds. By removing traditional filters like high cut-offs, residential requirements, and English-only instruction, the programme seeks to expand opportunities for underrepresented groups.
The curriculum will be delivered entirely online, allowing students flexibility in terms of time and location. In the first three years, students can opt to study primarily in Hindi, while English will be available as an optional medium from the very first year, enabling learners to gradually transition between languages if they wish. The use of digital and AI-powered learning tools will further support student understanding and engagement, especially for those not fluent in English.
Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, the programme encourages the use of regional languages in higher education while also ensuring students gain essential English communication skills for the workplace. The structure includes multiple exit options, allowing students to leave with a diploma or certificate after completing a certain number of credits if they are unable to finish the full four-year programme.
According to IIM Udaipur Director Prof. Ashok Banerjee, this innovative BBA aims to remove the invisible barriers that have long kept vast sections of India’s population from accessing top-tier management education. By offering a bilingual model, the institute hopes to make business education truly inclusive, not just in policy but in practice.
This initiative places IIM Udaipur at the forefront of educational innovation among IIMs, as it redefines how language and flexibility can work together to create equal opportunities in the field of management.
