India’s power sector leader NTPC and premier B-school school IIM-Ahmedabad announced a joint initiative to create a world class research institute at NTPC School of Business on Tuesday. The aim is to produce management graduates with specialization on energy sector.

“India’s marquee business school – Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad – will hand hold NTPC School of Business to replicate its management degree courses beginning this year with special focus on energy verticals not only for NTPC but for the entire power sector,” said Saptarshi Roy, HR director, NTPC.

This is the first time NTPC is tying up with a leading academic institution for degree and other specialized courses on the lines of IIM-A. IIM-A will mentor NSB for five years to create a top class faculty and offer a host of specialized electives for various aspects related to energy and power sectors.

“We wish to create a strong research and policy centre. To create manpower for this centre, NSB shall be ideal institute to take lead and this will become centre of excellence for policy research and policy documentation,” said Professor Sunil Kumar Maheshwari, HRM area chair and strategic management, IIM-A.

Maheshwari said that the two leading organizations from the respective areas have signed an agreement to work together. As per the arrangement, NSB, guided by IIM-A, will seek applications from aspirants for MBA degree from April this year for a two-year degree course from aspirants with specialization in energy sector.

The IIM, apart from bringing professionals from the parent organization, will gradually create NSB’s own faculty by the end of the fifth year.

“The NSB tie-up is the latest in the series of learning and development initiatives at NTPC. We also have tied up with Harvard Business School and other Ivy League institutions under which a total of 180 senior executives are being given global exposure for the first hand learning of leadership modules and best business practices as part of efforts to create future leadership for the organization that is supplementing the national economic growth by way of meeting electricity requirement,” said Roy.

The infrastructure at NSB’s NOIDA campus, which include residential facility for students, is ready to start the courses from the forthcoming academic session. The institute is targeting to enroll 120 students in the first year.