MBA VS PGDM: Eligibility, Admission Process, Jobs & More

Higher education is important when you’re in an expert job. Especially in the dynamic realm of Management, higher education equips you with knowledge, critical thinking, and strategy planning.

This ability helps them solve real-life complex business issues and crack real hot deals.

MBA and PGDM hold special positions in the management segment as top degrees. MBA—Masters of Business Administration & PGDM—Postgraduate Diploma in Management are the two most preferred paths for aspiring management students. Both these higher education degrees offer an exceptional understanding of business management, offering distinct advantages over the subject field and career opportunities.

In this article, we will explain how MBA and PGDM degrees can help you in your professional career and provide a step-by-step procedure for applying for admission to such courses.

MBA vs PGDM- Understanding the Basics:

MBA, which stands for Master of Business Administration, is a postgraduate degree. Students who want to pursue a career in business and management opt for an MBA. It offers them a comprehensive study of business, including practical and theoretical study of several subjects such as finance, marketing, and strategic management. 

PGDM, on the other hand, is also a post-graduate degree program but it’s a diploma course that autonomous institutes offer. It has more practical insights & practice involved to face the real-world application of their skills. It stands for Post Graduate Diploma in Management. 

MBA	PGDM
MBA is a degree that Universities only offer.	PGDM is offered by Autonomous universities.
MBA curriculum is fixed and specialized in its vast subject.	PGDM has a flexible curriculum that changes with industry demands.
MBA degree holds a stronger grip on theory & practical both.	PGDM degree focuses on the practical application of the skills.
MBA has a fixed tenure of study.	PGDM offers a flexible period for studying the course.
MBA offers you brand recognition in the market.	PGDM holds value but is not capable of leveraging the brand image.
MBA degrees are steady in their courses and sometimes become irrelevant in the current market.	PGDM degrees adapt to market changes and offer specialized industry-relevant education.

 

Eligibility Criteria for MBA

1. Applicants must have a minimum of 3 years’ bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a registered university. 
2. The applicants must have a minimum percentage in their undergraduate degrees. This varies with universities accordingly. 
3. MBA aspirants must clear the respective entrance exams, such as the CAT, GMAT, GRE, or other advisable exams. 
4. Some MBA programs may ask you to have some prior work experience. 

Eligibility Criteria for PGDM

1. Applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree to be admitted to PGDM. 
2. The minimum percentage for bachelor’s varies from institution to institution. 
3. An institution may ask to sit for an examination for admission into PGDM. However, this is not mandatory. 
4. PGDM may ask you for prior practical work experience. 

MBA Admission Process:

Follow the below steps to get admission to the MBA. 

1. Make sure you have a minimum percentage in your bachelor’s program. This can vary with colleges. However, a 50% score is considered minimum in such courses. 
2. Look for the right business schools in India and check which entrance examination they consider while offering admission. 
3. Check the MBA entrance examinations. They are of three types.:

– National Level such as CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT, IIFT. 

– State Level such as OJEE, MBA, TANCET, MAH, CET, AP, and others. 

– University Level as CUSAT, CAT, IPU CET, NMAT by GMAC, and others. 

4. Fill out the required examination forms and appear for them. 
5. Get shortlisted for Group Discussion or Personal Interview. 
6. Appear for a written test ability. 
7. Your comprehensive score will decide your rank and B-school. 
8. Go for registration in the available B-schools. 
9. Pay the admission fees and be done. 

Also Read: How to Prepare for Christ University MBA Interview

PGDM Admission Process

Follow the step-by-step procedure for admission to the PGDM degree course.

Note- You can go for direct admission as some autonomous institutes offer it. 

1. You must have completed your bachelor’s with a minimum percentile of 45%.
2. Go for the entrance examinations such as CAT, MAT, GMAT, CMAT, XAT, NMAT, ATMA, and others. 
3. Browse PGDM colleges and apply for them. 
4. Check whether institutes have their special selection criteria. 
5. Go for the Group Discussion/ Personal Interview round. 
6. Get a comprehensive score and apply for admission. 

Also Read: PGDM: Syllabus, Subjects, Course List, Specializations, and More

The curriculum of MBA & PGDM

Both MBA & PGDM courses offer an in-depth understanding of the business niche. However, they take different approaches to teaching the subjects to students. The core fundamentals and study include the following subjects.

–     Finance

–     Marketing

–     Operations

–     Leadership

MBA Course Curriculum

The MBA two-year postgraduate degree program includes the following subjects as its major. Though universities may have customized their curriculum accordingly, these subjects will always be in the courses.

–     Leadership

–     Marketing

–     Microeconomics

–     Advanced Microeconomics

–     Statistics

–     Management Communication

–     Accounting

–     Business Analytics

–     Business Economics and Public Policy

–     Business, Energy, Environment, and Sustainability

–     Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

–     Entrepreneurship & Innovation

–    Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors for Business

–     Finance

PGDM Course Curriculum

The PGDM course is flexible in its subjects and offers practical knowledge. The course subjects change with the market’s inclination towards new technologies and subjects. Unlike the MBA course, PGDM gives less importance to theoretical knowledge and focuses heavily on the practical aspects of marketing and business.

This approach lets students see through real-world issues and solve them with their critical understanding of market, business, finance, and solutions. Here is a list of PGDM core subjects to study.

–     Business Environment & Policy

–     Marketing Management

–     Financial Management

–     Managerial Economics

–     Management of IT & Data Visualization

–     Strategic Marketing Fundamentals

–     Operational Management

–     Qualitative Techniques and Optimization

–     Managerial Communication

–    Business Ethics

–     Human Resource Management

–     Organisational Behaviour

Accreditation and Recognition

MBA and PGDM courses must have been accredited and recognized by an authorized body. It is a smart idea to consider and inquire about valid accreditation to find out whether the presented course is valid.

Accreditation means an authoritative organization has approved the course for its value. For MBA programs, accreditation from organizations such as AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS is important and considered of high value.

On the other hand, PGDM courses are administered by individual autonomous organizations and thus are not accredited by the same bodies as MBAs. However, they must have the accreditation of AICTE, which stands for All India Council for Technical Education.

Furthermore, both courses must be valued by employers in the real-world market. They must recognize and respect the offered degree courses for producing credible and skilled employees for the industries.

Job Prospects and Placements after MBA & PGDM

Following are the job roles you can opt for after completing your MBA or PGDM program. However, the salaries will differ for both kinds of students in the following fields.

–     Marketing Manager

–     Finance Manager

–     Investment Banker

–     Chief Technology Officer

–     Information Technology Director

–     Product Manager

–     Health Services Manager

–     Entrepreneurship Manager

–     Human Resource Manager

–     Sales Manager

–     Investment Banking

–     Wealth Management

 Below are the industries you can target to start your career.

–     Retail & Corporate Sector

–     Banking and Financial Institutions

–     Media Sector

–     Hospitality Sector

–     Education Sector

–     Management Sector

–     Entrepreneurship

–     Information Technology

Both the courses offer you a decent package of annual salary. However, the positions in the company will be different and this is due to the methods of studying.

MBA is a full-fledged degree course that covers all the subjects of fundamentals and advanced technicalities as well as practical understanding of the market, whereas PGDM focuses more on practical understanding of the market. Thus, MBA students get better recognition and respect in the market.

But here is a note to understand. Universities & autonomous bodies offer placements but you need not stick with that only. Networking through online platforms such as Email, LinkedIn, and other job-related platforms. This will help you catch the recent trends & better opportunities in jobs or freelance (if preferred). 

However, there are individual training institutes in MBA and digital marketing that offer classroom training and placement assistance after course completion.

For example, GrowthAcad, a digital marketing course in Pune offers placement assistance and career training for their future in marketing.

So, you can also opt for classroom training institutes to enhance your knowledge and practical skills. But consider getting an expert help from GCS Online, a team of educational consultants.

Cost & Financial Consideration

	MBA	PGDM
Tuition Fees	INR 5 Lakhs-25 Lakhs	INR 1 Lakh-20 Lakhs
Duration	2 Years	1-2 Years depending on the institutes
Other Expenses	INR 50,000- 2 Lakhs	INR 50,000- 2 Lakhs

Here is a list of Scholarships for MBA Programs:

–     Aditya Birla Group Scholarship

–     IMT EWS Scholarship

–     OP Jindal Engineering and Management Scholarship

–     IIM Ahmedabad MBA Scholarship

–     IIM Bangalore MBA Scholarships

–     IIM Lucknow MBA Scholarships

–     IIM Indore MBA Scholarships

As PGDM courses are offered by individual autonomous organizations, there are several scholarships offered by such institutions. Following are some of them.

–     ITM Group of Institutions.

–     Vivekananda Business School

–     Sdmimd Scholarship Programs

Several Banks offer loans for the studies of MBA & PGDM degree courses. If you’re looking for admission to them, don’t forget to aid banking help.

PGDM VS MBA- Jobs & Salary

Above we have discussed how both degree courses will help you land different kinds of job roles in the business field. Though both courses offer a handsome amount of annual packages, MBA courses offer better annual packages to students.

An MBA gets INR 20 LPA as their average salary whereas a PGDM degree holder gets an average package of INR 13 LPA. While choosing the course, you must observe your needs and career goals. Both the courses are very different in their approach to studying and offer a class apart from understanding the business field.

Top PGDM Colleges in Bangalore

1. BSD Bangalore
2. GIBS Bangalore
3. IAME Bangalore
4. IBA Bangalore
5. IIBS Bangalore
6. IIPM Bangalore
7. ISBR Bangalore
8. ISME Bangalore

Top MBA Colleges in Bangalore

1. IIM Bangalore
2. MBA In Christ University
3. Jain University
4. Alliance University
5. SJIM Bangalore
6. MSRIM Bangalore
7. Welingkar Bangalore
8. Symbiosis MBA

How Can GCS Online Help You?

GCS Online is a career counseling online platform that helps students choose the most suitable courses for creating a promising future for them. We explore the best colleges for you, help you select the right courses, and get admission, career guidance, and scholarships. But that’s not all. We help you to study abroad for higher educational purposes.

We help you to get

• Hassle-free admission in top educational institutes
• Expert guidance on career
• Get real college reviews, courses, placement records, fee structure, and job opportunities.
• Abroad Study Program
• Scholarships

With an intensive experience of 10+ years, we can help you with all kinds of career guidance and admission. Already we have successfully consulted 8000+ students getting their dream universities. We can do that for you too.

Conclusion

MBA and PGDM- both courses have quite similar offerings but hold serious differences when it comes to studies, approaches, and methods. Whereas MBA offers a full-fledged degree program of 2 years with fundamentals and advanced technicalities included, PGDM courses are flexible. PGDM offers flexible course periods, and subjects that are more inclined to a practical understanding of the market.

After graduating from any of the courses, students can go into several fields including business, education, healthcare, and investment banking. Wide opportunities await for them though there are significant differences in annual packages offered to both courses.

Trying to find out the best colleges for MBA or PGDM courses in your city? No worries. Contact GCS Online now and get hassle-free admission and expert guidance on your career.