Academics

IIMA Admission Ph.D.

Overview

The IIMA Doctoral Programme welcomes individuals with a solid academic foundation, a high level of motivation, and the intellectual curiosity to do innovative research. The curriculum prepares students for careers in academia and industrial research.

Candidates may submit applications for the following areas of high levels of specialization:
(1) Agriculture (2) Economics (3) Finance & Accounting (4) Human Resource Management (5) Information Systems (6) Innovation and Management in Education (7) Marketing (8) Operations & Decision Sciences (9) Organizational Behavior (10) Public Systems and (11) Strategy.

Students spend an average of four to five years in the programme, which includes two years of intensive coursework. Beginning with the first term, students take advanced Doctoral level courses in their area of high levels of specialization, as well as some suggested Post Graduate Programme (PGP) courses that provide a comprehensive management overview and develop fundamental skills for analysing managerial issues. After completing the coursework, students must pass an Area Comprehensive Examination to demonstrate that they have attained a high level of expertise in their area of high levels of specialization. Students then work on their doctoral dissertations. It is intended that these dissertations will make original contributions to an area of management or one of management's parent disciplines.
 
Students admitted to the programme get a comprehensive fellowship that covers all expenses and provides for living expenses. IIMA has excellent computing facilities, library, and faculty resources. IIMA faculty members actively publish in scholarly journals and advise with businesses and governments in and out of the country. Case writing and related research are actively pursued by the faculty and students.

The Doctoral Programme places its graduates in teaching, research, and consulting roles with world class organizations. A total of 451 doctoral students have graduated from IIMA so far.
 

 

Basic Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must possess-

A Master's Degree or Two-year Post Graduate Diploma (obtained after completing a bachelor's degree with 55% marks or equivalent) or a 5-year Integrated Master's Degree (obtained after completing higher secondary school in the 10+2 pattern) in any field with 55% marks or equivalent.
(OR)
Professional qualification - CA, CS, CMA (with a minimum of 50% marks) in addition to a bachelor's degree (with at least 55% marks).
(OR) 
A four-year / eight-semester Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 6.5/10 or comparable grades.

Note that the Bachelor's/ Master's degree or equivalent qualification should be from any of the Universities incorporated by an act of the central or state legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under section 3 of UGC Act, 1956; or be recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India; or  possess an equivalent qualification from an institution approved by AICTE.

Candidates in their last year of a Master's/ Bachelor's programme that would qualify them to apply may also apply.
Such candidates, if selected, will only be allowed to join the programme provisionally if they submit a certificate latest by May 31, 2024 from the Principal/Head of the Department/Registrar or Director of the university/institute (issued on or before May 31, 2024) stating that they have appeared for the examinations (including practical examinations) in all the subjects required for obtaining the Master's/Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification.

Their admission will be confirmed when they submit mark sheets and a certificate of having completed the Master's/Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification referred in the certificate issued by the Principal/Registrar of their college/institution. The deadline for the submission of Marksheet and the Certificate is December 31, 2024.

Please note that those candidates who have applied on the basis of   their master's degree will have to meet the 55% marks stipulation, and those who have applied on the basis of their bachelor's degree will have to meet the 6.5 CGPA (or equivalent) marks stipulation.   Non-fulfilment of these conditions will automatically result in the cancellation of the provisional admission.
 

Selection Process

Candidates applying to the Doctoral Programme are required to take the Common Admission Test (CAT) or a standard test in lieu of CAT.  For NRIs and Foreign students this standard test is the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). 

Different areas of high levels of specialization of IIMA have specified different standard tests that candidates applying to the Doctoral Programme in their areas of high levels of specialization can take in lieu of CAT. These standard tests are given in the following table:
 

Area of high levels of specialization

Standard Test in lieu of CAT

Agriculture

GRE/GMAT/
UGC-JRF (Economics/ Development Studies/Development Economics/ Business Economics/ Management)
ICAR-SRF (PGS – merit list for award of SRF)

Economics

GRE/GMAT/GATE/UGC-JRF in relevant discipline

Finance & Accounting

GRE/GMAT

Human Resource Management

GRE/GMAT/GATE

Information Systems

GRE/GMAT/GATE

Innovation and Management in Education

GRE/GMAT/GATE/UGC-JRF in relevant discipline

Marketing

GRE/GMAT

Operations & Decision Sciences GRE/GMAT/GATE/UGC- NET JRF in Mathematical Sciences

Organizational Behaviour

GRE/GMAT/UGC-JRF in relevant discipline

Public Systems

GRE/GMAT/GATE/UGC-JRF (in relevant discipline)

Strategy

GRE/GMAT

 

The validity of the CAT and the other standard test scores are given in the following table. Note that the scores should be valid on the deadline for submission of the application form.

CAT

5 years

GRE#

5 years

GMAT#

5 years

GATE

3 years

JRF

3 years

SRF

1 year

# Online GMAT/GRE (Take home) exam scores are not valid. Only test center-based GMAT/GRE scores are valid.

Alumni of all IIMs should also meet the standard test score requirements as mentioned above.

Candidates will be short listed on the basis of their performance in CAT or the standard test in lieu of CAT, academic background, and experience. The Doctoral programme admission interviews will be held during March-April 2024. IIMA may conduct online or face-to-face interviews depending upon the health advisory issued by the authorities at that time.

Fellowship and Expenses

IIMA provides a comprehensive fellowship that covers all academic expenses including tuition, computer, library, medical insurance, placement and alumni fees, and in addition includes a monthly subsistence allowance.
The details of monthly subsistence allowance are as follows:

Slab I: For first and second years

Rs.42,000/-

Slab II: After successful completion of Area Comprehensive Examination

Rs.45,000/-

Slab III: After submitting the TAC approved thesis proposal

Rs.50,000/-

All students have access to a contingency allowance of Rs.25,000 per year (for five years) to cover research fees, book costs, photocopying, etc. Students are eligible to receive up to Rs.3,00,000/- for attending an international conference/workshop/summer school during the first five years of their Doctoral Programme tenure. (Additional information is provided in the Doctoral Programme Brochure.)

The Doctoral Programme is a full-time programme that requires significant on-campus/local living. On-campus accommodations for single students for the initial part of their tenure, and limited housing on campus for married students are available.

How to Apply

Online Application Form and Brochure will be made available on the institute website. Candidates may submit applications for a maximum of two areas of high levels of specialization using the online application form. An application fee of Rs.500/- can be paid through IIMA's payment gateway. The last date for submitting the application will be 29 January 2024

Please also refer to the IIMA's Doctoral Programme advertisement that appeared in leading newspapers during September 2023.

Important Dates to Note

Link open for Online Application: September 27, 2023

Last date for submitting the application for Doctoral Programme Admission:  29 January 2024

Interviews (Tentative): March / April, 2024

 

For further information/clarifications, please contact:
 
Manager
PhD Programme
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad 380 015
Phone :+91 79 7152 4640/41/39
 

Programme Brochure

IIMA