The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu will establish a satellite campus in Leh, with the first batch of students for a four-year BBA (Honours) programme scheduled to commence in October.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the campus was signed on Friday between the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh and IIM Jammu in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, Chairman of the IIM Jammu Board of Governors Milind Kamble, IIM Jammu Director B S Sahay, Secretary Higher Education Bhanu Prabha and senior officials of the UT Administration and IIM Jammu.
The initiative is aimed at expanding access to quality higher education in Ladakh, particularly in management and related fields, and reducing the need for students to travel outside the Union Territory for higher studies.
The satellite campus will offer a four-year BBA (Honours) programme with an initial intake of 60 students. Officials said the programme is scheduled to commence in October.
According to the Lieutenant Governor, more than 600 registrations have already been received for the 60 seats in the first phase.
“The establishment of the satellite campus marks a significant step in strengthening the higher education system of Ladakh and will open new avenues for the region’s youth in knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship and professional development,” Saxena said.
He said the campus would bring quality management education closer to students in Ladakh and help reduce the financial and logistical burden associated with pursuing higher education outside the Union Territory.
For years, students from Ladakh seeking quality management and professional education have had to travel outside the region, incurring expenses on travel, accommodation, food, books and other necessities. The administration said the new campus would provide students with an opportunity to pursue higher education closer to home.
The development assumes significance for a region where difficult terrain and remoteness have posed additional challenges for students seeking higher and technical education. The administration said the collaboration with IIM Jammu would provide students with greater access to opportunities in research, innovation, entrepreneurship and employment.
Saxena described the initiative as a “historic and transformational moment” for the youth of Ladakh, saying it would create new pathways for aspiration, excellence and achievement.
He said the campus would also contribute to the broader objective of developing young entrepreneurs, innovators and future professionals and align with the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
The infrastructure for the satellite campus has been established within two months of the initiative being taken up by the Ladakh Administration and IIM Jammu, officials said.
Saxena said the response from students demonstrated the demand for quality management education within Ladakh and described the completion of the campus-setting process within two months as a significant achievement.
The first batch is expected to commence classes from October-end this year.
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