Skills-focussed Indian business school set for university status

Master’s Union, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs, with flagship courses in business and technology, recently received a Letter of Intent (LOI) from the Haryana government to become a state private university.

The expanded 10-acre LEED-certified campus in Gurugram, located near major corporations including Nestlé, Maruti Suzuki, Airtel, Honda, Mitsubishi and HCL, is expected to open its first phase by 2027, with later phases adding research and incubation facilities, subject to approvals.

The development could significantly expand Master’s Union’s ability to confer degrees, as currently its undergraduate students receive degrees through an arrangement with the Delhi University’s School of Open Learning while its postgraduate programs award institutional diplomas rather than formal degrees.

“When we launched the undergraduate program in 2023, the curriculum was so new that following the traditional regulatory route would have made us just another university. Instead, we reverse-engineered the model. We partnered with Delhi University’s School of Distance Learning so students earned a recognised degree alongside the Master’s Union experience,” Ankur Vohra, head of institutional partnerships, Master’s Union told The PIE News.

“With strong demand from students, industry, and policymakers, the next natural step was recognition as a university. We are excited to work with the government and authorities to take this forward.”

With multiple reports highlighting that only about half of India’s graduates are considered employable, Vohra said the core goal is to “solve the industry–academia connect”, a challenge he believes can be addressed by the country’s rapidly evolving and increasingly entrepreneurial economy.

“If 50-60% of graduates are unemployable, it means the challenge – and opportunity – is massive. India has a small window to reap its demographic dividend, and that requires building world-class institutions that solve this problem,” Vohra stated.

In its most recent placement season, the b-school reported an average annual compensation of INR 34.07 lakh (approximately £32,500), with the top offer reaching INR 1.28 crore (around £122,000) and four roles exceeding Rs 1 crore (about £95,000).

The school also posted a strong international performance, securing 30 overseas offers across the US, Canada, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with international packages averaging Rs 64 lakh per annum (roughly £61,000).

Students will work on live mandates with practitioners, ship real products and translate applied research into outcomes for industry and the region
_{^{Pratham Mittal, Master’s Union}}

While the expected new status would grant Master’s Union greater university-level autonomy, it comes as the Haryana government moves to amend the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006, introducing provisions for the dissolution of private universities, appointment of administrators, and mandatory prior approval for launching new courses.

The new rules follow warnings from the Supreme Court of India, which raised broader concerns about the functioning and oversight of private universities in India during proceedings related to a student harassment petition.

However, for Master’s Union, the transition represents an opportunity to deepen practical learning, with students gaining more direct exposure to industry and government, according to founder Pratham Mittal.

“Students will work on live mandates with practitioners, ship real products and translate applied research into outcomes for industry and the region,” Mittal stated.

“We will proceed step-by-step, meeting all statutory requirements.”

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