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IGNOU Distance MBA Program – Admission, Eligibility, Fee Structure, and More

Introduction
Courses Available
Details of Course
Fee Structure
Accreditation Status
Other Pertinent Information
Openmat Preparation
How to Apply?
FAQs
Contact Information
Related Posts
Distance MBA – Free Guidance Available!

Introduction

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) School of Management Studies (SOMS) provides students across the world access to its distance learning MBA education program.
The Correspondence MBA school of IGNOU became operational for admission in the year 1987. At that time, it used to award just one pilot program – i.e. Diploma in distance learning MBA education. It has now evolved into offering more than 10 programs comprising of 50 courses or more for students.
Not only does it cater to education in India, but also in Africa. In terms of scale, IGNOU MBA has a vast presence and one of the highest number of students across the globe.
It is a Central University.

Courses at IGNOU

Master’s Degree
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Doctoral Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy in Management (Ph.D. (M))
PG and Advance Diploma
- Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDIM)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (PGDHRM)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Operations Management (PGDOM)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management (PGDMM)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Markets Practice (PGDFMP)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Research in Management (PGDTRM)
Diploma
- Diploma in Management (DIM)
Certificate
- Certificate in Entrepreneurship (CIE)
- Certificate in NGO Management (CNM)
Note that even though a lot of postgraduate programs are being offered by IGNOU, only one course is actually the real MBA degree. Students can opt for other IGNOU courses which are in the postgraduate domain, however, one should note that technically, these are not equivalent to the normal MBA.

Details of Course

Duration: 2.5 years
Maximum duration to complete course: 8 years
Eligibility Criteria:
- Graduation in any discipline with 50% marks for general category and 45% for the reserved category with 3 years managerial/supervisory/professional experience OR
- Professional Degree with 50% marks in Engineering/ Medicine/ Chartered Accountancy (ICAI)/ Cost and Works Accountancy(ICWAI)/ Chartered Secretaryship (ICSI), and Law
- Clear OPENMAT conducted by IGNOU.
- There is no age bar
Medium: English
Specializations offered
- Financial Management
- Marketing Management
- Human Resource Management
- Operations Management
- Financial Markets Practice

Fee for the course

The fees to pursue MBA course is INR 31,500 (as of the year 2017).

IGNOU University Accreditation Proof

Source: UGC

Other Pertinent Information Regarding IGNOU course

The MBA course consists of 21 courses in total. These courses combine PGDIM, specialization courses, compulsory courses, and project courses. It is very important that students should only opt for the courses which are available during that particular year. The courses within each keep changing every year and it may lead to complications at a later stage.

Openmat Preparation

Open is the test conducted by IGNOU before you can start with your MBA education. It’s not that tough a paper but you may want to prepare for it sincerely. There are not that many books on this topic but here is one book you can refer.

The exam consists of four sections:

Mathematics or Quant – 50 questions
English – 50 questions
Reasoning – 70 questions
General awareness – 30 questions

Total Questions – 200 and time for solving the paper is 180 minutes, The Openmat test form can be downloaded here – Link.

Download Openmat previous year paper over here. Enjoy :)

How to Apply

For students who want to make it to the IGNOU MBA course, there is an entrance test which needs to be cleared first. If a student has taken any national level aptitude test for MBA such as CAT, then he might be exempted based on a certain level of marks. These may be determined each year depending on the proclivity of the IGNOU authorities.
Free Admission Help Available

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Should I prefer IGNOU Distance MBA over the regular MBA Program?

Ans: It totally depends on your situation. If you believe that it would be difficult for you to follow a fixed schedule of MBA, then a Distance MBA program would be a good option for you as it provides you great flexibility.

Q2: What is the duration of the IGNOU Distance MBA Program?

Ans: Its normal duration in 2.5 years. The maximum duration to complete this program is 8 years.

Q3: What is the placement scenario at IGNOU?

Ans: In order to be a part of the IGNOU MBA course, you should pass an entrance test. If a student has taken any national level aptitude test for MBA such as CAT, then he might be exempted based on a certain level of marks.

Q4: What is the eligibility criteria of the IGNOU Distance MBA Program?

Ans: You should have a professional graduation degree with 50% marks for general category and 45% for the reserved category with 3 years managerial/supervisory/professional experience. Besides that, you should clear OPENMAT conducted by IGNOU.

Q5: What is the maximum age limit for this MBA program?

Ans: There is no age bar for the IGNOU Distance MBA Program. Everyone can enroll in this program without any age restrictions.

Q6: Can OpenMAT be taken online?

Ans: To the best of our knowledge, no.

Q7: OpenMAT fee structure?

Ans: Yes, you have to pay a nominal fee for taking the exam

Q8: Once the exam is cleared, what is the process for admission?

Ans: You will be enrolled in that years’ batch and would have to apply for admit card etc to appear for the exam. Note that you would be required to pay the overall fee before you can take the exams.

Q9: How many times does IGNOU conduct examinations for distance MBA in a year?

Ans: Two times (June and December)

Q10: Can international candidates apply for distance MBA at the institution?

Ans: Yes, the program is open to international students

Q11: Are there age limitations for distance MBA?

Ans: No, there is no maximum age requirement

Q12: Can I discontinue my studies if I am unable to continue paying the school fee?

Ans: Yes, students are allowed to discontinue their studies. However, if they intend to continue with the study in the future, they should apply for a deferral instead.

Also, the institution can allow students, who are unable to complete the entire course, to complete only 5 courses in a particular area of specialization alongside one other mandatory course. Once achieved, the student will be awarded Post Graduate Diploma in that specific specialization

Q13: When does the learner become eligible for obtaining the final degree?

Ans: Students must complete all the practicals, assignments, projects, theory papers, and other evaluation techniques that the lecturer may deem fit

Q14: Will I get a provisional certificate after completing my studies?

Ans: Yes, students are provided with a provisional certificate as they await for the conferment of degree during the institution’s convocation ceremony. The provisional certificate is certified and can be presented to any employer

Q15: What are the requirements for undertaking a distance MBA exam at IGNOU?

Ans: All students must have attended a minimum of 75% of all the lectures. Additionally, students will only be allowed to sit for the exams only after clearing all the fee balances

Q16: I missed the deadline for distance MBA application, can I ask for special consideration?

Ans: No, once the admission portal is closed, candidates must wait for the next intake. IGNOU has two admission schedules (January and December)

Q17: Is IGNOU distance MBA recognized?

Ans: Yes, IGNOU is a central university that was established through an Act of Parliament in 1985. It is approved by AICTE and AIU

Contact Details

School of Management Studies,
Indira Gandhi National Open University,
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi – 110068
PH: +91-29532073
FAX: +91-29532078