About the PhD/Doctoral Program

The doctoral program at IIM Amritsar is aimed at producing high-quality researchers and effective management teachers. The program trains participants to adopt a scientific approach to study phenomena of interest to them and to disseminate this knowledge through scientific publications, teaching, and organizational interventions. Doctoral students pursue their program in the following areas of specialization:

• Economics
• Finance, Accounting & Control
• IT & Computational Systems
• Marketing & Communications
• Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management
• Quantitative Methods & Operations Management
• Strategic Management

• CG 1: Advanced Research and Critical Thinking
• CG 2: Scholarly Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation
• CG 3: Ethical Leadership and Decision-Making
• CG 4: Global and Local Societal Impact
• CG 5: Leadership and Collaborative Skills

The program structure includes compulsory coursework, a comprehensive examination, a thesis proposal, and doctoral-level research (including thesis work). During the first two years of the program, as part of the compulsory coursework, doctoral students study foundation-level and doctoral-level courses, including research methodology courses. After completing the second-year coursework, doctoral students take the comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination tests whether the doctoral student has obtained satisfactory knowledge in the respective field of specialization (including research methodology). It may consist of written and oral examinations. After successfully completing the mandatory coursework and comprehensive examination, doctoral students undertake their research work, supervised by a thesis advisory committee.

IIM Amritsar offers limited financial assistance to its doctoral students, including a monthly
fellowship, an annual contingency grant, and a research grant to support attendance at
conferences/workshops. The details of the same are as follows:
 A consolidated doctoral fellowship amount of Rs 40,000 (Rupees Forty Thousand only) per
month during the first and second years of the program.
 A consolidated doctoral fellowship amount of Rs 45,000 (Rupees Forty-five Thousand only)
per month after successful completion of the comprehensive examination, i.e., starting from

the third year to the end of the fourth year or till the submission of the thesis, whichever
is earlier.
*Subject to satisfactory progress, the grant of the doctoral fellowship for the fifth year (Rs 45,000
per month) may be considered by the doctoral committee, subject to approval by the Director, IIM-
Amritsar.
 A one-time computer purchase grant of Rs. 50,000 at the end of the coursework, i.e. after
the successful completion of a comprehensive examination.
 Rs. 25,000 per year (for four years) as a contingency grant to cover expenses related to
attending conferences, workshops, purchase of books, and relevant research activities on a
reimbursement basis upon the production of receipts.
 Rs. 1,75,000/- (upper limit) for attending international conferences/workshops/summer
schools during their entire tenure with the Doctoral Program, on a reimbursement basis,
upon production of receipts.
 The students are provided medical insurance as per the Institute’s student welfare policy
IIM Amritsar reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify the financial assistance offered to
doctoral students.

The doctoral program at IIM Amritsar is a full-time residential program. However, the hostel will be allocated to students subject to room availability.

• Full-time single/ unmarried doctoral students will get free accommodation on a twin-sharing basis, subject to availability, or an HRA amounting to Rs. 10,000/- per month.
• Full-time married PhD students will receive accommodation or HRA in case of non-availability, amounting to Rs. 15,000 per month.