MBA VS PGDM: What is the difference between these two?

Admin

Many students have confusion in their mind on PGDM course and it's comparison with MBA. This forum discussion will try to elaborate the difference between these two.

PGDM

PGDM expands to Post Graduate Diploma in Management, the confusion starts when you see the term Diploma. Many students are of the view that it is a Diploma course and not a Degree; you are right to an extent that it is a Diploma. The main reason why postgraduate courses are named as PGDM is because when an Institute is an autonomous body (meaning it is not affiliated to any University) and conducts management courses then such Institutes cannot offer MBA degree. Even IIMs, XLRI's doesn't offer MBA degrees they only give PGP Diploma or PGDM since they are autonomous and independent bodies. On similar lines AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) is allowing approved colleges to run a PGDM course. Some Business Schools offering this AICTE PGDM course need not be autonomous, the PGDM course will be autonomous given by the Institute & directly approved by AICTE, Ministry of HRD, Govt of India.

Just like how UGC - University Grants Commission controls the Universities in India, AICTE - All India Council for Technical Education has control on both technical and management courses and especially colleges not under Universities. Even colleges offering UGC recognized MBA Programmes in most cases should have AICTE approval.

Advantages of Autonomy

When an Institute secures autonomy they design their own curriculum to be taught instead of following outdated University syllabus. I have mentioned outdated syllabus because the syllabus change at University level happens once in either 3 or 5 years. Technically syllabus change affects university affiliating colleges, the books needs to be revised and the faculty needs to upgrade themselves.

Where as in PGDM, since the colleges have autonomy the curriculum can be updated regularly depending on the need in the Industry. Hence one can say that PGDM courses are more Industry relevant, up to date as compared to MBA courses. However University MBA Programmes too are of value, it totally depends on the University one wish to do MBA. For instance FMS Delhi offers MBA - Delhi University, Symbiosis offers MBA - Symbiosis University, Narsee Monjee offers MBA.

Word of caution

While opting for PGDM courses, students must exercise caution and check the accreditation status of the college. Colleges offering PGDM courses needs to be accredited by AICTE. In case of MBA, the colleges are affiliated to an University and Universities are controlled by University Grants Commission (UGC) and the colleges may also get accredited by AICTE.

Is PGDM equal to MBA

Not necessarily that a PGDM is equal to MBA because if PGDM is to be an equivalent to MBA then the college offering the PGDM course must have accreditation from AIU (The Association of Indian Universities).

AIMA PGDM VS AICTE PGDM

AIMA PGDM or PGPM course is a certificate programme, AIMA stands for All India Management Association an apex body which conducts MAT examination. AIMA also offers PGDM which is clearly mentioned as a course approved by AICTE and Distance Education Council. There is a lot of difference between AIMA PGDM & AICTE PGDM.

MBA

A two year management degree expands to Master of Business Administration, only Universities can grant MBA degrees. It could be a recognized foreign university or an Indian University.

We have written a blog post earlier on MBA VS PGDM.

MBA or PGDM Admissions Guidance

mehulteli

Thanks a lot Shrikant, this is a perfect answer to clear my confusion regarding MBA and PGDM. I have come across this college iFEEL, Institute for Future Education, Entrepreneurship and Leadership. They offer PGDM courses with specializations in Marketing. Please could you tell me if this is a good choice for a doing my PGDM course.

Muk

Now a days, both PGDM or MBA courses are worthless if not pursued from a premier institute. I would personally suggest that you check out a college like Welingkar. I've heard that they have really good placements. If you are really interested in marketing, they have an array of courses that could suit your aptitude.

vishal

I hve done cmat feb-2013 and got 95..should i get admission in any good college?

gopalakrishna_061

hi sir/madam,

my brother wrote i-cet he has to joined in MBA course but he has the % of 49. My problem is the college people did n't give hall ticket. could you please tell me details of PGDM? he want to do that course

Is PGDM = MBA? please tell me

my mail id is gopalakrishna.061@gmail.com

Srikanth Krishna

@Vishal : Yes you can get admission, use this form for assistance http://form.careermitra.com

Srikanth Krishna

@Hidden User: You please fill this form http://form.careermitra.com

inmantec

Very nice information. @Vishal, there is one institute which offers PGDM courses. It is one of the top management colleges in India. You can visit its website page as well.

surwin

Hllo to all...my query is that
1. in current scenario what a guy with BCA as graduation degree should take..mba or pgdm?
2. If on wants to pursue that in kanpur then which college is good?
3.how about the institute ..Dr. Guar Hari Singhania (GHS) for managment in kanpur...actually problem is that i am not vry well aware of pgdm ...and dr.GHS offers only pgdm 2 yr course...which is as per the above discussions ..mba equivalent. They say that their pgdm is mba equivalent. They are charging 2 lakh per yr. Can any body suggest me should i go for it
or not.

I hv presumptions that mba is bttr thn pgdm...pls do correct me if i am wrng. Thnks in advance @Srikanth Krishna @All @all @Muk

Shaila

Thank u so much!!.

Trisha

srikanth sir i wud like to ask ask u one more wich u didnt mention in your article, which is about the best colleges for mba and pgdm, and according to present scenario of placements.. can u give me your personal opinion about colleges IBS Kolkata, PIBM Pune, IIBS Bangalore and Kolkata. i just want the correct info, which i am not getting from the college people and their websites.. plz help me asap

mita123

Dear Srikant Sir,

I am doing Mba in ITM college.My brother wants me to take specialization in marketing.& i have a poor communication & not have confident enough to speak english ,u can say its a stage fear.how can i improve myself & be a good & skillful in marketing.

Regards
Mita

Srikanth Krishna

@Hidden User: You can overcome this with practice, read good books, talk more, experiment more, remember that no one is perfect in this world. You can only improve if you believe you can improve, self confidence is what it matters. Avoid thinking that you can't speak, you start speaking and gradually u r ability to communicate will improve.

Srikanth Krishna

IBS Kolkata, PIBM Pune, IIBS Bangalore and Kolkata. I suggest none of these..if you need assistance you please fill this form http://form.careermitra.com.

Harshdutta

Sir, plz tell me from which institute i shall opt for mba or pgdm in onida like jaypee or amity or iilm or jaipuria (plz pick me one) if not can you recommend any !!

Srikanth Krishna

@Harshdutta all the four colleges you mentioned are good. I would personally suggest you to visit each college and have a chat with the current students and get their opinion on the B-School. You should also consider what specialization is good in each college and what you would like to take. See the cost factor also, higher fee is quiet risky given the highly volatile market conditions, go for something which you can afford. See hostel facilities, canteen, attitude of the college towards the students etc.

Jaipuria sounds to be a better option to me. Jaypee started in 2007 only and Amity fees is always on the higher side and since it is an University the intake is more as there are no. of courses.

marshal

hai.... my name is marshal from kerala ... i did my mba at Kerala university tyhis year with hr and marketing.. actually i want to ask about what is the major difference about while studying mba in premier or private institutes and government universitys... and also tell me the scope of hr and marketing.. if i need to pursue higher study for finance which course will be suitable for me? thanks i await for reply

Srikanth Krishna

@marshal As far as your first question is considered, there is a lot of difference from doing MBA in premier Institutes like IIMs, XLRIs, FMS, SP Jain and other B-Schools. If you are doing MBA from Top 50 B-Schools and doing MBA from the last 50 B-Schools don't you see a huge gap. HR & Marketing usually don't go well, the reason is that Marketing is an out house job (travel & sales), HR is an in house job (Training & Recruitment). In finance you can go for Chartered Accountancy (takes atleast 2-3 years) course or SAP FICO Module or learn about share market there are courses offered by National Stock Exchange and also from IIFT.

@Srikant sir

right now am persuing bba from punjab technical university and i m in last (6th) semester.My course is going to be completed in the month of september or october .i have filled the form of mat sept and cmat2014-15 .My question is that is after giving my final semseter bba exam and mat and cmat exam will i get admission in the month of november december or january .Or i have to wait for the next year..if i can get admission the plzz suggest me colleges also..sir plz help me i am really in a mess

Srikanth Krishna

@abhi199120 if you want to join in the academic year 2013-2014 you can join, you need to have secure min. of 50% aggregate in your graduation. This Sept MAT or CMAT is usually for the next academic year, but still most colleges do consider for 2013-2015 batch as well.

Refer below links

Top 10 Business Schools through MAT

Top 10 Business Schools through CMAT

divya

sir

i have completed my graduation this year only from Du regular ..

i want to do MBA from Distance Learning

please suggest me some good colleges .. from were i can opt it

further your article had made me very clear about pdgm and mba .. thanks , it helped me a lot

becz i was just geeting enrole for IMT-CDL but they are providing PGDM not MBA !!!

i am very much confused what to do ..

plzz suggest

sackap1

Hello sir

sir i am in my final year of btech in ip university.sir i am somewhat confused about my career .whether i should go for campus placement or should i prepare for cat 2013.which is more beneficial for my career.plss help me regarding this issue

and my second question is ,if i go for cat 2013 ,will i be able to make it in 3 months as approx 3 months are left for exam.

thanx

sackap1

Hello sir

sir i am in my final year of btech in ip university.sir i am somewhat confused about my career .whether i should go for campus placement or should i prepare for cat 2013.which is more beneficial for my career.plss help me regarding this issue

and my second question is ,if i go for cat 2013 ,will i be able to make it in 3 months as approx 3 months are left for exam.

thanx

Srikanth Krishna

@sackap1 It is advisable that you prepare yourself for campus placements first,
you can consider doing MBA after working for a min of 2-3 years. For CAT
preparation you require adequate skills in logical reasoning &
aptitude. It depends on how good you are in these areas, so 3 months you
can say is good for practicing but not for beginning from scratch.

prvinshinde1975

hi sir I've completed diploma in entc n having 7 years of industrial experience now I wanted do distance MBA can it b possible?
if yes which is the best institute within pune?
it is OK with welingkar institute?

Srikanth Krishna

@prvinshinde1975 yes you can do distance MBA, Welingkar Mumbai is good, you can also consider Symbiosis Institutes in Pune which are superior than Welingkar. You can consider Part Time MBA, where in it will be a 3 years course the classes will be held on weekends or evenings.

prateek550

sir
I'm really confused about all iim programs. I'm doing my btech- mechanical, n after that i wan2 go for MBA. So which programs should i choose while filling cat form ?
PGP, PGDM, PGP ABM, FPM, PGSEM, PGPPM, PGP PGDM, PGP PGCM, EPGM, PGPWE, PGPX, ...ETC..

Srikanth Krishna

Each IIM has a flagship course, which is usually termed as PGP. PGP will be a full time course, courses like PGPX, EPGM are for working executives and hence not applicable to you. FPM is a doctorate programme (like (PhD) it is also not applicable. PGP ABM is Post Graduate Programme in Agri Business Management. Some management courses are specific to a particular domain like software, if you are looking for a regular MBA you should look at PGP.

gnanasekar

hello ,
i finished my graduation in mechanical engineering, i m currently working am now willing to do pgdm or mba in good institution. kindly track me for the progress of the course..
what eligiblity test to be appeared for india..
pls clear my query
my id : sekar.g2008@gmail.com

mba_query1

hi!
I wanted to know what about the colleges offering both pgdm and an MBA ... for example Narsee Monjee,, I was goin through the website and their programs they have an MBA and some specialisations under it, and also an option of PGDM from bengaluru or hyderabad campus.
what is the better option?

thanks.

faizykhan4727

hello sir,

i wanted to know how much marks in cmat out of 400 are required to take admission in the ITM Banglore???

plz let me knw as soon as possible......

thank you.....................

Srikanth Krishna

@faizykhan4727 Technically speaking if you qualify for CMAT that is good enough to get admission in ITM Bangalore. Mind that ITM Bangalore doesn't have MBA programme it is an autonomous AICTE approved business school which offers PGDM programme.

If you require assistance about choosing a good business school in Bangalore, submit a counselling request we will guide you.Visit MBA Admissions guidance

Srikanth Krishna

@mba_query1: Narsee Monjee's Bangalore & Hyderabad campuses are new. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Mumbai is a top business school. There are colleges which offer University MBA as well as autonomous AICTE approved MBA courses.

Send your details to MBA Admissions guidance, we will contact you!

desaijk

thnk u soooo much, nw i'm sure to go for further studies related management as i knw d diff...

desaijk

hey...can help me as i want to do my own business which is best for me from this two courses ? reply ASAP plz

hidden

i am taking admission in iipm,,,,,,am i taking a right decision or wrong
plz help me

Srikanth Krishna

IIPM is a subject of controversy as the Institute doesn't have necessary approvals to run their courses. IIPM is not under UGC nor it is affiliated to AICTE. The credibility of their courses are a concern.

Source: https://www.careermitra.com/2013/02/arindham-choudhary-strong-enough-to-say-iipm-was-never-recognized-by-ugc/

ssweetsunny

hi sir,
can you please tell which colleges are good for pgdm programs apart from IIM's ...please give the list..and as per present scenario which mba programs have future scope and growth.i have particular interest in 'international business' and 'finance& banking'..can you please tell me the positives and con's of the programs in detail?

Srikanth Krishna

Apart from IIMs the below business schools are good. Marketing, Finance will always have great potential to get jobs.

Rank	Business School
01	Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad
02	Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) Delhi
03	XLRI Jamshedpur
04	SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
05	Shailesh J Mehta School of Management – IIT Bombay, Mumbai
06	Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi
07	Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
08	Management Development Institute, Gurgaon
09	National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai
10	Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai

parag

Dear Srikanth sir,

My question that ..

1. At present what a guy with BCA as graduation degree should take..mba or pgdm?

2. If PGDM then which college i choose, or for MBA which one..

3 .Want to pursue distance education in same, guide me in best possible way.

Reply me ASAP...

Srikanth Krishna

For distance education you go for MBA from any UGC recognized University. Try out in Symbiosis University Pune.

Hi Srikanth Sir,

I did go through your advices and found it really helpful. I have a question for you as i am in a great dilemma. I have an experience of 5-6 years in international bpo's. I am looking for a good diploma/ degree from a good b school which can atleast provide me a good placement at a decent salary. I did my graduation from Delhi University in BA Pass with 39% marks. Can i appear for CAT or MAT and if i do, will i be eligible to do any diploma/degree courses in a good b school, which can further secure me a good job offer with a decent salary and help me secure my future. Thanks a bunch for all your help sir.

God bless you.

Srikanth Krishna

Unfortunate for you that your graduation percentage is quite low, most Business Schools in India ask for 50% marks in Graduation. 45% is enough for reserved category like SC / ST but 39% is way below that. As you have already worked for 5-6 Yrs look for better jobs in your field or in any field where you are confident to work. It is better than spending some X amount of money and wasting 1 or 2 years. Go ahead and explore careers in Operations Management, Business Development, HR, Team lead positions etc. For this Management & Leadership skills are required MBA / Degrees doesn't matter.

All the best!

Deeps

I scored 49.5% in my graduation in economics hons. Want to pursue MBA. What should i do??

Srikanth Krishna

@Deeps: A min of 50% aggregate marks in Graduation is required to pursue a full time AICTE recognized course. In case if you have any reservations (OBC / SC / ST) 45% marks will do. Where would you like to do your MBA also matters. You have any particular college or preferred city?

ARVINDKMR934

Thanks a lot Shrikant, this is a perfect answer to clear my confusion regarding MBA and PGDM.

tejas1606

I have completed my PGDBF from Manipal school of banking, and I am currently employed as an officer in Bank of Baroda.
My query is. should I pursue MBA (distance from ICFAI) for my post graduation or PGD is good enough? would it make any impact on my resume? Is it equivalent?

Or should I go for MCom or MA something...?

RAVISH18

sir i am in my final year of btech and i want to do MBA.....

plz provide me details about GBO Programme of Shree Ram College Of Commerse

Is GBO programme is a mba or pgdm or diploma??

And plz also tell me about college is good or not?

Hi Srikanth my % in graduation( Bcom Hons) is below 50 so can u please tell me what are the options available for me now.. Can i still do Mba from a good regular college..

Srikanth Krishna

@tejas1606: Be on your current job, plan to grow with in the current organization instead of leaving what you have. Having a distance MBA on your CV will not make such great impact.

Srikanth Krishna

@Gud: Yes you can do in a regular MBA college if you have any reservation like OBC / SC / ST. Some university MBA programmes ask for 50% aggregate in core subjects alone not overall.

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