What Subjects Are Taught in the IIM Nagpur MBA in Data Science and Management? (Term-Wise Breakdown)
IIM Nagpur’s 2-year Blended MBA teaches 18 core subjects across four terms in Year 1, then opens 26 electives in AI, analytics, operations and IT in Year 2. Here is the full term-wise list, explained in plain words.
Updated: 7 October 2026
Read time: 10 minutes
By VCNow Editorial Team
The short answer
IIM Nagpur’s Blended MBA in Data Science & Management teaches 18 compulsory subjects in Year 1 (Terms I to IV). Half of them build data and technology skills such as Python/R, statistics, data mining and AI foundations, and the other half cover core management such as marketing, finance, operations, HR and strategy. From Term V to Term VIII, you choose from 26 electives in GenAI, agentic AI, NLP, predictive and prescriptive analytics, supply chain and IT, and then finish with a mandatory 60-hour field project on a live business problem.
Where VCNow fits: If you want one programme that teaches you both how to manage a business and how to run it with data and AI, this curriculum covers both. More importantly, it ends in a full MBA degree from IIM Nagpur, not a certificate, at a total fee of ₹12,10,000.
What this article covers
1. How the 2-year curriculum is structured
The IIM Nagpur MBA in Data Science and Management runs for 2 years, split into 8 terms. However, the two years do very different jobs. Year 1 builds your core, so every participant takes the same 18 subjects across Terms I to IV. Year 2 builds depth, because from Term V to Term VIII you choose electives that match your career goal, attend leadership sessions and complete your field project.
Before Term I even begins, IIM Nagpur runs a preparatory bridge in maths, statistics and analytics basics. As a result, an HR manager with an arts degree and a software engineer with ten years of coding both start Term I on equal footing.
How much class time should you expect?
Live online classes run on Friday and Saturday from 6:30 PM to 9:45 PM, and on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 1:15 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM. That adds up to 13 hours of live teaching on a full class weekend. On top of this, you attend four campus immersions of 5 days each at IIM Nagpur.
The curriculum at a glance
| Stage | Subjects | Main goal |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory bridge | Maths, statistics and analytics basics | A level start for all backgrounds |
| Year 1, Term I | Introduction to Computing (Python/R), Introduction to Data Science, Economics Foundations, Marketing Management | Foundations of data and business |
| Year 1, Term II | Probability and Statistics, Data Visualization, Understanding Financial Statements, Corporate Finance, Operations and Supply Chain Management | Numbers, money and operations |
| Year 1, Term III | Optimization Models, Artificial Intelligence Foundations, Human Resource Management in Digital Age, Indian Ethos, Digital Law & Ethics | AI, people and responsible business |
| Year 1, Term IV | Managing and Using Information Systems, Data Mining, Research Methods, Strategic Management | Insight and long-term strategy |
| Year 2, Terms V to VIII | Electives chosen from a list of 26, plus GenAI, agentic AI, AI ethics and leadership modules | Depth in your chosen area |
| Final stage | Mandatory 60-hour field project | Solve a live business problem |
2. Year 1 subjects, term by term (Terms I to IV)
Year 1 follows a simple logic. Each term pairs data subjects with management subjects, so you learn a technical skill and its business use side by side. In total, nine of the 18 core subjects build data, technology and research skills, and the other nine cover core management.
Term I: Foundations of data and business
Basic programming in Python or R to load, clean and explore business data.
The full life of a data project, from asking the right business question to reading the result.
Markets, prices and demand, and why they shape everyday business decisions.
Understanding customers, setting prices and growing sales.
Term I sets the tone for the whole programme. For instance, you may write your first Python script on Friday evening and study customer segments on Sunday morning.
Term II: Statistics, finance and operations
The maths of uncertainty: averages, spread, probability and checking whether a result is real or just chance.
Turning numbers into clear charts and dashboards that a busy leader can read in seconds.
Reading a balance sheet, profit and loss account and cash flow statement with confidence.
Deciding where a company should invest, how to fund it and how to value it.
Planning how goods and services move from supplier to customer at the right cost.
With five subjects, this is one of the two heaviest terms in Year 1. That said, it is also the most useful one, because the statistics you learn here comes back in almost every analytics subject that follows.
Term III: AI, people and ethics
Using maths to find the best answer within limits, such as the lowest-cost delivery plan.
Core ideas behind machine learning and AI, and where they work (and fail) in business.
Hiring, keeping and growing people when work itself is digital and data-driven.
Values and management ideas rooted in Indian thought, applied to modern leadership.
Legal and ethical rules for data, privacy and digital business.
AI formally enters the classroom in Term III. Meanwhile, Indian Ethos and Digital Law & Ethics make sure you also think about the responsible use of the tools you are learning.
Term IV: Information systems and strategy
Choosing, running and getting real value from a company’s IT systems.
Finding patterns in large data sets, such as which customers are likely to leave.
Designing surveys and studies, and judging whether a finding can be trusted.
Setting long-term direction and building an edge over competitors.
Ending Year 1 with Strategic Management is a deliberate choice. By this point, you can bring statistics, finance, AI and data mining into a strategy discussion, and that combination is exactly what the programme trains you for.
3. Year 2 electives (Terms V to VIII)
In Year 2, the programme moves from “everyone learns the same” to “you choose your path”. IIM Nagpur lists 26 electives for this stage. Apart from electives, Year 2 includes dedicated modules on GenAI, agentic AI and enterprise AI ethics, along with sessions on leadership and executive communication. Together, electives and leadership sessions add up to a minimum of 300 hours.
For easy reading, we have grouped the 26 electives into five areas below. Note that IIM Nagpur decides which electives run in which term for each batch.
Area 1: Generative AI, agentic AI and language AI (7 electives)
Application of GenAI and Analytics into Enterprise Strategy · Generative AI for Managers · Agentic AI · Agentic AI Models and Applications in Enterprise · Implementing AI in Your Organization · Natural Language Processing · Conversational AI and Virtual Assistance
Good fit if: you want to lead AI adoption in your company.
Area 2: Advanced analytics and decision models (7 electives)
Managerial Predictive Analytics · Prescriptive Analytics · Advanced Analytics · Business Data Mining and Decision Models · Time Series Analysis and Forecasting · Recommendation Systems · Business Process Simulation
Good fit if: you plan to head an analytics team or a data-driven function.
Area 3: Operations, supply chain and Industry 4.0 (5 electives)
Operations Analytics · Supply Chain Management · Sales and Operations Planning · Industry 4.0 · IoT, Cloud Computing, Blockchain and Industry 4.0
Good fit if: you work in manufacturing, logistics or retail operations.
Area 4: Technology, data management and IT (5 electives)
Python Programming Fundamental · Database Management Systems · Managing ERP in Digital Age · IT Consulting · Data Monetization and Governance
Good fit if: you are an IT professional moving into business or consulting roles.
Area 5: Leadership, communication and AI governance (2 electives)
Business and Leadership Communication · Ethics, Privacy and Regulations in AI
Good fit if: you are preparing for a senior role where you present to boards and handle AI risk.
Why this matters
In many traditional MBAs, AI shows up as a single elective. Here, AI is a compulsory subject in Year 1 and then returns in at least seven Year 2 electives, from Generative AI for Managers to Agentic AI Models and Applications in Enterprise.
4. The 60-hour field project and how you are assessed
The programme ends with a mandatory 60-hour field project. You pick a live business problem, often from your own organisation, and solve it with the skills from your two years, under the guidance of IIM Nagpur faculty. In contrast to a simulated capstone, the result is work your employer can actually use. More importantly, it gives you a real, resume-ready project to discuss in your next promotion review or job interview.
Throughout both years, teaching uses case studies, class discussion, projects and assignments rather than recorded lectures. For assessment, IIM Nagpur evaluates you through written tests, assignments and online examinations. Once you clear all terms and the field project, you graduate with an MBA conferred by IIM Nagpur at its Annual Convocation, along with IIM Nagpur Alumni status.
5. How the subjects connect to real jobs
The curriculum is built to work across functions, not just for tech roles. Here is how the subjects line up with common career paths listed on the programme page:
Example: one operations manager’s two years (illustrative)
Consider Anil, a 33-year-old operations manager at an auto-parts plant in Pune with 7 years of experience and no coding background. During the preparatory bridge and Term I, he learns basic Python. By Term II, he applies statistics to two years of his plant’s order data. Optimization Models in Term III then helps him test a lower-cost dispatch plan. For Year 2, he picks Operations Analytics, Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, and Sales and Operations Planning. His 60-hour field project builds a demand forecast for his plant’s top 20 parts. Over two years, he spends up to 13 hours on each full class weekend and 20 days on campus, and pays ₹12,10,000 in five parts, starting with a ₹1,00,000 acceptance fee. Anil is an example we created to show how the subjects connect, not a real participant.
6. How this curriculum compares with other options
When working professionals compare programmes on VCNow, three options often come up next to IIM Nagpur’s MBA. Each one is strong in its own way. However, only IIM Nagpur’s programme combines a full IIM MBA degree with a data science and AI core in every Year 1 term.
| Programme | Credential | Duration | Total fee | Data science and AI depth | Full management core |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Nagpur Blended MBA in Data Science & Management | Full MBA degree + IIM Nagpur Alumni status | 2 years / 8 terms | ₹12,10,000 | Core subjects in every Year 1 term + 26 Year 2 electives | Yes: marketing, finance, operations, HR, strategy |
| IIM Ahmedabad Blended PGP (BPGP) | Full MBA degree + IIMA Alumni status | 2 years (extendable to 3) | ₹20,00,000 | General management focus | Yes |
| IIM Calcutta Advanced Programme in Data Sciences | Certificate | 12 months | ₹4,80,000 + 18% GST | Strong, data science only | No |
| Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Online MBA | Full MBA degree (AICTE and UGC approved) | 2 years | ₹1,89,400 | Optional specialisation (AI & ML or Business Analytics) | Yes, fully online |
Reading the table honestly
IIM Ahmedabad’s BPGP carries the NIRF #1 (2025) brand, but it costs ₹7,90,000 more and follows a general management design. On the other hand, IIM Calcutta’s programme goes deep into data science, yet it awards a certificate and skips the full MBA core. Dr. D.Y. Patil’s online MBA is the most affordable and fully flexible option; however, it does not offer the IIM brand, campus immersions or an IIM alumni network. For a working professional who wants data and AI skills and a full IIM MBA degree in one programme, IIM Nagpur offers the strongest overall mix of the four.
See the full curriculum and apply before 30 November 2026
The entrance test is on 22 November 2026, and the inaugural batch starts on 15 March 2027. Download the brochure, check your eligibility and speak to a VCNow advisor about which Year 2 electives suit your career goal.
7. Frequently asked questions
How many terms and subjects are there in the IIM Nagpur MBA in Data Science and Management?
The programme has 8 terms over 2 years. Year 1 (Terms I to IV) has 18 compulsory subjects, while Year 2 (Terms V to VIII) offers a list of 26 electives, leadership sessions and a mandatory 60-hour field project.
Do I need a coding background to join this MBA?
No. A preparatory bridge in maths, statistics and analytics basics comes before Term I, and Introduction to Computing (Python/R) in Term I teaches programming from the basics.
Which AI subjects does the curriculum cover?
Artificial Intelligence Foundations is a compulsory subject in Term III. In Year 2, you can choose electives such as Generative AI for Managers, Agentic AI, Natural Language Processing, Conversational AI and Virtual Assistance, and Ethics, Privacy and Regulations in AI.
Is this a full MBA degree or a certificate?
It is a full MBA degree conferred by IIM Nagpur at its Annual Convocation, and graduates also receive IIM Nagpur Alumni status. The total fee is ₹12,10,000.
When are the classes held for working professionals?
Live online classes run on Friday and Saturday from 6:30 PM to 9:45 PM, and on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 1:15 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM. In addition, you attend four campus immersions of 5 days each at IIM Nagpur.
Sources and references
IIM Nagpur Blended MBA in Data Science & Management: learn.vcnow.in/programmes/iim-nagpur-mba-data-science-management/
Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Online MBA: learn.vcnow.in/programmes/dypatil-online-masters-in-business-administration/
IIM Ahmedabad Blended PGP (BPGP): learn.vcnow.in/programmes/iima-online-mba-programme/
VCNow academic partner page for IIM Nagpur: learn.vcnow.in/academic-partners/iim-nagpur/
IIM Calcutta Advanced Programme in Data Sciences: learn.vcnow.in/programmes/iimc-advanced-programme-in-data-sciences/
Last updated: 7 October 2026. Fees, dates and elective lists are set by the institutes and subject to change.
