Scope of MBA in Distance Learning

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Scope of MBA in Distance Learning
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Introduction

• A degree in business administration is one of the
  most popular courses being pursued today. There
  are a large number of colleges and institutions
  which offer MBA degrees or PGDM programs.
• The most coveted programs are the ones offered by
  top notch B-Schools like IIM, Symbiosis, etc.
  However not everyone qualifies for these courses
  and there are many who are unable to study full
  time for various reasons.
• The regular courses are also very expensive and
  this might be a deterrent for students wishing to
  pursue an MBA but are unable to afford the
  expensive colleges.
• One need not lose hope as there are other ways to
  pursue an MBA from a good college/institution. We
  will focus on distance learning programs as one
  such method to pursue an MBA.

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Top Institutes which offer MBA through Distance
Learning

• The Distance MBA program, the name itself suggest
  is studied via correspondence mode. The main
  reason you would pursue an MBA is to have an edge
  in the very competitive job market. In such a
  scenario if the degree has no relevance or value
  it is definitely valuable money and time lost. So
  the first criterion is to select a good
  institute.
• Fortunately, there are lot of good institutes and
  colleges which offer excellent correspondence
  courses.

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• Some of the top institutes are
• Indira Gandhi National Open University.
• Yashwantrao C Maharashtra Open University.
• Sikkim Manipal University.
• Amity University - Centre of Distance Learning.
• ICFAI University.
• MIT School of Distance Education.
• IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute.
• Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning.
• Dr B R Ambedkar Open University.
• Annamalai University.
• For more details and information on top Distance
  MBA colleges and list of DEC recognized colleges,
  please click here.

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Accreditation

• In India there are six types of institutes
  offering Distance Learning (DE) today, the
  prominent ones being National level and state
  level open universities. To give them due
  recognition and to bring them under a common
  roof, the UGC-DEB accreditation was introduced.
  So any course recognised or accredited by UGC-DEB
  is treated at par with regular MBA courses in
  India.
• Another important institute for accreditation of
  Distance learning MBA programs is AICTE (All
  India Council for Technical Education). A
  thorough research is required and you should
  choose your college based on its accreditation
  and recognition especially if you are looking for
  an opportunity in career growth.

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General Fees Structure

• Most of the MBA courses are structured for two
  years and the fees range from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,
  50,000 for the entire course. As you can see the
  cost of MBA through distance learning is
  significantly less. There are various payment
  options like EMI and part payments which lessen
  the financial burden on the student.

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Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for an MBA you must have
  completed 12 years of studies under 102 pattern
  followed by a three year graduate degree. Some
  universities like IGNOU also expect three years
  of work experience. Graduate equivalent diplomas
  are not accepted. Apart from this most institutes
  conduct an entrance test.

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Entrance Exams for Distance MBA

• Most institutes conduct an entrance examination
  and the performance of the student in these tests
  are considered along with the basic educational
  qualifications as mentioned above for admission.
• Some universities like NMIMS, Amity University
  and etc do not conduct an admission test and
  eligibility is based purely on the educational
  qualifications of the student. Symbiosis Centre
  for Distance Learning and Sikkim Manipal
  University for Distance Education conduct
  entrance exams and students who have qualified
  any state or national level entrance test for MBA
  are exempt for taking the entrance test. IGNOU
  conducts OPENMAT management aptitude test.
• IMT conducts an entrance exam but certain
  categories of students like working professional
  with two years work experience, students who
  have scored first class marks above 60,
  technical or legal professionals, and holders of
  PG diploma of IMT CDLs programme are exempted
  for the entrance tests.

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General Course Structure and Duration for
Distance MBA

• Students are provided study material by the
  institute/University. Contact classes are also
  conducted. Most of these classes are conducted on
  weekends so working professionals can also
  benefit from these classes. The Universities
  provide a list of places where contact classes
  are held in your city/town/village and you can
  choose the most convenient location to attend.
  Some Universities like Sikkim Manipal provide a
  dedicated student advisor who helps and guides
  the students during the entire course. Usually
  examinations are conducted twice a year and a
  certain weightage is given to the assignments.

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• Apart from undergraduates, correspondence
  courses are the most popular form of study for
  working individuals as it is usually taken up for
  enhancement in career and/or better prospects for
  future growth. In some cases the company itself
  sponsors the course to enhance knowledge and keep
  their employees updated with the latest in the
  industry. For working professionals the added
  boon of correspondence courses is the flexibility
  these courses offer in terms of completion of
  course, date of examination etc. For example an
  MBA from IGNOU can be completed any time from 2
  to 8 years.

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• So to sum up the advantages of MBA in Distance
  Learning
• Eligibility criteria Anyone with a graduate
  degree can apply. Admissions usually based on
  performance in an entrance test
• Credibility A degree from an accredited college
  has same value in terms of knowledge and job
  opportunities as a regular degree
• Flexibility Students can complete the course at
  their own pace and convenience which makes it
  feasible for busy professionals, housewives and
  other categories of students to study an MBA.
• Cost factor Courses are less expensive and there
  is no compromise in terms of knowledge or job
  opportunities.

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• The only disadvantage is that the salary packet
  will not be on par with the ones offered to
  graduates from top notch B-schools that is
  definitely incomparable but since the whole point
  of this article is to provide an alternative to
  the B-school and regular classes this comparison
  is actually not relevant here.
• In conclusion we can say that a student aspiring
  for an MBA degree can definitely look at distance
  learning as one the options without compromising
  on knowledge, quality of education and a good
  opportunity for career enhancement and future
  growth in career path.
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