Coursework (effective Academic Year 2026-27 onwards)


Area Comprehensive Examination (ACE) (Year II)
Upon completion of the coursework, the students take the area comprehensive examination. The area comprehensive examination tests whether the student has obtained a satisfactory level of knowledge in his/her field of specialization and whether he/she has satisfactorily integrated the various courses taken in the area.

If and only if a student passes the comprehensive examination, he/she enters the Thesis stage. The thesis stage consists of first developing a thesis proposal, for which the student identifies a thesis topic, forms a Thesis Advisory Committee [TAC], presents a seminar on the thesis proposal to the IIMA academic community, and gets the thesis proposal approved by the TAC. Then the student works closely with the TAC on his/her thesis. On completion of the thesis research, the student submits the thesis, gives a seminar, and defends the same.

Mandatory Workshops/Post ACE Courses (Year III)
Mandatory research communication and teaching workshops for advanced students:
Pedagogies in Management
Research Communication

Academic Assistance (Post ACE)
All doctoral students, past the successful completion of their comprehensive exam, along with their thesis work, must independently assist in a total of at least sixty sessions of qualifying postgraduate/doctoral-level courses.

Doctoral Thesis (Year III onwards)
The thesis provides the student with an opportunity to undertake original research in their area of interest. The thesis should be a scholarly contribution to knowledge pertinent to the understanding and resolution of management problems. Research is an essential part of the doctoral student’s training at IIMA. Throughout the programme, starting as early as Year I, students are encouraged to be actively involved in research activities at the Institute and with faculty members.

Year III begins with the formation of the Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) in the initial part of the third year. Students are encouraged to meet faculty members with whom they share research interests and seek their assistance in identifying a thesis topic as early as possible. In addition to the close working relationship during the coursework, this interaction helps the student find a thesis advisor and form the thesis advisory committee. The thesis advisor advises the student on his/her thesis and chairs the TAC, comprising at least two other members.

The student develops a written proposal and, with the agreement of the thesis advisor, gives a seminar on the thesis proposal. The proposal has to be approved by the TAC. From then onwards, the student works closely with his/her TAC on the thesis. When the candidate’s advisor judges that the thesis is complete, the student gives a seminar on the thesis work and subsequently defends the thesis orally before a Thesis Examination Committee (TEC). The Doctoral Programme Chairperson appoints the TEC comprising of two members from the thesis advisory committee and two other members.

Detailed norms, policies, and processes of the Doctoral Programme in Management are shared with admitted students.

Candidates applying to the Doctoral Programme in Management at IIMA 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)
A professional qualification – CA, CS, CMA (with a minimum of 50% marks) in addition to a Bachelor’s degree (with at least 55% marks or equivalent).
(OR)
A four-year/eight-semester Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 65% marks or equivalent.

Note: In case a candidate is awarded grades/CGPA instead of marks, the equivalence would be based on the equivalence certified by the institution/university from where they have obtained the bachelor's degree. In case the institution/university does not have any scheme for converting the CGPA into equivalent marks (or percentages), the equivalence would be established by IIMA by dividing the obtained CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the result by 100.

If a candidate belongs to the following reserved categories – Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disabilities (PwD)/Non-creamy Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC)/Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), the minimum degree marks requirement for eligibility as part of the basic eligibility criteria given above will be relaxed by 5 percentage points.

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, 2026 from the Principal/Head of the Department/Registrar or Director of the university/institute (issued on or before May 31, 2026) 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 Certificate is December 31, 2026. Non-fulfillment of previously mentioned basic eligibility criteria at the end of their Master’s/Bachelor’s programme will automatically result in the cancellation of their provisional admission.

Candidates applying to the Doctoral Programme in Management are required to take the Common Admission Test (CAT) or a standard test in lieu of CAT (see table below).

For NRIs and foreign candidates, the standard test is the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT).

Different doctoral specializations have different standard tests that candidates can take in lieu of the CAT. These standard tests are given in the following table. Candidates applying to one or more doctoral specializations should refer to the following table at the time of application. 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. Note: Online GMAT/GRE (take-home) exam scores are not valid. Only test center-based GMAT/GRE scores are valid.

Candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of their performance in the CAT or the standard test in lieu of the CAT, academic background, experience, etc. IIMA may conduct online or face-to-face interviews depending upon the health advisory issued by the authorities at that time. The admission interviews are expected to be held during March-April 2026.

Government of India guidelines for reservation are followed during admissions.

IIMA provides comprehensive financial assistance 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: Doctoral students are also eligible for the following research support (subject to IIMA’s policies):
- Contingency allowance of Rs. 35,000/- per year (for up to five years) to cover various expenses such as research fees, book costs, photocopying charges, etc.
- Reimbursement of qualifying expenses up to Rs. 4,00,000/- for presenting research papers at international or domestic conferences (or equivalent).
- Reimbursement of qualifying expenses related to fieldwork and other data collection up to Rs. 2,00,000/-.
- Start-up grant of Rs. 1,00,000/- for purchasing computing equipment.
- Financial awards for publishing papers in specified high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

The Doctoral Programme in Management 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. House rent allowance of Rs. 15,000/- per month (Rs. 20,000/- per month for students with family) is paid to qualifying students who opt to stay off-campus in Ahmedabad. This option is available to students after passing their comprehensive examination and up to the end of their fifth year.

The Online Application Form and Brochure will be made available on the Institute website. Candidates may submit applications for a maximum of two doctoral specializations using the online application form.

An application fee of Rs. 500/- (Rs. 250/- for reserved category candidates) can be paid through IIMA’s payment gateway. The last date for submitting the application is January 21, 2026 till 05:00 P.M. (IST).

Please also refer to IIMA's Doctoral Programme in Management admission advertisement that appeared in leading newspapers during September-2025.