A PhD in Business Management is the highest academic level of study, which equips students with research skills and a broader knowledge framework, essential for those who wish to pursue an academic career. The students eligible to pursue a PhD in Business Management must have a master’s degree in management and business administration or related fields, with a minimum aggregate of 50% score. The colleges and universities also require the students to appear for entrance exams like CAT, UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, or even a research proposal.
Many students opt to pursue a PhD to further strengthen their research skills and to gain a broader understanding of research to pursue an excellent career in it. The average course fees for PhD in Business Mangement ranges from INR 1,16,720- 4,37,500 depending on the type of institute. Some of the best colleges offering a Ph.D in Business Management are Jawaharlal Nehru University, Chandigarh University, BITS Pilni, LPU, Chitkara University, and Dr B. R. Ambedkar University.
After completing a Ph D in Business Management, the students often begin to establish their research and academic careers. Students work as University professors, Full Time Professors, Management consultants, Senior Strategy consultants, Business Development Managers, and Corporate trainers. Graduates receive employment opportunities in IIMs, IITs, DU, private universities, Premier institutions, research, guiding PhD students, McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, EY, and corporate training firms, where the annual salary package ranges from INR 7 – 10 LPA.
Table of Contents
- PhD Business Management Key Highlights
- What is a Ph D Business Management?
- Why Study a Ph D Business Management?
- Who should study for the Ph D Business Management course?
- Ph D Business Management Eligibility Criteria
- Ph D Business Management Entrance Exams 2025
- Ph D Business Management Colleges in India
- Ph D Business Management Admission Process 2025
- Ph D Business Management Syllabus
- Ph D Business Management Job Opportunities in India
- Ph D Business Management FAQs
PhD Business Management Key Highlights
Given below are some of the Ph D Business Management key highlights:
What is a Ph D Business Management?
A PhD in Business Management is the highest academic level of study, offered across different colleges and universities. The course equips students with research skills and a broader knowledge framework, essential for those who wish to pursue a research and academic career. The program is designed to formulate a problem, develop the concepts, and understand them using methodological skills, and relate the topic to a broader framework to use in the business field.
Throughout the course curriculum, the students learn about research Methodology, Research and Publication Ethics, and Qualitative Research Methods, which help to strengthen their skills. Having developed strong skills, graduates seek roles as University Professors, Full Professors, Management Consultants, Senior Strategy Consultants, Business Development Managers, and Corporate Trainers, making it an in-depth and diverse area of study.
Why Study a Ph D Business Management?
A Ph D in Business Management is a highly demanded program for commerce and management students to pursue to obtain a doctoral degree, and hence, it is offered in different colleges and universities in India. The reasons for opting for a Ph D Business Management are given below:
- A strong academic and research career- The course of a PhD in Business Management opens up multiple opportunities for researchers and academicians, leading to securing top positions in reputable institutions and universities worldwide.
- Consultancy opportunities- Many government and global consultancies value PhD students and those with an excellent academic background for policy formation and decision-making.
- Global careers- Having a PhD often opens up multiple opportunities and careers, and it also helps students secure international corporate and academic research roles.
- Personal fulfillment- There is a sense of fulfillment in the minds of those wanting to pursue a PhD as they are highly driven by curiosity and a passion for research; hence, it is also one of the key reasons why students should pursue a PhD in Business Management.
Who should study for the Ph D Business Management course?
Reasons, which include individuals who might be a good choice for pursuing a Ph D in Business Management in different colleges in India, are mentioned below:
- Students who want to become professors and want to teach at a higher university level, and want to become researchers, should choose to study a PhD course in Business Management.
- Students with a background in MBA and those seeking specialization to further strengthen and deepen their understanding of business management should opt for a PhD in Business Management.
- Those students who want to bring improvements in business policies and governmental regulations governing businesses should choose to study the course of PhD Business Management course.
- Students who want to enhance frameworks to scale big businesses based on extensive research and academic insight skills should choose to study a PhD course in Business Management.
Ph D Business Management Eligibility Criteria
To secure a seat in the top colleges and institutes in India for a Ph D Business Management course, a student must meet the following eligibility criteria to be selected for further application and the admission process. The detailed eligibility criteria are mentioned below:
- The students typically require a master’s degree in management and business administration or related fields like MCom in Business Management, with a minimum aggregate of 50% score.
- The colleges and universities may also require the students to appear for entrance exams like CAT, GMAT, or even, in some cases, a research proposal.
- Some colleges and universities may also consider accepting students with a four-year bachelor’s degree.
- Colleges and universities may also prefer candidates with some relevant work experience.
- Some universities may also conduct interviews as part of the selection process for further shortlisting the candidates.
Ph D Business Management Entrance Exams 2025
To secure a seat in the top colleges in the country for the Ph D Business Management course, the student has to appear for various entrance examinations. Some top entrance examinations for a Ph D in Business Management have been listed in the table below:
Ph D Business Management Colleges in India
A Ph D in Business Management is a three-year course opted for by students interested in learning deeply about business management and pursuing research. Hence, it is offered by several colleges and universities across India. Colleges offering this course are listed in the table below:
Ph D Business Management Admission Process 2025
To secure a seat in the top colleges of Ph D Business Management in India, the student must follow a few steps first. Initially, the student must meet the eligibility criteria of the course and then have to appear for the entrance examinations. The detailed procedure for securing a seat in Chandigarh University is given below:
Step 1- The students must choose the different entrance exams for a Ph D Business Management course that they want to appear for, which may include UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, CAT, CUCET, etc.
Step 2- Interested students can apply online on the official website of the college, and then proceed with the filling of their personal and academic details.
Step 3- The students then need to upload all the relevant documents and proceed with the payment of the application fee.
Step 4- The students have to check for the dates of the entrance exams, etc, and appear for the exam on the specified date. In case the student hasn't appeared for the CUCET exam, then in this case, the student’s score in UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, CAT, etc., will be taken into consideration.
Step 5- After the students have appeared for their exams, they must check the website again for their results. Once the results are announced, they have to keep the scorecard and save it for future reference.
Step 6- The final selection of the students will be based on their performance in the entrance exams and the personal interview round. Shortlisted candidates may be called for a personal interview round to further finalize their application.
Step 7- The final selected students will be required to submit their original documents and get them verified by the college itself.
Step 8- The selected students will be required to confirm their admission by paying the admission fee.
Documents Required
- Post-graduation mark sheet
- Identity proof such as an Aadhar card, PAN Card
- An entrance exam scorecard
- Recent passport-sized photographs
- Category certificate, if applicable
- Bank details
Ph D Business Management Syllabus
A Ph D in Business Management is a three-year full-time course offered across different colleges and universities in India. The subjects taught during the entire course at Jawaharlal Nehru University are mentioned below:
List of Electives:
Ph D Business Management Job Opportunities in India
Multiple job opportunities and careers are associated with a Ph D in Business Management in India, which are mentioned below in the table:
Ph D Business Management FAQs
Can someone pursue a PhD in business management through part-time or distance learning in India?
Yes. Many universities and institutes offer part-time or distance learning learning in the hybrid mode for students and professionals interested in pursuing PhD programs in business management. However, these universities and colleges require the candidates to appear for campus research and essential coursework components.
What are some of the key research areas in contemporary times in business management for PhD scholars?
Some of the key research areas in contemporary times in business management for PhD scholars include those that are highly relevant in today’s times due to the changes in technology. These generally include AI used in business strategy, green marketing, behavioral and corporate finance, governance, and decision-making, etc.
Do colleges and universities offer fellowships or stipends to students while they are pursuing a PhD in business management?
Yes. Many top-ranked colleges and universities, including IITs and IIMs, offer grants and stipends to students that range from INR 25,000- 30,000 per month to support the students and offer them travel support for conferences.
Is publishing in journals essential while pursuing a PhD in Business Management?
Yes. Publishing in journals is highly essential for students pursuing a PhD in Business Management. Publishing helps with building very strong academic credibility and competency, and is highly useful for a thesis when targeting a specific research or academic career.