The Doctoral Programme (PhD) of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta was started in 1971 and is offered in various specializations in management and related disciplines. The programme seeks exceptionally motivated and committed students who will engage in rigorous interdisciplinary research. The programme is designed to educate as well as train the committed scholars to become an expert in their chosen areas of research-based inquiry, while also developing them as excellent management educators.

IIM Calcutta being the first IIM to be set up in India in 1961, offers PhD programme across nine different groups of specialization such as Marketing, Finance & Control, Organization Behaviour, Economics, Human Resource Management, Public Policy and Management, Management Information Systems, Operations Management and Strategic Management.

IIM Calcutta offers PhD candidates the academic freedom to craft their own areas of inquiry and work closely with faculty of their choice. The PhD programme is generally 4-5 years of research journey. The first two years consists of rigorous course work to provide basic foundations of management knowledge and skills among all doctoral students and also inculcate the critical thinking skills required to develop them into independent researchers. After two years of course work, the students must clear a comprehensive qualifying exam, after which they can start their thesis work. The next 2-3 years is often a deep dive into a specific area of research inquiry chosen by the doctoral student under the guidance of his/her thesis advisor and the thesis advisory committee. The culmination of a PhD program is the successful public defence of the doctoral thesis by the doctoral student. All doctoral students are expected to publish in top quality international journals. There is a generous support from the institute to attend and present quality research articles in good international conferences, attend international or domestic workshops and conferences, doctoral colloquiums, Teaching workshops and Practicum among other scholarly activities. All doctoral students must also successfully attend and complete teaching workshop and practicum organized by the institute.

Doctoral students are also encourage to network with international scholars in their own areas of specialization and explore possible opportunities to work with them, and possibly co-opt them in their thesis advisory committee. Other support systems provided to doctoral students include a well-functioning library with state of the art resources consisting of journal packages, databases, books, and computing facilities. The program is full residential and financial support in form of a stipend is provided for four years, and maximum up to five years.

We invite motivated and committed research-oriented scholars to apply for the PhD Programme and join the IIM Calcutta community.

Prof. Saikat Maitra
Chairperson, Doctoral Programme and Research
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta