Don’t just manage businesses. Architect them with AI.

A PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) is a full-time, usually two-year, industry-oriented management programme offered by autonomous institutions approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). It equips students with the practical knowledge, skills and tools for leadership and managerial roles in finance, marketing, operations, HR, consulting and strategy.

A regular PGDM covers management fundamentals (marketing, finance, operations, HR) largely as they were taught a decade ago. An AI-centric PGDM uses Artificial Intelligence as the lens through which every management function is understood and practised.

At PRTF, AI isn’t a standalone elective or an add-on module. It runs through the first year as a progressive track: AI-Literacy in Term I, AI-Application across every functional subject in Term II, and AI-Strategy and consulting in Term III. By the time you graduate, you understand not just management, but how to lead organisations in an AI-driven world.

Two specialisation tracks run in the second year, and each student chooses one:

• Dual specialisation in Marketing & Finance: consumer insights, brand building, digital and social media marketing, integrated communications, financial decision-making, investment management, corporate valuation and international markets.
• AI & Data Science: Big Data technologies (Hadoop and Spark), data engineering, natural language processing (NLP) and sentiment analysis, machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, and multi-agent and agentic AI systems.

Both build on the AI-fluent foundation of Year 1, so whichever track you choose, you graduate as an AI-literate manager.

The programme runs across six terms (trimesters):

• Year 1 (Terms I–III): core management subjects, including Managerial Economics, Marketing Management, Corporate Finance, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Business Analytics and Strategic Management, with an AI layer that grows from literacy to strategy.
• Between Year 1 and Year 2: a 4–5 week paid corporate internship in AI and data science, two weeks of interview and personality training, and a screening test for students taking the AI & Data Science track.
• Year 2 (Terms IV–VI): specialisation courses in your chosen track in Terms IV and V, placement preparation from Term IV, and fieldwork and a major project in Term VI.

See the full course structure.

The AI curriculum covers both concepts and hands-on practice. Students work with tools and technologies across machine learning, generative AI platforms and data analytics frameworks.

The AI & Data Science specialisation goes deeper into Big Data technologies including Hadoop and Spark, deep learning architectures, natural language processing and emerging areas like agentic AI systems. The Marketing & Finance specialisation applies AI to market research, consumer analytics, financial modelling and investment analysis. The goal isn’t to make you a programmer, but someone who can lead AI-powered teams and make informed AI strategy decisions.

Yes. The programme is designed for fresh graduates, and no prior work experience is required. The curriculum starts from foundational management concepts and builds progressively. By the end of Year 1, every student, whether from commerce, arts, science or engineering, will be AI-fluent, analytically strong and ready for a corporate internship. The 4–5 week paid internship between Year 1 and Year 2 means you graduate with real industry experience on your CV.

The PGDM at PRTF is a full-time residential programme, so it suits professionals who are ready to step out of the workforce for two years to make a significant career move. If you want to move into AI-driven roles, step up from a functional role to a leadership position, or change industries, the programme gives you the structured environment, the credentials and the placement preparation to make that transition. Your work experience will also add depth to your learning.

No. The programme assumes no coding or mathematics background. The AI curriculum is built around applied fluency: learning to use AI tools, understand AI outputs and make AI-informed decisions, rather than building algorithms from scratch.

Across the first three terms, students move through three phases (AI-Literacy, AI-Application and AI-Strategy), so by the end of the first year every student, whatever their undergraduate discipline, can work confidently with AI in a business context.

You need a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university, with at least 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates). There’s no restriction on your undergraduate discipline: students from science, commerce, arts, engineering and any other stream are welcome to apply.

Very relevant. The intersection of Life Sciences and AI is creating fast-growing career paths in India and globally, including clinical data analytics, pharma AI, bioinformatics management, health-tech product roles and agri-biotech business development. An AI-centric PGDM built on your science foundation gives you a combination of skills that relatively few professionals have.

The complete fee structure and payment schedule, including the one-time and annual payment plans, is set out on the Admissions page. For help choosing a plan, call the admissions team on +91 88600 05458.

Yes. PRTF offers merit-based scholarships of up to 50% of the programme fee. Scholarship eligibility is assessed during the admission process. To understand the criteria and apply, contact the admissions team on +91 88600 05458 or at contact@pathfinderfoundation.co.in.

Yes. Because PRTF’s PGDM is approved by AICTE, it qualifies for education loans from most nationalised and private banks in India. Approach your bank with the AICTE approval letter and your admission letter. The admissions office can also provide the supporting documents banks need for loan processing.

A dedicated training and placement team works with students throughout the two years, not just in the final term. Pre-placement preparation begins in Term IV with mock interviews, group discussions and aptitude and skills training, alongside industry interaction and corporate outreach. Read the placement policy.

Graduates of the AI-centric PGDM are prepared for roles such as Business Analyst, Marketing Manager, Finance Analyst, Data Analyst, AI Strategy Consultant, Product Manager, Operations Manager and Business Development Manager.

Students from Life Sciences or Agribusiness backgrounds are also supported towards roles in pharma analytics, agri-tech management, healthcare consulting and biotech business development.

Starting salaries depend on the role, industry, location, your specialisation and your own performance in the recruitment process, so PRTF doesn’t quote a fixed figure. Managers who combine business skills with AI and data capability are in growing demand across industries, and the placement team will help you understand realistic offers for the roles you target.

Yes. PRTF runs a dedicated startup incubation centre, Pathfinder Foundation Innovation, supported under the UP IT and Startup Policy 2020. It gives students mentoring, funding guidance, acceleration support and administrative help to launch and scale their ventures. Entrepreneurship is treated as a genuine career outcome of the programme. Inside the Incubation Centre.

Pathfinder Academy and PRTF are both part of the Pathfinder Group of Companies, founded by Pranav Kumar. Pathfinder Academy is known for Life Sciences and Biotechnology education in India, and PRTF School of Management is the group’s management and entrepreneurship arm. Pathfinder Academy students and alumni will find the same commitment to rigorous, career-focused education, now applied to AI-enabled business management.