PhD in Management for Working Professionals

The IIM Sambalpur Executive PhD Programme is a unique doctoral programme in management designed specifically for working professionals with a minimum of five years of full-time work experience. It gives industry professionals an opportunity to build a career in academia, encouraging research that leads to publication in internationally reputed journals and addresses real-world management problems. A PhD degree is awarded on successful completion. 

Areas of Specialization (2026 Admission)

• Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management
• Finance & Accounting Management
• Operations Management
• General Management, Public Policy & Economics
• Strategic Management
• Information System Management
• Marketing Management

Admission Brochure IIMSAT Pattern & Syllabus Apply Now

Curriculum

PhD in Management for Working Professionals is a part-time program with classes typically scheduled on weekends, specifically Saturdays and Sundays. The student will be expected to complete the programme in four years, including a maximum of two years of course work. Under special circumstances, extension may be granted to the student. In any case, the entire program should be finished within six years. The PhD in Management for Working Professionals Programme is composed of two phases:

Course Work

The coursework consists of the following components: General Core Courses; Domain-Specific Courses; Course of Independent Study (CIS) Considering the schedule of working executives, the program is being planned in a way to maximize the use of digital platforms and minimize the visit frequency. The coursework will be majorly conducted online. After the successful completion of the above components, Comprehensive Examination will be conducted at the end of the second year to test whether the student has obtained a satisfactory level of comprehension and application of the concepts learned in his/her field of specialization. The Comprehensive Examination will comprise of both written and viva examination.

Thesis Work

The thesis is the document that forms a major component for fulfilling the criteria for the award of PhD. The thesis work broadly consists of the following stages: Constitution and Approval of the Thesis Committee Thesis Proposal Thesis Submission and Defense

 ON-CAMPUS VISIT REQUIREMENT

IIM Sambalpur PhD in Management for Working Professionals programs, typically require periodic on-campus visits for course work and research activities. The program mandates four compulsory visits to the IIM Sambalpur campus during the course of study. Additionally, it is mandatory for the scholars to attend the induction program at IIM Sambalpur campus. Scholars are required to attend the campus for below academic activities.

• One visit during coursework or during 1st year research week
• Thesis Proposal Presentation
• Thesis Seminar
• Thesis Defense

Scholars would be only exempted from physical attendance (max one visit) on the scholar’s own health ground and prior approval of the competent authority would be required.

The candidates are required to apply ONLINE for admission to PhD in Management for Working Professionals Programme 2026. No hard copy/mail copy of application is accepted.

Test Scores

Relevant Test Scores include CAT/GMAT/GRE/GATE/JRF-UGC/CSIR. The test score should be valid on the deadlines of the submission of the application form. Candidates applying for PhD in Management for Working Professionals Program may opt to appear on IIM Sambalpur Aptitude Test (IIMSAT) if they do not have a valid CAT/GATE/GRE/GMAT/JRF (UGC/CSIR) score

Supporting Documents to be uploaded while applying

• Passport size photo
• Two mandatory recommendation letter
• Copy of Govt. issued photo identity proof
• Copies of SSC, HSC Mark sheets and certificates
• Copy of Master’s/Bachelor’s mark sheets and certificates
• Percentage conversion certificate from College/University (In case of CGPA/CPA).
• Copy of Professional degree marks sheets and certificates
• Copy of Test Score Card (CAT/GRE/GATE/GMAT/JRF (UGC/CSIR)
• NEFT/RTGS transaction slip of Application Fee
• Copy of Work Experience certificate, if applicable (NOC is required at the time of Admission)
• Copy of Caste and disability Certificate, if applicable
• Please note NC-OBC is valid for one year from the date of issue
• PwD certificate must be issued by a Govt. Hospital

Application Fee

Please upload the receipt of online payment of the application fee of Rs. 1000/-+ 18% GST (non-refundable) along with your application. Total Application fee payable: Rs. 1180/-

Last Date for Submission of Applications: 31st March 2026 For PhD in Management for Working Professionals related admissions queries, please write to phd[dot]admission[at]iimsambalpur[dot]ac[dot]in or Contact Mob: 7327014789

The fee structure of the students will be Rs. 12.25 lakh (including Rs 25,000/- caution money refundable after the completion of programme) The fees will include course fees only. Hostel and mess charges shall be borne by the participants. After four years of programme, the candidate will require to pay Rs. 1,50,000/- per year as course fee in the subsequent years.

Withdrawal and cancellation process.

The withdrawal/cancellation of admission offer can happen in multiple ways

a) Before Year 1 Registration:

1. Once the offer acceptance fee is received by the stipulated date (mentioned in the offer email), the provisional admission offer stands. If payment is not received by the stipulated date, the provisional admission will be cancelled.
2. If a candidate pays the offer acceptance fees but still wants to withdraw, he/she may do so by sending an email to the Doctoral Admission Office by a stipulated date (offer acceptance fee withdrawal deadline mentioned in the offer letter/mail). We will then initiate a refund process. The refund of the offer acceptance fees deposited (after deducting an administrative charge of Rs.1,000/-) will be done in due course.
3. If a candidate pays the offer acceptance fees but fails to withdraw within a stipulated date (offer acceptance fee withdrawal deadline mentioned in the offer letter/mail) or fails to register for the programme, the entire amount of the offer acceptance fees paid will be forfeited. No refund will be made in case of withdrawal after the offer acceptance fee withdrawal deadline.
4. The admission will stand cancelled if a candidate does not register at IIM Sambalpur on the mentioned date and time for the registration.
5. Candidates have to pay the remaining amount of the first-year fee before the registration. The deadline for the same will be communicated to candidates who have accepted the offer. If the first-year fee payment is not received by the stipulated date (first year fee payment deadline), the provisional admission will be cancelled.
6. If a candidate has paid the remaining amount of the first year fee and wants to withdraw from the programme before the offer acceptance fee withdrawal deadline, the amount (offer acceptance and the Year 1 fee) will be refunded after deducting the administrative charge of Rs 1,000/-.
7. If a candidate has paid the remaining amount of the first year fee and wants to withdraw from the programme after the offer acceptance fee withdrawal deadline, but before the first fee payment deadline, the amount will be refunded after deducting the offer acceptance fee of Rs 50,000/-.
8.  If a candidate has paid the remaining first year fee and wants to withdraw from the programme after the first-year fee payment deadline, NO amount will be refunded.

After registration:

First year will start with the registration and inauguration of the programme. Fees will be collected before the registration for Term 1 and at the beginning of each term later. If a candidate withdraws from the programme in any term after registration (in the middle of a term), all the fees paid till then will be forfeited, regardless of the number of days remaining in the term, and his/her admission shall stand cancelled.

Any dispute concerning Admission for the PhD in Management for Working Professionals 2026 batch would be subject to jurisdiction of the competent courts within the territorial jurisdiction of city of Sambalpur only. Last Date for Submission of Applications: 31st March 2026

Outcomes

A pathway into academia and applied management research for experienced professionals, with research aimed at publication in internationally reputed journals and real-world management problem-solving, across specializations in OB & HR, Finance & Accounting, Operations, General Management/Public Policy/Economics, Strategic Management, Information Systems, and Marketing.

Contact

For PhD-WP admissions queries: phd.admission[at]iimsambalpur[dot]ac[dot]in
Phone: 7327014789

Current Doctoral Scholars (Working Professionals) — Selected, by Batch

Batch 2026 (~20 scholars): Praveen Kumar, Joshua Fernandes, Rajib Bhattacharya, Amit Kumar Jha, Himanshu Kumar Ojha, Subhasis Har, Pradeep Kumar Rath, Debabrata Mukherjee, Mridul Vijay, Naman Mittal, Subham Chakraborty, Manoj Sardana, Rohit Kumar, Nripendra Kumar Maurya, Amit Kumar, Alkesh Chaturvedi, Yogesh Shah, Vikram Tandon, Pradeep Kumar, Jyotirmoy Banerjee, and B P Ramakant (Batch 7).

Batch 2025: Kundan Kumar Thakur, Sarmistha Malla, Himanshi Tuteja, Prashant Mishra, Devesh Gautam, Harish Peddi, Anisha Bose, Eklavya A Neogi, Mandeep Singh Duggal.

Batch 2024: Imandi Aparana Devi, Kshitij Yadav, Ferozkhan M Killedar, Lopa Mishra Jana, Rakesh Roshan Behera, Mitul Kirtania, Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra.

Batch 2023: Rahul Gupta, Karthik Rajan V, Sarbani Mishra, Amit Ss Jain, Rohit Narang.

Batch 2022: Ashoka Kumar Mishra, Neeraj Nayan, Vinayak Maskibail, Sumanjit Dass, Shiv Kumar Malhotra.

Batch 2020: Kandula Bharathananda Srinivas.