Career Advice

How to Become a Product Manager in India

Published on Dec 30, 2025 by Lakshita Sharma

Becoming a Product Manager in India is one of the most popular aspirational goals for students and professionals alike. The big problem is that there is a lot of confusion. Many people end up thinking that you need an MBA, a technical degree, or a couple of years of experience to start a product management career in India. Due to a lack of clear guidance, most aspirants struggle with questions like how to become a product manager without experience, what skills are required, and where to start. The good news is that, with a proper skill set, mindset, and learning path, any individual can become a product manager in India. Companies nowadays focus more on product management skills, real-world understanding, and problem-solving abilities rather than only on degrees.

This guide is developed based on an analysis of industry trends, hiring patterns, and successful career paths of product managers in India. The guide offers practical insights, explanations easy to understand by a beginner, and proven strategies trusted by working aspirants and professionals. In this blog, you will get crystal clear directions on how to become a Product Manager, from understanding the PM role, required skills, tools, certifications, and salary expectations to step-by-step guidance on landing your first product manager job in India.

Key Takeaways:

• An MBA and experience as a project manager are not prerequisites to becoming a product manager in India; skills and experience are valued highly.
• A strong background in product management skills, such as problem-solving, communication, data analysis, and user thinking, is necessary for PMs.
•  Hands-on experience through projects, internships, or case studies will help you get into product management sooner.
• Having a proper roadmap, along with the right tools, certifications, and network, would help you crack the role of a Product Manager in India.

What Does a Product Manager DO?

A Product Manager (PM) is charged with planning, developing, and managing a product from concept through to launch. The product manager acts as a link between the customer, business, and development teams to ensure the product addresses a problem and meets business objectives.

Roles & Responsibilities of a Product Manager

• Decide on what to build and why
• Gather feedback, analyse user problems
• Features, Updates, and Timelines in plan
• Collaboration with Developers & Designers
• Determine what's most valuable for your customers and your company
• Ensure smooth release of the product
• Based on data, KPI, and user feedback, establish what
• Update as per market trends and user requirements.

What skills are required to become a product manager

• Product & Business Understanding – Understanding market requirements, problems faced by customers, business objectives, and value addition through a product.
• Communication Skills - Ability to articulate concepts with developers, designers, stakeholders, and senior management.
• Analytical Skills – Leverage data, feedback, and analytics to make informed product-related decisions.
• Technical Knowledge – Understanding of software development, APIs, UX/UI, agile methodologies (not necessarily coding skills, but having tech knowledge).
•  User-Centric Thinking - Emphasis on user experiences, customer issues, and usability.
• Stakeholder Management – Coordination with cross-functional teams can be handled by the stakeholder
• Problem-Solving Skills – Able to spot problems rapidly and develop effective solutions.
• Leadership & Decision Making - Ownership, Prioritisation of Features, and Vision for the Product.

What courses and certifications are required to become a product manager

Such courses on Product Management can help you acquire hands-on skills such as product strategy, research with the end-user, planning the roadmap, and managing stakeholders.

Courses Required to Become a Product Manager

1. Course on Product Management Fundamentals
2. Course on Agile and Scrum Product Management
3. Data Analytics for Product Managers
4. UX/UI Design für Produktmanager
5. Business and Strategy Courses

Product Manager Certifications Needed

1. Certified Product Manager (CPM)
2. Scrum Product Owner Certification (CSPO / PSPO)
3. Google Project Management Certification
4. Product Management Certificate from Coursera & edX
5. SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager Certification

Types of Product Manager Jobs in India

With the right learning path and continuous improvement, product management can be a rewarding and high-paying career.

1. Associate Product Manager (APM)

• Role: Assist senior PMs, research, documentation
• Skills Needed: Basic PM tools, communication, analytics
• Salary in India: ₹6 – ₹12 LPA

2. Product Manager

• Role: Own features, manage roadmap, work with teams
• Skills Needed: Agile, UX, data analysis, stakeholder handling
• Salary in India: ₹12 – ₹25 LPA

3. Senior Product Manager

• Role: Define long-term product vision, mentor teams
• Skills Needed: Strategy, leadership, business growth
• Salary in India: ₹25 – ₹40+ LPA

4. Technical Product Manager

• Role: Handle technical products & complex systems
• Skills Needed: Coding knowledge, system design, APIs
• Salary in India: ₹20 – ₹45 LPA

5. Product Lead / Head of Product

Top management role :

• Role: Own product portfolio & company growth
• Skills Needed: Vision, leadership, business strategy
• Salary in India: ₹40 LPA – ₹1 Cr+

Step-by-Step Roadmap to Becoming a Product Manager in India

There are step by step guidance to become a product manager in India.

Step 1: Understand the Product Manager Role

Product strategy, customer needs, business goals, and team coordination-all are within a Product Manager's purview. Product managers work to integrate engineering, design, marketing, and sales to build successful products.

Key Areas of Emphasis:

• Problem-solving
• Decision-making
• Business + tech understanding

Step 2: Build Core Product Management Skills

Learn the most important product manager skills:

• Product lifecycle management
• Market & user research
• Roadmapping & prioritisation (MoSCoW, RICE)
• Agile & Scrum fundamentals
• Data analysis-KPIs, metrics 
•  Communication & stakeholder management

Step 3:Learn Tools Used by Product Managers

Get hands-on with common PM tools:

• Jira, Confluence
• Figma (basic understanding)
• Google Analytics / Mixpanel
• Excel, SQL (basic)
• Productboard, Notion

Step 4: Gain Relevant Experience

From Related Roles:

• Business Analyst
• Software Engineer
• QA / Tester
• Digital Marketer
• UI/UX Designer

Step 5: Create a Strong Product Portfolio

Show practical work such as:

• Case studies (real or mock products)
• Product improvement ideas
• User journey maps
• Roadmaps & PRDs

Step 6: Learn Through Certifications & Courses

Popular PM certifications in India:

• IIM Product Management programs
• UpGrad / Simplilearn / Coursera PM courses
• Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)

Step 7: Network with Product Managers

• Join PM communities (LinkedIn, Slack)
• Attend meetups & webinars
• Follow Indian PM leaders
• Ask for referrals & mentorship

Step 8: Apply for Entry-Level PM Roles

Apply for:

• Associate Product Manager (APM)
• Junior Product Manager
• Product Analyst

Step 9: Crack Product Manager Interviews

Prepare for:

• Product sense questions
• Case studies
• Metrics & analytics
• Behavioural questions

Step 10: Keep Learning & Growing

Product management is a continuous learning career:

• Stay updated with market trends
• Learn from user feedback
• Improve leadership & strategy skills

FAQs

Q1. A fresher can also become a Product Manager in India.

Yes, freshers can apply for Associate Product Manager (APM) or Product Analyst after developing skills in product thinking, analysis, and user research.

Q2. What are the skills necessary for becoming a Product Manager?

Skills include product strategy, communication, data analysis, understanding of UX, management of stakeholders, and problem-solving.

Q3. Do I need an MBA to be a Product Manager?

No, an MBA degree is not required. Many product managers will have a background in engineering, design, marketing, or business-related skills.

Q4. What is the average salary of a Product Manager in India?

Entry-level Product Managers get salary packages ranging from ₹8-15 LPA, but experienced individuals may get above ₹25 LPA.

Q5. How do I begin a career in Product Management in India?

Firstly, learn the basics of PM, develop case studies, work on real projects and products, and network with people to apply for APM jobs/internships.