Breaking Barriers, Building Leaders: IIM Calcutta Opens Admissions for 9th Batch of Its Premier Women’s Leadership Programme

Calcutta (West Bengal) [India], October 6: The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta), in partnership with TimesPro, has opened admissions for the ninth edition of its distinguished executive education programme — Transitioning into Leadership: A Programme for Women Executives (TLPWE).

Designed as a comprehensive twelve-month LIVE online learning journey, the programme aims to empower mid-career women professionals with strategic leadership acumen, cross-functional business knowledge, and a strong executive presence to thrive in senior management and decision-making roles.

Bridging the Gender Leadership Gap

Despite their demonstrated capabilities, women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership. The Grant Thornton Women in Business 2024 report shows that only 34% of such roles globally are held by women—a modest rise that still reflects deep-rooted inequities.

In India, this figure has improved from 17% in 2017 to 28% in 2024, yet gaps persist. The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 highlights that just one in four C-suite roles is occupied by a woman, warning it could take 123 years to reach parity.

These insights underscore the urgent need for targeted mentorship, structured leadership development, and systemic reform.

About the Programme

Transitioning into Leadership: A Programme for Women Executives offers a transformative and inclusive space for reflection, collaboration and growth. It fosters a supportive environment where learners explore shared challenges and opportunities across sectors.

Peer learning enables women to strengthen their leadership identity and navigate organisational complexities strategically. The programme builds capabilities in digital transformation, communication and emotional intelligence, helping learners develop authentic leadership styles, use their voice with impact and unlock their full business potential.

Faculty Insights

Speaking on the announcement of the 9th batch, Professor Nimruji Prasad Jammulamadaka, Professor, Organisational Behaviour, IIM Calcutta, said,

“TLPWE is designed to help women introspect on their individual leadership journeys while acquiring essential, future-centric capabilities. Storytelling, critical thinking and digital agility form the foundation of this new leadership era. Through immersive and reflective pedagogy, this programme closes the theory-practice gap and empowers women to transcend structural barriers by harnessing their unique strengths and social perspectives.”

Dr. Nandita Roy, Assistant Professor, Business Ethics & Communication, IIM Calcutta, said,

“Women play an indispensable role in today’s interconnected and globalised business ecosystem. As a new generation of aspirational women prepares to lead, it is imperative that they are equipped with the right tools and contemporary skill sets. Transitioning into Leadership: A Programme for Women Executives represents a crucial initiative by IIM Calcutta and TimesPro and we are proud to contribute towards the advancement of inclusive leadership.”

Curriculum Highlights

The curriculum is structured across nine strategic modules. Core components include:

• Women in Management and Global Gender Perspectives

• Leading and Managing Teams

• Strategic Communication and Argumentation

• Digital Transformation and Analytics

• Legal and Human Resource Perspectives, among others

The programme culminates with a Capstone Project, wherein learners tackle a real-world leadership challenge under faculty mentorship, in addition to two campus immersion sessions at IIM Calcutta’s sprawling 135-acre campus.

Previous cohorts have comprised accomplished women professionals from diverse sectors such as information technology, financial services, healthcare and hospitality. Most learners bring five to twenty years of managerial experience and have held roles including Director, Assistant Vice President, Communications Lead and Senior Consultant across leading organisations.

Learning Experience

Delivered via TimesPro’s state-of-the-art Direct-to-Device platform, the programme fosters active engagement through real-time faculty interaction and peer learning.

The pedagogical approach combines case studies, interactive lectures, role-based simulations and collaborative assignments. A strong emphasis is placed on live interaction over passive instruction, thereby promoting analytical thinking, ethical judgement and the capacity to influence strategic outcomes in complex business environments.

Upon fulfilling academic requirements, learners are awarded a Certificate of Successful Completion by IIM Calcutta and are inducted into the IIM Calcutta Executive Education Alumni community.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Hold a recognised undergraduate degree or equivalent diploma with at least 50% marks

• Possess a minimum of five years’ professional experience in managerial capacities

The programme also welcomes women entrepreneurs, professionals involved in family businesses and corporate nominees identified as high-potential leaders.

About Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

Established in November 1961 by the Government of India in collaboration with Alfred P. Sloan School of Management (MIT), the Government of West Bengal, the Ford Foundation, and Indian Industry. The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta) was the first national institute for Post Graduate studies and Research in Management.

Over the last six decades, IIM Calcutta has gained global repute for imparting high-quality management education through its Post-Graduate and Doctoral level programs, Executive Training Programs, and Research and Consulting Activities. It is the first ‘Triple Accredited’ management school from India with accreditations from Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB); European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS); and Association of MBAs (AMBA).

Today, IIM Calcutta is one of Asia’s finest Business Schools. Its strong ties to the business community make it the ideal institution to attract India’s best talent and promote management practices in Indian organisations.

About TimesPro

TimesPro, established in 2013, is a leading Higher EdTech platform dedicated to empowering the career growth of aspiring learners by equipping them with skills to rise in a competitive world. TimesPro’s H.EdTech programmes are created to meet the rapidly changing industry requirements and have been blended with technology to make them accessible & affordable.

TimesPro offers a variety of created and curated learning programmes across a range of categories, industries, and age groups. They include employment-oriented early career programmes across BFSI, e-Commerce, and technology sectors; executive education for working professionals in collaboration with premier educational institutions like IIMs and IITs; and organisational learning and development interventions at the corporate level.

TimesPro also collaborates with India’s leading organisations across varied sectors to provide upskilling and reskilling solutions to boost employability and create a robust workforce. TimesPro is a Higher EdTech initiative by The Times Group.