Masters of Business Administration (MBA) - Course Overview

About Masters of Business Administration (MBA)

MBA or Masters of Business Administration is an internationally accredited post-graduate degree that is created to develop business and management skills amongst future business leaders and entrepreneurs.  A typical MBA degree covers a wide range of business fields like accounting, marketing & management. An MBA degree is not limited to a career in management; those interested in pursuing a career in the private, government & public sector can also benefit with an MBA degree.  

In India specifically, there are two types of management degrees available.

• Masters in Business Management (MBA): This degree is offered by government universities and is usually a 2-year programme
• Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM): This degree is offered by autonomous institutes like the Indian Institute of Management(s) and is usually a 1-year programme

In recent times, various other versions of MBA/ PGDM have been introduced to adhere to the industry needs. Some of them include:

• Online MBA
• Distance Learning MBA
• Executive MBA

The MBA course curriculum is a combination of some core subjects like Marketing, Economics, Accounting and Operations, and Elective courses to give management aspirants a chance to follow their own personal or professional interests.  

The various sectors where an MBA graduate can find employment include:

Banking & Finance	Information System Management
Investment Banking	Management Consulting
Private Equity	Data Analytics
Entrepreneurship

 

Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Eligiblity Criteria

Admission to MBA is strictly on the basis of management entrance exams conducted on national, state and institute levels. Besides this, students have to adhere to the following eligibility criteria:

• Graduate from any stream with minimum 50% marks or equivalent CGPA from a UGC recognized Board or an equivalent recognition from MHRD, GoA
• Students belonging to the SC/ ST or PWD category will require minimum 45% marks to qualify for any MBA entrance test
• Valid scores of MBA entrance exams like CAT, MAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT & CMAT etc.

MBA Admission Process:

Getting admission to an MBA college is not a cakewalk. One has to overcome a series of difficult processes for admission to a top B-school in India. If you fulfill the basic eligibility criteria, you need to apply to any of the following entrance exams:

• Common Admission Test (CAT)
• Management Aptitude Test (MAT)
• Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP)
• Xavier’s Aptitude Test (XAT)
• NMAT by GMAC
• Common Management Aptitude Test (CMAT)
• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)
• MICA Admission Test (MICAT)
• ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test (IBSAT)

State government also conducts tests for admission to MBA government colleges as well private MBA colleges in the state. Some of them include:

• Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GCET)
• University of Hyderabad’s CET (UOHYD)
• Cochin University Science & Technology (CUSAT)
• Karnataka Management Aptitude Test (KMAT)
• Rajasthan Management Aptitude Test (RMAT)
• Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) etc.

There are various management schools in India that also conduct individual management entrance exams for admission to their colleges.

• Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi
• SRM University’s Management Test (SRMJEE)
• Benaras Hindu University (BHU PET)
• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIITEE)
• University of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES-MET) etc.

Here is a collated list of all the management entrance exams in India including national, state and college/ university level MBA exams for taking admission to the top colleges.

After your MBA entrance exam score is out, you can check out the B-school admission cut-off as released by that school. Wherever eligible, you can apply, following which, you will have to undergo an even more grueling processes popularly known as Group Discussion (GD) & Personal Interview). 

Popular Specializations of Masters of Business Administration (MBA)

• Technology Management
• Natural Resource Management
• Communication Management
• Environmental Management
• Mass Media Management
• Systems
• Rural Development
• Healthcare & Hospital Management
• Retail Management
• Shipping & Logistic management
• Sports Management
• Sales and Marketing
• Materials Management
• Operations Management
• Project Management
• Risk Management
• Sustainable Management
• Industrial Management
• Power Management
• Business Management
• Consultancy
• Design management
• Hospitality Management
• Agribusiness / Rural
• Finance
• Fashion Management
• Insurance & Actuarial Science
• Event Management
• Human Resources Management
• Investment Management

Career Options and Job Prospects

MBA is a highly skilled degree and opens up various opportunities for you. From working in the private, public or government sectors to venturing out to become an entrepreneur, an MBA degree comes a long way into shaping your career.  

Career prospects after MBA is varied. Depending upon the B-school you have graduated from, the job prospects get impacted. Top B-schools in India like the Indian Institute of Management(s) have the best placement strategies in place, and more often than not, their students are usually the best placed in the industry.

MBA graduates can work as following:

• Management Consultant
• IT Manager
• Financial Manager
• Financial Advisor
• HR Manager
• Management Analyst

The starting average salary of MBA graduates in India ranges between Rs. 7 Lakh – Rs. 12 Lakh per annum. If you have studied from an Ivy League B-School in India, it can start from Rs. 15 Lakh per annum. Mid level salary ranges from between Rs. 15 Lakh – Rs. 24 Lakh per annum. Senior level salary ranges above Rs. 20 Lakhs per annum.