The Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) is the doctoral programme of IIMA. FPM admits students who have a strong academic background, are highly motivated and who have the intellectual curiosity to undertake original research. The doctoral programme prepares students for a career in academia or research positions in industry.

Students spend generally a little over four years that includes two years of rigorous course work. From the First term onwards students take advanced doctoral level courses in the area of specialization along with some recommended PGP courses which provides a general management overview and develop basic skills for analyzing managerial problems. After completing the course work, students have to pass an area comprehensive examination to demonstrate that they have reached a level of proficiency in the area of specialization. Subsequently, students work on their doctoral dissertations. These dissertations are expected to make original contributions to an area of management or to one of management's source disciplines.

Students admitted to the programme receive a comprehensive fellowship that covers all costs and in addition provides a modest living allowance. IIMA has excellent facilities in computing, library, and faculty resources. IIMA faculty members publish actively in scholarly journals and consult with industry and government within the country and outside. Case writing and related research are actively pursued by faculty and students. Graduates of the FPM are placed in world class organizations in teaching, research and consulting positions. A total of 305 doctoral students have graduated from IIMA so far.

Candidates can apply to the following areas of specialization :

• Agriculture,
• Business Policy,
• Economics,
• Finance & Accounting,
• Information Systems,
• Innovation and Management in Education
• Marketing,
• Organisational Behaviour,
• Personnel and Industrial Relations,
• Production and Quantitative Methods, and
• Public Systems.

The candidate must hold, subject to the condition laid down below,

• A Master's Degree in any discipline, with at least 55 percent marks, with the Bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification with atleast 50 percent marks obtained after a minimum of three years of education after completing higher secondary schooling (10+2) or equivalent
  (OR)
• Five year/four year Integrated Masters Degree programme in any discipline, with atleast 55 percent marks, obtained after completing higher secondary schooling (10+2) or equivalent.
  (OR)
• A professional qualification like CA, ICWA, CS, with at least 55 percent marks.
  (OR)
• A 4-year/8-semester Bachelor's degree with at least 60 percent marks or equivalent grade point average.

The Master's degree or equivalent qualification/Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification should be: (a) 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 (b) recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India. The Bachelor's Degree or equivalent qualification obtained by the candidate must entail a minimum of three years of education after completing higher secondary schooling (10+2) or equivalent.

Candidates who are in the final year of their Master's/Bachelor's Programmes that would make them eligible, can also apply. Such candidates, if selected, will be allowed to join the programme provisionally only if they submit a certificate latest by June 30, 2015 from the Principal/Head of the Department/Registrar or Director of the university/institute (issued on or before June 30, 2015) 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 only when they submit the mark sheet and a certificate of having passed the master's/bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification referred to in the certificate issued by Principal/Registrar of their college/institute. The deadline for submission of mark sheet and the certificate is December 31, 2015. 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 60% marks stipulation. Non-fulfilment of these conditions will automatically result in the cancellation of the provisional admission.

Candidates applying to the Fellow Programme in Management except PGP Alumni from all IIMs and alumni of the One year Post-Graduate Programme for Executives (PGPX) of IIMA or similar programmes of other IIMs and one year Post-Graduate Programme in Public Management and Policy (PGP-PMP) of IIMA or similar programme of other IIMs who have undergone more than 15 years (10+2+3 years) of education prior to joining these programmes, 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 IIMA have specified different standard tests that candidates applying to the Fellow Programme in Management in their areas can take in lieu of CAT. These standard tests are given in the following table.

Those applying to the Fellow Programme in Management on the basis of the above tests in lieu of CAT should have scored more than 50% mark in their bachelor’s degree to be considered for selection to the Fellow Programme in Management.

CAT scores of CAT 2012, 2013 and 2014 are considered valid for application to the Fellow Programme in Management in 2015.

Candidates will be short listed and called for an interview at Ahmedabad during March-April 2015 for final selection on the basis of their performance in CAT or the standard test in lieu of CAT, academic background, and experience.

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 of Rs. 27,500/- (Slab A) for first and second years, Rs. 29,700/- (Slab B) after completing comprehensive examination and Rs. 33,000/- (Slab C) after submitting the TAC approved thesis proposal.

For meritorious students of the first year who meet certain GPA requirements are entitled for an extra fellowship (This would be for one year). A Contingency Allowance of Rs. 25,000/- per year (for five years) to cover research expenses, expenses on books, photocopying etc. are also available to all students. Students are entitled to get upto an amount of Rs. 1,75,000/- (upper limt) for attending international conference/workshop/summer school during their entire tenure with FPM system (maximum 5 years). (Further details are described in the FPM Brochure).

Since the FPM is a full time residential programme, bachelor accommodation is provided to all the students in dormitories. A fixed number of houses for married students are available on campus (in the past whoever wanted such an accommodation, could obtain it). In case on campus accommodation is not available, married students may be permitted to stay off campus.

Application Form and Brochure will be available online. Candidates can fill-up the application form online and an application fee of Rs. 500/- can be paid through IIMA gate way. The last date for submitting the application will be January 30, 2015.

A candidate is eligible to apply for a maximum of three Areas. A candidate is required to take only one bank draft regardless of the number of areas that (s)he chooses to apply to.

Also please refer to the IIMA's advertisement for FPM that will appear in leading newspapers during October / November 2014.

For further information/clarifications, please contact:

Programmes Officer
Fellow Programme in Management
Indian Institute of Management
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad - 380 015.
Phone : 079-66324638/39