The Post Graduate Program in Development Management (PGP-DM) is ISDM's flagship offering for young students and professionals. It has been designed to build their capacities for working in the Indian social sector and equip them with management skills and knowledge in Development Management to take on roles of management and lead social purpose organisations.
The PGP-DM program offers a comprehensive and specialized curriculum designed to gear students with the necessary knowledge and skills to address complex development challenges. Our seventh cohort is currently running, and we take pride in helping our alums fulfill their dreams of working with leading social purpose organizations. Some of our alums have even started their own SPOs, creating a significant impact in the development sector. Given the magnitude of social issues facing our country, we need bright, passionate, empathetic individuals to take a deep dive into understanding these problems and devoting themselves to solving them.
The admission process is highly automated and consists of 4 easy steps for prospective students
Submit Your Application
Online Assessment
Personal Interview
Offer Rollout
Graduate from any discipline
Not mandatory but 2 years of work experience is ideal
At ISDM, we sincerely believe that no one should be left behind when accessing world-class and cutting-edge education, and everyone must be empowered to pursue their dreams and goals.
ISDM is a non-profit institution and offers its students an option of deferring the payment of their fees for up to three lakhs. This enables them to remain financially independent and fund their education once they have found a stable footing in their careers.
For further information on scholarships and financial aid provided to PGP-DM students, please write to us at admissions@isdm.org.in
Admissions at ISDM usually begin in January and the cohort starts from July. If you’re interested to apply for the upcoming batch, please write to us at admissions@isdm.org.in
Due to the limited number of seats, applicants applying early will have an advantage of securing admission at ISDM with the option to defer payment of their tuition fees up to Rs. 3 lakhs and also apply for early scholarships.
ISDM is looking for passionate, committed, diverse and driven individuals from various parts of India to join the cohort. To this end, our admission process is designed in a way that allows us to gauge an individual's skills, competencies and passion for the development sector.
There is no fee for an Application Form.
Currently, ISDM does not have an on-campus accommodation facility. However, ISDM provides students with verified accommodation options within a 5 km radius of the campus.
The fee structure at ISDM is as follows:
The minimum eligibility criteria is an undergraduate degree in any stream. This includes students in their final year completing their course on or before July 2023, recent graduates* and working professionals from any domain of work.
*Graduates awaiting their results can also apply and submit their transcripts when they receive them.
The ISDM admission process is divided into 4 stages:
Stage 1: Completion and submission of the online application form (non-evaluative process)
Stage 2: Completion of Online Assessment (evaluative process)
Stage 3: Appearing for the Personal Interview (evaluative process)
Stage 4: Rolling out and acceptance of offer letter
The total duration of the online assessment is 1 hour and 25 minutes. It consists of two parts:
Part A – Cognitive Ability & Data Analysis
Part B – Verbal Ability
Applicants can log in to the online assessment portal using the credentials provided to them via email.
In case an applicant faces a technical glitch during the test, they are advised to reach out to admissions@isdm.org.in or speak to their Assigned Counsellor within 24 hours.
The link for the online assessment will be active for a specific period of time which will be mentioned in a detailed email that will be sent to the applicant prior to the scheduled date of their assessment.
Kindly note that once the assessment is initiated, it must be completed in one attempt.
The Personal Interview will be conducted online. All the necessary information will be sent to the applicant on their registered e-mail ID, prior to their scheduled interview date.
While it isn't mandatory, applicants are encouraged to submit their valid GMAT, GRE, CAT or NMAT scores, in case they have undertaken these exams. The admission panel will take these scores into consideration when evaluating their fit for the program.
ISDM offers a few need-based financial assistance plans on a first-come-first-serve basis. Applicants who have cleared the online assessment (Step 2 of the admission process) will be provided a financial assistance form to be filled with all the necessary details. The final decision rests with the Financial Assistance Committee who will review the submitted forms and decide the provision of assistance accordingly.
ISDM ensures that at every stage of the Admission Process, the applicant receives detailed communication about the next stage on their registered e-mail ID. We encourage applicants to regularly check their email inbox, including the spam/promotion folder to make sure that they are not missing any important updates. In case applicants require further assistance, they can always reach out to us at admissions@isdm.org.in.
Freshers can provide references from the following:
Yes, applicants will receive communication with the latest information regarding the status of their application at all stages during the Admission Process.
No, given the rigour and offline nature of the programme, students are required to be present in the classroom at all times.
While it is not essential, prior experience in the social sector is preferred. ISDM welcomes all eligible* applicants to apply for the program.
* Check earlier question for eligibility criteria