IIM Kozhikode Opens 19th Batch of Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management

The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode has officially opened admissions for the 19th batch of its Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management, widely known as EPGP, one of India's most established executive MBA options for working professionals.

The programme joins a growing list of premium executive management options in India, several of which we've covered in detail. Our guides on the IIM Ahmedabad Executive MBA and the KJ Somaiya Executive MBA are useful companion reads alongside this update, particularly if you're weighing fee, format, and brand prestige against each other.

Here is what has been confirmed about the new batch, the updated fee structure, and exactly how the rolling admission process works. This is now the 19th cohort of the programme since its launch in 2001, forming the EPGP 2026-28 batch, with more than 5,500 EPGP enrollments and over 15,000 IIM Kozhikode alumni across its full academic history.

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What Just Changed: Phase 4 Applications Are Open Right Now

IIM Kozhikode's official EPGP admission page confirms that Phase 4 of the 19th batch is currently live, and this is the detail that makes this update genuinely time-sensitive. Online applications opened on 18 August 2026 and close on 30 September 2026, giving prospective candidates only a few weeks left to register for this specific phase.

Here is the complete Phase 4 timeline, taken directly from the official schedule.

Milestone	Date
Online Application Start Date	18 August 2026
Last Date to Apply Online	30 September 2026
Date of EMAT	04 October 2026
Date of Interview	10 October 2026
Offer Release to Shortlisted Candidates	20 October 2026
Last Date for Offer Acceptance, with Rs 1,00,000 confirmation fee	30 October 2026
Due Date of First Instalment Payment	20 November 2026
Registration Dates	10 and 15 December 2026
First In-Campus Module	10 to 21 December 2026
Platform Session Start Date	December 2026

Candidates who miss the 30 September deadline for Phase 4 will need to wait for a subsequent phase, if one is announced, so this window deserves genuine urgency if you're seriously considering this batch.

The Exact Fee Structure, Instalment by Instalment

IIM Kozhikode's official fee schedule confirms a total programme fee of Rs 16,75,000, plus Rs 12,000 in additional charges covering the Student Welfare Fund and Alumni Fee, bringing the effective total to Rs 16,87,000. A separate Rs 2,000 application fee is payable at the time of online application, on top of this figure.

Instalment	Amount	Additional Fee	Due Date
First Instalment, including Rs 1,00,000 offer acceptance fee	Rs 1,00,000 plus Rs 1,65,000	Rs 2,000, Student Welfare Fund	As per Offer Letter, then October or November 2026
Second Instalment	Rs 2,35,000	None	February 2027
Third Instalment	Rs 2,35,000	None	May 2027
Fourth Instalment	Rs 2,35,000	None	August 2027
Fifth Instalment	Rs 2,35,000	Rs 10,000, Alumni Fee	December 2027
Sixth Instalment	Rs 2,35,000	None	April 2028
Seventh Instalment	Rs 2,35,000	None	August 2028
Total	Rs 16,75,000	Rs 12,000	Spread across the full programme

This confirms the earlier reported figure of roughly Rs 16.87 lakh, and clarifies exactly how that total breaks down. Notably, the payment schedule stretches across nearly the entire two-year programme, with the final instalment due in August 2028, well after most coursework is complete, which gives admitted candidates meaningful breathing room on cash flow.

How the Admission Process Actually Works

Unlike a single-deadline application, IIM Kozhikode runs EPGP admissions through a rolling, multi-phase cycle, and all phases feed into the same EPGP 2026-28 batch that begins in December 2026.

Candidates can qualify for admission in one of two ways. They can appear for IIM Kozhikode's own Executive Management Aptitude Test, a computer-based test with 60 multiple-choice questions across three sections assessing logical, numerical, and verbal ability.

Alternatively, candidates with a valid CAT, GRE, or GMAT score, not older than three years, can submit that score directly instead of taking the EMAT.

Either path is followed by a personal interview with a faculty panel from IIMK, and the final merit list is prepared using a combination of test performance, interview score, academic record, and work experience profile. Candidates with genuinely distinguished professional achievements can, in some cases, receive a waiver of the EMAT requirement entirely.

Eligibility Requirements You Need to Meet

Before applying, candidates must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in any discipline with at least 50 percent aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA. In the absence of a recognized bachelor's degree, candidates with a CA, ICWA, or CS qualification carrying a minimum 50 percent aggregate can also be considered.

Candidates with a foreign university degree need an equivalency certificate from the Association of Indian Universities or another Government of India-recognized assessment agency. Crucially, a minimum of three years of full-time work experience after graduation is required, and internships or apprenticeships completed before graduation are not counted toward this requirement.

Programme Structure: What the Two Years Actually Look Like

The EPGP is delivered through what IIM Kozhikode calls Interactive Learning, combining live online sessions delivered via the TimesPro technology platform with mandatory in-campus modules at the Kozhikode campus itself. The program comprises more than 750 hours of classroom instruction in total.

The first year focuses on compulsory core courses covering management fundamentals like finance and accounting, decision sciences, and organizational behavior, delivered through an initial in-campus module alongside live lecture sessions on the Interactive Learning platform. The current batch's first in-campus module is scheduled for December 10 to 21, 2026, at the IIM Kozhikode campus.

The second year shifts toward electives and advanced coursework, including Leadership and Corporate Accountability, International Business, Business Simulation, and a Business Plan Project, delivered across two further in-campus modules. An optional international immersion is also available, giving participants exposure to global markets and cross-cultural business environments.

Who Actually Enrolls in This Programme

Based on prior batch data, EPGP cohorts draw professionals from a genuinely broad range of sectors, including IT, consulting, aerospace, banking, the public sector, energy, automotive, FMCG, healthcare, e-commerce, and manufacturing. Educational backgrounds have included engineering, medicine, architecture, mass communication, law, and even fashion technology.

Work experience across participants has historically ranged from three years up to 25 years, reflecting the program's appeal to both early-career managers and seasoned executives alike. The 18th batch, the largest cohort in the program's history, enrolled 672 participants with 29 percent women representation, continuing a steady rise in gender diversity across recent cohorts.

Why This Program Carries Real Weight

IIM Kozhikode currently holds Rank 3 in India according to NIRF 2025 for management education, alongside a global ranking of 65th by the Financial Times in 2026. The institute also holds Double Crown accreditation status, carrying both AMBA and EQUIS recognition, a distinction held by a relatively small number of business schools worldwide.

On successful completion, participants are awarded a full Master of Business Administration degree by IIM Kozhikode, not a certificate or diploma, and join the institute's alumni network directly.

IIM Kozhikode Director Debashis Chatterjee has described the program's mission as nurturing "globally minded, technologically fluent and socially conscious managers" who can lead in a rapidly changing business environment.

For a broader sense of how executive credentials compare against online-only formats, our guide on Online MBA versus Executive MBA breaks down that distinction.

How This Compares to Other Executive MBA Options

At close to Rs 17 lakh, IIM Kozhikode's EPGP sits in the premium bracket among Indian executive MBA programs, though it remains considerably more affordable than some other IIM offerings. Our guide on IIM Ahmedabad's Executive MBA shows fees running between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 37.1 lakh for that program's 2026 batch, considerably higher than Kozhikode's offering.

At the more affordable end, our guide on the FMS Delhi Executive MBA Evening Programme covers a significantly lower-cost alternative for professionals prioritizing budget over IIM brand prestige. If a full online format without mandatory campus immersion fits your situation better, our breakdown of NMIMS's Online MBA is worth comparing as well.

What to Do If You're Considering This Batch

With Phase 4 applications closing on 30 September 2026, candidates seriously considering this batch have a genuinely narrow window to act. The sequence that follows is tight too: EMAT on 4 October, interviews on 10 October, and offers released just ten days later on 20 October.

It's worth having your documents, work experience proof, and academic records ready well before you submit your application rather than scrambling after the deadline passes.

Given the scale of the Rs 16.87 lakh investment, candidates should also confirm whether employer-sponsored fee reimbursement is available through their organization, a common arrangement for EPGP participants according to program data. Our roundup of top online universities in India is worth browsing too, in case a lower-cost, fully online alternative better fits your current budget or timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the current fee for IIM Kozhikode's EPGP programme?

The total programme fee is Rs 16,75,000, plus Rs 12,000 in additional charges for the Student Welfare Fund and Alumni Fee, bringing the effective total to Rs 16.87 lakh, payable across seven instalments through August 2028, in addition to a separate Rs 2,000 application fee.

2. When is the last date to apply for the current EPGP batch?

Phase 4 online applications close on 30 September 2026. The EMAT is scheduled for 4 October 2026, followed by interviews on 10 October 2026, so candidates should apply well before the deadline to allow time for document preparation.

3. What is the eligibility for IIM Kozhikode's Executive Post Graduate Programme?

Candidates need a bachelor's degree in any discipline with at least 50 percent aggregate marks, or equivalent CA, ICWA, or CS qualification, along with a minimum of three years of full-time work experience after graduation.

4. Do I need to take an entrance exam for IIM Kozhikode's EPGP?

You can either appear for IIM Kozhikode's own Executive Management Aptitude Test or submit a valid CAT, GRE, or GMAT score not older than three years, followed by a personal interview in either case.

5. When does the current EPGP batch begin?

The EPGP 2026-28 batch, the 19th cohort of the programme, begins with its first in-campus module from December 10 to 21, 2026, at the IIM Kozhikode campus, with online sessions also starting that month.

6. Do I get a full MBA degree from this programme?

Yes. On successful completion, participants receive a full Master of Business Administration degree awarded by IIM Kozhikode, along with official alumni status.

7. Can I continue working while pursuing this programme?

Yes. The programme is specifically designed for working professionals, delivered through a blend of live online sessions and periodic in-campus modules rather than requiring a continuous career break.

Conclusion

IIM Kozhikode's Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management continues to be one of India's most established executive MBA options for working professionals, now entering its 19th batch with an updated fee of Rs 16.87 lakh.

The programme's combination of a full MBA degree, IIM alumni status, NIRF Rank 3 standing, and Double Crown accreditation makes it a genuinely credible option, provided the investment and rolling admission timeline align with your career plans. For a lower-cost executive alternative, our XLRI Executive MBA guide is worth a comparison read.

Since admission phases are rolling rather than fixed to a single date, candidates interested in the current EPGP 2026-28 batch should check IIM Kozhikode's official admission portal directly for the latest phase window before it closes.

This article is based on reporting from IIM Kozhikode's official admission portal, accessed August 2026. Fees, phases, and admission dates are subject to change, so candidates should verify current details directly on the official IIM Kozhikode EPGP page before applying.