Being uniquely known for its research focus, IIMU takes pride in having one of the most diverse and research-productive faculty members in the country. IIMU is ranked 4th in the country for high-quality research (UTD Ranking—which is the most relevant ranking to evaluate a PhD Program). By working closely with research-active faculty members, PhD students receive high-quality guidance—thereby enabling them to become well-grounded scholars.

fourth Rank in India for Research

IIMU’s Research focus will give you an edge in the academic job-market

The academic job market varies significantly from the MBA job market. MBA job placements are often determined by institute rankings, whereas PhD graduates are primarily evaluated based on the quality of their research publications and R&Rs. Distinguishing yourself as a PhD graduate hinges on your ability to publish in prestigious academic journals. Some IIMs excel in MBA rankings but fall behind IIMU in research output for top-tier management journals (UTD-24 and FT-50). We encourage prospective PhD candidates to assess IIMU's Research Ranking (4th in India) and the faculty's track record in publishing high-quality research in top-tier journals to make an informed decision about their PhD institution.

Guidance from World-Class Faculty

You will be guided in your PhD journey by outstanding faculty members who hold doctoral degrees from top research institutes in India and abroad. Faculty members at IIM Udaipur publish in leading management research journals (UTD-24 and FT-50 Journals which are the hallmarks of global scholarship in management), including Information Systems Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Operations Management, Management Science, Organization Science, and Production and Operations Management. You will receive research guidance from some of the best minds in the country, who will help you to develop the capabilities necessary for publishing in such top-tier international journals. You will also be able to draw on the expertise of reputed faculty members from across the world, who engage in research collaborations with faculty members at IIM Udaipur.

Monthly Brown Bag Seminars

Every month, PhD students and faculty are encouraged to present their ongoing research work to the entire research community of their respective areas (which includes faculty, PhD students, research assistants and teaching assistants) to receive constructive feedback. These seminars are a hallmark of an active research ecosystem that encourages faculty-student dialogue and peer-to-peer learning and continuous self-improvement of one’s research portfolio.

To learn more about area-specific faculty and research capabilities of IIMU, please visit our area-specific pages:

• Decision Sciences More details
• Finance & Accounting More details
• Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Management More details
• Operations Management More details
• Marketing More details

• Our program is designed on the lines of similar programs at top schools across the world. The course curriculum for PhD students is exclusively designed at an advanced doctoral level and is completely separate from the MBA curriculum—giving each student individual and focused attention from faculty. During this time, students gain experience and mastery in a range of cutting-edge research skills, approaches, subject area, and methods.
• The PhD Program generally has a duration of 5 years. In the first 2 years, students complete rigorous coursework covering foundational subjects, methods and advanced courses in their area of specialization. After coursework, the students complete a comprehensive exam focused on area-specific courses/topics delivered in both year one and year two. After completing a comprehensive examination, students work on their doctoral dissertations, undertaking original research designed to make significant scholarly contribution in their field.
• Across courses, the students are given an opportunity to (i) read, comprehend and critique several cutting edge research publications from top-tier journals in their respective areas; (ii) develop an understanding of classic and emergent theories in their field; (iii) develop hands-on learning on standard and cutting-edge research methods and tools of data collection and data analysis (e.g., research softwares such as Stata, Qualtrics, SPSS, R, Python, etc.); and (iv) develop a socially responsible perspective towards research. Furthermore, the institute takes research integrity seriously and all students are mandated to undergo anti-plagiarism training in their first year.
• Practical Research Projects
  In addition to classroom learning through coursework, students start engaging in practical research projects right from their first year in order to gain hands-on research experience. During their first year, all students need to work on a First Year Research Project (FYRP) under the guidance of a faculty where they consolidate and apply their learnings from first year coursework. Similarly, during their second year, students need to work on a Second Year Research Project (SYRP) under the guidance of a faculty where they consolidate and apply their learnings from overall coursework (the SYRP also serves as a practical component of the comprehensive exam in the third year).
• Teaching Assistance (TA)
  From the 3rd year onwards, students are required to provide teaching assistantship support to area faculty members for their MBA courses. The current TA requirement is 8 credits (60 hours) spread across three years. TA experience helps the PhD candidates get practical exposure to teaching methods and prepare them to perform better in teaching roles which are pivotal for a well-rounded academic career.

IIMU’s PhD Program Course Structure

IIM Udaipur's doctoral program is designed for students who aspire to become globally acclaimed scholars in their field. At IIMU, we believe that giving students ample opportunities to network with global peers through international exposure would play a key role in transforming Indian students into global scholars.

International Academic Conferences

IIMU encourages PhD students to attend international conferences/seminars to present their research papers. For this purpose, students will be eligible for a grant of INR 2,00,000 over a period of four years to attend international conferences/seminars (outside India) subject to the acceptance of their research papers. Students are also encouraged to seek visits in research-oriented schools abroad to conduct research while in the program. The student can use the international conference budget for such visit instead of presenting at conference. Students are typically guided in such a manner that they present at least one paper in an international conference before their dissertation. Attending leading international conferences from their field allows PhD students to gain a global perspective on cutting edge research theories and methods and also provides them networking opportunities with academic peers and experts.

Students are also eligible to receive an additional funding of INR 2,00,000 to attend another international conference if they co-author a paper with an IIMU faculty member which gets accepted at a FT50/ IIMU A* journal list during the tenure of their PhD program.

Semester Abroad (Merit-based)

IIMU provides funding for up to two students each year, based on merit, to spend four months at a prestigious foreign university. Students work alongside an esteemed faculty member as their guide, engaging in research projects, seminars, and research center activities. The program covers travel expenses, living costs, actual medical insurance, and contingencies for the duration. This unique opportunity sets IIMU apart from other IIMs.