SOIL Admission 2026
Eligibility, selection weights, important dates and batch profile
SOIL Admission 2026-27 — Eligibility, Cutoffs, Selection Process & Important Dates
SOIL Institute of Management runs three distinct programmes — the 1-year Flagship PGPM (₹15.33 L, Gurugram), the 1-year PGPM-HR (₹14.5 L, India's only dedicated 1-year HR PGPM), and the 2-year PGDM (₹17.20 L, SSOBD Manesar, AICTE-approved). PGPM and PGPM-HR share a 9-step profile-based admissions process built around a Group Exercise + Personal Interview + SOIL Entrance Test. PGDM uses a separate 5-step process featuring a half-day Design Thinking Workshop based on the Stanford D-School concept — SOIL is the only B-school in India to use this admissions model. No published cutoff percentiles for any programme; SOIL does not publish shortlist weights.
Programmes & fees (verified 2026-27 / 2026-28 brochures)
- Flagship PGPM (1-year)
- ₹15,33,226 total · Gurugram campus · for working professionals (2+ yrs work-ex)
- PGPM-HR (1-year)
- ₹14,50,000 total — Tuition ₹9.04 L + Program ₹5.09 L + Alumni ₹5,900 (+ ₹30,000 refundable deposit) · India's only dedicated 1-year HR PGPM
- PGDM (2-year, SSOBD)
- ₹17,20,000 total · Yr 1: ₹9.80 L · Yr 2: ₹7.40 L (+ ₹30,000 refundable deposit) · AICTE-approved · Manesar campus
- PGDM fee breakdown
- Year 1: Tuition ₹5.35 L + Program ₹3.90 L + Activities ₹47K + Insurance ₹5K + Journal ₹3K. Year 2: Tuition ₹4.50 L + Program ₹2.80 L + Alumni ₹10K.
- Application fee
- ₹2,000 non-refundable (PGPM / PGPM-HR) · PGDM application fee charged on app.soil.edu.in/pgdm
Eligibility — by programme
- Flagship PGPM
- Bachelor's degree (any discipline) · 2+ yrs work-ex by 30 Apr 2026 (exceptional candidates with 21+ months considered)
- PGPM-HR
- Bachelor's degree (any discipline) · NO work-experience cutoff — freshers welcome
- PGDM
- Bachelor's degree (any discipline) · min 50% aggregate · min 3 yrs post 10+2 · freshers and <36 months work-ex by 31 May 2026 · final-year UG students may apply with 50% certificate (final marksheet due 1 Oct 2026)
Entrance tests accepted — by programme
- Flagship PGPM
- CAT 2024/25 · XAT 2025/26 · GMAT (taken after 2022) · MAT · CMAT · NMAT 2024+ · or SOIL Entrance Test (SET)
- PGPM-HR
- Same as PGPM — CAT / XAT / GMAT / MAT / CMAT / NMAT / SET
- PGDM
- CAT 2025 · XAT 2026 · GMAT post-1 Jan 2024 · MAT 2025/2026 · CMAT 2026 — NO NMAT and NO SET accepted (different from PGPM family)
Selection & cutoffs
- Published cutoffs
- NOT PUBLISHED for any programme. Selection is profile-based; no minimum percentile gate.
- Shortlist weights
- NOT PUBLISHED. SOIL does not disclose the relative weight of test score vs interview vs profile.
- PGPM / PGPM-HR selection
- 9-step process · Group Exercise (Design Thinking case) + 45-min Personal Interview with faculty + industry leaders + 60-min SOIL Entrance Test (only if no other entrance score)
- PGDM selection
- 5-step process · half-day Design Thinking Workshop (Stanford D-School concept) + Group Discussion + Personal Interview · the only B-school in India using this admissions model
Batch profiles (verified)
- Flagship PGPM 2025
- Avg age 26.4 yrs · avg work-ex 44 months · 40% female · 19 states represented
- PGDM 2025-27
- 22.6 yrs avg age · 46% women · 25 states · 71% freshers · 15% with 0-12mo · 10% with 13-24mo · 4% with 24+mo work-ex · UG mix: 29% B.Com, 26% BBA, 18% B.Tech, 12% BSc, 9% BA, 6% other
Scholarships & finance
- Scholarships (5 named + ESCS)
- Need Based · Merit Based · Capt. Vikram Batra (defence personnel / families of martyrs) · Dr. Verghese Kurien (rural / cooperative / agri background) · Unique Achievement (sports, arts, social impact, entrepreneurship) · plus ESCS provision for economically and socially challenged students
- Bank loan partners
- IDFC First Bank · HDFC Credila · Bank of Baroda · YES Bank · Axis Bank · ICICI Bank · Avanse · PM Vidyalakshmi (Govt of India scheme — no guarantor needed via pmvidyalakshmi.co.in)
Apply
- Application portals
- Flagship PGPM → app.soil.edu.in/pgpm · PGPM-HR → app.soil.edu.in/pgpm-hr · PGDM → app.soil.edu.in/pgdm
- Contact — PGDM
- pgdm@schoolofbusinessdesign.com · 9870256660 / 9717280018
- Contact — PGPM / PGPM-HR
- admissions@soilindia.net · 9205333417 / 9289270707
- Campus address
- Plot 23, Sector 2, Phase 1, Institutional Area, Manesar, South Gurugram, Haryana 122050
- Apply early
- Rolling admissions — interviews held on application-deadline rounds. Past trends show early applicants stand a significantly better chance.
Eligibility + Exam details
Who can apply
- PGPM (Flagship 1-yr): Bachelor's degree (any discipline) · 2+ yrs work-ex by 30 Apr 2026 (exceptional candidates with 21+ months may be considered) · Avg admit profile: 26.4 yrs, 44 months work-ex, 40% female (2025 batch)
- PGPM-HR (1-yr): Bachelor's degree (any discipline) · NO work-experience cutoff (freshers welcome) · India's only dedicated 1-year HR PGPM
- PGDM (2-yr, SSOBD): Bachelor's degree (any discipline) with min 50% aggregate, min 3 years post 10+2 · Freshers and candidates with <36 months work-ex by 31 May 2026 · Final-year UG students may apply with 50% certificate · Final marksheet due 1 Oct 2026
PGPM & PGPM-HR · 1-year
9-step admissions process — Group Exercise + Personal Interview + SOIL Entrance Test
Applies to the Flagship PGPM (1-yr, ₹15.33 L) and PGPM-HR (1-yr, ₹14.50 L). Both programmes share the same selection day.
Flagship PGPM: app.soil.edu.in/pgpm · PGPM-HR: app.soil.edu.in/pgpm-hr. Form covers academic transcripts, work history, entrance score (or apply for SET), short essays.
02
Submit early — rolling admissions
From past admissions trends, early applications stand a significantly better chance of being selected. Interview process runs on application-deadline rounds (rolling admissions).
03
Application fee payment
₹2,000 non-refundable.
04
Initial Screening + Interview Invite by Email
Shortlisted candidates receive interview invite by email after initial profile screening. Not all applicants reach the interview stage.
05
Group Exercise + Personal Interview + SOIL Entrance Test (SET)
GROUP EXERCISE: small-group activity tackling real-world business problems using Design Thinking principles — assesses empathy, ideation, quick solution refinement, collaboration. PERSONAL INTERVIEW: 45-minute one-on-one with faculty and industry leaders — discusses background, aspirations, programme fit, leadership style. SOIL ENTRANCE TEST (SET): 60-minute aptitude test covering data interpretation, verbal, critical thinking — ONLY required for candidates without an accepted entrance score (CAT/XAT/GMAT/MAT/CMAT/NMAT). Can be taken before or after the GEPI.
06
Final Shortlisting + Offer Letters by Email
Decisions communicated by email after the admissions committee reviews application + test + interview holistically.
07
Offer Acceptance + Initial Fee Payment
Confirms the admission slot. Fee schedule per programme.
08
Scholarship Round (if applicable)
Eligible candidates are evaluated separately for the five named scholarships: Need-Based, Merit-Based, Capt. Vikram Batra (defence), Dr. Verghese Kurien (rural / agri / cooperative), Unique Achievement (exceptional individual achievements), plus ESCS provision. Not all candidates participate — assessed individually.
09
Orientation + Course Commencement
Programme starts after orientation. Live-in residential format.
PGDM · 2-year (SSOBD Manesar)
5-step admissions process — Design Thinking Workshop (Stanford D-School concept)
Distinct from the PGPM family. SOIL is the only B-school in India using a half-day Design Thinking Workshop in admissions.
01
Fill Online Application
Apply at app.soil.edu.in/pgdm. Provide academic transcripts (min 50% aggregate UG), entrance score (CAT 2025 / XAT 2026 / GMAT post-1 Jan 2024 / MAT 2025/2026 / CMAT 2026), short essays, optional work-ex details.
02
Attend Design Thinking Workshop
Half-day on-campus workshop based on the Stanford D-School concept — SOIL is the only B-school in India to use this admissions format. Applicants are taught Design Thinking and solve real business case studies in small teams. Assesses ability to think, ability for action, ability to collaborate, and ability to communicate — not just past academic performance or test score. Encouraging environment; also helps applicants assess if SOIL is a good fit for them.
03
Group Discussion + Personal Interview
GD with peer cohort + structured PI with faculty and industry leaders. Focus on leadership potential, motivation for PGDM in Business Design, sector clarity, and alignment with SOIL's liberal-arts-plus-design-thinking pedagogy.
Final decisions communicated by email. Rolling admissions — earlier rounds have higher selection probability.
05
Scholarship & Registration
Eligible candidates are evaluated for the five named scholarships: Need-Based, Merit-Based, Capt. Vikram Batra Scholarship (defence personnel / families of martyrs), Dr. Verghese Kurien Scholarship (rural / cooperative / agri background), and Unique Achievement Scholarship (sports, arts, social impact, entrepreneurship). ESCS provision available for economically and socially challenged students. Initial fee payment confirms the seat.
SOIL Financial Aid 2026 — Loans, EMI Options & Scholarships
SOIL scholarships — published categories
Need Based Scholarship
Financial need assessment
Varies (case-by-case)
Merit Based Scholarship
Academic performance + entrance score
Varies by merit tier
Capt. Vikram Batra Scholarship
Defence personnel / families of martyrs
Varies
Dr. Verghese Kurien Scholarship
Rural / cooperative / agri background
Varies
Unique Achievement Scholarship
Exceptional individual achievement (sports, arts, social impact, entrepreneurship)
Varies
ESCS (Economically & Socially Challenged Students)
Reserved provision for economically and socially challenged students
Subject to eligibility
Check if SOIL is right for your profile
Enter your percentile and background. Claude shows your real conversion chance at SOIL and 20+ other colleges.