MBA (Master of Business Administration) Overview

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a 2-year postgraduate course offered in several specializations. MBA course helps in developing business and management skills amongst future business leaders and entrepreneurs. Building a career in the desired industry after pursuing an MBA is quite easy. The scope of an MBA is rapidly increasing and is considered one of the most popular job-oriented professional courses with career opportunities like Finance Manager, Marketing Manager, Media Planner, Product Manager, Sales Manager, and many more.

The top MBA colleges in India include IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Lucknow, IIM Calcutta, and MDI Gurgaon. To secure a seat in a reputed B-school, students need to appear for different MBA entrance exams, such as CAT, MAT, XAT, NMAT, and CMAT followed by WAT, GD, and PI rounds. Most MBA colleges in India offer direct placements and MBA jobs in prominent and well-established companies.

Candidates scoring more than 50% in the undergraduate course can only apply for MBA. The MBA course fee generally ranges between INR 10 to 25 lakh depending on the college you choose. MBA aspirants can seek admission as regular students, distance-learning, or executive courses according to their convenience. Read further to know everything about an MBA course if you are interested in pursuing one.



Full Form Master of Business Administration
Level Post Graduate
Types of MBA Courses Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Distance MBA,
 Online MBA, Executive MBA, Integrated MBA
Duration 2 Years
Exam Type Semester
Minimum Qualification Requirement Bachelor's Degree
Average Initial MBA Salary INR 5 to 22 Lakhs Per Annum
MBA Selection Process Entrance Exam & Merit-Based (Private Colleges)
Popular MBA Entrance Exams CAT, MAT, XAT, ATMA, SNAP, TISSNET, CMAT, NMAT, GMAT
Top MBA Specialization in India Sales, Marketing, Finance, Human Resources,
 IT, Operations, Digital Marketing, Business Analytics
Minimum Aggregate Required for MBA Admissions 50-60%
Major MBA Recruiters Amazon, Citigroup, Deloitte, Apple, Bain & Company,
 Flipkart, Microsoft, Google, Tesla, LinkedIn, PepsiCo, Unilever,
Nike, Ernst & Young, and Deutsche Bank.
Top MBA Colleges in India IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Indore, IIM Bangalore,
 FMS Delhi, IIM Calcutta, IIM Kozhikode,
 IIM Lucknow, SPJIMR Mumbai, XLRI, etc.



MBA is an internationally acclaimed degree preferred by individuals who wish to gain knowledge of business practices. Every business requires well-qualified managers to deal with responsibilities related to business management and administration. One can acquire essential skills to lead a team and make deals that boost a company's success. Here are a few top reasons to choose an MBA:

Developing Managerial Skills

An MBA course develops business acumen and managerial skills in an individual. It prepares a candidate to perform various managerial duties in an organization as per his specialization. Moreover, an MBA degree instills communication, analytical, logical, comprehension, and various other crucial skills.

Better Career Opportunities

With a postgraduate degree in management from a well-recognized institute, one can find high-paying in some of the biggest organizations not just in India but abroad as well. Many working professionals pursue an MBA course to boost their careers and grab better career opportunities.

Developing Leadership Skills

With an MBA degree, one can acquire leadership roles in top companies around the world. It prepares a candidate to lead a team, convey his ideas clearly to the team members, make decisions that can impact hundreds of people, and keep the functioning and operations of the business intact.

For Entrepreneurial Skill Development

An MBA course makes an individual well-versed in the management and administration of the business and various aspects of it within an organization. This enables him to understand how a business work and what contributes to its success; thus, preparing him for entrepreneurial roles and starting his own company.

Lucrative Salary & Great Benefits

MBA graduates from IIMs and other premier institutes never face a shortage of career opportunities with lucrative salaries and other benefits. MBA graduates are offered exceptional salary packages between 20-50 lakhs per annum. Through IIM placements, one can even get a package of 90 lakhs per annum and above.

Global Exposure to Business and Economy

Management is one of the most coveted sectors in the world, and professionals working in this sector are exposed to various kinds of business and economies of various nations. One can learn about the business administration and management techniques of various nations after completing an MBA degree successfully.

Who Should Pursue an MBA?

An MBA is essential for corporate executives who want to acquire improved communication and team-building abilities, new management strategies to prepare for roles with greater responsibility, and strategic thinking and critical analysis skills. These abilities will enable one to possess the managerial competence that an employer would require. An MBA is a requirement for full-time executives who want to grow their professional networks, improve their critical knowledge and skills, advance their careers more rapidly, and make much more money. People with outstanding leadership skills should pursue an MBA. Anyone with at least two to three years of professional experience who intends to move up to a managing or administrative position must enroll in an MBA program.
An MBA is a flexible degree that everyone can pursue within their comfort. Traditionally, the MBA course was a two-year regular program. But now, there are multiple options like online and distance programs which are best suited for working professionals. Have a look at the types of MBA courses available.

Full-Time MBA Course

It is a regular two-year full-time course offered by most B-Schools in India. Candidates can experience the classroom environment for theory classes, internships, and projects from practical knowledge. The approximate MBA course fee for any two-year full-time course starts from INR 2 Lakhs and may exceed up to INR 25 Lakh, annually. The MBA course fee of the top three IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta) is around Rs 23 lakh. The program is divided into 4 or 6 semesters depending on the MBA specialization and college.

Part-Time MBA Course

The MBA Part-time program is the best program for working professionals. It is not a residential program. Anyone who wishes to improve their managerial skills can opt for this program. Many private and government colleges offer MBA Part-time courses. The annual MBA course fee may range from INR 1 lakh to 10 lakh approximately. The MBA syllabus is slightly different from that of the regular course.

Executive MBA Course

The executive MBA course is designed for working professionals with five or more years of work experience. The course curriculum of executive MBA is similar to that of the full-time MBA program, but with a shorter duration. The classes are not conducted on a regular basis. The entire program of MBA subject is completed within a 15-19 months duration. The MBA syllabus may not be identical to the MBA syllabus for regular courses. The annual course fees of an executive MBA are marginally higher than other MBA courses. Many organizations that seek their employees to pursue executive MBA subjects bear the tuition fees. However, approximately, the annual course fees of an executive MBA subject may range from INR 10 lakh to 45 lakh.

Online MBA Course

This is the most popular MBA course that most candidates opt for to get a degree from the comfort of their homes. The classes are conducted online and the projects must be submitted online. The MBA course curriculum is designed specially to ensure that the candidates grasp the core values of the course and also develop the necessary skills. Candidates will be given assignments on a regular basis that need to be completed. The MBA syllabus includes no physical classes and online classes. The admissions are also conducted online through an online application form. Candidates can take admissions from any city to any desired college around the country. There is no restriction on attending classes. Recorded lectures are also available for the candidates. The annual course fees for online MBA start from INR 40,000 to INR 2 lakhs, approximately.

Distance MBA Course

Candidates can also pursue distance or correspondence MBA courses. This distance program is quite affordable and flexible in terms of duration. Candidates will have the liberty to complete the course between 2 to 5 years. Many renowned MBA Colleges in India offer a distance MBA program. Both private colleges and Government colleges offer distance MBA courses. The distance MBA course fee starts from INR 30,000 to INR 2.5 lakhs, depending on the institute.

Integrated MBA Course

The integrated MBA course is for students who have just passed Class 12th. It is a 5-year program where candidates will pursue the graduation level as well as post-graduation level courses. The MBA syllabus for the MBA Integrated course is completely different. Students can either opt for BBA/B.Tech/BA/BSc+MBA subject course. The annual MBA course fees start from INR 1 to INR 17 lakhs. Right after graduation, students can easily get MBA jobs in the private and public sectors.
MBA admissions into most of the B-Schools in India are conducted on the basis of a candidate's score in national, state, and university/institute-level entrance exams. However, some private MBA colleges offer direct admissions on the basis of academic background. The eligibility criteria for the MBA course vary as per college. A few common requisites are given below:

General category candidates should have a bachelor's degree in any stream with a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA from a UGC-recognized board or equivalent recognition from MHRD.

Students belonging to the SC/ST/PwD category need to have a minimum of 45% marks to qualify for any MBA entrance test.

Final year UG students can also apply for the entrance exams or admission. However, the application is subjected to the results. If the candidate does not score the minimum required aggregate, the application will be canceled.

Candidates should have valid scores on MBA entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT, etc.

Candidates opting through the reserved category must provide valid documents at the time of filing the examination form.

Working professionals may also apply, but they must be capable of producing valid documents to prove their employment, whenever asked. If any candidate fails to produce the necessary documents, the candidature will not be considered.
To get admission into any of the top MBA colleges in India, one has to undergo several rounds of the selection process. Candidates must ensure to fulfill all the requirements in each round to make it to the final list for admission. Here is the stage that every candidate must go through to seek admission into an MBA course:

Stage 1: Apply for the Entrance Exam

Even before choosing a college, candidates will have to appear for any of the entrance exams listed above. Also, they may look at the requirements of the colleges they wish to study in and accordingly prepare for the entrance exams. To appear for the entrance exams, merely, candidates will have to meet the minimum eligibility criteria for each entrance exam. Most MBA Entrance exams allow candidates with 50% aggregate marks in Bachelor’s degree (5% relaxation for reserved categories).

Stage 2: Appear for the Entrance Exam

CAT is one of the most popular and toughest entrance exams with over 2 lakh applicants every year. With a valid CAT score, you can get MBA admission in IIMs and most of the colleges in India. Most students seeking admission into B-schools start preparing for the CAT exam a year before the exam date to ensure they qualify for it. The score of other entrance exams like MAT, ATMA, CMAT, and XAT are also accepted by many management institutes in the country. You can appear for any entrance exam depending on the college you are targeting.

Stage 3: Qualify for the Entrance Exams

Then, the next step is that candidates will have to wait for the results. All entrance exams have different ways of calculating the marks. Some consider the marks scored, and some consider the percentile. So, make sure to check the rules of the exam. Qualifying for the entrance exam doesn’t guarantee admission into the college of your voice. You need to meet the minimum cutoff and selection criteria defined by an individual college.

Stage 4: Participate in the Counselling/Selection Process

Candidates meeting the cutoff must then apply for the MBA course admission process to the college/institute. A Centralized Admission Process (CAP) is organized to select candidates for final admission. Students need to register to take part in the counselling and fulfill all the requirements. Anyone who does not meet the cutoff and still applies will not be considered. One must remember that entrance exam scores for most exams are valid for one year only.

Stage 5: Shortlisting of Candidates for the GD/PI Rounds

Based on the entrance exam scores, candidates are shortlisted and called for group discussions, written ability tests, or personal interview rounds. MBA colleges accepting direct admissions, on a merit basis also conduct personal interview rounds. Candidates must appear for this round of the selection process. Make sure you are well prepared for such rounds as they are conducted to evaluate your overall personality and communication skills. No matter how high your score is in the entrance exam, if you can’t speak or interact confidently in GD/PI rounds, you might lose your chances of getting an MBA seat.

Stage 7: Declaration of the Final Merit List and Waiting List

After evaluating the candidate on the parameters, entrance exam scores, GD/PI performance, academic performance, and work experience (if any), the final list of selected candidates will be declared. Candidates who have been allocated a seat in the MBA college will be required to do the reporting (offline or online) and pay the admission fees. Simultaneously, the waiting list of candidates will also be declared. If there are any vacant seats or availability, candidates from the waiting list will be admitted.
Being an MBA graduate in India has great scope. Immediately after graduating, there are high possibilities to bag the best jobs. With 10-19 years of experience, any candidate can easily get a salary of INR 14,00,000 LPA undoubtedly. With 20 or more years of experience, an MBA in India can easily get senior-level jobs. A senior-level job in Management offers posts such as Director, Vice president, and Senior Director. The MBA salaries offered in these posts can wind up to INR 25 Lakhs Per Annum or more without any upper limit. MBA jobs are available in the private, government, and public sectors. There is no shortage of jobs for MBA graduates. If not for college placements, with the right skill set, candidates can easily get jobs in the top companies and organizations. Candidates can also apply for jobs abroad with relevant work experience.
MBA is a course, which requires the complete dedication of the candidate. One must be ready to accept the hardships that come with it. Candidates must have these sets of skills to be qualified as an MBA graduate. It is always better if the candidate already has the skills. If not, pursuing MBA will motivate and inculcate these skills:

Leadership

Studying for an MBA brings the candidate the resources to build leadership skills. It enables the person to act as a leader for the team members. The person must be capable of motivating and inspiring the members of the group. They must have firm confidence in themselves and in the work. It is best to gain expertise in the area to be able to lead the team.

Communication

Another important skill that is very necessary is communication. MBA job requires the candidate to meet and communicate with lots of new people on different matters. They must be able to handle each person in the way required. Candidates must be able to put across their ideas in an innovative and understanding way. Also while submitting any proposal or information, they must be able to handle the responsibility of it.

Critical Thinking

Candidates must be aware of the good and bad for the team. They must have the potential to think through the matter and make a decision best for the team. The MBA syllabus includes this as an integral part. Additionally, instead of fixating on personal gain, they must focus on the big picture and work accordingly. Also, an MBA graduate must be ready to accept positive and negative feedback and implement it in the best way possible.

Creativity

Innovative ideas, ventures, and practices must be implemented. Candidates must be ready to accept fresh angles and viewpoints.

Teamwork

Instead of working like a boss, one must always act as a leader and work with the team. A good leader always prioritizes the team before personal gains. And the best strategy to build better results is always teamwork.

Flexibility

Always is flexible with the changes. Being adamant and continuing with old methods will never help to grow. Being flexible, and adapting to new methods, and technology will always help to grow. To build the bridge over the growing business industry, flexibility is the key.

Resilience

Once you start the journey in the business world, it is not easy to look back. Although the business world is harsh and difficult to climb the ladder of success. But giving up or quitting cannot be an option. Candidates must be resilient and continue to push back and fight through the hardships to build a stable career.

Self Awareness

Being self-aware of one's strengths and weaknesses are important. It helps to think about the best ways to use the strengths and improve the weaknesses. It will help to build confidence.

Integrity

Honesty towards one's own work and responsibilities is another aspect that an MBA aspirant must possess. While leading a group of team members, if the candidate is not honest with the team, it can lead to havoc. Being integral is equally important as the other skills.


MBA Syllabus for Different Specializations

MBA SpecializationMBA Syllabus
Finance
  • Security Analysis & Investment Management
  • Project Planning, Analysis & Management
  • Quantitative Analysis of Financial Decisions
  • Financial Derivatives
  • International Financial Management
  • Fixed Income Securities
  • Portfolio Management
  • Risk Management
  • Management Control System
  • Corporate Governance
  • Management of Financial Services
  • Financial Reporting
  • Corporate Taxation    
Marketing
  • Advertising Management
  • Analytical Marketing
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Brand Management
  • Competitive Marketing
  • Retailing Management
  • SalesForce Management
  • Internet Marketing
  • Business Marketing
  • Marketing Channel
  • Sales Promotion Management
  • Advanced Research Techniques in Marketing
  • Service Marketing    
Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management
  • Management of Industrial Relations
  • Counseling Skills for Managers
  • Manpower Development for Technological Change
  • Managing Diversity
  • Human Resource Planning and Development
  • Human Resource Development: Strategies & Systems
  • Performance Management
  • Negotiation, Persuasion & Social Influence Skills
  • Cross-Cultural and Global Management
  • Personal Power & Leadership through Asian Values
  • Managing Interpersonal and Group Processes
  • Compensation Management
  • Training and Development
  • Leadership, Power, and Politics
Production and Operations Management
  • Advanced Operations Management
  • Decision Models and Optimization
  • Total Quality Management
  • Production Planning and Control
  • Operations Strategy
  • Quantitative Analysis of Risk and Uncertainty
  • Operations Research
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Modelling in Supply Chain Management
  • Technology, Innovation, and New Product Management
  • Environment and Safety Management
Entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurial Management
  • Family Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Social Entrepreneurship
  • Managing the Growing Business
  • Entrepreneurship, Creativity & Innovation
  • Financing the Entrepreneurial Business
IT Management
  • Business Process Re-Engineering
  • Network Operations, Management & Security
  • Managing E-Business
  • Strategic Management of Information Technology
  • System Analysis and Design
  • Managing IT-Enabled Services
  • Database Management Systems
  • Knowledge Management
  • Business Intelligence     
Services Management
  • Management of NGOs
  • Hospitality Operations Management
  • Transportation Management
  • Service Operations Management
  • Tourism Marketing
  • Airport Management
  • Hospitality Marketing
  • Total Service Quality Management
  • Civil Aviation Management