XLRI Delhi-NCR today opened a new school for automotive design and management. The new school, INDEA - Indian School for Design of Automobiles, aims to train designers and design managers in the automobile industry. The school, which will be operational by the end of 2025, was founded in collaboration with Avik Chattopadhyay, an XLRI alumnus and automotive industry professional.

The Masters in Automobile Design and Management will be a one-year postgraduate programme with an annual intake of 20-25 students from all graduate schools selected through a screening process.

"Currently, the course will be eligible for engineering graduates only but we will consider taking students in the automobile design and management courses from humanities as well in the future," Dr. Fr KS Casimir, Director, XLRI Delhi-NCR told indianexpress.

The need to launch the new school in XLRI was driven by the ‘strong post-pandemic revival, evolving consumer tastes and need for sustainable mobility solutions’, XLRI alumnus and automotive industry professional Avik Chattopadhyay said.

INDEA will offer a Master's degree in Automobile Design and Management, as well as refresher courses for practicing designers and professional induction programmes. The institute also plans to offer a programme in automobile restoration.

The XLRI alumnus went on to say that with this new programme, students will have access to an automobile design and management school in India, where they will be mentored by the best in the industry. "After graduation, Indian students do not have the opportunity to pursue their dream of design and travel abroad. "With XLRI's INDEA, students can advance their education and be placed in design studios across the country and abroad," he added.