Vector Consulting Group concludes reTHINK 2026, bringing first-principles problem-solving to India’s leading B-schools

At the heart of reTHINK is a simple premise: before solving a problem, understand what the real problem is.

The competition began with a four-hour workshop conducted by Vector Consulting Group subject matter experts, followed by a campus-level case competition. The workshop introduced students to first-principles problem-solving, encouraging them to question assumptions and identify the underlying problem before developing solutions.

The winning teams from each campus then progressed to the national round, where they were presented with a new case to solve. The competition culminated in the Grand Finale in Mumbai, where the teams presented their solutions before a national jury.

The 2026 edition brought together 1,554 participants across nine campuses - IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Lucknow, ISB Hyderabad, ISB Mohali, XLRI Jamshedpur and XLRI Delhi - reflecting strong interest among students at India’s leading B-schools in developing a more rigorous and practical approach to problem-solving.

The team from IIM Bangalore emerged as the winner, taking home ₹5 lakh. The team from IIM Ahmedabad was named first runner-up and received ₹2 lakh, while the team from XLRI Jamshedpur secured the second runner-up position and received ₹1 lakh.

Every campus-winning team also received a Pre-Placement Interview (PPI) opportunity with Vector Consulting Group, giving students who demonstrated strong problem-solving capabilities an opportunity to explore consulting as a career.

“In a world of frameworks and templatised thinking, the objective of reTHINK is to encourage curiosity about discovering real problems by breaking down complex problems using causal connections. We want students to realise that consulting can go beyond glitzy PPTs and solve real-world problems.

As one of the fastest-growing homegrown management consulting firms, we are always on the lookout for sharp problem solvers to join our team. Through the PPIs, we are also hoping to identify future team members among the campus winners of reTHINK,” said Sayan Chakrabarty, Chief Human Resources Officer, Vector Consulting Group.

Through reTHINK, Vector Consulting Group aims to reach more students and encourage a fundamentally different approach to problem-solving. The objective goes beyond the competition, with the principles of questioning assumptions and getting to the root of a problem serving students well in their careers and wherever their professional journeys take them.

About Vector Consulting Group

With a team of 200+ consultants, Vector Consulting Group is India's largest homegrown management consulting firm. Since 2006, Vector has leveraged the principles of Scientific and Systems Thinking to develop innovative solutions for clients across various domains and sectors. This, combined with its unique 'Skin-In-The-Game' approach to management consulting, has helped its 400+ clients achieve operational excellence and set new benchmarks in their industry segments.

Vector assists organisations across operations, supply chain & distribution, retail & B2B sales, New Product Development, and project management in industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, retail, textiles, FMCG, equipment manufacturing and EPC.

Vector has partnered with organisations such as Ashok Leyland, Royal Enfield, Tata Motors, JK Tyre, JK Fenner, International Tractors (Sonalika), Fleetguard Filters, Lupin, Glenmark, Arvind Fashions, Pidilite, Polycab, Kellogg's, Godrej & Boyce, L&T Heavy Engineering and several other leading companies.

For more details, visit https://www.vectorconsulting.in/