IIM Bangalore introduces online FinTech certificate for students and professionals

IIM Bangalore has opened registrations for a new FinTech Certificate Program that will be delivered entirely online, targeting students and early-career professionals seeking to build expertise in financial technology.

The program is part of the Skilling & Training initiative under the Centre of Excellence in FinTech, set up by the Department of Electronics, IT, and Bt, Government of Karnataka.

It is structured in two stages: a six-month Foundation Certificate, followed by a three-month Advanced Certificate available to those who complete the first phase successfully.

Registrations began on Aug 11 and will remain open until Sept 14 through the IIMBx platform.

With backing from the Karnataka government, the course is being offered at a subsidized fee to make high-quality fintech education more widely accessible.

“Karnataka continues to lead with bold, future-ready initiatives. This program will empower our youth and professionals with the skills needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving fintech landscape,” said Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT, and Government of Karnataka.

“The Government of Karnataka has always been ambitious, be it in GCC policy, VLSI policy, gaming policy, IT & Bt policies, and more. Being ambitious is good, and we hope the FinTech CoE's first major outcome will be the scaling of this FinTech certificate program offered by IIM Bangalore,” he added.

He continued, “I particularly appreciate that it is a flexible program and also focuses on bringing women back into the workforce after a career break.”

Prof Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIMBx, noted, “We look forward to making a big impact in the skilling space with this program across the state.”

The course will be led by Prof G Sabarinathan, a retired faculty member in Finance & Accounting at IIMB, who is serving as program director.

“The curriculum has been carefully designed with a mix of content from academicians and leading industry professionals to transform young graduates across disciplines into business professionals capable of taking on diverse roles across the Indian fintech industry,” said Prof Sabarinathan.

Calling the move “far-sighted,” he emphasized that it will expand access to specialized fintech education in Karnataka.

Transcripts will be available in both English and Kannada, and the course will also include live sessions for interactive learning, doubt-clearing, and industry insights.

The curriculum combines lectures, additional reading, assignments, and assessments while covering areas such as business strategy, finance and accounts, product management, and regulatory frameworks.

Participants will also gain exposure to fintech verticals, including lending, insurance, payments, and wealth management.