Dual AACSB and AMBA accreditation, acceptance of six entrance exams, a campus at Manipal in coastal Karnataka, and direct entry into TAPMI’s flagship MBA program – these are some important facts about the TAPMI IPM that you will find below.
When the discussion starts on IPM programs outside of IIMs, two names usually come up – Nirma University and TAPMI. While the long-standing tradition of Nirma University gets the spotlight in many cases, there is a good case for TAPMI too. TAPMI is among only five institutions in India that boast dual AACSB and AMBA accreditation. It holds the #39th rank in the country among management institutes as per the NIRF 2025 ranking. And finally, its IPM program (introduced in 2023) ensures direct access to TAPMI’s flagship MBA without an additional entrance exam.
The following guide covers all information about the TAPMI IPM accurately, exhaustively, and with verified numbers.
What is TAPMI IPM?
IPM is a residential programme of five-year duration, integrating undergraduate as well as postgraduate management education in one programme. The programme was started in the academic year 2023-24, and hence TAPMI is among the relatively newer institutions offering IPM.
TAPMI is a constituent institute of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), one of the largest and most reputed deemed universities of India. The IPM programme is approved by AICTE and administered by MAHE. Upon completion of all five years, candidates will be awarded two degrees – BA in Foundations in Management (Year 3 onwards) and MBA from TAPMI (Year 5 onwards).
The unique aspect of the TAPMI IPM is that there is direct access to the flagship MBA programme of TAPMI. Candidates, who successfully complete the initial three years, are directly admitted into the MBA programme of TAPMI, without the need to qualify any additional entrance test like CAT, XAT, GMAT, etc.
What makes TAPMI IPM unique: TAPMI is one of only 7 institutions in India and among the top 5% of business schools worldwide to hold AACSB accreditation. It is also one of only 5 institutions in India with dual AACSB and AMBA accreditation. For a non-IIM, non-IIFT institution, this is an exceptional credentialing foundation.
Programme highlights at a glance
| Feature | Details |
| Full name | T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal |
| Parent institution | Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) |
| Location | Manipal, Udupi district, Karnataka |
| Established | 1980 (TAPMI); IPM launched 2023 |
| Programme type | Full-time residential |
| Accreditations | AACSB, AMBA, NBA | AICTE approved | AIU recognised |
| CRISIL rating | A*** (highest) at national and state levels |
| Exit option | BA (Foundations in Management) after Year 3 |
| MBA guaranteed | Yes — no separate exam needed after completing 3 years |
| Official website | tapmi.edu.in/programs/ipm |
Course structure
The TAPMI IPM is designed as a seamless five-year journey, with a clear shift in academic character between the undergraduate and postgraduate phases.
Phase 1 – Foundation (Years 1–3): BA in Foundations in Management
The first three years build a broad, multidisciplinary foundation aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). The curriculum spans analytical, social, humanities, management, and skill-based courses. Key learning areas include:
- Management fundamentals: Economics, Accounting, Marketing, Organisational Behaviour
- Analytical and quantitative skills: Statistics, Data Analysis, Business Analytics
- Humanities and social sciences: Sociology, Psychology, Ethics
- Skill-based courses: Communication, Leadership, Critical Thinking, Foreign Language certification
- Experiential learning: Case studies, simulation games, Management in Practice (MIP), Brandscan
- Industry internship in Year 3 for hands-on exposure
- International immersion programme (optional)
Students completing the first three years are awarded the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Foundations in Management degree and may exit the programme. Those who continue are guaranteed entry into TAPMI’s MBA without any further entrance examination.
Phase 2 – Specialization (Years 4–5): MBA
The final two years are TAPMI’s flagship MBA programme. IPM students in Years 4 and 5 attend the same classes as the incoming two-year MBA batch, benefiting from cross-cohort peer interaction and the full TAPMI placement ecosystem. Specialisations available in the MBA phase include:
- MBA General Management
- MBA Banking and Financial Services (BKFS)
- MBA Human Resource Management
- MBA Marketing
- MBA International Business
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the TAPMI IPM, candidates must meet all of the following conditions:
- Qualifying examination: Must have passed Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) / Class 12 or equivalent from a recognised board
- Minimum marks: At least 60% aggregate marks in Class 12. SC/ST/PwD candidates may be considered with 50% aggregate in some cases
- Year of passing: Must have passed Class 12 in 2024 or 2025, or be appearing in 2026
- English mandatory: English must have been a compulsory subject in the Class 12 examination
- Entrance exam: Must have appeared in at least one of the accepted entrance examinations
- No NRI or foreign national admissions: The TAPMI IPM programme does not accept applications from foreign students, NRI, or NRI-sponsored candidates
- No management quota: TAPMI explicitly does not maintain any management quota for IPM admissions – all seats are merit-based
No stream restriction: There is no requirement for Mathematics or any specific stream in Class 12. Students from Science, Commerce, and Arts / Humanities are all equally eligible provided they meet the 60% aggregate and have English as a subject.
Entrance exams accepted
Acceptance of entrance exams in TAPMI IPM is perhaps the most flexible among all IPM programmes in the IPM domain. While IIM IPM takes into account scores of its own entrance test only, Nirma University accepts IPMAT Indore scores only, TAPMI takes scores of six different national entrance tests namely:
IPMAT Indore (IIM Indore)
JIPMAT (NTA)
JEE Main (NTA)
SAT (College Board)
CLAT (NLU Consortium)
MET (Manipal Entrance Test)
Having multiple entrance exams as an option is undoubtedly an important strategic benefit for the candidates. Those who prepare for JEE Main need not prepare for the IPMAT separately to get admission in the TAPMI IPM programme. The same applies to students taking the CLAT entrance test for getting admission into law schools. Students who write the MET entrance test organized by MAHE directly qualify for admission into the TAPMI IPM programme.
Admission process
TAPMI IPM follows a two-stage admission process. Here is the step-by-step process:
- Step 1 : Appear for an accepted entrance exam. Take any one of the six accepted exams namely IPMAT Indore, JIPMAT, JEE Main, SAT, CLAT or MET. Your best valid score across any of these is used for shortlisting.
- Step 2 : Apply online to TAPMI. Fill out the online application form at tapmi.edu.in. A single application form covers both the BBA Hons and IPM programmes. The non-refundable application fee is ₹600. If applying through MET, an additional MET exam fee of ₹1,400 is payable separately.
- Step 3 : Shortlisting. TAPMI shortlists candidates based on a combination of entrance exam score and academic profile (Class 10 and Class 12 marks). Profile-based shortlisting means exceptional extracurricular achievements can also support your candidacy even with slightly lower exam scores.
- Step 4 : Final selection round. Shortlisted candidates are called for an online selection process comprising:
- Personal Interview (PI) — evaluates communication, academic background, and personality
- Micro-presentation — a short prepared or impromptu presentation, approximately 20–25 minutes total for the session
- Step 5 : Merit list and offer. Final selection is based on a composite score.Selected candidates receive an offer and must confirm admission by completing document verification and paying the required fees.
Selection criteria
The final merit list at TAPMI IPM is based on multiple factors, not a single score. This makes it a holistic selection – one of the few IPM programmes that explicitly accounts for extracurricular achievements and gender diversity in the final composite.
| Component | Consideration |
| Entrance exam score (best valid score across accepted exams) | Primary shortlisting factor |
| Academic performance (Class 10 and Class 12 marks) | Included in composite score |
| Personal Interview (PI) | Evaluated in selection round |
| Micro-presentation | Evaluated in selection round |
| Extra-curricular achievements | Considered in profile-based shortlisting |
| Gender diversity | Considered as a positive factor |
Fee structure
TAPMI IPM has a tiered annual fee structure which is lower in the undergraduate years and slightly higher in the MBA phase:
| Year | Annual fee | Phase |
| Year 1 | ₹5,50,000 | BA / Undergraduate |
| Year 2 | ₹5,50,000 | BA / Undergraduate |
| Year 3 | ₹5,50,000 | BA / Undergraduate |
| Year 4 | ₹6,00,000 | MBA / Postgraduate |
| Year 5 | ₹6,00,000 | MBA / Postgraduate |
| Total tuition fee | ₹28,50,000 |
In addition to tuition:
- Caution deposit: ₹40,000 (refundable)
- Alumni lifetime membership fee: ₹20,000 (one-time)
- Total academic fee (including caution + alumni): approximately ₹28.9 lakhs
- Hostel and mess charges: Additional – approximately ₹1.65–1.80 lakhs per year (based on MBA hostel data; BBA phase may vary)
At ₹28.5 lakhs tuition, TAPMI IPM is among the higher-fee non-IIM IPM options – comparable to IIFT Kakinada (~₹28–30 lakhs) and more than Nirma University (~₹19.45 lakhs). Factor in hostel and living costs carefully when planning finances. Education loans are available through TAPMI’s tie-ups with scheduled commercial banks and NBFCs.
Scholarships and financial aid
TAPMI offers a well-structured scholarship programme for IPM students, including some significant fee waivers for top performers. Scholarships are available across multiple categories:
Dr Ramdas Pai UG Freeship Scholarship
In the list of joining students in order of merit, the highest rank holder gets the entire amount of fees waived off for the BBA program, which lasts for three years. This is one of the most liberal scholarship offers available in the IPM arena.
Dr Ramdas Pai UG Scholar Scholarship
The next 2 students on the merit list receive a 20% fee exemption for the undergraduate phase.
Dr Ramdas Pai Scholarship for Achievers
The top 3 students based on CGPA at the end of Year 1 receive a 20% fee exemption for the subsequent undergraduate years.
Top 6 students annual fee waiver
The top six students of the IPM batch get a scholarship of 30% reduction in fees every year depending on their academic excellence. This decision was taken when the programme was launched.
Other financial support
- TAPMI overall scholarship pool: ₹2.9 crores annually across programmes
- Dean’s Roll of Honour for academic excellence
- Education loans via tie-ups with scheduled commercial banks and NBFCs — details on the official TAPMI website
- AICTE Pragati and Saksham scholarships for eligible students under government schemes
For high-performing students: If you belong to the top 6 students of TAPMI IPM class, then the fee waiver of 30% per annum makes the education quite affordable for you. If you are the top 1 student, then you have all the right to waive off the complete fee of BBA program (₹16.5 lakhs in 3 years).
Placements
TAPMI IPM was started in 2023, with the first batch completing its MBA programme by 2028. Hence, information related specifically to IPM placements does not exist at present. Nevertheless, students from the fourth and fifth years of the IPM course undertake placements through the same procedure as that of the regular MBA batch of TAPMI, and the benchmark for IPM students would be the MBA placements of TAPMI.
TAPMI MBA placement benchmarks – 2025 batch
| Metric | Figure |
| Highest CTC | ₹32.77 LPA |
| Average CTC | ₹13.99 LPA |
| Median CTC | ₹13.50 LPA |
| Placement rate | 100% (MBA General batch) |
| Top recruiting companies | Accenture, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ITC, Cognizant, IBM, Kotak Mahindra Bank |
| Top hiring sectors | BFSI, Consulting, FMCG, IT Services, E-commerce, Logistics |
| Companies visiting campus | 166+ companies (recent cycle) |
Pros and cons at a glance
✓ Pros
- Dual AACSB and AMBA accreditations — only 5 in India
- 6 accepted entrance tests — most flexible IPM programme in India
- MBA program guaranteed after 3rd year — no need for a gate exam
- Holistic process — takes into account co-curricular activities and diversity
- NIRF Rank #39 — excellent institutional ranking
- 100% placement record for MBA program
- Scholarships available — best student receives 100% fee waiver for BBA
- Application fee only ₹600 — very affordable
- Part of MAHE environment — global alliances and exchange programs
- Foreign language certification offered in curriculum
✗ Cons
- Expensive fee structure — Total fee for the course is ₹28.5 lakhs at the private institute.
- IPM does not have placement figures yet (class of 2028 first batch graduates)
- Only 60 students admitted — small batch size can affect networking
- Manipal campus — relatively far off from metros; less exposure to metro cities while doing BBA
- Does not admit NRI or foreign nationals
Final verdict
TAPMI IPM is a well-designed and accredited programme and offers flexibility beyond many other non-IIM IPMs due to some unique aspects like the most number of entrance test acceptance of any IPM, AACSB and AMBA double accreditation, assurance of MBA after completion of programme and holistic selection process where a complete profile counts. For the right candidate, all these aspects are valuable.
Caveats in full honesty: It is expensive compared to others non IIM IPMs at ₹28.5 lakhs fees; it is still too early for placement data to be available – will be only available after 2028. Manipal campus, despite being good for focussed studies, lacks the metropolitan environment that Nirma in Ahmedabad or Christ University in Bengaluru have. But none of them are disqualifying factors by themselves.
If you have an IPMAT score, JEE Main score or any of six entrance test scores and have a good profile behind it, you should definitely give TAPMI IPM a consideration. After all, the application fee of ₹600 is just negligible compared to that.
Preparing for IPMAT 2027?
TAPMI accepts IPMAT scores and so do IIM Indore, IIM Amritsar, IIM Shillong, Nirma, and IIFT Kakinada. One exam, multiple institutions. AceIPM helps you maximize that score.
