By Ganesh Bhatt

New Delhi, May 7 (IANS): Based on the National Policy on Education 2020, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed students to pursue two degrees at the same time. Many IIMs in the country are offering this dual degree programme in collaboration with reputed foreign universities.

Management institutes like Indian Institute of Management-Sambalpur and IIM Sirmaur have partnered with three prestigious French universities to offer exclusive dual degree programmes for Indian students.

International universities with which IIMs have partnered to offer dual degrees include -- Sorbonne Business School Paris, France Bordeaux University School of Management, Institute of International Universities Consortium (IIE) Paris.

They have rolled out a new two-year hybrid MBA programme specifically for working professionals, strategic leaders, and entrepreneurs with a minimum experience of three years.

IIM Sambalpur has not only started a dual degree programme but also started its campus in Delhi. The main benefit of this campus will be for working professionals.

IIM Sambalpur director Mahadeo Jaiswal told IANS: "The objective of setting up a centre in Delhi is to tap a lot of working professionals, executives and entrepreneurs who want to pursue management studies on weekends from a premium IIM besides continuing their respective trade and profession," adding that they would also have the option of a dual degree from international universities.

These efforts of IIMs are aimed at offering short and long term executive and other programmes in management to the working people as well as business people.

It also aims to cater to the needs of working professionals, executives and entrepreneurs who wish to pursue management studies from premium institutions like IIMs and international universities on weekends only, while pursuing their respective business or profession.

The participants will get MBA, two-year degree programme with an option of dual degree from Sorbonne Business School Paris, Institute of International Universities Consortium (IIE), Paris, France, and University of Bordeaux, France. Students will also get access to international immersion programmes and IIM Alumni status.

IIM Sambalpur has also taken up a unique project to provide access to products of 30,000 world class weavers of Sambalpur through digital platforms. Agreements have been made with Flipkart and SIDBI in this regard.

IIM Sirmaur has launched two MBA programmes in the current academic year. The two MBA programmes -- General Management & Digital Transformation and Analytics are designed for working professionals in partnership with France.

On successful completion of the two-year course, the participants will get an MBA degree. All those who complete their first year but are unable to complete the second year, will be given a postgraduate diploma.

IIM Sirmaur director Prafulla Agnihotri, said, "We believe that partnering with these renowned universities will provide our students with a truly world-class learning experience. We are confident that these programmes will make a positive impact on our students and their organisations. We are proud that we are going to give a new dimension to the future of executive education in India."

The Executive MBA in Digital Transformation and Analytics aims to transform middle and senior executives for leadership roles in the corporate world.