MBA vs PGDM: Admission 2023, Difference in Eligibility, Fees, Duration, Entrance Exams

One of the major points of difference while comparing MBA and PGDM is that Master of Business Administration or MBA can only be offered by the colleges affiliated to universities, whereas PGDM or Post Graduate Diploma in Management is a diploma degree offered by various autonomous institutes. For example, FMS College Delhi, which is affiliated to University of Delhi offers an MBA degree while various autonomous colleges such as SP Jain Institute Of Management Studies and Research offers a PGDM degree.

MBA Full Form	PGDM Full Form

IIM’s too offered PGDM degrees till 2017, while they were under umbrella of Society’s act, as societies were not eligible to offer MBA degrees. However post 2017 IIMs are now recognised as institutes of national importance and are thus eligible to offer degrees.

MBA Eligibility	PGDM Eligibility

The sections below will discuss in detail the various parameters that would help in finding out the various points of differences between MBA and PGDM. Parameters such as course structure, fees, entrance exams, admission process etc would be discussed in detail to gain a clear understanding of the two different courses.

Table of Content

MBA vs PGDM: Course Highlights
MBA vs PGDM: Degree vs Diploma
MBA vs PGDM: Curriculum
MBA vs PGDM: Fees Structure
MBA vs PGDM: Entrance Exams
MBA vs PGDM: Eligibility
MBA vs PGDM: Admission Process

7.1 MBA Admission

7.2 PGDM Admission

MBA vs PGDM: Accreditation
MBA vs PGDM: FAQs

MBA vs PGDM: Course Highlights

Parameters	MBA	PGDM
Full-Form	Master of Business Administration	Post Graduate Diploma in Management
Qualification	Degree Course	Diploma Course
Duration	2 years	1-2 years
Eligibility	Graduation in any UG course of any stream with a minimum of 50% of marks in UG from a recognized university	Graduation in any UG course from a recognized institution
Admission Process	Entrance Exam	Entrance Exams as well as Direct Admission in some institutions
Fees	INR 2-20 LPA	INR 4-24 LPA
Subjects covered	Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Customer Relationship Management, Marketing Research, Operations Management, Human Resource Management, Executive leadership skills, etc.	Financial Accounting, Business Economics, Basics of Mathematics and Statistics, Marketing Management, Business Communication, Human Resource Management, etc.
Average Salary	INR 7 - 10 LPA (starting salary)	INR 12 - 15 LPA (starting salary)
Entrance Exams	XAT, NMAT, SNAP, ATMA, CAT	MAT, CAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT
Accreditations	MBA courses are accredited by the University to which the college providing the course is affiliated to	PGDM courses are accredited by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education)
Job Opportunities	HR Manager, Business Analyst, Marketing Manager, Finance Advisor, Investment Banker, etc.	Project Manager, Data Scientist, Auditor, Tax Specialist, Consultant, etc.

MBA vs PGDM: Degree vs Diploma

The primary distinction between the two programmes is that while the PGDM is a diploma programme, the MBA is a degree programme. As already mentioned, MBA courses can be offered by both public and private universities or even a college affiliated to a university. On the other hand, Under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), which is independent of the UGC, b-schools that have received AICTE recognition and standalone/autonomous b-schools both offer PGDM programmes.

However, it is pertinent to note that the corporate world does not distinguish between the two. Both schools' graduates are equally qualified for the same kinds of managerial positions.
However, the IIM act of 2017 designated the 20 current IIMs as Institutions of National Importance and gave them the right to confer MBA degrees; before this, they only had the ability to offer diplomas, much like every other private business school.
To evaluate which programme would put candidates in the spotlight of promising recruiters, they must instead place greater emphasis on key quality variables including faculty, curriculum, campus, peer group, rankings and accreditations, and placements.

Also Check:

MBA	PGDM

MBA vs PGDM: Curriculum

The majority of MBA programmes follow a set curriculum and tend to be more theoretical in character. To keep up with changes in the business environment and economic climate, curriculum revisions have a certain rigor. These changes happen over a period of three to five years. However, private universities with more frequent curriculum updates include Symbiosis and NMIMS. Read More: MBA Syllabus

The PGDM syllabus, on the other hand, is subject to revision or updating at the discretion of the b-school's in order to stay up with evolving industry norms and requirements. As a result, the schools are able to keep their competitive advantage, which fosters widespread pedagogical and curriculum innovation. In contrast to pure theoretical learning, such programmes also allow for more practical application-based learning.

In fact, the curriculum design process for any effective PGDM school incorporates industry experts.
These veterans contribute wisdom that encourages integration of cutting-edge technology into management curricula, including artificial intelligence (AI), design thinking, and business analytics.
Along these lines, it is important to remember that all colleges affiliated with a given university would take the same MBA tests, which are administered by the individual universities.
In the case of private b-schools and IIMs, the tests are administered by the institutions themselves, who have a significant deal of control over their evaluation standards.

MBA vs PGDM: Fees Structure

The cost of MBA programmes is quite low because they are offered by universities and colleges, the majority of which receive grants from the UGC and government funding. For its two-year MBA programme, Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), one of India's best MBA institutes under Delhi University, charges INR 1.92 lakhs. Read More: MBA Fees

A PGDM programme is unquestionably a significant financial commitment. Since institutions and independent business schools that operate PGDM programmes, primarily on-campus, are responsible for covering all of their own expenses, the result is much higher programme prices.

However, these fees are used to provide cutting-edge facilities, enable faculty exposure to the world, deliver cutting-edge curriculum, and prepare students to land highly sought-after employment.
For such excellent PGDM programmes, several banks and financial organizations offer loans with affordable interest rates.

MBA vs PGDM: Entrance Exams

Both programmes accept scores from a range of competitive exams, including the CAT, MAT, GMAT, XAT and CMAT. Many colleges and universities accept grades from state-level exams including the MHT CET, TSICET, PGCET and TANCET for MBA programmes. A few elite colleges also administer their own exams, such the XAT (XLRI), SNAP (Symbiosis), and IIFT EXAM (IIFT).

In majority of the cases, PGDM courses do not have any proper entrance exams or tests. Admissions to these courses are usually done on the basis of past academic records, other relevant achievements, diversity of backgrounds etc. These sets of scores are crucial in terms of getting admitted across any top PGDM institutes. Thus, candidates must be aware of which test scores are given the maximum weightage while enrolling for PGDM courses across any top PGDM colleges in India.

Read More:

MBA Entrance Exams	PGDM Entrance Exams

MBA vs PGDM: Eligibility

Though both the programs require candidates to clear their class 12 from a recognized board followed by clearing their graduation in any relevant discipline with a minimum aggregate score of 55% and above. There is still a stark difference in terms of Entrance exams as discussed above.

For candidates aspiring to pursue MBA, it is mandatory for them to clear any of the Management Entrance Exams, in order to get enrolled across any top MBA Colleges in India. However, for PGDM candidates need to maintain a consistent sound academic record throughout for being able to get enrolled across any top PGDM colleges. Though there are exceptions whereby, colleges and institutes do conduct entrance exams in order to enroll across top PGDM institutes.

MBA vs PGDM: Admission Process

MBA Admissions are usually conducted on the basis of various national level and state level entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT etc. There are certain prerequisites that need to be followed in order to get admission across top MBA colleges in India as listed below.

MBA Admission Process

Registration and Application for MBA Entrance Exams
- The first week of August/September marks the beginning of the top MBA programmes' admissions process, which ends the last week of November.
- Candidates interested in applying for admission to top MBA colleges should register and submit an application during the designated registration window for the appropriate MBA entrance test, such as the CAT/XAT/IIFT/NMAT/SNAP.
- The registration period for the majority of national level MBA admission tests, such as the CAT and XAT, ends in September and November, respectively.
- The CAT registration period typically lasts 45 to 50 days.
Appear for MBA Entrance Exams
- Applicants who want to enroll in top MBA universities for MBA programmes must take the CAT, XAT, NMAT, or another pertinent admission exam.
- The Entrance Exams take place between November and March every year.
Shortlisting Process
- Most of the top B-schools will shortlist the qualified applicants for the final admission round after the January MBA exam results are released based on criteria such as test scores, academic performance, diversity, work experience, and other factors as determined by each B-admission school's policy and weightings.
- Each institute completes the process on their own. Read More: MBA Placement Prep
GD / PI Round
- Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT), and Personal Interview are required to be cleared for all shortlisted candidates (PI).
- Before the PI round, certain B-schools, like FMS, conduct a GD and extempore, while a few others, like MDI, conduct a GD-PI and a few more, like IMI conduct a psychometric exam.
- Some IIMs, including IIM Kozhikode and IIM Shillong, also hold GD rounds based on the WAT. Final merit lists will be prepared, and admission offers will be extended by the relevant B-school, based on the candidates' performance in the final selection phase and the weighting given to entrance scores, academic profile & diversity, work experience, and gender diversity. Also Check: MBA GD Topics

PGDM Admission Process

PGDM admissions are conducted both on the basis of merit as well as on the basis of entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA etc. Listed below are few of the crucial steps that must be followed for enrolling across any top PGDM institutes in India.

Registration and Application Process
- Candidates should register and submit an application for the PGDM entrance exams, such as the CAT, XAT, IIFT, NMAT, SNAP during the specified registration window if they are interested in applying for admission to top PGDM colleges.
- The majority of national level MBA admission tests, including the CAT and XAT, have registration deadlines in September and November, respectively.
Appear for Entrance Exams
- They must then appear for the entrance examinations such as CAT, MAT, XAT and ATMA, for the preferred institutes they want to pursue their degree from. Read More: PGDM Entrance Exams
Shortlisting Candidates
- Majority of the top B-schools will shortlist the qualified applicants for the final admission round based on standards like test scores, academic performance, diversity, work experience, and other factors as determined by each B-admission school's policy and weightings.
Final Selection
- Final selections are usually done on the basis of the performance of the candidates in the GD / PI rounds.
- Through these rounds, candidates are judged on their cognition skills, reasoning ability and writing proficiency skills.

MBA vs PGDM: Duration & Accreditation

Tabulated below is a short gist on the duration and accreditation of both the courses for your reference.

Parameters	MBA	PGDM
Duration	2 years	18 months - 2 years
Accreditation	UGC (University Grants Commission)	AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education)

MBA vs PGDM: FAQs

Ques. What is the difference between MBA vs PGDM?

Ans. MBA is a PG degree course offered by a recognized university whereas PGDM is a PG Diploma course offered by a private institution or university.

Ques. Which is better, MBA or PGDM?

Ans. A PG degree would be better, but PG Diploma is offered by leading institutions and is available online also. In this coronavirus pandemic it would be easy for many to complete a degree in online itself. Both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Ques. Is PGDM equivalent to MBA?

Ans. Yes in terms of course curriculum and syllabus covered PGDM is equivalent or similar to MBA degree.

Ques. Which is the best PGDM college in Pune?

Ans. IIMS Pune is one of the very famous and top ranked management colleges in Pune which offers PGDM course.

Ques. Does IIT Madras offers MBA courses?

Ans. Yes, there is a separate Department of Management Studies in IIT Madras which offers MBA courses to students in various streams.

Ques. Which colleges offer both MBA and PGDM courses?

Ans. Some colleges like International Institute of Business Studies in Bengaluru, Thiagarajar School of Management in Madurai, Alliance School of Business in Anekal, IMT Ghaziabad offer both MBA and PGDM courses.

Ques. Is it worth getting a second MBA from Harvard, Stanford, etc. after getting an MBA in India?

Ans. Yes, nowadays many MBA graduates prefer to get a second MBA from Harvard, Stanford, etc. after getting one in India as many people want to change careers. Another fact for pursuing a second MBA degree is that MBA from Harvard, Stanford, etc. has a great value in abroad countries.

Ques. What is the CAT cutoff for the PGDM/MBA program at IMT Hyderabad?

Ans. CAT cutoff for the PGDM/MBA program at IMT Hyderabad is around 55 - 60 % of marks.

Ques. Which is the best institute for a distance MBA in India?

Ans. Institute of Management Studies (IMT) in Ghaziabad is ranked number 1 in India's Best Distance Learning B-Schools.

Ques. Can MBA or PGDM from India get you a job in foreign countries?

Ans. Yes, Tier I management institutions like IIMs might be helpful in getting a job in foreign countries. Other than the college, a candidate’s ability, skills, knowledge and hard work play a major role in getting a job in foreign countries.

Ques. Is PGDM approved by AICTE equivalent to an MBA degree?

Ans. Many institutions provide PGDM approved by AICTE. These institutions have more control over the curriculum and are able to change the curriculum depending on the latest trends. This makes PGDM to be equivalent to the MBA degree.

Ques. Which is a better one, ‘a full time MBA/PGDM or an Executive MBA’?

Ans. An Executive MBA will be a better option for those who wish to pursue MBA while working in an organization, as it is specially designed for accommodating working professionals. It gives more practical knowledge with better understanding and knowledge.

Ques. Do institutions like IIM provide distance learning programs?

Ans. Yes, institutions like IIM Ahmedabad offer distance learning programs but the main difference is that the distance learning programs are offered only to the working professionals?

Ques. What is the difference between management programs from IITs and IIMs?

Ans. Management programs from both are the same only. The only difference is IITs have a separate department for management like engineering and others whereas IIMs are specially meant for management programs alone.

Ques. Whether there is any age limit for pursuing MBA / PGDM?

Ans. IIMs have an eligibility criteria of minimum age of 25 when applying for the course. But there is no upper age limit.

Ques. Why do most of the top management schools in India offer PGDM and not MBA?

Ans. As PGDM courses are mostly industrial oriented and the course curriculum is updated to match the changing trends, most of the top management schools in India offer PGDM.

Ques. What is the average salary for an MBA or PGDM graduate in foreign countries?

Ans. The average salary for an MBA or PGDM graduate in foreign countries ranges from INR 30 - 45 LPA based on the years of experience and the organization they work for.