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 policy problems. In high impact programme design, we combine relevance and rigour in a balanced way. 

The PhD Programme in Management (Executive/Part-Time) is tailored to meet the scholarly aspirations of working professionals in business, government and other disciplines. It prepares professionals for careers in management education, research organisations and think tanks, business consulting, and semi-government or international agency roles. Classes are typically scheduled on weekends or conducted in intensive block sessions to accommodate professional commitments. The first-year coursework is completed over three terms, spanning one year. The programme’s structure and evaluation criteria align with those of the full-time PhD programme.

The programme is structured to empower senior Executives in their current leadership roles while equipping them with the scholarly skills necessary to advance management practice. PhD (Executive/Part time) scholars generally bring over a decade of senior management experience and remain actively engaged in their professional roles. Their research emphasizes application-oriented theory development, whereby practical managerial problems serve as the starting point for rigorous inquiry. These research efforts aim to produce generalized, evidence-based insights that are disseminated through scholarly publications and are subject to validation by the academic community.

PhD (Executive/Part-Time) scholars are encouraged to focus on critical, unresolved challenges faced by professionals in practice - questions that demand innovative and effective solutions. This approach bridges theory and practice, ensuring research outcomes are both academically robust and directly relevant to contemporary management issues. The design and evaluation framework of the PhD (Executive/Part-Time) programme align closely with those of the Full-time programme, maintaining consistent academic standards while offering flexibility for working professionals.

Mode of the Program: Blended

Duration: 3-4 Years

Work Experience – 10+ Years

Location: IILM University Gurugram

IILM Advantage

Executive PhD equips experienced professionals to apply rigorous research in complex business problems enhancing their presence in industry, consulting, or academia. It also addresses the global dearth of qualified business faculty by allowing practitioners to contribute evocatively to management education. 

• Deep Dive into Your Critical Challenges: Undertake rigorous, long-term research projects directly relevant to your company's strategic goals 
• Generate Intellectual Insights: Develop original research that provides actionable intelligence, competitive advantages, and fresh perspectives on market. This isn't just theory; it's bespoke, impactful analysis.
• Cultivate In-House Thought Leaders: Equip yourself with high-potential advanced analytical tools, research methodologies, and critical thinking skills that transcend traditional executive education.
• Leverage Global Academic Expertise: Benefit from the guidance of IILM's distinguished faculty and world class mentors from across the globe who bring a wealth of academic rigor to mentor you and shape your research for maximum organizational benefit.

• Rich Research Ecosystem: 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.

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 

• 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 (Optional)

Thesis Writing and Submission  

The final 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 

For professionally qualified candidates, the Research Committee will review applications separately to determine admission eligibility and any applicable exemptions

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

Note: At IILM University, internal funding ensures that doctoral candidates benefit from subsidised programme fees, making research more accessible.

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