An Interview with Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar, Director, Ashoka School of Business, Hyderabad

Ashoka School of Business (ASB) is a private business school located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Established in 2020, ASB Hyderabad is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). For Ashoka School of Business admissions, students must meet the eligibility criteria set by the institution.

In this exclusive conversation with Careers360, Dr Y Lakshman Kumar, Director at ASB Hyderabad, shares his perspectives on the vision, mission, admission process, internships, placements, and more about Ashoka School of Business Hyderabad.

Careers360: Tell us something about the institute; when it was set up, its vision and mission.

Dr Y Lakshman Kumar: Ashoka School of Business (ASB) was established in 2014 as part of the Ashoka Group of Institutions, with a clear conviction that management education in India needed a fundamental reset. We founded ASB on two core industry observations: first, that modern management education, to remain relevant, must be blended with disruptive technologies such as AI, ML, and analytics; and second, that management graduates need far deeper, more authentic exposure to real business environments — exposure that traditional internships and industry visits alone cannot adequately provide.

Our campus is set in a sprawling 30-acre lush green environment, and we offer PGDM programmes that promise a very high return on investment. Students have the distinct advantage of being located in Hyderabad — a city throbbing with start-ups, innovation hubs, and entrepreneurial energy — which makes every corridor of our campus a gateway to the real business world.

Our Vision:

To be a premier institute of knowledge creation, innovation, and dissemination, developing ethical, visionary, and entrepreneurial management leaders equipped to navigate global challenges and shape a sustainable future.

Our Mission:

• To impart cutting-edge management education that blends academic rigour with real-world relevance.

• To foster ethical, socially responsible, and globally aware leaders who demonstrate excellence in critical thinking, decision-making, and lifelong learning.

• To promote a culture of innovation, research, and entrepreneurship that drives sustainable economic and societal impact.

• To create a dynamic learning environment that nurtures personal growth, collaborative learning, and leadership development.

Recognitions & Rankings:

• Ranked Best Emerging Business School in South India — 2024

• Rated “AAA” by Careers360 — 2025

• Ranked No. 18 in South India by Business World — 2025

• Features an A-HUB (Ashoka Entrepreneurial Hub) in 2,000 sq. ft. of dedicated space to nurture business ideas and student ventures.

Careers360: Tell us something about the admission process.

Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar: Admissions at ASB are entirely entrance-based and designed to be merit-driven, transparent, and student-friendly. The process consists of four key rounds:

• Application:

Candidates apply through our official website, either online or offline, with an application fee of ₹1,000.

• Eligibility:

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with at least 50% aggregate marks from a recognised university and must submit valid scores from national-level entrance examinations such as CAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT, or MAT.

• Shortlisting:

Candidates are shortlisted based on past academic performance and entrance exam scores.

• Final Selection:

Shortlisted candidates appear for a Personal Interview to assess their overall profile, communication skills, and career readiness.

We also offer merit-based scholarships to deserving students. A CAT score of 85 percentile or above, or a MAT score of 700 and above, qualifies candidates for scholarships of up to Rs 50,000, adjusted during the fourth semester. Students with strong academic track records — above 80% in Class 10, 12, and graduation — are also eligible for merit scholarships.

Our aim throughout the admission process is to identify students with genuine aptitude, intellectual curiosity, and the drive to become industry-ready professionals.

Careers360: What kind of infrastructure can students expect at the institute? Please elaborate.

Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar: ASB is set in a sprawling 30-acre green campus, designed to create a holistic ecosystem where every student can discover their potential and work purposefully towards their goals.

Classrooms & Learning Spaces: All classrooms are equipped with modern smart boards and interactive technology. Our pedagogy is rooted in the Case Study Methodology — inspired by the Harvard Business School and Case Centre tradition — where students engage with real business situations, debate multiple stakeholder perspectives, and develop robust decision-making skills. This is complemented by application-oriented teaching, where every concept introduced in class is immediately anchored to a live Indian or global business context.

AAROHAN — One-Month Orientation Programme: Every incoming batch undergoes AAROHAN, our signature one-month orientation programme. This is not a routine induction — it is an immersive onboarding experience designed to transition students from the academic mindset of graduation to the strategic, action-oriented thinking expected of management professionals. AAROHAN covers business fundamentals, communication skills, team dynamics, industry exposure, and personal goal-setting — ensuring that by the time formal coursework begins, students are already thinking like managers.

Bloomberg Lab: We are proud to offer students hands-on access to the Bloomberg Terminal, one of the most powerful real-time financial data platforms used by professionals in investment banking, equity research, and corporate finance worldwide. Through our Bloomberg Lab, students gain live access to both domestic and international stock markets, bond markets, and macroeconomic data. They also have the opportunity to earn the Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certification — a globally recognised credential that significantly enhances employability in the Finance and FinTech sectors.

Practising Managers in the Classroom: One of our most distinctive academic commitments is that at least 20% of the teaching hours in every course are delivered by practising managers and industry professionals. This is not a token arrangement — it is a structural feature of our curriculum. These professionals bring live case studies, current challenges, and functional expertise directly into the classroom, ensuring that our students receive education that is both academically sound and industry-validated.

Library & Digital Resources: Our library offers an extensive collection of management books, journals, case studies, and digital databases. Campus-wide Wi-Fi ensures round-the-clock access to educational materials.

Technology & Simulation: The curriculum is loaded with new-age technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Industry 4.0 applications. Our simulation lab runs CESIM, a globally used business simulation tool that allows students to manage virtual companies and make real-time strategic decisions under competitive conditions. We have also integrated the Infosys Springboard, Coursera, and DataComp platforms into our learning ecosystem, giving students access to industry-grade digital upskilling programmes.

Campus Facilities: The campus also includes a fully equipped auditorium, seminar halls, hostel facilities, a gym, and a cafeteria. A range of student-run clubs — including Entrepreneurship A HUB, Marketing, Finance, HR, and Consulting clubs — are housed in dedicated spaces that foster collaborative learning beyond the formal classroom.

Careers360: There is a lot of emphasis on interaction with the industry as well as companies that recruit. What steps is the institute taking in this direction?

Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar: Industry connect at ASB is not an add-on — it is woven into the very DNA of our academic design. We recognise that the corporate world is not looking merely for textbook-smart graduates; it wants professionals who have been shaped by real exposure, real mentorship, and real challenges. Accordingly, we have designed several structured programs:

Practising Managers in Every Classroom: As a deliberate institutional policy, at least 20% of teaching hours in every PGDM course are conducted by practising managers from relevant industries. This means students in a Marketing course hear from a serving Brand Manager; students in Finance engage with investment professionals; HR students interact with seasoned HR leaders. The line between the classroom and the corporate world is, by design, deliberately thin at ASB.

Executives in Residence (EIR): Under this distinctive program, senior industry professionals "adopt" student cohorts and work with them throughout the academic year — helping them understand corporate culture, decision-making processes, leadership expectations, and functional realities from the inside. This goes far beyond what a one-time guest lecture can offer.

REACH & PATH Programs: These are our structured corporate readiness initiatives covering communication workshops, mock interviews, group discussions, résumé development, personality refinement, and industry best practices — all designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and corporate expectations.

Guest Sessions & Corporate Visits: Regular interactions with corporate experts and alumni — including professionals from international companies — give students a direct and current glimpse into global business environments.

Bloomberg Lab & BMC Certification: Our Bloomberg Terminal access and Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certification program have generated significant interest from recruiters in the BFSI sector. Students who earn this certification enter the placement season with a verifiable, globally recognised credential that distinguishes them from peers at competing institutes.

Student Clubs: Our domain clubs in Marketing, Finance, HR, Entrepreneurship, and Consulting regularly invite industry practitioners for workshops, panel discussions, live project collaborations, and competitions — ensuring that corporate engagement is a year-round activity, not a seasonal one.

MOU-Based Corporate Linkages: ASB has signed MOUs with multiple corporate organisations specifically for Training and Placements, ensuring a steady, structured pipeline of corporate engagement across both years of the PGDM program.

Our dedicated Career Services team maintains strong, active linkages across IT, consulting, banking, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.

Careers360: Internships are now mandatory as per AICTE guidelines. Does the institute help students with this? If yes, how?

Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar: Absolutely. Internships have always been central to our academic design, and we fully align with AICTE's mandate in this regard. At ASB, the Summer Internship Program (SIP) is treated as a serious academic exercise — not merely a compliance checkbox.

Our AAROHAN orientation program, conducted in the first month itself, includes a dedicated module on internship readiness — covering industry expectations, professional conduct, communication protocols, and personal branding. By the time students reach the internship recruitment season, they have already been groomed through our REACH and PATH programs, which include rigorous communication workshops, mock interviews, and industry best practices training.

Our Training and Placement Cell actively reaches out to companies for internship opportunities, carefully matching students' specialisations and career interests to appropriate roles. The EIR (Executives in Residence) program further supplements formal internship preparation by giving students year-long mentorship from senior industry professionals — so by the time they step into their internship organisations, they carry not just theoretical knowledge but a real understanding of how organisations function.

Internship performance is evaluated academically, and the learnings from SIP are integrated back into the second-year curriculum through project presentations and viva voce, ensuring that the internship experience translates into genuine and lasting professional development.

Careers360: Can you please share details of any collaboration with universities abroad?

Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar: Yes, international exposure is one of ASB's defining differentiators, and we have been deliberate and strategic about building meaningful global connections for our students.

Global Immersion Programme (GIP) — Singapore: Our flagship international initiative takes our PGDM students through a week-long immersive program in Singapore & Malaysia/ Dubai— one of Asia's foremost business hubs. Students attend lectures by world-renowned faculty, participate in workshops on the Singaporean economy and business culture, and visit leading organisations. This gives our students a direct, experiential understanding of international business environments — something very few B-Schools in our tier offer.

International Guest Faculty & Sessions: Regular interactions with business professionals and academics from abroad — conducted as guest lectures and virtual sessions — give students ongoing exposure to global management thinking, beyond the GIP experience.

Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) Certification: Our collaboration with Bloomberg for the BMC certification is itself an international credential-connect, certifying our students to a standard that is recognised and respected by financial institutions across the world.

We are also actively working to formalise academic partnerships with international universities that align with our tech-blended, practice-oriented philosophy. These collaborations are being developed in the areas of joint faculty development, student exchange, research collaboration, and co-certification programs — details of which will be announced as agreements are finalised.

Our vision is that every ASB graduate carries both deep Indian business sensibility and genuine global business awareness — and our international engagement strategy is designed precisely to deliver that duality.

Careers360: Please share placement statistics with information on the average package, the highest and lowest package, the number of students placed, and details of companies that have recruited.

Dr. Y Lakshman Kumar: I am delighted to share that the placement season for the 2024–26 batch is progressing very encouragingly, and we are well on our way to achieving yet another strong outcome for our students.

Batch Composition:

Our batch of 120 students spans four specialisations — Marketing with Analytics (50 students), Finance with FinTech (42 students), AI & Data Science (18 students), and HR with HR Analytics (10 students). As the placement season is actively ongoing, 80% of our students have already received offers, with the process continuing. We are confident that every student will secure a placement aligned with their aspirations shortly.

Package Statistics:

• Highest Package:

Rs 10 LPA — offered by Mygate & Merritto, which is a strong affirmation of the quality of talent ASB produces.

• Average Package:

Rs 6.5 LPA — a figure we are proud of, as it represents consistent and genuine value delivered to students across all specialisations, not just a few outliers.

• Median Package:

Rs 6 LPA — indicating that the majority of our students are landing quality roles. The closeness of the median to the average reflects an equitable spread of outcomes.

• Entry-Level Package:

Rs 4 LPA — serving as the floor, ensuring that every placed student steps into a meaningful, market-relevant professional role.

Recruiting Companies:

What truly distinguishes our placements is the diversity and quality of our recruiting ecosystem — spanning BFSI, FMCG, retail, technology, consulting, healthcare, and real estate. Over 50 companies have engaged with our campus for the 2024–26 batch, including:

Broadridge, ITC, Dabur, Lenskart, Decathlon, MakeMyTrip, Bluestone, Blinkit, Hexaware, KPIT, PolicyBazaar, Muthoot Finance, Northern Trust, FactSet, Citrin Cooperman, Ryan Tax, Café Coffee Day, Stanza Living, MedPlus, Homefirst Finance, Quess Corp, Keka, Jaro Education, MSI, Urbanrise, Mygate, Vigocare, Peepal Consulting, Simplotel, Toucan Payments, Wealth Munshi, PIB Insurance, Sapphire Human Capital, Amlgo Labs, Acxiom, NXFY, Instabites, and several more.

This list represents not just volume but purposeful diversity. Our students are entering roles in financial services, consumer brands, technology firms, healthcare, and fast-growing startups — a direct testament to the well-rounded, tech-blended, practice-oriented education ASB delivers.

We also want to emphasise that placements at ASB are never a last-minute exercise. They are the culmination of a two-year preparation journey — beginning with AAROHAN, running through EIR mentoring, REACH and PATH grooming, Bloomberg BMC certification, Infosys Springboard credentials, Aptitude Trainings, Language Lab, CESIM business simulations, and the Global Immersion Program in Singapore. All of this makes our graduates genuinely corporate-ready and consistently sought after by a wide spectrum of recruiters.

Disclaimer: This article is published as a marketing initiative between Ashoka School of Business, Hyderabad and Careers360.