IIM Calcutta Forges Strategic Alliance with FPSB India for Chartered Financial Planning Program
The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) has officially entered into a significant collaboration with the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) India. This partnership is set to establish a specialized executive education program focused on chartered financial planning, marking a pivotal development in professional finance education in India.
Formal Agreement Signed in Mumbai
The memorandum of understanding was formally executed in Mumbai on Thursday, February 6, 2026. The signing ceremony was presided over by IIM-C Director Prof. Alok Kumar Rai, with FPSB Global CEO Dante De Gori in attendance. Prof. P Rajesh Babu, Dean of Executive Education at IIM Calcutta, also participated in the event, underscoring the institute's commitment to this initiative.
Prof. Alok Kumar Rai announced the development on social media platform X, stating: "Signed MoU with FPSB India, a subsidiary of FPSB USA, in the presence of Mr Dante De Gori, Global CEO, in Mumbai today for starting up of Executive Education of Chartered Financial Planning programme at IIM Calcutta. Dean Executive Education Prof. P Rajesh Babu was also present."
Blending Academic Excellence with Global Expertise
According to IIM Calcutta, this collaboration is designed to leverage the institute's renowned academic capabilities alongside FPSB's extensive global proficiency in establishing professional standards and certification frameworks. The program aims to:
- Provide specialized executive education in financial planning
- Integrate IIM-C's pedagogical strengths with FPSB's industry-recognized certification processes
- Enhance professional development opportunities for finance executives and planners
- Establish a benchmark for financial planning education in the executive education domain
Context of Indian Business School Rankings
This announcement comes at a time when Indian business schools are demonstrating strong performance on global platforms. The recently released QS Global MBA and Business Master's Rankings 2026 featured fourteen Indian institutions, with three premier IIMs securing positions within the global top 100.
The ranking highlights include:
- IIM Bangalore leading at 52nd place, advancing one position from the previous year
- IIM Ahmedabad following closely at 58th, rising two places
- IIM Calcutta achieving 64th position, improving by one rank
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the higher education analytics firm, noted that these advancements reflect consistent excellence across key indicators such as employability, return on investment, and thought leadership. Beyond the top three, IIM Indore has progressed into the 151–200 band, while IIM Kozhikode and IIM Udaipur experienced slight declines compared to last year's rankings.
The QS evaluation assessed over 390 full-time MBA programs across 80 countries, utilizing comprehensive metrics including employability outcomes, return on investment analysis, thought leadership contributions, and diversity parameters. These rankings provide valuable insights for aspiring business leaders considering study destinations worldwide.
The new executive education program in chartered financial planning represents IIM Calcutta's strategic response to evolving industry demands and reinforces its position as a leading institution for professional finance education in India and beyond.
