Introduction To Distance Learning MBA
An MBA degree is indeed the best post-graduate degree program that can open the door of success for anyone who wants to make a career in the field of business management.
But the traditional full-time MBA degree courses are not feasible for working professionals because they cannot leave their job to pursue a 2-year on-campus degree program.
In India, distance learning MBA courses offer an opportunity to working professionals and fresh graduates to acquire an MBA degree without quitting their job and other commitments.
A distance learning MBA program offers a flexible way to MBA aspirants to advance their skills and knowledge that is required to compete in this competitive job market.
There are many reputed universities like IGNOU, Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning, NMIMS, Amity University, Sikkim Manipal University, Madras University, Chandigarh University, Lovely Professional University etc do offer an MBA distance education course.
Whether you're planning for a career change, career advancement, or looking for a salary hike, these distance MBA programs can help you achieve your goals.
The Distance MBA courses in India are recognized by the UGC-DEB, and approved by the AICTE, thus these course are considered equivalent to the degree acquired through on-campus mode of learning.
If you are confused, which university to join to pursue a distance MBA degree program? Or wants to know the top 10 distance learning MBA courses in India then keep reading this article.
In this article we have mentioned the best universities in India that offer a distance MBA or PGDM course.
MBA Distance Education India: Summary
Below is a summary of MBA Distance Education in India.
Name of the program | Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
Duration of the program | Minimum 2 Years – Maximum 4 Years |
Mode of Learning | Distance Education |
Recognition | University Grant Commission – Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB), AICTE |
Eligibility | Minimum 50% marks in graduation (45% for reserved category students) |
Fees | INR 62,000 – INR 2,00,000 |
Admission Process | Completely online through official website |
Popular Specializations | Marketing, Finance, Human Resource, Operations, Hospital Management, Digital Marketing, Information Technology, Project Management, Business Analytics, International Business, Risk Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Strategy, General Management, Retail |
Placement | 100% placement assistance is provided to students. |
Degree Acceptance | The distance MBA degree is valid for both corporate and government jobs. It is also valid for higher education in India. |
Top 10 Distance Learning MBA Colleges in India
Institute of Management Studies (IMT) Ghaziabad
IMT is one of the top business schools in India. IMT offers distance education courses under its center for distance learning (IMT CDL).
IMT CDL Ghaziabad offers a wide range of distance learning courses in the field of management and information technology.
All the courses offered by IMT CDL are recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Being an Institution and not a university, IMT CDL offers a PGDM (MBA) which is 2 years post graduate program in the field of management.
The 2 year MBA offered by IMT Ghaziabad is considered one of the best distance MBA in Delhi NCR region.
Apart from the 2 years PGDM program, IMT also offers a one year PG diploma in the field of business administration and a one year executive PGDM program which specializations in the field of Financial Management, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, and Information Systems.
IMT has won many awards for its distance learning management courses. Some of them are
- IMT ranked #1 in the survey conducted by ZEE BUSINESS on INDIA'S BEST DISTANCE LEARNING B-SCHOOLS in the year 2012.
- IMT got the "Award for Excellence in Distance Education" by 24th Business School Affaire & Dewang Mehta National Education Awards in 2016.
- IMT got the "CSR Top Distance Learning Institute of India Award" by Competition Success Review in 2016.
- IMT recognized as 'Best Institute in Distance/Open Learning' at the 8th ASSOCHAM Education Summit National Excellence Awards 2015.
Amity University
Amity is one of the top ranked private university in India with over 350000 students.
Besides its regular courses, Amity also offers online learning through Amity Directorate of Distance and Online Education.
The distance education MBA course offered by AMITY University is a top ranked management degree course in India.
The distance learning MBA program has been ranked #1 in India and #37 globally by QS Rankings.
The Online/Distance MBA program offered by Amity University is the first online MBA program in India that got the UGC approval for online MBA courses.
Amity University is the only university in India that has the highest US & UK accreditation.
Amity University is also WES accredited in the US & Canada, that means their degrees are valid for study and work in US and Canada.
The two-year (4 semesters) program offers 13 specializations.
Amity Online MBA program is a complete online course. Anyone with a graduation degree with 40% marks can join this course.
Below are the names of 13 MBA specializations offered by Amity University
- Marketing & Sales Management
- Finance and Accounting Management
- Human Resource Management
- Information Technology Management
- International Finance
- Global Finance Market
- Retail Management
- International Business Management
- Entrepreneurship and Leadership Management
- Hospitality Management
- Insurance Management
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Management
- Production and Operations Management
Apart from these specializations, Amity University also offered specialized online MBA program in a particular field of management. The name of these specialized online MBA programs are
- MBA with specialization in Digital Marketing Management
- MBA with specialization in HR Analytics
- MBA with specialization in Data Science
- MBA with specialization in Business Analytics
- MBA with specialization in Digital Entrepreneurship
- MBA with specialization in International Finance
Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning (SCDL)
Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning (SCDL) Pune is another award winning and one of the largest autonomous distance learning institute in India.
SCDL was started in the year 2001 and offers Post Graduate Diploma, Diploma and Certificate programs.
SCDL’s 2 years PGDBA (MBA) is one of the most popular management program in India. You can choose a specialization out the six specializations available i.e Finance, Marketing, Operations, HR, Customer Relationship Management and Management Accounting.
If you wish to choose two specializations, Dual (additional) Specialization option is also available for the PGDBA program.
Apart from the PGDBA program, Symbiosis also offers 2 years PG diploma courses in the field of International Business, IT Management, Banking and Finance, Human Resource Management, Insurance Management, Retail Management, Customer Relationship Management, Supply Chain Management & Export and Import Management.
To be eligible for these courses someone should be a graduate in any discipline, from a recognized University.
The Symbiosis distance MBA is quite popular in India and considered as one of the best distance education MBA in Pune and rest of Maharashtra including Mumbai, Nashik, and Aurangabad.
Manipal University Jaipur
Manipal University Jaipur is a NAAC A+ accredited, UGC-entitled university that offers a 2-year Online MBA in India.
The University started offering the Online MBA program in the year 2021, and in the short span of time, the course has gain a lot of popularity among the students who are looking for a good Online MBA program in India.
The Online MBA from Manipal University Jaipur offers 13 specializations to choose from.
- Marketing
- Human Resource Management
- Operations Management
- Analytics and Data Science
- Retail Management
- Finance
- IT & FinTech
- International Business
- Project Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Total Quality Management
- Information System Management
- BFSI
The Online MBA from Manipal University is a 2-year degree program. Students who have completed their graduation degree can apply for admission. There is no work experience required to join the course.
The total fee for the 2-year online MBA program is INR 1,66,000/-
Apart from the Online MBA program, Manipal University also offers a special MBA program for working professionals called Online MBA for Working Professionals.
The Online MBA for working professionals is also a 2-year (24 months) degree program. To join this program, 1-year working experience is required. The total fee for this course is INR 2,60,000. There are total 10 specializations available with this program.
DY Patil University
DY Patil University is one of the fastest growing distance learning universities in the country. The university is entitled by the UGC and DEB.
Founded by Dr Dnyandeo Yashwantrao Patil, DY Patil University offers a 2-year distance and online MBA program that offers 15 industry focused specializations.
DY Patil Distance MBA has the latest curriculum that is at par with the MBA program offered by the leading universities in the world. The study material has been designed with the help of some of the leading publishers globally.
The Distance/online MBA program offered by DY Patil University
The 2 year program is divided into 4 semesters and each semester has 6 subjects.
The program is offered through virtual learning sessions, recorded video lectures, and personal contact programs.
The online MBA program offered by the DY Patil University focuses on assignment based study that helps students learn the concepts of management and apply the theoretical knowledge from the program.
DY Patil Distance/Online MBA program offers the following MBA Specializations
- Marketing Management
- Human Resource Management
- Finance Management
- Operations Management
- Hospital Administration and Health Care Management
- Fin-Tech Management
- IT Management
- International Business Management
- Project Management
- Business Analytics Management
- Agri-Business Management
- Logistics, Materials and Supply Chain Management
- Block Chain Management
- Digital Marketing Management
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Apart from the 2-year Online MBA program, DY Patil University also offers an Executive MBA program that comes with 6 industry focused specializations.
The executive MBA program offered by the university is a 1-year online MBA program that is designed for working professionals with minimum 2-years of working experience.
These are the executive MBA courses offered by DY Patil University.
- Executive MBA in Marketing Management
- Executive MBA in Human Resource Management
- Executive MBA in Healthcare Management
- Executive MBA in Finance Management
- Executive MBA in Information Technology Management
- Executive MBA in Operation & Production Management
DY Patil University Accreditations and Approvals
- UGC DEB entitled university
- NAAC A++ Grade with CGPA 3.59
- NIRF rank 81 in university category
- AICTE approved
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
When we think about distance education, the first name that comes to our mind is IGNOU. IGNOU is world’s largest university in terms of number of students enrolled.
It offers a variety of distance education courses. MBA is one of the most popular distance education course offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University.
The minimum duration to complete the MBA program offered by IGNOU is 2.5 years.
There is no age bar to join the course.
To be eligible for the course, someone should be a graduate with at least 50% marks for general category and 45% for reserved category and 3 years managerial/supervisory/professional experience.
You can also join the course if you have a professional degree with 50% marks.
You should also clear the OPENMAT exam conducted by IGNOU.
Apart from the general MBA program that we have mentioned above, IGNOU also offers a specialized MBA program i.e Master of Business Administration (Banking & Finance) (MPB).
To be eligible for this course, someone should be a member of the Indian Institute of Bankers. There are also some special requirements that needs to be meet in order to get admission in MBA Banking & Finance.
IGNOU offers the cheapest distance education MBA in India.
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Annamalai University
Annamalai University is one of the most popular universities in South India.
The university offers more than 500 different courses under its Directorate of Distance Education.
The Annamalai University DDE was established in the year 1979.
Annamalai University DDE offers general MBA and 5 other specialized MBA programs under the distance education mode.
The MBA courses offered by the university are quite popular in India, specially in South Indian cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Vellore, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc.
The general MBA program is available under English Medium & Tamil Medium. All other MBA programs are available under English Medium only.
Annamalai University DDE offers the following MBA courses
- General MBA
- MBA E-Business
- MBA International Business
- MBA Human Resource Management
- MBA Marketing Management
- MBA Financial Management
Admission in Annamalai Distance Education MBA programs are made after passing of a written Entrance Examination.
Admissions Are Closing Soon
Admissions for the current session is closing very soon. All major universities are inviting applications for admission in distance MBA. Seats are limited. Don't let this opportunity slip from your hand.
Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management
Welingkar Institute of Management Development (WeSchool) is another top B-School in India. The institute was established in the year 1977.
Apart from its full-time regular courses, Welingkar Institute of Management Development also offers part-time courses i.e post graduate diploma in management, diploma & certification courses though hybrid learning format.
The distance learning courses offered by WeSchool are accredited by Universtiy Grants Commission (UGC-DEB).
WeSchool’s MBA (PGDM) program is one of the most popular distance learning management course in India.
If you're looking for a good distance MBA in Mumbai, Welingkar could be a good option for you.
The PGDM course offers the following specializations
- Marketing Management
- Finance Management
- Human Resource Management
- Retail Management
- Operations Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Business Administration
- E-Business
- Banking, Investment & Insurance
- International Business
- Rural and Agribusiness
- Hospitality Management
- Healthcare Management
- Media and Advertising
- Services Excellence
- Travel and Tourism
- IT Projects Management
- E-Commerce
Lovely Professional University
Lovely Professional University is among the top ranked private universities in India. The university has won many awards for its quality education.
The university is located in Punjab and offers both regular and distance education courses.
Under the distance education mode, the university offers Degree and Diploma programmes.
The distance education MBA program is one of the top ranked degree courses in the field of business management.
The fee structure of LPU’s distance education MBA programme is quite affordable.
The minimum duration to complete the programme is 2 years and the maximum is 5 years.
Someone should have a graduation degree from a recognised university to be eligible for the programme.
Lovely Professional University’s distance education MBA course offers 7 specializations.
Students may choose Core Specialization or Major-Minor Specializations from the specializations available i.e
- Marketing
- Finance
- Information Technology
- Human Resource Management
- Operations Management
- International Business
- Retail Management
ICFAI University
ICFAI University is a renowned name in distance education. Since 3 decades ICFAI is offering higher education in India and has won many awards for its quality of education.
ICFAI offers many degree, post graduate diploma courses and certificate programs in the field of business management.
It’s popular distance education MBA degree program that is divided into 5 modules. The 3rd module consists of electives. The students have to select one elective out of 16 electives available.
The available electives are as follows.
- Marketing
- Finance
- Human Resource Management
- Strategic Finance
- Operations
- Risk Management
- Global Markets
- Retail Management
- Pharma Management
- Hospital Administration
- IT & Systems
- Innovation Management
- Healthcare Management
- Investment Management
- International Business
- Telecom Management
The entire MBA program is based on self-study and examination model.
ICFAI offers convenient examination schedule to students.
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) was established in 1981 by Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal. NMIMS ranked among the top 10 B-Schools in India for regular MBA course.
Under distance and online education mode, NMIMS offers MBA (Distance), MBA (Executive), diploma courses, and certification programs in management through its NMIMS Center for Distance & Online Education (CDOE).
All the courses offered by NMIMS are approved by UGC-DEB (Distance Education Bureau).
NMIMS Distance Education MBA (Online) is one of the top ranked management program in India. Currently NMIMS offers the following 2 years distance MBA courses under distance education mode.
- MBA in Business Management
- MBA in Financial Management
- MBA in Human Resource Management
- MBA in Marketing Management
- MBA in Operations Management
- MBA in Data Science
NMIMS accept applications for admission throughout the year for the two batches i.e
- Spring Batch –Register between 11th September and 10th March
- Fall Batch – Register between 11th March and 10th September
To get the admission, you must be a graduate from a recognized university with 50% marks.
NMIMS has won many awards for its contribution to distance education in India. Some of the awards it has won are
- Ranked 2nd among the top B-Schools offering distance education in India by ZeeBusiness.
- Ranked 5th among the top B-Schools offering distance education in India by DNA-Indus learning survey.
- Ranked as top distance learning institute in India for excellence in management education by Competition Success Review.
So these are the best universities in India for distance education MBA. We truly hope you must have liked this article. If you have any admission related query, feel free to contact us using the contact form available on our website.
Most of the universities have their information centers across India including the states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Tripura, Telangana, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh.
The following popular cities have the highest number of information centers: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Dehradun, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Coimbatore, Cochin, Chandigarh, Calicut, Ernakulam, Faridabad, Guwahati, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Indore, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Jamshedpur, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Pune, Nagpur, Noida, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Rajkot, Raipur, Thane, Udaipur, Varanasi, Vadodara, Vizag, Greater Noida, Goa, Bareilly, Moradabad.
What is Distance MBA?
A distance MBA is a 2-year master’s degree program in business management that is offered in distance learning mode by various UGC and AICTE approved universities in India.
Unlike a regular full-time MBA program where students have to visit a college campus to attend classes, a distance learning MBA program allows students to study from the comfort of their home without going to college. Students get access to course material like physical books, e-books, and recorded lectures to study from anywhere they want.
A distance MBA is considered an ideal choice for working professionals who cannot leave their jobs to do a regular MBA program.
The duration and eligibility of a distance education MBA program is similar to a full time MBA program and they are considered equivalent to a regular MBA program. The degree is valid for higher education, and government and private sector jobs.
These courses also offer options to choose a specialization of your choice. Popular specializations offered by distance MBA are Marketing, HR, Finance, IT, Operations.
Why Distance MBA? – Distance MBA Benefits
- Flexibility: Distance MBA offers the flexibility to students to study at their convenient time. Not only students can access to recorded lectures 24*7 but can also schedule their examination at their convenient date and time.
- Affordability: A distance MBA program cost 1/4th of the cost of a regular MBA which makes it highly affordable options to upgrade your degree.
- Recognition: Distance MBA courses are recognized by the UGC and DEB in India. They are treated equally as good as a regular MBA for government or private jobs.
- Wide Range of Specializations: Distance education MBA courses come with a wide range of specializations to choose from. You get more specializations to choose than in a regular MBA program.
- Easy Admission Process: The admission process for a distance learning MBA program is quite easy and unlike a regular MBA, you need not to clear an entrance exam. Anyone with a graduation degree can join a distance MBA program.
- Learn While You Earn: Since you need not to attend regular classrooms, you can continue your job while doing a distance MBA program.
How to Apply for Distance MBA in India?
Applying for a distance MBA program in India is easier than you might think. It’s a 5 step process.
1. Check Your Eligibility
Different universities had different eligibility criteria for admission. Some require minimum 50% marks in graduation, some require minimum 2 years work experience, and some other require to clear their entrance exam. It is advisable to check your eligibility before you apply for admission.
2. Registration
If you’re eligible for admission, you can register yourself for admission. Almost all the universities today have an online registration facility. You can visit university’s official website and fill up the registration form online. They also accept online payments for the registration fee. Alternatively, you can also visit University’s campus or information center for admission.
3. Appear in Entrance Exam
To take admission in distance MBA in India, you need to clear an entrance exam. After registration, you are required to appear in the entrance exam. You will be only allowed to take admission, once you clear the entrance exam. Although, few university’s offer admission without entrance exam.
4. Fee
After you clear the entrance test, you can pay the program fee. You can make the complete payment in one go or you can pay in installments. Some universities also offer EMI facility. For the same they have tied up with some banks. You may also use your credit card to make the payment and convert the amount in EMIs.
5. Confirmation
After making the fee payment, you will receive a conformation from the university regarding your admission in the university. You will also receive your enrollment number from the university. University also send you study material and login details of their online education portal where you can access to all the video material, Books, and online classes.
Distance MBA Benefits
An MBA program through distance learning or online mode is the ideal choice for people who cannot attend regular classrooms for various reasons. Below are some of major distance MBA benefits.
- No need to attend regular classes
- Study at your own preferred time
- Affordable fee
- Admission Twice in a year
- Online study material
- Students can apply for government jobs after getting their degree
Distance MBA Salary
The salary of a MBA professional is depends upon the experience. If you already have good working experience, you will get a better salary package after completing your distance MBA program. Although, a fresher gets a lesser salary package after completing the program. Usually most people in India gets a salary package between 2 lakh to 10 lakh after completing distance MBA degree.
Distance MBA Eligibility
The basic requirement that makes you eligible for taking admission in a distance MBA is a graduation degree. You should be graduate with at least 50% marks from a recognized university in India. Some universities gives relaxation in minimum percentage of marks required.
You may also be required to clear an entrance exam.
Distance MBA Fees
The fee for a distance education MBA course differs university to university. In India, the fee ranges between INR 60000 to INR 200000 for the complete course.
Distance MBA Good or Bad
A distance education MBA is like a boon for working professionals. You can complete your higher education without leaving your current job.
Flexible study hours make it convenient to pursue the course. You need not to attend any classes.
The fee structure is also very affordable and the degree is accepted for both government and private jobs.
Overall, a distance MBA is a win-win opportunity for students and working professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Which University is Best For Distance Education?
Answer: In this article, we have mentioned the top 10 universities for distance education MBA.
Generally, universities that are approved by UGC DEB for offering distance education courses, conduct examinations on time, and charge reasonable fee from the students are considered good universities.
While choosing a university, you must check how the program will be delivered. Now-a-days most universities have an online platform to deliver lectures and providing study material.
Amity University, NMIMS, IGGNOU, ICFAI University, Sikkim Manipal University, Lovely Professional University, are some names of good universities in India offering distance education courses.
Below are the top 10 universities in India for Distance Education MBA / PGDM programs that we have mentioned above in this article.
| Rank | Name of the University | Course | Total Fees |
| 1 | IMT Ghaziabad | PGDM | INR 1,60,000 |
| 2 | Amity University | Online MBA | INR 1,99,000 |
| 3 | Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning | PGDBA | INR 65,000 |
| 4 | Manipal University Jaipur | Online MBA | INR 1,75,000 |
| 5 | DY Patil University | Online MBA | INR 1,89,400 |
| 6 | IGNOU | Distance MBA | INR 62,000 |
| 7 | Annamalai University | Distance MBA | INR 40,000 |
| 8 | Welingkar Institute of Management | Hybrid PGDM | INR 1,26,000 |
| 9 | Lovely Professional University | Distance MBA | INR 62,000 |
| 10 | ICFAI University | Online MBA | INR 2,00,000 |
Question: Is Distance Education MBA Valuable?
Answer: Not everyone can pursue a regular MBA course. Working professionals cannot do it because they cannot leave their job, and some other cannot do it because they don’t have money to pay for a regular MBA program which generally cost 4 times of the cost of a distance MBA.
In today’s time when universities are using online program delivery systems, it makes lot of sense to pursue a distance education MBA program because you can watch all the lectures online, can access study material, and ask your doubts from the faculty and peers.
Now a distance education MBA degree is valid in both private and regular jobs. In a nutshell, a distance education MBA has the same value as a regular MBA does.
Question: Which is Better PGDM or MBA?
Answer: Both the PGDM and MBA are post graduate programs in the field of management. While PGDM is a two year diploma course offered by deemed to be universities and management institutions like NMIMS, SCDL, IMT etc., an MBA program is a two year degree course which is offered by universities offering distance education courses in India like ICFAI, Annamalai University, SMU, IGNOU, LPU etc.
Syllabus wise, both the courses are almost same and offer similar kind of understanding on the subject.
Both the courses are accepted in government and private jobs. Although in some situations where an MBA is must, PGDM students can not apply. For example, for doing a Ph.D, an MBA degree is must.
Both the PGDM and MBA are equally good if you’re in a private job, although for higher education or doing a job where a MBA degree is required, some should choose an MBA over PGDM.
Question: Is CAT or MAT Required for Distance MBA?
Answer: There is no special requirement of appearing in CAT or MAT for doing a distance MBA since most universities conduct their own entrance exams. Although if you have a valid CAT or MAT score, you can get an admission in a distanc MBA course on the basis of the same.
Question: Which Specialization is Best in MBA?
Answer: The one answer for this question is all the specializations are good if you choose them based on the past education and interest. For example if you’re a commerce student and have interest in accounting and investment, a specialization in Finance or Banking will be a good fit for you. On the other hand a specialization in Marketing will be good for a student who loves to travel, meeting new people and take deadlines seriously. Always choose a specialization based on your interest so that you can enjoy your job.
Question: What is The Salary of an MBA?
Answer: The salary of an MBA depends upon many factors like experience, type of job, location of the job, and company. If you’re a fresher and searching a job in a metro city, you can accept a salary from INR 15000 to INR 25000. Although, the average salary of an experienced MBA professional in India is INR 50000.
Question: Can You Get a Job After Distance MBA?
Answer: Yes, you can easily get a job after distance MBA if you have the skills and mindset an HR manager is looking for. Even some distance education universities provides placement assistant to their students after they complete their distance MBA. To get a good job you need both the skills and education.
Question: Can I do PHD after distance education MBA?
Answer: Yes, you can do PHD after completing your distance MBA. As per the norms set by UGC for doing a PHD, a masters degree is required. Since MBA is a master degree in management, you can apply for PHD after completing your degree.
Although, someone can not do PHD after doing PGDM. The PGDM is a post graduate diploma program in management. Since PGDM is not a degree program, it does not meet the eligibility criteria for doing PHD.
Question: Is PGDM equals to MBA?
Answer: Not all PGDM courses are considered equal to MBA. A PGDM is considered equal to MBA if the institution offering PGDM has accreditation from AIU (The Association of Indian Universities). Course wise, a PGDM and MBA is equal but an MBA course has wider acceptance in both private and government jobs.
Question: Is distance MBA valid for a government job?
Answer: In a recent notification, UGC clarified that degrees, diplomas, and certificates awarded by universities and institutions, approved by UGC-DEB, should be treated as corresponding degrees of regular institutions. That means a distance MBA will be treated as good as a regular MBA for government jobs.
Question: Which is better? A Regular MBA or a distance MBA
Answer: A regular MBA is always better than a distance MBA, the reason because you do it full-time and spend two complete years to study the various aspects of management and clarifies your doubts with the faculty members.
Although, a regular MBA is not feasible for everyone, for example, people working in an organization cannot do it because they cannot leave their job. Distance MBA is a good option for working professionals, people living in remote area, and housewives.
Question: Does distance MBA universities offer placement after completion of the course?
Answer: Distance education MBA is a program which is designed keeping working professionals in mind. That means a distance MBA program is most suitable for people who are already working in a company. Although it is not always the case, the programme is equally popular among freshly graduates and house wives.
Most distance education MBA universities don’t offer any placement to their students, although some universities like SMU, NMIMS, IMT Ghaziabad etc sometimes offer placement assistance to their students. IGNOU also has a campus placement cell.
Question: Is distance education degree valid for state government / central government jobs?
Answer: Yes, distance education degrees are valid for getting employment in state government and central government jobs.
You must have acquired your degree from a university approved by distance education bureau (DEB) – a UGC body that gives approval to universities to run distance education courses in India.
Question: Is there any age limit for admission in a distance education MBA program?
Answer: No, there is no age limit for admission in a distance education MBA program. Eligible people from any age can apply for admission.
Question: When and where are the end-term examination conducted?
Answer: The end-term examinations are generally conducted in the months of June & December.
For distance education MBA programs, the examinations are conducted at the Examination Centres established by the University.
For online MBA programs, the examinations are conducted online and you can appear in examinations from your office or home.
If your university has permission from DEB to offer distance MBA course in India, a degree awarded by that university will be valid for getting employment in state & central government jobs.
Question: Is distance education MBA degree valid for PhD?
Answer: Yes, you can apply for Ph.D program if you have a distance MBA degree from a recognized university. PGDM/PGDBA students can not apply for Ph.D since diploma courses are not eligible for Ph.D programs.
Question: What is the difference between a distance MBA and an Online MBA?
Answer: Although both online MBA and distance MBA offer flexibility to students who want to earn an MBA degree without going to college, there is a major difference in terms of program delivery.
In an Online MBA, students get opportunity to interact with their teachers and classmates through live lectures and interactive sessions like group projects and virtual networking sessions. They also get an access to recorded video lectures in case they miss to attend the live classes.
On the other hand, a distance MBA program is a self-paced learning program where a student gets the study material from the university and he/she can study at their own pace and at their own preferred time. There are no live classes available for students.
We can say that online MBA is an interactive learning program whereas a distance MBA is a self-paced MBA program