Should candidates with a 9/8/6 profile and CFA L2 target buy-side roles from DoMS IIT Madras?
Buy-side roles from DoMS IIT Madras are achievable but not handed to you through campus placements. A 9/8/6 academic profile with CFA Level 2 is a credible combination, and it will open doors at boutique asset managers, family offices, and equity research desks.
Breaking into VC or PE directly from DoMS is a different, harder conversation.
The Buy-Side Reality at DoMS
DoMS does not run a structured buy-side placement pipeline.
Most VC and PE firms do not participate in campus drives at any Indian B-school outside the top IIMs, and DoMS is no exception. Verified alumni data in public PE/VC roles from DoMS is sparse.
That does not mean the path is closed, but you should not rely on the placement cell to deliver it. This is hard, and pretending otherwise wastes your two years.
The CFA Level 2 credential changes the calculus somewhat. It signals equity valuation depth, portfolio theory, and financial reporting fluency that a standard MBA coursework cannot replicate.
Boutique asset managers and family offices, which recruit outside the campus circuit, respond to this credential more than they respond to an IIM tag. Pair that with a live investment thesis or a tracked stock portfolio, and you become a serious candidate for off-campus outreach.
Where DoMS Finance Placements Actually Land
The stronger and more reliable finance outcomes at DoMS are on the sell-side and in corporate finance. Recent batches have seen offers from Goldman Sachs, Citi, ICICI Securities, and Avendus in equity research and investment banking analyst roles.
Average finance packages sit around ₹18-22 LPA, with top offers touching ₹26-28 LPA.
| Role Type | Typical Recruiters | Approximate CTC |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Research | Goldman Sachs, Citi, ICICI Securities | ₹20-28 LPA |
| Investment Banking | Avendus, Axis Capital | ₹18-24 LPA |
| Corporate Finance | HUL, Tata Group, L&T | ₹16-20 LPA |
| Buy-Side (off-campus) | Boutique AMCs, Family Offices | ₹14-22 LPA |
These sell-side positions are not consolation prizes. Two to three years in equity research at Goldman Sachs or Avendus is a legitimate and well-worn pathway into buy-side roles.
Many analysts make that transition with a stronger profile than they would have had coming straight out of B-school.
How to Build the Buy-Side Track Yourself
Campus infrastructure will not do this work for you. The practical path involves three moves:
- Cold-email portfolio managers and analysts at boutique AMCs and mid-market PE funds using LinkedIn and alumni networks.
- Publish a written investment thesis, either on a public platform or directly in outreach emails, to demonstrate analytical edge.
- Target the DoMS Finance Club actively to surface any existing alumni in buy-side roles, even one warm introduction can unlock a referral chain.
Your 9/8/6 profile removes the academic objection early in screening. CFA Level 2 handles the technical credibility question.
What remains is demonstrating deal exposure or original research, and that has to come from you, not from the placement cell.
The IIT Madras brand carries genuine weight in quantitative and research-heavy finance contexts. It will not overcome a thin application, but it will get your email opened.
Pro Tip: Before your first semester ends, publish one original equity research note (5-8 pages, DCF included) on a mid-cap Indian stock and attach it to every buy-side cold outreach, it does more work than your resume alone.