The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur has entered a new chapter in its journey by launching its maiden undergraduate programs — Bachelor of Science in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence and Bachelor of Science in Management & Public Policy.

Announced earlier this year under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the programs welcomed their inaugural batch of 178 students at the Sambalpur campus in Odisha. Admissions were conducted through JEE (Main) 2025 for Data Science & AI and CUET (UG) 2025 for Management & Public Policy — making IIM Sambalpur the first IIM in the country to admit undergraduates through both examinations.

Of the 178 students, 88 have enrolled in Data Science & AI and 90 in Management & Public Policy. The cohort represents more than 20 states and union territories, including Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Lakshadweep.

The Data Science & AI programme admitted candidates up to JEE rank 44,645, with an average Class 12 score of 90.5%. The Public Policy programme drew CUET high-scorers with a cut-off of 99.80 percentile, recording an average 12th-grade score of 88.2%.

While the Data Science & AI course focuses on building digital competitiveness and fostering ethical AI practices, the Management & Public Policy track is tailored to address sustainability, ESG, and grassroots development challenges.

Highlighting the vision, Director Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal said the new programmes are designed to “develop leaders in technology, policy, and society, while instilling values of integrity and responsibility.”

The institute, which recently climbed 16 places in the NIRF 2025 rankings, called the launch a milestone that reflects its commitment to innovation with integrity.