Admissions Open For the Batch of 2024-25

About ISDM

ISDM is India’s first-of-its-kind development management institution founded to create, strengthen and establish development management, a domain that transcends the exclusive silos of ‘development perspectives’ and ‘management principles’. ISDM recognises the need to 'professionalise’ the leading and managing of social purpose organisations (SPOs).

Program Overview

The PGP-DM program is divided into 8 terms that includes corporate social responsibility & sustainability, economic reasoning & public policy, intervention design for social impact, fund raising, monitoring and evaluation, technology for social impact at scale, network and partnerships, and concepts of social work. Attain complete mastery in different electives and get ready to lead high impact organizations in just 11 months. Click here to view curriculum & program structure.

ISDM aims to:

  1. Strengthen the foundation of management for the social sector.
  2. Develop an on-the-ground understanding of the complexities of managing social sector organisations, through immersive learning methodologies.
  3. Provide opportunities to meet with CEOs, top industry executives, and global leaders with the unique mentoring Program.

At ISDM, students are exposed to thought leaders and influencers from the industry to make them future-ready for growth, lead organisations, and create impact at scale.

ISDM at a glance

ISDM develops leaders for the social sector who can build & manage world-class social purpose organisation. We are the only research-led institute dedicated to the discipline of development management.

Alums working in
the social sector

270+ Alums working in the Social Sector

330+

Alums working in
the social sector

Placement
partners

200+ Sector Partners

300+

Placement
partners

Highest package
offered

16 LPA Highest Package Offered

16
LPA

Highest package
offered

6.5 LPA Average starting salary 2.5X above social sector

6.7
LPA

Average starting salary

75 Global Faculty Members

75+

Global faculty
members

100% Placement Assistance

100%

Placement
assistance

Placements at ISDM

A transformative experience that will prepare you for growth, employability and success just like the ISDM alumni.

Started 17+ social startups | Working at leading National and International NGOs | Pursuing higher education at IVY league colleges

Placement Highlights

330+ Alums working in the social sector

16 LPA Highest package offered

100% Placement assistance

Where our Alums work

International Organisations

  • care
  • Unicef
  • Save the children
  • Plan international
  • Delberg
  • WaterAid

National Organisations

  • dr.Reddy
  • ICICI
  • Pradan
  • samhita
  • TCS
  • Save the Children

Government Organisations

  • DCPCR
  • Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  • FMCH

Organisations started by our Alumni

  • DigiSwasthya
  • Esther
  • Pana
  • wellbi
  • Humanity

Financial Aid & Scholarship

ISDM is a non-profit research-led institution, committed to making world-class education
affordable for students from all walks of life.

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance

ISDM offers the option of deferred payment to students in need, which is payable in easy, interest-free instalments.

Scholarships

Scholarships

ISDM awards scholarships to deserving candidates to support them to be a part of PGP-DM. Get in touch with our counsellor to learn about the eligibility, process, and selection criteria.

Hear from Our Alums

Akash Shrivastav

Manager - Inclusive Finance
Access Development Services

Hear from Our Students Akash Shrivastava, PGP-DM Batch of 2018-19 holds an MSW from IEHE, Bhopal. Before joining ISDM he worked as a Program Associate at Samarthan-Centre for Development Support. Post his PGP-DM from ISDM he worked with multiple organisations and is now Manager-Inclusive Finance, at Access Development Services. Listen to him as he shares his unique experience and the impact ISDM had on his career

Aayushi Jauhari

Lead
Indian ESG Secretariat

Hear from Our Students Aayushi Jauhari, PGP-DM Batch of 2019-20 is an Electrical Engineer who was working as a Manager-CSR Engagement at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) before joining ISDM. Currently, she is the Lead at Indian ESG Secretariat. Listen to her as she shares her career transition from the corporate to the social sector

Abhishek Paluri

Co-Founder and CEO
HUManity

Hear from Our Students Abhishek Paluri, PGP-DM Batch of 2020-21 is an Electrical & Electronics Engineer. He was a City Manager at Make a Difference (MAD) before joining ISDM. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of HUManity. Hear him talk about his journey of founding his own organisation and how ISDM was instrumental in fulfilling his dream.

Admissions Process

The admission process is fully online and highly automated. It consists of 4 easy steps for prospective students. Know how to apply to become part of the unique flagship 11 months Post Graduate Program in Development Management.

Admissions Process
Submit Application

Submit your application

Online Assessment

Online assessment

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews

Offer Roll Out

Offer roll out

Curriculum and Program Structure

The post graduate program in development management is the only 11 months program in development management globally that blends ideas of development with management theories, combining in-class sessions with collaborative group work and a field component. The program aims to develop a cadre of social sector professionals who can design interventions, and build, lead and manage organisations for sustainable social impact at scale.

49 Week 49 Week

49 Week

PGP-DM is divided into 8 Terms of an average of 6 weeks each

29 Courses 29 Courses

29 Courses

Each course will be 10 sessions of two hours spread over the term

  • Understanding Society and Development
  • Design of Interventions for Social Impact
  • Curated Development Management Courses
  • In addition, two modules run throughout the year in both formal classroom sessions and workshop mode
  • Personal Mastery for Development Leadership
  • Writing in the Discipline

Terms 1 and 2: Focus on the Knowing component: Intended to build a deep understanding of development to prepare one as an authentic development professional.

Two-week Realising India immersion: The two week immersion in a district that enables the student to engage with ground realities from multiple perspectives.

Term 3 follows with the question, “What am I going to do about what I saw and felt on the ground? How can I intervene to bring change?” The Term delves into the nuts and bolts of designing an intervention by adopting a unique approach to intervention design that is anchored in a systems approach.

Terms 4 to 8: Focus on management – the what and how of managing a Social Purpose Organisation and customised development management courses.

The teaching-learning process consists of lectures, case studies, workshops, group work, readings, and individual assignments to build the students’ knowledge and application capacities.

An integral part of the pedagogy is a signature component of the PGP-DM - Context-based Collaborative Learning (CBCL). CBCL creates opportunities for students to apply what students have learnt in the classroom in specially designed group work. Collaborative inquiry and co-creation, an integral part of the CBCL process, is supported by learning mentors called Bricoleurs.

The assessment process is intended to support the learning journey of the student and drive excellence. Assessment of the student’s learning will be through a combination of

  • Class participation
  • Graded individual and group assignments
  • Quizzes
  • Term papers and examinations
  • Peer assessment in the collaborative groups
  • Assessment by learning mentors (Bricoleurs)

TERM 1 Perspectives on Society and Development State, Market and Society Economic Reasoning and Public Policy Data Analysis for Development Managers
TERM 2 Preparing for Realising India Participatory Approaches and Processes Communication in the Discipline Understanding State Capabilities
TERM 3 Intervention Design for Social Impact (IDSI) Purposeful Program Theory and Monitoring Monitoring and Evaluation    
TERM 4 Strategy Accounting and Financial Management (including Planning, Budgeting, and Costing) Principles of Marketing Talent Management  
TERM 5* Development Evaluation Operations Management for Quality (including Knowledge Management Systems and MIS) Fund Raising and Resource Mobilisation + Networks and Partnerships   One Elective
TERM 6* Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Communication in the Discipline Technology and Management Learning from Leaders One Elective
TERM 7* Social Development: Impact at Scale Series of courses by marquee international faculty from top management schools One Elective
TERM 8 Technology for Social Impact at Scale Strategy and Planning for Scale      

People you will Learn from

Aarti Madhusudan

Aarti Madhusudan
Volunteer Management Workshop | ISDM

Founder, Governance Counts and Co-Founder of 100 Women on Boards initiative, Consultant, iVolunteer, Board member, Sahayog Foundation

A.K. Shiv Kumar

AK Shiva Kumar
Chair of the Academic Council | ISDM

Development economist, policy advisor, and evaluator. Visiting Faculty at ISB, Harvard Kennedy School & more

Aruna Pandey

Aruna Pandey
Research Methods Course | ISDM

Social Researcher, Sustainability and Regeneration Professional, Member, National Task force on Rural Development and Migrant workforce

Ashraf Patel

Ashraf Patel
Strategic People Management | ISDM

Co-founder of Pravah, and ComMutiny the Youth Collective

Bipasha Roy

Bipasha Roy
Design Thinking | ISDM

Design Thinking consultant & faculty, a Certified Facilitator in LEGO® Serious Play® Methods and Materials, Certified UX Designer (IxDF) and a Practitioner of NLP

Jhanvi Andharia

Jhanvi Andharia
Perspectives on Society and Development | ISDM

Director and Research fellow at Institute of Social Studies Trust

LS Murty

LS Murty
Dean | ISDM

Founder Director, IIM Nagpur, Faculty at IIM Bangalore, XIM Bhubaneswar & XLRI Jamshedpur
Mentor IIM Visakhapatnam

Shankar Venkateswaran

Shankar Venkateswaran
Strategy for SPOs & Scale and Sustainability | ISDM

Operating Partner & Head ESG, ECube Investment Advisors Pvt. Ltd.

Sujata Rao

Sujata Rao
Perspectives on Organizations | ISDM

Founder-Director at Viridus Social Impact Solutions

Career Opportunities

career-opportunities
not-for-profit-ngo

Not for Profit/NGO

social-impact-consultancy

Social Impact Consultancy

unilateral-bilateral-agencies

Unilateral/Bilateral Agencies

social-enterprise

Social Enterprise

advisory-service-for-not-for-profits

Advisory Service for Not for Profits

policy-consulting

Policy Consulting

social-welfare-organizations

Social welfare organizations

impact-investing-firm

Impact Investing Firm

social-advocacy

Social Advocacy

education-think-tanks-research

Education/Think Tanks/Research

csr-fund-foundation

CSR Fund/Foundation

for-profit-social-organizations

For Profit Social Organizations

FAQs

Graduates from any stream, whether working professionals or freshers (with minimum of 60% marks in 10th and 12th boards), who are interested in pursuing a career and creating an impact in the social sector should apply for our PGP-DM program.

The minimum eligibility criteria for applying is an undergraduate degree in any discipline. This includes recent graduates, working professionals, as well as students in their final year (completing their Bachelor’s programs within July 2024).

No, it is not mandatory to have previous professional experience to be eligible to apply. However, it is recommended that you have some amount of professional or volunteering experience, as it gives you an edge for selection.

No. The PGP-DM is a full-time on-campus program, and cannot be pursued online, or while working. Given the rigorous and highly collaborative nature of the program, all students are required to attend classes in person, at all times.

ISDM'S fully online admissions process has 4 simple stages:
Step 1 - Application Submission
Step 2 - Online Assessment
Step 3 - Personal Interview
Step 4 - Offer Roll Out

Applications for the Post Graduate Program in Development Management (PGP-DM) for the batch of 2024-25 are now accepted, and the session starts from mid-July. If you’re interested in applying for the upcoming 2024-25 batch, please Apply now here.

Due to the limited number of seats, applying early gives you better chances of securing admission. Additionally, due to the limited nature of financial aid grants, early applicants inherently have higher chances of securing financial aid.

Application for admission to ISDM’s PGP-DM program is free of cost. If you are interested in applying, please Register Your Interest here. Once you register, you will receive a link to the online Application Form.

ISDM's Online Assessment consists of two test components:

a. SVAR - Spoken English Test
This test evaluates a candidate's proficiency in spoken English across areas including pronunciation, fluency, active listening, comprehension of spoken English, vocabulary, grammar, and articulation. This test comprises 38 questions across 6 sections, with a time-limit of 30 minutes.

b. Basic Analytical Test
This test assesses a candidate’s fundamental analytical capabilities, encompassing basic numerical ability, attention to detail, data interpretation skills, verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning proficiency. This test comprises 25 questions, with a time-limit of 10 minutes.

The total duration of the Assessment comes to approx. 40 minutes. Together, these two components comprehensively gauge the candidate's linguistic and analytical competencies, ensuring a thorough evaluation of their readiness for the PGP-DM program at ISDM.

Once your application is short-listed, we will send preparatory material on your registered email address. You may also find the same on your Student Dashboard. You may read more about How to prepare for an online assessment here.

Once your application is short-listed, we will provide you with detailed instructions and guidelines for logging in to the Online Assessment portal. The same is also available on your Student Dashboard.

The link for the Online Assessment will be active for 7 days from the receipt of the Online Assessment Link. Further details will be shared on your registered email, prior to the scheduled assessment date. Please note that once the Online Assessment is initiated, it must be completed in one attempt.

In case you face a technical glitch during the test, they are advised to reach out to the Test Technical Team through this link: Candidate Support immediately, or reach out to your assigned counsellor during working hours (9am to 6pm, from Monday to Saturday).

The Personal Interview will be conducted online. All the necessary information will be sent to shortlisted applicants on their registered e-mail ID, prior to their scheduled Personal Interview date.

We will send a set of preparatory guidelines to help shortlisted candidates prepare for the Personal Interview round, prior to your scheduled interview date. If you do not receive the same, please reach out to your assigned counsellor.

The fee structure at ISDM is as follows:
  1. A Caution Deposit of INR 25,000 (twenty-five thousand) needs to be deposited to confirm your seat in the program. Caution Deposit is refundable after completion of the program.
  2. The Tuition Fee for the entire program is INR 5,00,000 (five lakh). This does not include any living/accommodation costs. This amount is payable in 2 equal installments of INR 2,50,000 each, during the program.
  3. The first installment of the Tution Fee is to be paid in July, before the commencement of the program.
  4. The second installment of the Tuition Fee is to be paid 6 months after the first installment.
  5. In case a candidate withdraws their enrollment before the start date of the program, the Caution Deposit will be duly refunded, after deduction of applicable processing/transaction charges.

Currently, ISDM does not have an on-campus accommodation facility. However, ISDM provides students with references for verified, affordable accommodation options within a 5 km radius of the campus.

ISDM’s Post Graduate Program in Development Management is a unique management program specifically designed for application in the social development sector. It blends concepts, ideas and practices of development with management theories, combining in-class sessions with collaborative group work and an on-field component.

The PGP-DM aims to develop a cadre of Management Professionals, specifically for Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs), who can grapple with the complex context of social change and design interventions, to build, lead and manage organizations for sustainable social impact at scale.

  1. 22 Development Management core & elective courses and 10 workshops
  2. The only institute to use ‘bricoleuring’ in its pedagogy
  3. A foundation-building orientation-cum-induction term
  4. Access to the world’s best journals and other digital resources
  5. Plenaries, Hot Conversations and CEO Talks

  1. Personal Mastery for Development Leadership
  2. 2-week immersive field component called Realizing India
  3. Unique Context-Based Collaborative Learning (CBCL) pedagogy
  4. 12 Harvard ManageMentor Courses covering Management topics
  5. Live Interactions with Eminent Speakers
  6. Specially curated Workshops
  7. Development Management Writing Centre along with the course ‘Writing in the Discipline’
  8. Mix of Courses in Development Management
  9. Special Capstone Project on Scale and Sustainability

As a Development Manager, you will be able to understand complex social issues and design interventions, and lead, manage and build sustainable organizations, with cultures and values for socially relevant teams, to create sustained and scalable impact.

Although an MSW (Master of Social Work) course and the PGP-DM are both designed to prepare students to work in the Social Sector, an MSW program is geared more towards familiarizing students with field-work and working at the grass-root level, while the PGP-DM program teaches students management and leadership skills that are required to mentor teams working at the grass-root level.

An MSW program prepares you to work better on the ground, understand communities and issues, develop solutions, and implement them. On the other hand, ISDM’s PGP-DM teaches you to create world-class social organizations with appropriate strategy, structure, systems and processes. It also teaches you to put in place relevant networks, evaluation systems and a structure for monitoring progress. Students of PGP-DM master the ability to manage and lead a variety of Social Sector organizations, and successfully take up multiple roles that are indispensable for a thriving organization in the sector.

Public Policy is a theoretical discipline that focuses on how government policies can impact the lives of the public at large, how policies can be implemented effectively, and the factors that impact the making of said policies. The PGP-DM, on the other hand, is more hands-on and designed to prepare students to work for the needs of the Social Sector. Students of PGP-DM gain practical exposure through Rural Immersion, Professional Learning Communities and various workshops, and go on to work in Think Tanks, Consultancies, Government organizations or International NGOs.

Development Studies is a theoretical discipline that examines social, economic, and political factors influencing development, focusing on understanding inequalities and promoting sustainable solutions. On the other hand, ISDM's PGP-DM goes beyond theory, and imparts strategic management skills to design interventions, create sustainable SPOs, and lead impactful social change, bridging the gap between theory and practical implementation for tangible impact.

ISDM’s Post Graduate Program in Development Management is a unique management program specifically designed for application in the social development sector. It blends concepts, ideas and practices of development with management theories, combining in-class sessions with collaborative group work and an on-field component.

The PGP-DM aims to develop a cadre of Management Professionals, specifically for Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs), who can grapple with the complex context of social change and design interventions, to build, lead and manage organizations for sustainable social impact at scale.

  1. 22 Development Management core & elective courses and 10 workshops
  2. The only institute to use ‘bricoleuring’ in its pedagogy
  3. A foundation-building orientation-cum-induction term
  4. Access to the world’s best journals and other digital resources
  5. Plenaries, Hot Conversations and CEO Talks

  1. Personal Mastery for Development Leadership
  2. 2-week immersive field component called Realizing India
  3. Unique Context-Based Collaborative Learning (CBCL) pedagogy
  4. 12 Harvard ManageMentor Courses covering Management topics
  5. Live Interactions with Eminent Speakers
  6. Specially curated Workshops
  7. Development Management Writing Centre along with the course ‘Writing in the Discipline’
  8. Mix of Courses in Development Management
  9. Special Capstone Project on Scale and Sustainability

As a Development Manager, you will be able to understand complex social issues and design interventions, and lead, manage and build sustainable organizations, with cultures and values for socially relevant teams, to create sustained and scalable impact.

Graduates from any stream, whether working professionals or freshers (with minimum of 60% marks in 10th and 12th boards), who are interested in pursuing a career and creating an impact in the social sector should apply for our PGP-DM program.

The minimum eligibility criteria for applying is an undergraduate degree in any discipline. This includes recent graduates, working professionals, as well as students in their final year (completing their Bachelor’s programs within July 2024).

No, it is not mandatory to have previous professional experience to be eligible to apply. However, it is recommended that you have some amount of professional or volunteering experience, as it gives you an edge for selection.

No. The PGP-DM is a full-time on-campus program, and cannot be pursued online, or while working. Given the rigorous and highly collaborative nature of the program, all students are required to attend classes in person, at all times.

ISDM'S fully online admissions process has 4 simple stages:
Step 1 - Application Submission
Step 2 - Online Assessment
Step 3 - Personal Interview
Step 4 - Offer Roll Out

Applications for the Post Graduate Program in Development Management (PGP-DM) for the batch of 2024-25 are now accepted, and the session starts from mid-July. If you’re interested in applying for the upcoming 2024-25 batch, please Apply now here
.

Due to the limited number of seats, applying early gives you better chances of securing admission. Additionally, due to the limited nature of financial aid grants, early applicants inherently have higher chances of securing financial aid.

Application for admission to ISDM’s PGP-DM program is free of cost. If you are interested in applying, please Register Your Interest here. Once you register, you will receive a link to the online Application Form.

ISDM's Online Assessment consists of two test components:

a. SVAR - Spoken English Test
This test evaluates a candidate's proficiency in spoken English across areas including pronunciation, fluency, active listening, comprehension of spoken English, vocabulary, grammar, and articulation. This test comprises 38 questions across 6 sections, with a time-limit of 30 minutes.

b. Basic Analytical Test
This test assesses a candidate’s fundamental analytical capabilities, encompassing basic numerical ability, attention to detail, data interpretation skills, verbal reasoning, and spatial reasoning proficiency. This test comprises 25 questions, with a time-limit of 10 minutes.

The total duration of the Assessment comes to approx. 40 minutes. Together, these two components comprehensively gauge the candidate's linguistic and analytical competencies, ensuring a thorough evaluation of their readiness for the PGP-DM program at ISDM.

Once your application is short-listed, we will send preparatory material on your registered email address. You may also find the same on your Student Dashboard. You may read more about How to prepare for an online assessment here.

Once your application is short-listed, we will provide you with detailed instructions and guidelines for logging in to the Online Assessment portal. The same is also available on your Student Dashboard.

The link for the Online Assessment will be active for 7 days from the receipt of the Online Assessment Link. Further details will be shared on your registered email, prior to the scheduled assessment date. Please note that once the Online Assessment is initiated, it must be completed in one attempt.

In case you face a technical glitch during the test, they are advised to reach out to the Test Technical Team through this link: Candidate Support immediately, or reach out to your assigned counsellor during working hours (9am to 6pm, from Monday to Saturday).

The Personal Interview will be conducted online. All the necessary information will be sent to shortlisted applicants on their registered e-mail ID, prior to their scheduled Personal Interview date.

We will send a set of preparatory guidelines to help shortlisted candidates prepare for the Personal Interview round, prior to your scheduled interview date. If you do not receive the same, please reach out to your assigned counsellor.

The fee structure at ISDM is as follows:
  1. A Caution Deposit of INR 25,000 (twenty-five thousand) needs to be deposited to confirm your seat in the program. Caution Deposit is refundable after completion of the program.
  2. The Tuition Fee for the entire program is INR 5,00,000 (five lakh). This does not include any living/accommodation costs. This amount is payable in 2 equal installments of INR 2,50,000 each, during the program.
  3. The first installment of the Tution Fee is to be paid in July, before the commencement of the program.
  4. The second installment of the Tuition Fee is to be paid 6 months after the first installment.
  5. In case a candidate withdraws their enrollment before the start date of the program, the Caution Deposit will be duly refunded, after deduction of applicable processing/transaction charges.

Currently, ISDM does not have an on-campus accommodation facility. However, ISDM provides students with references for verified, affordable accommodation options within a 5 km radius of the campus.

Although an MSW (Master of Social Work) course and the PGP-DM are both designed to prepare students to work in the Social Sector, an MSW program is geared more towards familiarizing students with field-work and working at the grass-root level, while the PGP-DM program teaches students management and leadership skills that are required to mentor teams working at the grass-root level.

An MSW program prepares you to work better on the ground, understand communities and issues, develop solutions, and implement them. On the other hand, ISDM’s PGP-DM teaches you to create world-class social organizations with appropriate strategy, structure, systems and processes. It also teaches you to put in place relevant networks, evaluation systems and a structure for monitoring progress. Students of PGP-DM master the ability to manage and lead a variety of Social Sector organizations, and successfully take up multiple roles that are indispensable for a thriving organization in the sector.

Public Policy is a theoretical discipline that focuses on how government policies can impact the lives of the public at large, how policies can be implemented effectively, and the factors that impact the making of said policies. The PGP-DM, on the other hand, is more hands-on and designed to prepare students to work for the needs of the Social Sector. Students of PGP-DM gain practical exposure through Rural Immersion, Professional Learning Communities and various workshops, and go on to work in Think Tanks, Consultancies, Government organizations or International NGOs.

Development Studies is a theoretical discipline that examines social, economic, and political factors influencing development, focusing on understanding inequalities and promoting sustainable solutions. On the other hand, ISDM's PGP-DM goes beyond theory, and imparts strategic management skills to design interventions, create sustainable SPOs, and lead impactful social change, bridging the gap between theory and practical implementation for tangible impact.