Table of Contents
1.4 Good Reasons to do Distance MBA in India
3.The Best Distance MBA Programs in India
4.Top MBA Distance Learning Colleges in India
5.Executive Distance MBAs & Distance MBAs for Working Professionals
6.Eligibility to do Distance MBA in India
8.How to Apply for Distance MBA in India
9.Jobs for Distance MBA Students
Distance MBA in India is popular among working professionals. And for a good reason.
The corporate ladder is steep - just as hard as it can be to climb it. But, one rung of headstart can take you way higher than your non-MBA peers. No matter if you have done your bachelor’s in Engineering or Business Administration.
A Glassdoor survey had recently stated that on average, each corporate job offer attracts 250 resumes. However, out of those candidates, only 4 to 6 will get called for an interview. In contrast, only one will get the job.
Unarguably, an MBA certificate is the headstart you need. But what if getting an MBA is not convenient enough for you? We’d ask, “what if so?” We have your way out.
A Distance MBA or Correspondence MBA is your knight in shining armour here.
What is Distance Education?
Distance Education or Distance Learning is also known as Correspondence Education and Open Education. The student is not physically present at the educational institution but is instead corresponded via mail (today emails and other modes of communication). The certificates earned this way are usually just regarded as the ones awarded after regular mode of education. MBA is one of the most common certificates earned by correspondence and exams.
4 Good Reasons to do Distance MBA in India
You may wonder should I do my Distance MBA in India or Abroad? Well, we have put together 4 good reasons to do a distance MBA in India.
❏ Distance MBA is Convenient and student-friendly:
A range of people from working professionals to students pursuing other courses, to stay-at-home parents, just about any degree-holder can do Distance MBA. The courses involve study materials, digital classes. They are flexible and convenient because it does not make a student engage in classroom learning. You can do a distant MBA by incorporating some study time and a few days a year for the exams.
❏ Adds value to your resume and awards you a New set of Skills:
No matter what subjects you have studied earlier, an added skill of management is a cherry on top.
❏ Worth your Money:
While many Master’s courses, especially MBAs, drain one’s pockets, Distance MBAs cost far less than you may assume. You can do a Distance MBA in India for fees as low as INR 10,000, but the value it brings to your resume is worth it.
❏ Career Stability:
Even if you have got a job without an MBA and want to get promoted or relocated, a Correspondence MBA is going to help you do that without risking a career break. Some colleges, such as the Institute of Management and Technical Studies (IMTS), Noida, offers an Executive Distance MBA that you can do in 1 year.
The Best Distance MBA Programs in India
Distance MBA in India is a valuable asset to anyone looking to move high in the career ladder. Before we begin, let’s have a quick look at the best distance MBA programs in India from top colleges and universities in India:
● Airline & Airport Management
● Aviation Management
● Banking
● Disaster Management
● Education Management
● Entrepreneurship
● Environmental Management
● Event Management
● Export & Import Management
● Finance Management
● General Management
● Hospital Management
● Human Resources Management
● Information System Management
● Information Technology Management
● International Business Management
● Investment Management
● Logistics & Supply Chain Management
● Marketing Management
● Materials Management
● Oil and Gas Management
● Operations Management
● Pharma Management
● Project Management
● Retail Management
● Safety Management
● Services Management
● Shipping and Air-Cargo Logistics Management
● Shipping & Port Management
● Telecom Management
● Tourism & Travel Management
Top MBA Distance Learning Colleges in India
Unlike regular MBA, correspondence courses vary from each other in a lot of respects. Therefore, it would take a thorough understanding of your preferred specialisation, duration, exam centres, etc. and a decision of whether you want a Distance MBA in India or PG Diploma to proceed.
The following list consists of a few of the best Distance MBA colleges in India, some of the diploma courses they offer, and some of the peculiarities of the courses, colleges, and MBA Open universities. Of course, this is not an attempt at ranking them based on their quality of education but popularity.
List of Distance MBA Colleges in India
❖ Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
➔ Offers the cheapest Distance MBA in India
➔ Minimum duration 2.5 years, maximum period eight years
❏ General MBA (2.5 years)
❏ MBA in Banking and Finance (2.5 years)
❏ Distance PGDM (1 year)
❏ Distance PGD in HR Management (1 year)
❏ Distance PGD in Financial Management (1 year)
❏ Distance PGD in Operations Management (1 year)
❏ Distance PGD in Marketing Management (1 year)
❏ Distance PGD in Financial Markets Practice(1 year)
❖ Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS)
➔ PGDM & MBA through NMIMS Global Access School for Continuing Education (NGA -SCE) (Distance Education)
➔ offers PG Diploma, Diploma and Certificate programs
➔ Offers a Spring Batch and a Fall Batch
➔ Courses offered:
❏ Distance PGD in Business Management (2 years) ❏ Distance PGD in Financial Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in International Trade Management (2 years) ❏ Distance PGD in Supply Chain Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Human Resource Management (2 years) ❏ Distance PGD in Banking and Finance Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Marketing Management (2 years) ❏ Distance PGD in Retail Management (2 years)
❖ Dr B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BROU), Hyderabad
➔ Offers a one year Distance PGD in Marketing Management (PGDMM)
❖ Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning (SCDL), Pune
➔ Offers a PGDBA (MBA) of 2 years
➔ There are several specialisations, of which you may select up to two - Dual (additional) Specialisation.
➔ Specialisations:
❏ Distance PGD in Finance Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Banking and Finance Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in International Business Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in IT Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Human Resource Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Insurance Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Retail Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Customer Relationship Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Supply Chain Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Export and Import Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Operations Management (2 years)
❖ Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL), Chennai
❏ Distance MBA in Business and Corporate Law - 1-year course
❖ Dr D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Distance Education (DPU-IDL), Pune
❏ Distance MBA: 2 years
❖ Institute of Management Studies (IMT), Ghaziabad
❏ Distance PGD in Business Administration (2 years)
❏ Executive Distance ( 1 year) in Financial Management, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, and Information Systems
❖ Mod Tech Educational Academy (MTEA), Pune
❏ Distance MBA in Banking and Finance (2 years)
❖ National Institute of Retail Management (NIRM), Bangalore
❏ Distance MBA (2 years)
❖ Mysore Correspondence College, Bangalore
❏ Distance PGD in Business Administration (1 year)
❖ GITAM University, Vishakhapatnam
❏ Distance General MBA (2 years)
❖ The Global Open University (TGOU), Dimapur
❏ Distance MBA in Behavioural Science (2 years)
❖ Chandra Kamal Bezbaruah College, Jorhat
❏ Distance PGD in Financial Management (1 year)
❖ Don Bosco University - Distance Education
❏ Distance MBA in Finance (2 years)
❖ Institute of Productivity and Management (IPM), Ghaziabad
❏ Distance PGD in Management (PGDM) (2 years)
❖ DPA Academy of Education, Delhi
❏ Distance General MBA (2 years)
❖ Sikkim Manipal University (SMU)
➔ Offers various Distance MBA courses, including
❏ Distance PGD in Marketing Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Information Systems Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Human Resource Management (2 years)
❏ Distance PGD in Finance Management (2 years)
❖ Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University, Guwahati
❏ Distance PGD in Human Resource Management (PGDHRM): (1 year)
❖ Institute of Management Technology, Centre for Distance Learning (IMT CDL)
❏ PGDP (2 years) ❏ PGD in Business Administration (1 year)
❏ PGD in Human Resource Management (1 year)
❏ PGD in Marketing Management (1 year) ❏ PGD in Financial Management (1 year)
❏ PGD in Material and Supply Chain Management (1 year)
❖ Annamalai University - Directorate of Distance Education.
➔ Offers the following Distance MBAs
❏ Distance General MBA (2 years) ❏ Distance MBA in E-Business (2 years) ❏ Distance MBA in International Business (2 years)
❏ Distance MBA in Human Resource Management (2 years) ❏ Distance MBA in Marketing Management (2 years) ❏ Distance MBA in Financial Management (2 years)
❖ Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development (a.k.a. WeSchool)
➔ Offers various MBA (PGDM) programs you can do in 2 years with specialisations in:
❏ Banking, Investment & Insurance ❏ Business Administration ❏ E-Business ❏ E-Commerce ❏ Finance Management ❏ Healthcare Management ❏ Hospitality Management
❏ Human Resource Management ❏ International Business ❏ IT Projects Management ❏ Marketing Management ❏ Media and Advertising
❏ Operations Management ❏ Retail Management ❏ Rural and Agribusiness ❏ Services Excellence ❏ Supply Chain Management
❏ Travel and Tourism ➔ You may choose up to two streams of specialisation (Dual specialisation)
❖ Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (TNPESU), Chennai
❏ Distance PGD in Fitness Management (1 year)
❖ Amity University Directorate of Distance and Online Education.
➔ Offers different specialisations and a General MBA course you can complete in 2 years
➔ Other specialisations offered:
❏ Distance MBA in Banking Services ❏ Distance MBA in Entrepreneurship & Leadership ❏ Distance MBA in Finance and Accounting ❏ Distance MBA in Finance & Accounting ❏ Distance MBA in Financial Management ❏ Distance MBA in Global Financial Market ❏ Distance MBA in Hospital & Health Care Management ❏ Distance MBA in Hospitality Management ❏ Distance MBA in Human Resource Management ❏ Distance MBA in Information Technology ❏ Distance MBA in Insurance Management ❏ Distance MBA in International Business ❏ Distance MBA in Marketing and Sales ❏ Distance MBA in Operations Management ❏ Distance MBA in Petroleum & Natural Gas Management ❏ Distance MBA in Retail Management.
❖ Uttarakhand Open University, Nainital
❏ Distance PGD in Human Resource Management (PGDHRM): 1 year
❖ Suresh Gyan Vihar University
❏ Distance MBA in Marketing Management ❏ Distance MBA in Hospital Management ❏ Distance MBA in Operation and Production Management ❏ Distance MBA in International Marketing
❖ National Institute of Distance Education (NIDE), Kolkata
❏ Distance MBA in Banking and Insurance (2 years)
❖ Lovely Professional University (LPU Distance Education)
➔ Offers a two year MBA either with one Core Specialisation or a pair of Major & Minor Specialisations
➔ The specialisations offered: ❏ Marketing ❏ Finance ❏ Information Technology ❏ Human Resource Management ❏ Operations Management ❏ International Business ❏ Retail Management
❖ Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU), Ahmedabad
❏ Distance PGD in Business Analytics (PGDBA) (1 year)
❖ ICFAI University Distance Education (Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India)
➔ Offers two year MBA programs in
❏ Banking Services ❏ Entrepreneurship & Leadership ❏ Finance and Accounting ❏ Financial Management ❏ Global Financial Market ❏ Hospital & Health Care Management ❏ Hospitality Management ❏ Human Resource Management ❏ Information Technology ❏ Insurance Management ❏ International Business ❏ Marketing & Sales ❏ Operations Management ❏ Petroleum & Natural Gas Management ❏ Retail Management
❖ Pondicherry University - Directorate of Distance Education (DDE)
➔ Offers many MBA Degree Programmes (2 Years in 4 semesters)
❏ Distance MBA in General ❏ Distance MBA in Human Resources Management ❏ Distance MBA in Finance ❏ Distance MBA in Marketing ❏ Distance MBA in International Business ❏ Distance MBA in Hospital Management ❏ Distance MBA in Tourism ❏ Distance MBA in Operations & Supply Chain Management
Executive Distance MBAs & Distance MBAs for Working Professionals
Many colleges, such as the Institute of Management and Technical Studies (IMTS), Noida and Institute of Management Studies (IMT), Ghaziabad, offer Distance/Correspondence MBAs to Executives and working professionals.
You may be required to have a graduate certificate with at least 50% marks and a few years of working experience.
Eligibility to do Distance MBA in India
To do a distance/correspondence MBA, you will have to have scored about a minimum of 50% marks for your Graduation. However, your subject for previous courses does not matter. Work experience is a bonus but not an essential requirement at many colleges.
Some institutes offer admission to their students based on MBA entrance exam scores such as CAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, XAT, etc. Other colleges may or may not conduct their own entrance test for admission.
Distance MBA Fees
Anywhere from INR 10,000 to INR 20 lakhs is incurred by a Distance MBA course. Usually, MBAs cost more than Diploma certificates. But, one year MBAs can cost even more than two year MBAs. The Fees, of course, depends on the college, course of study, duration, the value of the certificate.
How to Apply for Distance MBA in India
You can apply for the Distance or Correspondence MBA course or Diploma of your choice, basically if you have got your graduation certificate with over 50% marks. However, if the college of your choice demands entrance exam marks, you may need to start by applying for it. You may apply for Distance MBA in India to the colleges either offline or online.
Generally, Colleges announce the admission window for the new batch during which you can fill the application form and pay the fees and apply.
Jobs for Distance MBA students
Once you have your Distance MBA in India, the corporate world is yours to conquer, just as it is for any other MBA holder. Some of the job opportunities depending on your specialisation when arranged alphabetically include:
● Advertising Manager
● Analyst
● Area Sales Manager
● Brand Manager
● Branding logistics
● Business Analyst
● Business Manager
● Content Manager
● Digital Marketer
● Equity researcher
● Finance Officer
● Human Resources Manager
● Investment Banking Associate
● Management Consultant
● Marketing Manager
● Marketing strategist
● Recruitment Manager
● Sales and Marketing Manager
The Footnote
The point here is, once you have earned your MBA/ PG Diploma in Management certificate, not many would care if you did it by correspondence or otherwise - it only matters how well you did your studies and if the certificate is valuable enough. To ensure the validity of your certificate, check beforehand to ensure that the college/ university you intend to do your course with is recognised by eminent regulatory bodies such as the UGC’s Distance Education Bureau (DEB) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The curriculum would be available online, so you can also make sure that the course is industry-relevant.
With all that sorted, nothing could stop you now from doing a Distance MBA in India.