JAGSoM Launches India’s First Specialist Brand School, Opens Admissions for PGP-BM 2026

Source: Jagdish Sheth School of Management. 

The Jagdish Sheth School of Management has unveiled The Specialist Brand School (TSBS) as India's first school wholly committed to the education of brand management.

It has opened applications for the first batch of its Postgraduate Programme in Brand Management (PGP-BM), which is a one-year, full-time program that will start in September 2026. Whereas management schools offer marketing management programs wherein branding is considered an aspect of marketing, the school considers it a priority area, focusing on the role of brands in creating value, connecting with consumers, and competing in the market. In order to provide a quality learning experience, TSBS will limit the inaugural batch to 30 students.

For its selection criteria, the school considers marks as the first step but then delves into other aspects. Personal interviews will form an integral part of the selection process as candidates are expected to exhibit clarity in their goals and interest in brand management.

The program director, Anand Narasimha, who is a two-time winner of Cannes Lions and an experienced brand management professional, has worked for over four decades in the branding space at brands under companies including Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Dabur, ITC Limited, Britannia Industries, Sony, Samsung, Hyundai, and HSBC.

Speaking from his point of view, Narasimha pointed out that branding goes beyond tools and becomes an approach, which affects the business's growth and consumer relationship.

There are three major aspects considered as pillars of the course's structure: fundamental skills in brand thinking, profound consumer understanding, and practical experience. One of the most attractive features offered by this course is a brand practicum lasting for three months in which students will get involved in solving real-world industry projects with the support of experienced professionals. TSBS is designed for recent graduates and young professionals wishing to pursue a career in brand management.

Sanjay Padode, the founder of JAGSoM, stated that this initiative was designed for people who knew exactly what kind of career path they wished to pursue further and were interested in gaining knowledge in the selected specialty. Moreover, TSBS was created to help students develop a professional in-depth specialization in the sphere of brand management.

The curriculum was also influenced by the industry experts Sandeep Nair, Sheetal Jain, Rutu Mody Kamdar, Lulu Raghavan, and Hamsini Shivakumar included in the advisory council.

On the whole, TSBS offers future specialists all-round development, including strategies and creativity along with practical training.