IIM Ranchi concluded the second day of the 3rd Doctoral Research Conference (DRC) 2026 with engaging academic discussions, insightful keynote sessions, research presentations, and reflections on the future of management research. The two-day conference brought together doctoral scholars at advanced stages of their PhD with a platform to present their work, receive constructive feedback, and engage in meaningful academic discussions.
The second day began with a keynote address by Prof. Elizabeth Rose, Pro-Vice Chancellor, ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education and Former Research Chair Professor at IIM Udaipur. Addressing the gathering on the theme “Crafting an Academic Career: Things I Wish I Had Known When I Was a Research Scholar,” Prof. Rose shared insights from her academic journey and highlighted that an academic career is an individual journey, which is often non-linear.
She encouraged research scholars to continuously improve themselves and stated that opportunities may emerge unexpectedly during an academic journey. Emphasising the importance of perseverance, she advised scholars not to stop writing despite rejections and challenges. She highlighted that researchers should create their own path, remain focused on their goals, and continue learning.
Prof. Rose also stressed the importance of balancing professional contributions with self-development. She advised PhD scholars to learn how to handle rejection, develop resilience, manage deadlines effectively, and maintain strong ethical values in research. She also shared insights on building meaningful collaborations and forming research teams based on contribution and shared academic values.
The day also featured an interactive session with Prof. Rose on the Research Process, along with multiple research paper presentations by PhD scholars covering diverse contemporary areas.
The conference concluded with the Valedictory Session, addressed by Prof. Deepak Kumar Srivastava, Director, IIM Ranchi. Highlighting the importance of balancing research and teaching in management education, Prof. Srivastava stated that research not only generates new knowledge but also strengthens teaching practices and helps address real-world challenges.
He encouraged researchers to focus on impactful and socially relevant scholarship that contributes to institutional development, managerial practices, and societal progress. He also highlighted the opportunities created by emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and encouraged scholars to embrace innovation, collaboration, and broader academic responsibilities.
During the valedictory session, the Research & Publication Annual Report 2026 was released. Sharing the highlights of the report, Prof. Manish Bansal, Chairperson, Doctoral Programme and Research (DPR), IIM Ranchi, informed that during the year, IIM Ranchi faculty members published 139 research papers in reputed peer-reviewed journals across major academic areas including Finance and Accounting, Marketing, Information Systems and Business Analytics, Operations Management, OBHR, Economics and Public Policy, Strategy, and Liberal Arts and Sciences.
He highlighted that 42% of these publications were in journals ranked under ABDC, A+ and A categories. He further stated that the institute’s research is focused on contemporary issues impacting businesses, governments, and society, including Artificial Intelligence, digital transformation, sustainability, climate change, financial markets, public policy, healthcare, consumer behaviour, and the future of work. Prof. Bansal also shared that IIM Ranchi’s research contributes to 21 Sustainable Development Goal themes, reflecting the institute’s commitment towards socially relevant and impactful research.
Beyond journal publications, Prof. Bansal highlighted that IIM Ranchi developed 15 case studies, with several published through reputed international platforms including Ivey Publishing, Harvard Business School Publishing, and Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies. Faculty members also contributed nearly 20 scholarly works through books, book chapters, and book reviews on emerging themes. He further mentioned that the institute organised 25 Thursday Seminar Series sessions, 20 Guest Seminar Series sessions, and Research Methodology workshops, strengthening research collaboration and academic engagement.
During the valedictory ceremony, all 10 participants were felicitated with participation certificates. The Best Paper Award was presented to Shubham Kumar Ojha (PhD Scholar, IIM Calcutta) for his research paper titled “Internalizing the Negative Externality from Urbanization: Evidence from India’s Rurban Mission.”
The conference concluded with the Vote of Thanks delivered by Prof. Anupriya Khan, Conference Chairperson, who expressed gratitude to the co-chairperson Prof. Aditya Shankar Mishra, the organising committee, participants, and all contributors for their support in making DRC 2026 successful.
