The forum, with the theme Future-Proof Skills: What the Modern Workplace Demands from MBAs, saw participation from top executives of Deloitte India, Wipro, Schneider Electric Infrastructure, Ernst & Young (EY), Barclays and Philips India Subcontinent. The panel addressed the need for agility, digital literacy and emotional quotient in current rapidly evolving business landscapes.

Market innovation leapfrogs boardroom strategy. It's essential to have a collaborative and flexible learning methodology, said Dev Tripathy Philips Indian Subcontinent's Head of Finance, emphasising the need for purposeful leadership in business prosperity.

While Praveen Kamath, GM of HR at Wipro, discussed the restlessness among young professionals, Karun Jalali, a director at Deloitte India, emphasised the importance of teaching the art of unlearning and relearning. Early boredom is on the increase in India, even though there is a need for newer skill sets presently. The early career stage is decisive for the formation of grit and the acquisition of new skills, he clarified.

The issue of technology adaptation was also widely debated. The march of technology is inevitable, stated Barclays MD Praveen Vukkalam, challenging next-generation managers to develop skills that would outlast shifting tools. Suparna Banerjee Bhattacharyya, Schneider Electric Infrastructure CFO, conveyed concern for gender gaps in management, stating further that cross-functional awareness is vital to effectively handling management duties. In the meantime, Ernst & Young's partner Ranjan Mathur highlighted the importance of combining data-based decision-making with empathy.

Prof. Shubham Sharma conducted the discussion and some of the faculty members such as Prof. Vivek Roy, Prof. Kunal Ganguly, Prof. Utkarsh and Prof. Deepak Verma expressed their views on how IIM Kashipur's curriculum is correlated with market needs. They pointed out the institute's focus on experiential learning, design thinking and creating an entrepreneurial mind.

The debate concluded with panellists agreeing that MBA graduates need to be armed not only with technical knowledge but also with adaptive thinking and people skills in order to succeed in today's volatility-prone corporate culture.