Dr. Nachiketa Tripathi is a Professor at the School of Business, IIT Guwahati. He received his doctorate in Social Psychology from IIT, Kanpur. He has over 25 years of teaching and research experience. He also held the prestigious Burns Endowment Fellowship at the Dhillon School of Business, University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada in 2015. Prof. Tripathi has published extensively in high ranking journals, such as Management Research Review, Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, Journal of Advances in Management Research, VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, Journal of Indian Business Research, Frontiers in Psychology, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology to name a few.

He has supervised several PhD dissertations, besides B.Tech., M.Tech., and MA dissertations. His students have gone to secure academic positions in the country's leading management institutions, including IIMs. Prof. Tripathi serves on the editorial board of Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, South Asian Journal of HRM, and Psychological Studies. 

IIT Guwahati

What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

Education has always been a noble profession. Societies and countries have achieved success and prosperity through a robust educational system. Since ancient times, education has always commanded respect and dignity in our country, and Guru-Shishya tradition is a testimony to this. I always find the education sector exciting and challenging, as there is constant learning and inflow of new information. Such learning is not always possible in other sectors. There is always pressure to re-invent ourselves and keep track of the latest academic research. If we don’t pursue new knowledge, then there is a high probability that we might become obsolete over time. I think these are some reasons for me to remain connected with the education sector.

What is your leadership philosophy? How would you describe your leadership style?

Leaders are the ones who can connect with the people and get the work accomplished with ease. I always believe in investing in people, as their learning and commitment determine success. I focus on the job and try to achieve perfection with the available resources. At the same time, I try to help people if they struggle to achieve their goals. Giving people a taste of success motivates them to work harder and accomplish pre-determined goals. It should also be kept in mind that there is always a change in the circumstances, which requires adjusting the leadership style to make it more effective. Thus, I can say my leadership style best be described as the one which focuses on tasks and people depending on the circumstances.

Being with IIT Guwahati, School of Business how do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your institution?

School of Business exists within the IIT Guwahati system, and our strategy focuses on the best alignment with the overall strategy of the institute, i.e., for excellence in academics. Our programs, such as MBA, have incorporated the latest trends in management education. We believe in creating a brand that can be associated with quality, trust, and ROI. We are constantly working for that.

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What can an inbound student gain from studying here in your institute/ university/ school?

Every country indeed has its academic priority and structure. IITs are known for excellence in academics across the globe. The name IIT itself commands respect and is known for its brand value. Our business school has the same vision and emphasis on the quality of education. A prospective student can expect good quality of education at an affordable cost. Students’ stay on the campus will be a memorable experience. We have a good quality of infrastructure (hostels, classrooms, sports facilities, etc.), a well-stocked library, and ease of access to faculty.

How does the curriculum of IIT Guwahati, School of Business ensure the best practice of industry?

This is the area where we have focused from day one. Management education needs to be aligned with the requirement of the industry. Therefore, we have included courses on Business Analytics and HR Analytics as core courses from the very beginning. To provide real-life industry experience to students, we have included two months of compulsory industrial training for our MBA students. Many of our faculty members have worked in different industrial setups before coming to academics. We have also envisaged inviting leaders from industry to interact with our students to give their perspectives. In a way, our program is an ideal mix of knowledge and skills in management.

Any insights into how your institution could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Diversity is the reality of the modern world, and we need to appreciate and engage with it. We have made every attempt to bring students from diverse backgrounds to our classrooms. Adhering to the Government of India policy, we have reservations for EWS, OBC(NCL), SC, and ST candidates apart from physically challenged candidates. On top of everything, we have provisioned a 10% weightage to female candidates, as we would like to encourage more female candidates to join the management program and be a part of nation-building.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the institution and the students are?

My primary role is of a teacher and mentor to fresh new minds. Students come with a lot of expectations to build their successful careers. We provide the right knowledge, skills, and social sensitivity to be a successful professional. I firmly believe that any professional, irrespective of the domain expertise, should discharge her/her duties with the highest ethical standards. I have been associated with IIT Guwahati for a very long time, and I have always tried my level best to observe these standards in my conduct.

When you first came to IIT Guwahati, School of Business what was your vision for the institution?

As I have been associated with IIT Guwahati for a long time, the transition to business school was smooth, although I was in a different department. As we are in the nascent stages, time will determine the success of our vision. We are confident that we will be able to achieve new heights and be a new feather in the hat of the IIT Guwahati system.

What do you see as IIT Guwahati, School of Business’ greatest strengths?

Unlike many other business schools, we are starting our business school in the institute, where we have fully developed infrastructure, a well-equipped library, a computing facility, and many experienced faculties. Our ‘practices’ and ‘processes’ are already in place. We already have many recruiters visiting our campus every year for recruitment in highly admired companies. These are our main strengths.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for IIT Guwahati, School of Business?

There is a shortage of suitable candidates for faculty positions in the higher education sector. There could be many job aspirants for faculty positions, but finding the required number of highly talented candidates is a difficult task. In the School of Business, IIT Guwahati, we need to realize that IITs are still primarily technical institutes, and establishing a business school comes with its own challenges. Still, many prospective management students are not aware that IITs also offer MBA programs. It is more so in the case of our business school, as we are the new entrant.

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Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

Everyone wants success, but it should always be remembered that there is no shortcut to success. One has to devote and commit her/himself to the goal and continuously work for that. Taking the right decision and making strategic shifts also plays an essential role in success. On many occasions, students may not have the correct information; therefore, they can always seek the guidance of people who have achieved something worthy in their lives. I always advise students to assess their capabilities and interests and then decide which kind of profession they would like to pursue.