IMC-IRC: INDIA’S ONLY RESEARCH CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

The IMC International Research Conference (IMC-IRC) 2026 will be held on September 18–19, 2026 at the IIM Lucknow Noida Campus, alongside the 16th Indian Management Conclave (IMC). IMC-IRC is the only conference in India exclusively devoted to research in management learning and education. It brings together editors, deans, scholars, and practitioners who study how management is taught, learned, and assessed.

Management learning and education is evolving into a distinct scholarly field with its own body of knowledge and set of journals. Yet, until 2024, India did not have a dedicated research forum for this domain. To fill this gap, Indian Management Conclave (IMC) partnered with XLRI Jamshedpur, one of India’s oldest and most respected management institutions, to launch IMC-IRC. The inaugural IMC-IRC was held on September 20–21, 2024 at XLRI Jamshedpur during the 14th IMC. It drew more than 150 authors from 9 IIMs, XLRI, SPJIMR, IRMA, NMIMS, and other leading institutions. Forty papers, selected from around 150 submissions, were presented across six tracks. Many conference papers were published in reputed Scopus indexed journals.

IMC-IRC 2025 built on this foundation at the 15th IMC at IIFT New Delhi. Again, over 150 researchers presented papers across five tracks. The two winning papers of the IMC-IRC Best Research Paper Award 2025 explored the Impact of Digital vs. Traditional Learning and the Role of Digital Platforms in Internationalisation of Management Education.

IMC-IRC Best Research Paper Award juries have been chaired and composed of some of India’s most respected research deans and journal editors, including:

• Dr Ajay Manrai, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Global Marketing
• Dr Sanjay Patro, Dean-Academics, XLRI Jamshedpur
• Dr Arpan Kar, Chair Professor, DMS and School of Artificial Intelligence, IIT Delhi

With two successful editions, IMC-IRC 2026 enters its third year with growing ambition. It is positioned as the leading scholarly platform in India for examining the key challenges and opportunities confronted by business and management education.

IMC-IRC 2026 shall focus on the overarching theme of “Emerging Trends in Management Education: Inquiry, Insight, Impact”. IMC-IRC 2026 invites rigorous, original scholarship that strengthens this evidence base. The conference continues its tradition of organising papers into interrelated tracks. Each track is led by a distinguished Chair who curates presentations and provides expert feedback.

Tracks for IMC-IRC 2026

Track 1: Impact of AI and Digital Technologies on Businesses, Organisations, Work, and Jobs

This track examines how AI and digital technologies are reshaping businesses and management practice. It explores the evolving nature of organisations, work, and the implications for jobs and skills. Papers on AI adoption in business functions, organisational transformation, future of work, workforce reskilling, and changing managerial roles are invited. Submissions addressing other related themes are also welcome.

Track 2: AI-Enabled Curriculum, Pedagogy, Learning, and Engagement in Management Education

This track explores how AI and digital technologies are transforming management education. It examines new approaches to curriculum design, teaching methods, learning experiences, and student engagement. Papers on AI-enabled curriculum, GenAI in classrooms, adaptive learning, AI-driven assessment, and student engagement models are invited. Papers on other related areas are welcome.

Track 3: Teaching Methodologies and Pedagogical Innovation in Management Education

This track examines pedagogical innovation that enhances learning outcomes in management education. It explores both classroom and work-integrated learning approaches. Papers on case-based teaching, experiential learning, simulations, flipped classrooms, internships, business games and competitions, and project-based learning are invited. Submissions addressing other related themes are also welcome.

Track 4: Academic Processes, Quality, Ethics, and Internationalisation of Management Education

This track examines academic processes, quality assurance, ethics and the internationalisation of management education. It explores how business schools can align curriculum, pedagogy, and governance with global standards while remaining locally relevant. Papers on accreditation, ranking frameworks, cross-border collaborations, foreign campuses in India, student mobility, and institutional competitiveness are invited. Papers on ethics and governance with implications for management education are welcome. Papers on other related areas are welcome.

Track 5: MBA Competencies, Employability, Career Advancement, and Entrepreneurship

This track examines the managerial competencies and employability skills expected of business and management graduates in a changing business context. It explores the alignment between academic programmes and industry demand. Papers on competency frameworks, employability skills, career services, industry-academia engagement, and entrepreneurship education are invited. Papers on other related areas are welcome.

Papers on other areas related to business and management education are also welcome. The final track structure will be announced after the abstract submission process.

The Call for Papers for the IMC-IRC 2026 is now open. We invite you to explore the theme and tracks, and express your interest to receive Abstract Submission package. Last date for Abstract Submission is June 7, 2026. Express your interest to submit your work via the link below. Upon registration, you will receive complete details to facilitate your abstract submission.

Express interest to submit your work

Participating authors will have the opportunity to submit their papers to leading Scopus-indexed Partner Journals. Papers are invited subject to the respective journal’s review process and guidelines.

Past Publishing Partners 
IMC-IRC 2025 partnered with the following Scopus-indexed journals. Similar publications will be invited for IMC-IRC 2026.

The list of IMC-IRC 2026 partner journals will be published soon.

Registration for IMC-IRC 2026 will open after acceptance of Extended Abstracts. The conference is held exclusively in offline, in-person mode. At least one author from an accepted paper must register for the paper to be included in conference presentations.

Delegate Categories & Fees

Registration includes access to all sessions of the 16th IMC 2026 in addition to IMC-IRC paper presentations. Registration does not include travel, and accommodation.

For delegate-only (non-IRC participants) registration, IMC Conclave Delegate Registration Rules apply. See the IMC 2026 Registration page.

IMC-IRC invites original and unpublished manuscripts from academics, faculty, practitioners, and doctoral students. The submission process follows a two-stage model — Extended Abstract first, Full Paper after acceptance of abstract.

STAGE 1: EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Authors must structure the Extended Abstract around four elements:

• Purpose: Why was this study undertaken?

• Study design, methodology, and approach: How was the study conducted?

• Findings: What did the study reveal?

• Originality and value: What is the unique contribution of this study?

Abstract Format

• Length: 1,000–1,500 words

• Font: Times New Roman, 12 point

• Spacing: 1.5

• File Format: MS Word

Title Page Requirements

Manuscript title, author(s), affiliation(s), contact details of all authors, and corresponding author details.

Submission Criteria

Abstracts are evaluated on three dimensions: Relevance, Rigour of Research, and Key Contributions.

Email to receive complete abstract submission guideline to [email protected]

STAGE 2: FULL PAPER SUBMISSION

Full paper submission is mandatory for the IMC IRC Best Research Paper Award competition. It is strongly recommended, but not mandatory, for paper presentation at the conference.

Full Paper Format

• Length: 5,000–8,000 words

• Spacing: 1.5

• Font: Times New Roman, 12 point

• Margins: One inch all around

• Pages: Consecutively numbered

• File Format: MS Word

• Citation Style: APA 7th Edition (2020)

Title Page
Title, author names and affiliations, a maximum of five keywords, phone numbers and email for all authors, and the name of the corresponding author. Author names should appear only on the title page. In case of joint submissions, all correspondence will be with the first author.

Structure
Abstract (200–250 words), Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References, and Appendices (if any). Tables, charts, and graphs must be on separate sheets with clear titles and source citations where applicable.

Originality
Papers submitted to IMC-IRC must not have been published, accepted for publication, or be currently under review elsewhere.

IMC-IRC 2026 Submission Dates 
Interested scholars are requested to follow the timelines given below.

Best Research Paper Award 2026

The IMC-IRC Best Research Paper Award follows a rigorous three-stage evaluation process:

1. Shortlisting by the assigned Track Reviewer.

2. Scoring by Track Chairs during the paper presentation.

3. Final selection by the Jury during the Open Best Paper Presentation session.

The Award will be presented at the Valedictory Session of the 16th IMC 2026 by the Chief Guest.

IIM Lucknow Noida Campus B-1, Institutional Area, Sector-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201307. The conference is held in-person only. Accommodation is not available at the conference venue. Presenters and delegates are requested to arrange their own stay in Noida or Delhi NCR. A list of recommended hotels near the venue will be shared with registered delegates closer to the conference dates.