A few years ago, business decisions were often made in meeting rooms filled with opinions, experience, and instinct. Today, those same rooms are filled with dashboards, reports, and data points. But here’s the truth we’ve learned over time—data alone doesn’t make decisions. People do.

In today’s data-driven world, information is one of the most valuable assets an organization can possess. From multinational corporations and local advertising agencies to governments of leading economies, decisions are no longer driven by intuition alone—they are powered by data. However, raw data in itself holds little value unless it is properly interpreted, structured, and translated into actionable insights.

Every dataset tells a story, but it also contains gaps. Missing values may arise due to user errors, system failures, incomplete surveys, or unreported transactions. These gaps are more than technical issues; they reveal how data is collected, where processes break down, and what assumptions decision-makers are willing to accept. Before running any predictive model or strategic analysis, a critical question must be asked: What is the data truly saying, and what does it mean for the business operations?

This is where the business analyst role becomes essential. Just as natural resources hold value only when refined with the right tools and expertise, data becomes meaningful only when analyzed in a business context. A Business Analyst bridges this gap by transforming raw, fragmented data into clear insights that support informed decision-making and strategic growth.

A certified business analysis professional is the one who connects business objectives with technology and data. By analyzing processes, identifying problems, and uncovering opportunities, business analysts help companies improve efficiency, profitability, and overall performance. Acting as a liaison between stakeholders such as management, clients, and technical teams, Business Analysts ensure that business requirements are clearly defined and solutions are effectively implemented, whether through new systems, optimized workflows, or strategic initiatives.

As organizations increasingly rely on evidence-based decisions, the demand for skilled Business Analysts continues to grow, making it one of the most promising and future-ready career paths heading into 2026.

What Skills Does a Business Analyst Need—and How to Get the Right Learning Path

Success in a business analyst career path depends on mastering core analytical and technical fundamentals. While tools and technologies evolve rapidly, long-term career growth is driven by a strong foundation rather than short-term tool proficiency.

At the core a business analyst must have strong competencies that enable professionals to convert data into business value. These include data analysis using Excel, SQL, and Business Intelligence tools, along with critical thinking, structured problem-solving, and strong written and verbal communication skills. Equally important is the ability to manage stakeholders, understand business processes, and translate complex requirements into practical solutions.

A well-rounded Business Analyst must also be proficient in process modelling and delivery methodologies such as BPMN and Agile frameworks. These skills allow analysts to work across cross-functional teams, align business goals with technical execution, and ensure solutions deliver measurable outcomes.

Many aspiring analysts believe AI tools will simplify or replace these skills. In reality, AI accelerates data processing and automation but interpretation, prioritisation, and decision-making remain human-led responsibilities. This makes one point clear: getting the fundamentals right is more important than ever. Investing in the right learning path, one that builds a strong core foundation before layering advanced tools and AI—is essential for becoming a future-ready Business Analyst.

Key Career Roles in Business Analysis & Analytics

With strong fundamentals and hands-on exposure, professionals can pursue diverse roles such as:

• Business Analyst – bridging business needs with data-driven solutions
• Data Analyst – analysing, visualising, and interpreting data for insights
• Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst – building dashboards and performance reports
• Product Analyst – supporting product decisions through analytics
• Marketing / Customer Insights Analyst – analysing customer behaviour and campaign performance
• Operations / Process Analyst – improving efficiency and operational outcomes
• Analytics Consultant / Strategy Analyst – advising organizations on data-led strategies
• AI & Analytics Specialist Roles – supporting intelligent automation and decision systems
  

These roles are in demand across consulting, BFSI, fintech, e-commerce, healthcare, retail, logistics, telecom, media, and AI-driven enterprises.

Starting Salaries in India (Indicative Ranges)

At the entry level, your salary as a junior business analyst depends on role, skill depth, tools proficiency, and industry exposure. Typical starting salary ranges in India include:

Business Analyst: ₹3.5 – ₹7 LPA
Data Analyst: ₹4 – ₹7.5 LPA
BI / Reporting Analyst: ₹5 – ₹8 LPA
Product / Operations Analyst: ₹5 – ₹9 LPA

A senior business analyst with 2–4 years of experience and strong analytics plus business expertise, can commonly progress to ₹10–15 LPA, with further growth into leadership, consulting, and specialist roles.

Top Recruiters Hiring Business Analytics Talent

Leading organizations across sectors actively hire business analytics professionals, including:

• Consulting & IT Services: Accenture, Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG, TCS, Infosys, IBM, Capgemini
• E-Commerce & Technology: Amazon, Flipkart, and product-led tech firms
• Banking & Financial Services: ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, fintech companies, and NBFCs
• FMCG, Manufacturing & Enterprise Analytics: Godrej, General Mills, Morgan Stanley, and other analytics-driven enterprises

While AI continues to enhance analytics workflows, career growth ultimately depends on strong core learning, the ability to understand business problems, apply analytical thinking, communicate insights clearly, and making informed decisions. Professionals who build this foundation early are best positioned for high-impact roles, strong compensation, and long-term career stability.

So, How Can One Build a Strong Foundation?

Here’s How We at VBS Help Aspirants Build Successful Careers in Business Analytics

At Vivekanand Business School (VBS), we firmly believe that a successful career in business analysis is not built by chasing tools alone, it is built by getting the fundamentals right first. In a field that sits at the intersection of business, data, and technology, strong core learning is what separates short-term job readiness from long-term career growth.

That is exactly where our PGDM in Business Analytics comes in.

Building the Core Before the Tools

We start by strengthening the analytical and business foundations that every Business Analyst must master. Our curriculum is designed to ensure students first develop clarity in business thinking, problem structuring, statistics, and decision sciences, before moving on to advanced analytics and AI-driven applications.

We train students to ask the right business questions, understand data context, and interpret insights, not just generate reports. This foundation ensures that when students work with tools like Python, SQL, Power BI, or Tableau, they understand why they are using them and how the outputs drive business decisions.

Learning Analytics the Way Industry Expects

At VBS, we align learning with how analytics is actually used in organizations. Our program integrates:

• Hands-on data analysis using real-world datasets
• Process thinking and stakeholder alignment, essential for business analysis roles
• Business storytelling and communication, enabling students to present insights clearly to decision-makers

We ensure that students don’t just learn analytics in isolation but apply it across marketing, finance, operations, HR, and strategy, reflecting real enterprise environments.

The 15:9 Model — Learning Plus Industry Immersion

One of the strongest differentiators at VBS is our 15:9 learning model. We combine:

• 15 months of intensive classroom learning, focused on analytics, AI, business fundamentals, and decision-making
• 9 months of paid internship, where students work directly with corporate teams on live business problems

This extended industry immersion allows students to apply classroom concepts in real time – cleaning data, building dashboards, creating models, and supporting strategic decisions. By the time they graduate, they don’t just understand analytics, they’ve lived it in a corporate setting.

Preparing Students for an AI-Driven Future

While AI and automation are transforming analytics workflows, we ensure students understand a critical truth: AI supports decision-making, it does not replace it. That’s why we focus on:

• Human-led interpretation and judgment
• Business context and ethical decision-making
• Practical exposure to Generative AI, Agentic AI, and decision intelligence system

Our approach ensures students are not intimidated by AI but are confident in using it responsibly and strategically as future Business Analysts.

Learning by Doing, Not Just Listening

We follow an experiential, practice-first pedagogy. Students learn through:

• Live projects and industry-based problem statements
• Case studies, simulations, and analytics labs
• Continuous assessments through dashboards, models, and presentations

The learning is further strengthened through focused, industry-aligned workshops, where students work hands-on with tools such as PySpark, SQL, and LLMs to apply analytics and AI to real world cases. This approach builds confidence, clarity, and job readiness, ensuring students can contribute value from day one.

From Classroom to Career

Our focus on strong foundations, hands-on exposure, and long-duration internships directly translates into career outcomes. VBS graduates go on to build careers as Business Analysts, Data Analysts, BI Analysts, Product Analysts, Analytics Consultants, and AI-driven business professionals across leading organizations.

By combining core learning, industry relevance, and global exposure, we help aspirants move beyond learning tools, to building sustainable, high-growth careers in business analytics.

At VBS, we don’t just teach analytics.We believe in preparing our students to think like business analysts, act like professionals, and grow like leaders.

Author Bio,

Ms. Hetaal Palan is the Assistant Director – Branding, Marketing & Student Relations and Head – Alumni Relations at Vivekanand Business School (VBS), Mumbai. She leads strategic initiatives across institutional branding, student engagement, and alumni relations, playing a key role in strengthening VBS’s academic visibility and industry relevance. Her work focuses on aligning management education with evolving business, technology, and career trends.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hetaal-palan-00461737