- 27 February, 2023 : This is btech national notif
What is PGDM?
Post Graduate Diploma in Management or PGDM is a postgraduate diploma course which includes the intricacies of different aspects of management and business industry.
PGDM course duration is of 2 years, offering specializations in subjects such as Finance, Marketing, International Business, HR, and many more.
A lot of working professionals and students prefer this management course because the course curriculum is in such a way that it sharpens a student's mind to tackle the daily obstacles that are faced in their workplace, studies & other similar aspects.
In order to be eligible for the course, candidates must have completed graduation preferably from management. But graduates from any stream can apply for this course. Admission is mostly based on entrance exams like MAT, CAT, XAT, and more.

There are several colleges across India that offer this course in a regular mode, online mode, or through Distance Education. In order to gain successful admission, a student must have scored good marks in both the entrance exams and in their graduation course.
Below table shows some of the best PGDM colleges in India according to NIRF 2019 Ranking:
NIRF Ranking | College Name | Location | Exam Accepted | Average Fees | Average Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | IIM | Kolkata | CAT, GMAT | INR 2,01,000 | INR 25.33 LPA |
18 | SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) | Mumbai | CAT, XAT, GMAT | INR 17,50,000 | INR 26.36 LPA |
23 | Great Lakes Institute of Management | Chennai | CAT, XAT, GMAT | INR 11,91,000 | INR 10.14 LPA |
24 | Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) | Mumbai | NMAT | INR 95,200 | INR 14.37 LPA |
28 | International Management Institute (IMI) | New Delhi | CAT, GMAT | INR 8,69,500 | INR 13.28 LPA |
The average PGDM course fees start from INR 1 Lakhs and it can go up to INR 20 Lakhs, depending upon the college, their affiliation, and placement scenarios.
Initially, this course was aimed at working professionals aspiring to make it in the management field, but nowadays many students are also enrolling for this course apart from MBA. This is because of fewer fees and flexibility of training.
After PGDM, your career will flourish into roles such as Assistant Manager, Business Analyst, Chief Executives, etc. The average salary can be around INR 4-8 LPA. Check PGDM Jobs & Career Options for complete details.
You can get a salary hike of at least 30% from your current job after doing PGDM from an esteemed college. Some top companies like Amazon, Deloitte, etc can offer a 50% hike based on your profile, experience, and skills.
Quick Read: PGDM Online
PGDM Key Points
- Full-Form: Post Graduate Diploma in Management
- Course Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 2 years
- Examination Type: Semester/ Trimester System
- Eligibility: Graduation in any stream
- Admission Process: Entrance Exams, Direct Admission is also offered in some private colleges.
- Average Fees: INR 3-12 Lakhs
- Top Colleges:
- Distance Education: NMIMS, IGNOU, Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL), Nalanda Open University
- Average Salary: INR 4-10 LPA
- Top Recruiting Areas: Banks, Marketing Agencies, Market Research Companies, Educational Institutions, Consultancies, Law Firms, Entertainment Portal, Hotels and Resorts, etc.
- Job Positions: Administrative Officer, Business Consultant, Finance Manager, Human Resource Manager, Public Relations Officer, Marketing Executive, etc.
- Top Companies: McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Deloitte Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton, PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC, EY LLP Consulting Practice, Accenture, etc.
What is the Eligibility for PGDM?
Candidates seeking admission should have a Bachelor’s degree in any course with a minimum of 50%, from any recognized college or institute. But in the case of elite institutions like IIM, a minimum of 60% or 6.5 CGPA on the scale of 10, should have been scored at the graduation level.
There is no age limit as such, to pursue this course.
PGDM Admissions
Admission takes place on the basis of entrance exams conducted by national bodies, institutes, or a group of institutes.
After qualifying these exams, candidates are called for further rounds like written test, group discussion, and personal interview.
Final admission is provided to students based on their performance in these rounds.
See Also: PGDM Admission Process
What are the Entrance Exams for PGDM?
The entrance exam is an important aspect of PGDM Admissions. CAT is most popular among these exams. Others include GMAT, XAT, MAT, and many more.
Entrance Exam | Application Period | Exam Date | Exam Mode |
---|---|---|---|
CAT | August 4- September 18, 2020 | November 29, 2020 | Computer-Based |
XAT | August 23, 2020- November 30, 2020 (Tentative) | January 5, 2021 (Tentative) | Online |
GMAT | All around the year | As per your selection after the registration | Computer-Based |
MAT | May 18 to June 30, 2020 | May 25 to July 05, 2020 | Computer-Based |

What are the Top PGDM Colleges?
Listed below are some of the top institutes offering PGDM course in the country with the corresponding locations and fees charged by them
NIRF Ranking | Name | Location | Average Annual Fees |
---|---|---|---|
3 | Indian Institute of Management | Kolkata | INR 6,75,000 |
12 | National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) | Mumbai | INR 9,40,000 |
18 | SP Jain Institute of Management and Research | Mumbai | INR 5,85,000 |
20 | Indian Institute of Management | Ranchi | INR 13,84,000 |
23 | Great Lakes Institute of Management | Chennai | INR 11,91,000 |
24 | Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) | Mumbai | INR 95,200 |
27 | T.A. Pai Management Institute | Manipal | INR 14,00,000 |
28 | International Management Institute | New Delhi | INR 7,70,000 |
46 | P.S.G. College of Technology | Coimbatore | INR 82,000 |
50 | Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) | Chennai | INR 15,26,000 |

PGDM Distance Education
PGDM degree can be pursued through distance education or online mode as well. There are many colleges, institutes, and platforms in India to pursue this course. IGNOU is considered to be one of the best colleges for online learning and distance learning.
The table below shows details of some PGDM distance education colleges:
College Name | Mode | Duration | Average Fees |
---|---|---|---|
NMIMS | Online | 2 years | INR 86,000 |
IGNOU | Distance | 1 year | INR 11,000 |
Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) | Distance | 2 years | INR 1 lakh |
Nalanda Open University | Distance | 1 year | INR 5,500 |

Source: College Websites
Apart from these colleges, there are many online platforms where you can pursue PGDM courses like Coursera, upGrad, and other websites, which offer many specializations, assistance, and placement guidance during the program.
What is the PGDM Syllabus?
The PGDM course structure comprises two parts i.e., a compulsory set of courses covering all foundation areas in management and a set of elective courses that aims at building job-specific skills and knowledge.
A semester wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated below.
Semester I | |
---|---|
Management Functions & Behaviour | Human Resource Management |
Economic and Social Environment | Introduction to Information Technology |
Semester II | |
Operations Management | Marketing Management |
Quantitative Techniques for Managers | Managerial Economics |
Strategic Management | - |
Semester III | |
Marketing Management (MM) | Financial Management (FM) |
International Business (IB) | Human Resource Management (HR) |
Operations Management (OM) | Information Systems (IS) |
Insurance Management (IN) | - |
Semester IV | |
Business Law & Corporate Governance | International Business |
Management Information Systems | Research Methodology |
Project Work | - |
What are the PGDM Specializations?
Some of the specializations that a student can opt for during the PGDM course are as follows:
- PGDM in International Business: This course is of 2 years, providing deeper knowledge and training in the field of international business and its related aspects. PGDM in International Business can be pursued from colleges such as the Indian Institute of International Trade, Asian Business School, etc.
Average Fees | INR 4 to 12 lakhs |
Average Salary | INR 4 to 10 LPA |
Best PGDM International Business Colleges in India
- PGDM in Operations Management: This course aims to provide skills to individuals to enable them to deliver excellent services in the minimum time and low cost. PGDM in Operations Management is pursued by professionals and students who want to learn the different competencies related to the smooth and optimal working of the operations department.
Average Fees | INR 3 to 10 lakhs |
Average Salary | INR 4 to 8 LPA |
Best PGDM Operations Management Colleges in India
- PGDM in Business Analytics: Analytics is considered as an important part of any organization. PGDM in Business Analytics offers to train students and provide knowledge in terms of business analytics practices, tools, and techniques in order to provide insightful information from the data collected, extracted, and analyzed.
Average Fees | INR 3 to 12 lakhs |
Average Salary | INR 5 to 10 LPA |
Best PGDM Business Analytics Colleges in India
- PGDM in Marketing: This course covers all the aspects related to Marketing Management, Marketing Research, etc. PGDM in Marketing trains students to improve the market value of the company or a product with the help of various strategies and tools.
Average Fees | INR 2 to 5 lakhs |
Average Salary | INR 4 to 10 LPA |
Best PGDM Marketing Colleges in India
- PGDM in Finance: This course is for students who are interested to learn about the different aspects of financial management such as working capital management, international finance, etc. PGDM in Finance is also helpful in analyzing the expenses thereby making balance sheets and analyzing various concepts of cost minimizations.
Average Fees | INR 1 to 5 lakhs |
Average Salary | INR 4 to 12 LPA |
Best PGDM in Finance Colleges in India

More PGDM Specializations are:
What are the PGDM Career Options and Scope?
After completion of a PGDM course, one can find a number of employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors and earn around INR 5 to 10 LPA. Students can go into research and educational institutes and become professors and teachers for Management, Accounting Business and Soft skills wherein their duty will be to impart their knowledge and expertise to the younger students.
Students can opt to become Human Resource Development Managers where they will have to comply with the standards set by the firm or company they work under and manage the human resource. Human Resource is a key component of any firm and effective management and leading skills are required.
Some of the popular job profiles opted after the completion of a PGDM course are tabulated below.
Job Position | Job Description | Average Annual Salary |
---|---|---|
Administrative Officer | An Administrative Officer acts as the nodal point for all employees and governing authority. He provides administrative support and manages queries arising in the firm. | INR 4.13 Lakhs |
Business Consultants | They are also known as Management Analysts and work in areas like marketing, human resource management, finance, and accounting. They aim to help improve companies by channelizing their assets in a positive and profitable direction. | INR 9.86 Lakhs |
Finance Manager | The primary duties of a Finance Manager include creating and reviewing financial reports for the firm and monitoring various accounts. They prepare activity reports that are used by senior officials and forecast the financial trajectory of the firm. | INR 9.99 Lakhs |
Human Resource Manager | Their main responsibility as an HR Manager is to lead, motivate and drive the working HR in the firm. They handle an organization's HR policies and programs like employee compensation, benefits, promotion, safety, performance, working capability, and staffing levels. | INR 7.15 Lakhs |
Public Relation Officer | A PR Officer is responsible for managing the reputation of his or her firm. As a PR officer, you will have to understand and gain support for your clients. You should have the ability to influence someone's opinion and behavior. | INR 3.01 Lakhs |

Source: Payscale
What is the Future Scope of PGDM?
PGDM opens various prospects in wide areas like marketing, sales, business analysis, finance, and much more. A PGDM degree helps you acquire leadership and management skills, and instill the ability to manage large projects with efficiency.
PGDM courses offer diverse opportunities. Apart from attaining the right prospects, and working in private, public, and government sectors as managers, you can become a researcher, an entrepreneur, or even an instructor.
You can open your own company with proper planning and research, starting from small to big, based on your ideas and interest. You can be your own boss, and come up with ideas and strategies that are needed for successful business models for your clients and work as a freelancer as well.
There is a huge demand for professionals with management qualifications in India as well as globally. You can work in marketing companies, manufacturing sectors, business consultants, finance sector, research organizations, big entrepreneurs, IT companies, and others.
In terms of higher education, you can go for a full-time MBA degree if you have pursued PGDM online or through distance.
Check some common MBA specializations for complete details.
You are also eligible to go for many Ph.D. courses, and MPhil in the management domain, like:
Courses | Eligibility | Average Fees | Average Salary |
---|---|---|---|
PhD in Marketing | Masters in relevant field with 60% marks | INR 1 to 4 lakhs | INR 3 to 9 LPA |
PhD Management Studies | Master’s degree in the stream of management studies | INR 1 to 3 lakhs | INR 6 to 9 LPA |
PhD in Finance | Post-Graduation with Commerce subjects | INR 1 to 5 lakhs | INR 4 to 8 LPA |
MPhil in Management | Master’s Degree in relevant subject with 55% marks | INR 1 to 2 lakhs | INR 5 to 6 LPA |

Source: College Websites
PGDM FAQs
Ques. What is PGDM full form?
Ans. PGDM stands for Post Graduate Diploma in Management. It is of 2 years and trains students the basics and application of management practices and techniques in a business or any organization.
Ques. Is PGDM better than MBA?
Ans. Both PGDM and MBA are postgraduate degrees in the field of management. The basic difference between them is that PGDM provides a more practical approach than an MBA. There is a difference in the course fees as well. Check PGDM vs MBA to know more.
Ques. Which PGDM course is the best?
Ans. PGDM offers many specializations like Marketing, International Business, Finance, Logistics-Supply Chain Management & Operations, and many more. Check PGDM Specializations to know more.
Ques. What is the duration of the PGDM course?
Ans. 2 years
Ques. Is a PGDM degree valid for government jobs?
Ans. Yes, PGDM degree is now valid to apply for government jobs, in the case of colleges approved by AICTE.
Ques. What are PGDM course fees?
Ans. The Average course fees to pursue PGDM course is around INR 3-20 Lakhs.
Ques. What is PGDM eligibility?
Ans. The basic eligibility to pursue PGDM course is 50% in Bachelor's degree pursued from a recognized college or institute in any stream.
Ques. What is the PGDM syllabus?
Ans. PGDM includes many subjects like Organizational Behaviour, Managerial Accounting, Business Communication, Managerial Economics, Quantitative Techniques, Operations Management and others. Check PGDM Syllabus for year wise break up of the syllabus.