Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at IILM University Gurugram is designed to promote in-depth, interdisciplinary research in dynamic and relevant areas of management dealing with theoretical and contemporary business and social problems. In high impact programme design, we combine relevance and rigour in a balanced way. 

The programme has been developed to make substantial contributions to the field of management studies and allied disciplines. It offers a stimulating academic environment through regular seminars, presentations, discussion forums, and informal knowledge-sharing sessions, fostering continuous engagement between scholars, faculty, and peers. Designed to address present challenges, the programme aims to nurture academic scholars and practice thinkers who not only advance management theory but also shape real-world business practices.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management is a research-intensive programme aimed at cultivating scholars with strong theoretical grounding and advanced methodological capabilities. The application-oriented structure of the PhD (Full Time/ Executive/Part time) programme is intended to translate industry-generated knowledge into theoretical frameworks that contribute to broader academic and practical understanding. 

Designed to prepare scholars for impactful careers in academia, industry, and policy-making, the PhD programme offers a rigorous academic environment that encourages critical inquiry and intellectual contribution. The curriculum integrates contemporary research paradigms with practical relevance, supported by experienced faculty and global best practices. Through this programme, IILM University seeks to develop high-caliber researchers equipped to advance knowledge and influence both scholarly discourse and managerial practice.

Mode of the Program: Full Time on Campus

Duration: 3-4 Years

Work Experience – NIL 

Location: IILM University Gurugram

IILM Advantage

IILM University and national and global partnership of the School of Management offers a robust ecosystem with:

• Domain-specialized faculty mentors and visiting national and global mentors.
• International collaborations and MoUs with partner institutions. 
• Access to databases such as EBSCO, ProQuest, Scopus, and Prowess IQ, Drillbit
• Research centres support focusing on AI and Analytics, Startup Ecosystem and Entrepreneurship, Digital Economy, and Behavioral Science.
• Global network benefit of the experts and specialised workshops. 
• Full time Fellowship for eligible candidates up to INR 60000

AREAS OF RESEARCH 

At present the Doctoral scholars can specialize in any ONE of the following areas:

• Economics and Public Policy 
• Finance and Accounting
• Marketing
• Organisational Behaviour 
• Human Resource Management
• Operations Management & Decision Science 
• Strategy and General Management
• Information Systems, AI and Business Analytics
• Sustainability and ESG

Course Work 

• Foundation courses 
• Core courses 
• Philosophy of Research
• Research Methods I – Quantitative  
• Research Methods II – Qualitative 
• Research Writing and Publication Ethics
• Case Writing and Theory Building   
• Area courses 
• Research Workshop course 
• Teaching and Pedagogy Immersion

Thesis Writing and Submission  

Work on the thesis represents the final phase of the PhD Programme. The thesis work of the scholar to be presented before Thesis Advisory Committee (Chair- Director Research/nominated professor, one External Expert, Dean – School/Department and/or Chair PhD at School/Department, TAC members) for approval for the submission of the thesis. This should focus on providing the original contribution in the domain / discipline and the robust research design and methodology to contribute to the knowledge body. 

The thesis writing can be done in two types of models

1. Scientific Model- A scholar works in a standard mode of completing research tasks step by step and publish papers and proceed to write thesis. 
2. Synthesis Model- A scholar needs to write 3 (three) A category / Q1 research papers. This should be added with a chapter that develops theoretical and methodological foundation and synthesize the papers to form one piece of work.  

Eligibility

any degree as specified in UGC norms under section 3 of UGC Act, 1956 with provisions as under,   

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Management, Economics, Commerce or allied disciplines with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent CGPA, approved by UGC or Councils under ministry of education, government of India. 
• Candidates with a Bachelor’s Degree and professional qualifications such as CA, CS, CMA with relevant academic record may also apply with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent CGPA.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering with a minimum of 75% marks or equivalent grade point average. Those in the final year of their engineering degree may also apply. 
• As per provisions of University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022. 

Publication Requirement 

• The Research undertaken by a Doctorate scholar is expected to provide sufficient basis for writing papers in refereed academic journals. One of the objectives of the PhD program is to prepare scholars for academic contribution and research. Hence the final requirement for qualifying for the title of Doctorate is to have at least two publications. It could be two peer-reviewed journal publications or a combination of one peer-reviewed journal publications and one case study publication. Peer-reviewed journal publications must be in A, B and C categories in ABDC journal ranking or ABS or journals with a Scopus/Web of Science Cite Score. The journal must not be listed as predatory by any indexing body. These publications / acceptance of publications are must before final submission of the thesis. 

Admission Process

Admission test

• UGC-NET/JRF qualification. (score valid for one year)
• UGC approved national level tests (CAT/XAT/GMAT/MAT) (score valid for one year) 
• IILM Doctoral Aptitude Test 

Research Proposal and Interview- 

• Evaluation of research proposal and academic profile: The applicant needs to complete the PhD application form. The form must be accompanied by a research proposal of 1000-1500 words expressing a problem statement and method to address it.  
• Personal Interview focusing on research inclination, domain knowledge, and alignment with faculty expertise.

IILM University encourages application from SC/ST and women candidates to ensure diversity and inclusivity to the program as per UGC Guidelines

Fees

Fellowship

Scholars will be awarded a scholarship stipend of INR 40,000 per month for I year, INR 50,000 per month for II year and INR 60000 Per month for III year. This scholarship stipend would be valid for III year as per term and rules of the university.    Fellowship post year III will depend on the funding or additional engagement with the school on case-to-case basis. Recipients of the UGC-JRF will continue to avail the fellowship under the prevailing terms and conditions of UGC.

How to Apply

The online application for the Class of 2025 is now open. Click on the “Apply” button to begin your application.

Application Fee INR  1000 + GST @18%

Office of the Doctoral Program

Dr. Rahul Singh

Professor and Director Research IILM University

Rahul.singh@iilm.edu

Dr. Ajoy Kumar Dey

Professor Emeritus and Mentor– Doctoral Program School of Management IILM University

ajoy.dey@iilm.edu

Dr. Vidhisha Vyas 

Professor and Doctoral Chair School of Management IILM University

Vidhisha.vyas@iilm.edu

Contact- doctoral.som@iilm.edu