AIMA Marks 68th Foundation Day and 18th National Management Day with Minister of Education, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi, 22.02.2024: Building on its 68-year legacy, the All India Management Association (AIMA) held its Foundation Day today, which is also observed as National Management Day in the country. On 21st February 1957, 15 management associations across India came together to constitute the All India Management Association; the national forum for the promotion of management studies in India. Since then this date has been celebrated as AIMA’s Foundation Day and the theme for this year was ‘The Indian Century: Managing Growth with Transformation’. At the event, AIMA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with St. Stephens College, Delhi University to jointly develop academic courses, modules, and programmes as well as conduct joint conferences and seminars in various knowledge domains.

The Foundation Day event was held at the Le Méridien, New Delhi which was graced by Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, as the chief guest. The key dignitaries from different fields included Mr. Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa of India, Government of India, Mr. Nikhil Sawhney, President, AIMA & Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Triveni Turbine Ltd, Mr. Shrinivas Dempo, Immediate Past President, AIMA & Chairman, Dempo Group of Companies, Mr. Uday Kotak, Founder & Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Mr. Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv Limited, Mr. Sushil Borde, Head – Reliance Innovation Leadership Centre, Reliance Industries Limited, Mr. R A Mashelkar, FRS, Former Director General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), and Mr. Vishesh C Chandiok, CEO, Grant Thornton Bharat.

Mr. Nikhil Sawhney, President, AIMA & Vice Chairman & Managing Director, said, “From humble beginnings to now its 68th Foundation Day, AIMA has been a companion to those who dare to dream. With our 67 local management associations, we have adapted to the changing landscape of management studies with our development programmes, continuous test offerings, contributing to industry discussions, and partnering with the leading B-schools in the country as well as overseas.”

“Like a guiding light for countless aspiring management students, AIMA has paved the way for next-gen business leaders in India. On this special occasion, we are reflecting on the opportunistic legacy of AIMA in shaping the careers of aspiring management students in the country. Over the last 36 years, our Management Aptitude Test has become a gateway to promising career opportunities, changing student lives. Similarly, our premier GAMP programme has established itself as a remarkable networking platform for business leaders and CXOs worldwide. Looking ahead, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of business visionaries, who will continue to make a positive change in society and drive forward the nation’s economy,” said Ms. Rekha Sethi, Director General, All India Management Association.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “In the last 10 years, India has witnessed remarkable growth across various sectors, demonstrating our nation’s potential on the global stage. I believe that the thought leadership of organizations like AIMA will play a key role in making a collective roadmap to continue this trajectory forward.”

Administered since 1988 and approved by the Ministry of Education (Government of India), AIMA’s flagship Management Aptitude Test (MAT) has been the national-level test for admissions in 600+ B-schools nationwide. It is conducted in three flexible testing modes — Internet-Based Test (IBT), Paper-Based Test (PBT), and Computer-Based Test (CBT) with a score validity of one year. Furthermore, the entrance test is administered four times a year (February, May, September, and December), enabling easy accessibility for students from various backgrounds.

Helping working professionals build networks and gain insights about the ever-evolving business world, AIMA’s Global Advanced Management Programme (GAMP) is lauded as one of the best management development programmes in the world. Centred around the thriving ecosystem of Silicon Valley, it offers industry-centric interaction opportunities with the top management teams from the most innovative companies such as NVidia, Cisco Systems, PayPal, Standard Chartered, Wipro, IBM Almaden Research, Fujitsu Laboratories, and UC Berkeley Campus amongst others.

In 2006, AIMA celebrated its Golden Jubilee with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, then President of India, on its Foundation Day, where February 21 was declared as the ‘National Management Day’ in India. Since then, this premier event has been celebrated annually by the AIMA’s network of 67 Local Management Associations (LMAs) all over the country.