Distance MBA vs Regular MBA

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a post-graduate course, which draws in graduates of all disciplines and develops them into management trainees in varied companies. As per a reliable study, MBA pass-outs recorded a 55 percent employability rate in 2022 in India. This degree is a gateway to an affluent career. In the past, only on-campus colleges executed this course. At present, graduates can opt for the distance mode. If you are at the crossroads of selection of an on-campus MBA or distance MBA, the following comparison will be handy.

Distance MBA vs Regular MBA

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a post-graduate course, which draws in graduates of all disciplines and develops them into management trainees in varied companies. As per a reliable study, MBA pass-outs recorded a 55 percent employability rate in 2022 in India. This degree is a gateway to an affluent career. In the past, only on-campus colleges executed this course. At present, graduates can opt for the distance mode. If you are at the crossroads of selection of an on-campus MBA or distance MBA, the following comparison will be handy.

Things to Know While Joining a Regular MBA or an MBA Distance Education

If you want to join a regular, on-campus MBA, it is essential to know that the colleges and universities admit students during a fixed time interval and only once a year. These institutions have a fixed date by which you have to submit your application form. The number of students that can be admitted to the course is limited. After the date of submitting the application form passes by, the institution has a fixed schedule for the process of admission. After the final date of admission passes by, the institution does not accept any student to the course. On the contrary, if your aim is to join the distance version of this post-graduation, you need to know that here admission is an ongoing process. There are no fixed dates for submitting the application form and the process of admission. This intake process is going on throughout the year. This is one of the major issues why distance MBA became very popular.

The Process of Admission of a Regular MBA and a Distance MBA Degree

An on-campus MBA has a lengthy admission process. The institution collects the admission forms of all candidates after the date of submission of application form is over. Students have to appear at national-level or state-level or college-level MBA entrance examinations. Based on the scores of students in these examinations, the institution prepares a merit list of applied candidates. The candidates who rank in these lists have to go through the Group Discussion round. Based on the performance in this round, the institution selects candidates for the personal interview. The performance during this interview decides the selection of the candidate for the regular MBA course. On the other hand, if you want to do a distance MBA course, these institutions have simple eligibility criteria. If the candidate has scored a specific percentage of marks in the final year of graduation and can pay the fees of the course, the distance institutions offer admission to the candidate.

The Process of Admission of a Regular MBA and a Distance MBA Degree

An on-campus MBA has a lengthy admission process. The institution collects the admission forms of all candidates after the date of submission of application form is over. Students have to appear at national-level or state-level or college-level MBA entrance examinations. Based on the scores of students in these examinations, the institution prepares a merit list of applied candidates. The candidates who rank in these lists have to go through the Group Discussion round. Based on the performance in this round, the institution selects candidates for the personal interview. The performance during this interview decides the selection of the candidate for the regular MBA course. On the other hand, if you want to do a distance MBA course, these institutions have simple eligibility criteria. If the candidate has scored a specific percentage of marks in the final year of graduation and can pay the fees of the course, the distance institutions offer admission to the candidate.

The Financial Burdens of on-campus MBA and Distance Learning MBA

A college MBA has a fee structure that ranges from 10 to 30 lakhs INR for the entire course. The final value depends on the particular institute in question. Moreover, students have additional expenses, such as conveyance expenditure, stationery costs and cafe teria overhead, among others. The MBA degree from a distance college requires fees in the range from 20,000 INR to 1,00,000 INR for the complete post-graduation. Students save money required for transportation and cafe teria. There is minimisation of expenses arising due to stationery needs. It is obvious that the fiscal burden of a distance institution is much less as compared to an on-campus institution.

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Comparison of Regular MBA and MBA Courses Distance Education While Post-Graduation is in Progress

On-Campus MBA

Distance MBA

A fixed time span of two years divided into four semesters

A flexible time span from two to four years

A fixed time-table for classes

No classes are implemented

A particular date for submitting assignments

The date for submitting assignments is flexible

Specific venue for examination of each subject

The venue of the examination of each subject is chosen by the student

Specific dates for examination of every subject

The examination schedule as per the personal student plan

Field visits and industry visits are a part of the MBA curriculum

Obviously, students get considerable exposure to the real-life scenarios pertinent to their theoretical subjects.

No plan for any field visits or industrial visits.

Consequently, students get only theoretical knowledge.

Career After on-campus MBA and MBA Degree Distance Learning

MBA colleges with traditional education methods have a placement cell. During the fourth semester of each batch, this placement cell takes the initiative to find employment for the students. Typically, such colleges have tie-ups with industries and companies. The companies conduct employment drives on the campus of these colleges and hire the management candidates. Generally, distance MBA colleges do not have any placement cells or tie-ups with companies to recruit distance students. The role of these colleges is restricted to offering some placement assistance to students. Some instances of such assistance is providing training to draft a compelling resume and providing updates of opportunities in the market.

In regular colleges, students intermix with one another for two years, which creates a strong rapport among them. There are continuous interactions between the faculty members and the students. Students can also have discussions with industry professionals. The outcome is that these students develop a considerable network. After completion of post-graduation, they can continue and grow this network, which is beneficial for their career in various forms, such as job switches, guidance and consultancy. In distance institutions, there is no communication among students and between students and professors. Industry professionals are not introduced to students. Overall, there is a lack of networking. Thus, after students get the MBA certificate, they have to build their career using their own abilities.

Now, you have a panoramic information, beginning from taking admission to undergoing the post-graduation to pursuing a career after getting your certificate. You are in a position to weigh the benefits of distance MBA positives and the negatives if you embark on either of the paths and finalise the most-beneficial avenue for your particular case. You can also go one step further and find out why online MBA is gaining fame.

Frequently Asked Questions

In regular MBA, students can ask their queries to the professors/lecturers during the class and by having conversations with them during their free time slots. In distance MBA, the distance college schedules only 4 to 5 doubt sessions per year for discussions between the professors/lecturers and students.

In regular MBA, professors/lecturers allocate assignments and projects to students. After completion of these, students submit them to professors/lecturers in the college by a specific date declared by the college. In distance MBA, the regional study centres allocate assignments and projects to students. After completion of these, students need to submit them to the regional study centres.

In regular MBA, the curriculum includes visits to companies and industries. Such field work is a mandatory part of the course. This leads to adequate exposure to the real-life scenarios in the industry. In distance MBA, the curriculum does not include visits to companies and industries. Therefore, the industry exposure is almost nil or in some cases, considerably limited.

Let us consider Student A who has appeared for MBA entrance examinations and obtained a good score in those. This student has the financial potential to pay the regular MBA fees. Thirdly, such a student feels that studying MBA subjects and working in a company simultaneously is not feasible. Another point is that this student has the goal to gain field experience in addition to theoretical study. Student A should try for admission to regular MBA. In another case, Student B has not appeared for MBA entrance examinations or has appeared but does not have an adequate score on those. This student does not have the financial capacity to pay regular MBA fees. Or, the student has secured a job to pay for distance MBA fees. Alternatively, the employer of the student has agreed to pay the distance MBA fees, partially or completely. Student B should try for admission to distance MBA.

Regular MBA colleges have tie-ups with the companies in the industry. Campus drives are held in these colleges where the companies conduct recruitment processes within college premises. Students get job offers in the final semester of their MBA course. Distance MBA colleges largely don’t have a definite placement process. Barring a few exceptions, such colleges lack any tie-ups with companies, and the concept of recruitment during the last phase of the MBA course is absent. Here, students have to try for their employment through their own efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions

In regular MBA, students can ask their queries to the professors/lecturers during the class and by having conversations with them during their free time slots. In distance MBA, the distance college schedules only 4 to 5 doubt sessions per year for discussions between the professors/lecturers and students.

In regular MBA, professors/lecturers allocate assignments and projects to students. After completion of these, students submit them to professors/lecturers in the college by a specific date declared by the college. In distance MBA, the regional study centres allocate assignments and projects to students. After completion of these, students need to submit them to the regional study centres.

In regular MBA, the curriculum includes visits to companies and industries. Such field work is a mandatory part of the course. This leads to adequate exposure to the real-life scenarios in the industry. In distance MBA, the curriculum does not include visits to companies and industries. Therefore, the industry exposure is almost nil or in some cases, considerably limited.

Let us consider Student A who has appeared for MBA entrance examinations and obtained a good score in those. This student has the financial potential to pay the regular MBA fees. Thirdly, such a student feels that studying MBA subjects and working in a company simultaneously is not feasible. Another point is that this student has the goal to gain field experience in addition to theoretical study. Student A should try for admission to regular MBA. In another case, Student B has not appeared for MBA entrance examinations or has appeared but does not have an adequate score on those. This student does not have the financial capacity to pay regular MBA fees. Or, the student has secured a job to pay for distance MBA fees. Alternatively, the employer of the student has agreed to pay the distance MBA fees, partially or completely. Student B should try for admission to distance MBA.

Regular MBA colleges have tie-ups with the companies in the industry. Campus drives are held in these colleges where the companies conduct recruitment processes within college premises. Students get job offers in the final semester of their MBA course. Distance MBA colleges largely don’t have a definite placement process. Barring a few exceptions, such colleges lack any tie-ups with companies, and the concept of recruitment during the last phase of the MBA course is absent. Here, students have to try for their employment through their own efforts.

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