Two decisions, in this order
First pick the level — what you want to be awarded. Then pick the specialisation — what you want to be good at. Most people do it the other way round and end up paying degree money for a certificate-shaped problem.
The levels
| Level | Length | Awarded | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBA | 2 years | Degree | A university postgraduate degree. The route to take when a rule in your path names a degree. |
| Executive MBA | 1–2 years | Degree | For candidates with work experience; usually a lighter contact load and a senior peer group. |
| PGDM | 2 years | Diploma | A postgraduate diploma from an autonomous institute. The model the IIMs used until 2017. |
| PG Diploma | 1 year | Diploma | A focused postgraduate qualification in a single specialisation. |
| Advanced Diploma | 1 year | Diploma | Deeper than a certificate, shorter than a degree. Often taken to switch function. |
| Diploma | 6–12 months | Diploma | Foundational coverage of one specialisation. |
| Certificate | 3–6 months | Certificate | One capability, minimum commitment. The efficient answer to a specific skill gap. |
| Mini MBA | 8–16 weeks | Certificate | A compressed survey of the core management functions. |
A university postgraduate degree. The route to take when a rule in your path names a degree.
For candidates with work experience; usually a lighter contact load and a senior peer group.
A postgraduate diploma from an autonomous institute. The model the IIMs used until 2017.
A focused postgraduate qualification in a single specialisation.
Deeper than a certificate, shorter than a degree. Often taken to switch function.
Foundational coverage of one specialisation.
One capability, minimum commitment. The efficient answer to a specific skill gap.
A compressed survey of the core management functions.
Most of the 71 specialisations below are offered at several of these levels. Fees run from ₹32,350 upward — see the three fee tiers.
Functional specialisations
The core business disciplines. These travel across every industry.
Sectoral specialisations
Built around one industry. Strongest when you already work in that sector or intend to.
Emerging & technology specialisations
Newer fields where curricula move fastest and autonomous institutes tend to lead.
If you cannot decide
Work backwards from the job description of the role you want next. If it names a degree, take the degree. If it names a skill, a certificate gets you there faster and cheaper. If it names a sector, pick the sectoral specialisation over the generic one.
How to choose a course → · The full guide → · Ask an advisor →
IICT and IIPM, Lucknow — two autonomous institutes worth knowing
Of the three things an “online course” can be, these two award the second: an autonomous institute’s own management qualification, on the model the IIMs used until 2017.
IICT — Indian Institute of Commerce and Trade
IICT Business School, Lucknow — usually written IICT Lucknow — has run autonomous management programmes for over 30 years. The IICT MBA is a two-year programme across 30+ specialisations, taught by distance and online, with admission by profile review rather than an entrance test. The complete fee is ₹32,350, paid to the institute directly against a receipt.
IIPM — Indian Institute of Pharmaceutical Marketing
IIPM Lucknow specialises in pharmaceutical marketing and pharma business management — sector-specific management education that university syllabi rarely cover. The IIPM MBA runs on the same autonomous model and the same complete fee of ₹32,350.
Both are fully online and taught at a distance, and both publish one complete fee rather than a per-semester schedule.