The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM Kozhikode) has opened the registration window for its Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM) and Doctoral Programme (PhD) for the academic year 2026-27. The application link is now active on the official website, iimk.ac.in, and the institute will accept online submissions until 23 January 2026.The doctoral pathways are designed for scholars, academics, and working professionals seeking advanced research training across management disciplines. The programmes include the Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM), DPM (Teaching Track) and DPM (Practice Track).According to the institute, selected candidates admitted to the DPM will receive an initial monthly fellowship of ₹42,000, which will increase to ₹45,000 after completion of the qualifying examination and further rise to ₹50,000 after the successful defence of the thesis proposal. Tuition fees are fully waived for DPM scholars.Each doctoral scholar is also eligible for up to ₹5,00,000 in contingency and conference support.
Programmes and specialisations offered
IIM Kozhikode is offering admission across three doctoral routes, all leading to the award of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree:
- Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM)
- Doctoral Programme in Management (Teaching Track)
- Doctoral Programme in Management (Practice Track)
All three programmes are available in the following eight areas of specialisation:
- Decision Sciences and Operations Management
- Economics
- Finance, Accounting and Control
- Humanities and Liberal Arts in Management
- Information Systems
- Marketing Management
- Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management
- Strategic Management
The programme structure includes coursework, a comprehensive qualifying examination, a thesis-proposal seminar, a pre-submission seminar, and a final thesis defence. Scholars benefit from close faculty mentorship, a strong research ecosystem, and publication-linked research enhancement incentives.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must hold one of the following:
- A postgraduate degree with a minimum percentage (60% for DPM and Teaching Track; 55% for Practice Track).
- A professional qualification (CA/CS/CMA) with the required graduation marks.
- A four-year bachelor’s degree with the prescribed minimum percentage.
- A 5% relaxation is applicable for candidates from SC, ST, EWS, NC-OBC and PwD categories.
Work experience
- DPM: No experience required
- DPM (Teaching Track): Minimum three years full-time experience in teaching, research, training or related roles
- DPM (Practice Track): Minimum eight years of full-time work experience (15 years for Strategic Management area applicants)
Qualifying test scores
- For the DPM, a valid score in accepted tests such as CAT, GATE, GMAT, GRE, IIMB Test or UGC-NET is required (subject to area-wise criteria).
- Applicants to Teaching Track and Practice Track do not need a qualifying test score.
Selection process
The selection comprises three stages, conducted as per the 2026-27 admission policy:Stage 1: Verification of eligibility, academic records, test scores and experience.Stage 2: Written Ability Test & Doctoral Orientation Conversation
- Held at designated centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Kozhikode.
- Evaluates writing clarity, analytical ability, motivation and fit for doctoral study.
Stage 3: Doctoral Area Conversation (online)
- Conducted by faculty members in the chosen specialisation.
- Assesses conceptual clarity, analytical reasoning, research orientation and doctoral readiness.
Final selection will be based on the Final Composite Score, computed using weights assigned to academics, work experience (where applicable), WAT, and DAC performance.
Application fees
The programme-wise application fee structure is as follows.
- DPM: ₹1,000 (₹500 for reserved categories)
- DPM Teaching Track: ₹2,000 (₹1,000 for reserved categories)
- DPM Practice Track: ₹4,000 (₹2,000 for reserved categories)
Applicants applying to more than one programme must pay the fee for each programme separately.
Important dates
Candidates can check the complete admission schedule in the table below.
IIM Kozhikode PhD admission 2026 : Steps to apply
Before you begin the application, keep your academic certificates, qualifying test scorecards, category certificates, and experience documents ready.Steps to apply:
- Visit the official website: iimk.ac.in
- Click on the Doctoral Programmes 2026-27 admission link on the homepage.
- Select the programme(s) you wish to apply for.
- Register using your email address and mobile number.
- Complete the online application form with academic, personal and professional details.
- Upload the required documents in the specified format.
- Pay the application fee through the online payment gateway.
- Submit the application and download the confirmation page for future reference.
Direct link to apply here.
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