Fellowship programme in 7 IIMs equivalent to PhD degree: Education Ministry

NEW DELHI: The fellowship programme in management offered by the leading Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) is equivalent to a PhD, the education ministry has reiterated.

According to a circular issued by the union education ministry on Monday, the fellowship programme in management is equivalent to a PhD degree awarded by recognised Indian universities. The degree is also valid for the “superior posts and services” under the central government, the ministry clarified.

“In view of certain references regarding the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) offered in the field of Management Education by Indian Institutes of Management (llMs), this is to clarify that this programme is equivalent to the Ph.D (Doctoral) degree awarded by recognized Indian University for the purpose of employment to superior posts and services under the Central Government in the appropriate field,” the circular noted.

Currently, there are seven IIMs in the country that offer the doctoral degree, which includes IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore and the newly upgraded IIM Mumbai. After the enactment of IIM Act of 2017, all other IIMs were also given the power to offer doctoral degree programmes.

FPM is a full-time doctoral programme that involves in-depth research in areas of economics and public policy, finance and accounting, among others. Students are expected to complete the programme in five years.

While the PhD programme at IIM Lucknow and IIM Indore was introduced in 2005 and 2017, respectively, the top IIMs have been running this programme from even before 1986. IIM Ahmedabad was the first IIM to offer the fellowship programme in management in 1975.