First Year (Mandatory Course Work)
An EFPM student has to do first year course work with Post Graduate Programme for Working Executives (PGPWE). All these courses are compulsory courses. The PGPWE classes are held on alternative weekends at NOIDA Campus of IIM Lucknow.

Second Year (Mandatory Course Work)
An EFPM student has to do specialized elective and compulsory courses in second year. In order to do these courses, an EFPM student has to make three visits of 21 days' duration each to NOIDA/ Lucknow Campus during the second year.

After completing mandatory course work successfully in first and second year, the student needs to take a Comprehensive Examination.

After passing the Comprehensive Examination successfully, the student needs to form his/her Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) in consultation with his area's faculty members.

After the formation of TAC, the student presents the thesis proposal.

The last steps of the programme are Thesis Submission and Defense.

EFPM is a part-time, non-residential programme. The student is expected to complete the programme ordinarily in five years (four years in case of direct admission to second year). An extension may be granted for a period of maximum 2years (with approval from the TAC), such that the totalduration of the program does not exceed beyond 7 years.

Minimum eligibility criteria for applying to EFPM in the Academic Year 2026-27 are as below:
Educational qualification (10+2+3 or 4 years of formal education)

• For General/OBC category:
  • Secondary (Class X) and Senior Secondary (Class XII) with minimum 55% marks;
  • Graduation (non-engineering) with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA and Post-graduation* with minimum 55% marks or equivalent CGPA,
  • OR Graduation (engineering) with minimum 65% marks or equivalent CGPA,
  • OR Any professional qualifications such as CA, ICWA and CS with a minimum 55% aggregate marks and B.Com. as undergraduate degree with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA,
• For SC/ST category:
  • Secondary (Class X) and Senior Secondary (Class XII) with minimum 50% marks;
  • Graduation (non-engineering) with minimum 45% marks or equivalent CGPA and Post-graduation* with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA,
  • OR Graduation (engineering) with minimum 60% marks or equivalent CGPA,
  • OR Any professional qualifications such as CA, ICWA and CS with a minimum 50% aggregate marks and B.Com. as undergraduate degree with minimum 45% marks or equivalent CGPA.

(Note: (*Post Graduation with duration of less than two years are not eligible)
In case of the candidate being awarded grades/CGPA instead of marks, the equivalence would be based on the conversion formula provided by the institution/university from where they have obtained the bachelor's/Master's degree. In case the institution/university does not have any conversion formula for converting the CGPA into equivalent marks, the equivalence would be established by IIML by dividing the obtained CGPA by the maximum possible CGPA and multiplying the resultant by 100.

Age and Work Experience

• Currently employed in a full-time job with a minimum of 7 years of work experience as on 31st March 2026;
• Must not be more than 55 years of age as on 31st March 2026.

Qualifying examinations (any one of the followings)

• CAT Score(CAT taken in the year 2023 & 2024 are eligible);
• GATE Score(GATE taken in the year 2024 & 2025 are eligible);
• A valid GMAT/GMAT Focus Edition score as on the last date of applying to the program;
• A valid GRE score as on the last date of applying to the program;
  Note: Online GMAT/GMAT Focus Edition/GRE (Take home) exam scores are not valid, only test centre-based GMAT/GMAT Focus Edition/GRE scores are valid.
• Valid JRF/SRF (UGC/CSIR/ICAR) score;
• EFPM Entrance Exam to be conducted at IIM Lucknow, NOIDA Campus (please mention in the application form if you wish to take this exam).

Exemption from the first year
On the recommendation of the interview panel, exemption from the first year may be granted to a candidate who, in addition to meeting the aforementioned requirements, has completed a two-year MBA/PGDM (or equivalent) with a minimum CGPA of 6.0 on a 10-point scale / minimum 60% marks / or equivalent, and who meets either of the following criteria:
(i) Has completed the program from an Indian institute/university ranked among the top 15 institutions in the Management category of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), released by the Government of India (in any year); NIRF Management Ranking,
OR
(ii) Has completed the program from an institute/university where the MBA program is accredited by at least one of the following international bodies: AMBA, AACSB or EQUIS.

Note: Candidates who have pursued an MBA/PGDM (or equivalent) of less than two academic years' duration are not eligible for first-year exemption. Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee exemption; the final decision rests with the interview panel.

• Candidate submit duly filled Application Form along with copies of documents in support of the attainments mentioned in Eligibility Criteria.
• If a candidate is seeking admission in first-year-exempted category under the Eligibility Criteria 4 (ii) mentioned above, the candidate has to provide a document or letter from the corresponding institute/ university proving the accreditation.
• Candidate needs to mention the area of specialization from the below mentioned academic areas.
  - Agribusiness Management
  - Economics and Business Environment
  - Business Sustainability
  - Business Communication
  - Decision Sciences (Statistics and Operations Research)
  - Finance and Accounting
  - Human Resource Management
  - Information Technology and Systems
  - Marketing Management
  - Operations and Supply Chain Management
  - Strategic Management
• A candidate can fill only one application in which the candidate may apply in two academic areas.
• Applications are shortlisted by separate area level screening committees.
• Shortlisted candidates are called for personal interview to any one of IIM Lucknow Campus (Lucknow/ NOIDA).
• Final selection is based on personal interview and academic and professional profile.

*tentative dates

Note: # Only those candidates who have been shortlisted/selected will be intimated by email, with all the relevant details.

You will be required to make a Payment of INR 1,000/- (INR 500 for SC/ST candidates) towards Application Fees (Non-refundable) to complete the application process. Note that you will not be able to make any changes to the Application once it is submitted. You may like to "Preview" the application very carefully once it is completed before submitting it. The System will allow you to "Preview" the application multiple times before you "Submit" it.

Thus the total programme fee for the students who fulfill all the requirements of the programme in time, the total programme fee works out to be INR 7,50,000/-.
For exempted candidates who join the EFPM directly in second year and fulfill all the requirements of the programme in time, the total programme fee works out to be INR 5,00,000/-.

Payment Schedule
The tentative fee schedule for EFPM for first-year-non-exempted candidates: The tentative fee schedule for EFPM for first-year-exempted candidates: *Exact dates will be announced later.

It may be noted that
At the time of giving an offer of admission to an applicant, a last date of withdrawal will also be announced. Any withdrawal from the program by that date will attract INR 5,000/- as a processing fee and the remaining amount will be refunded. If the withdrawal request comes after the date of withdrawal, no money will be refunded. After joining the program, all paid fee instalment amounts are non-refundable.