That over 3500 institutes in India today offer MBA education is the testimony of the huge demand for the management education in the country. MBA has become one of the most treaded paths for the young generation of students as well as the working professionals as it carries huge potential for career growth in the vibrant market and economy that India boasts of.

While there are number of institutes which offer regular courses in MBA, it is not possible for all to pursue management programmes through regular classroom learning mode, with program duration of two years. For those who are unable to pursue regular classroom learning mode for want of time and high cost, Distance MBA may prove to be a viable alternative

"The flexibility of delivery, affordability, scope for continuous learning and easy accessibility make distance MBA a very attractive option for today's youth and working executives. The working professionals look towards distance learning as a viable alternative to full time MBA," says Dr. Swati Mujumdar, Director, Symbiosis Center For Distance Learning (SCDL).

The basic difference between a Regular MBA and a Distance Learning MBA is that of the classroom study. There are proper classes in a Regular MBA, whereas in Distance Learning MBA there is no compulsion for classroom study. Even a student from a far flung area can go for Distance MBA offered by prestigious B-schools.

Some of the other factors, which differentiate Distance Learning MBA and Regular MBA, are:

Time
Regular MBA has classroom sessions and the students thus, are bound to attend classes. On the other hand, Distance MBA lends flexibility of time. Those who cannot afford to do full time MBA, either because they are working or any personal reason can opt for Distance MBA. While doing Full time MBA, a person is fully immersed in his studies and expected to give his full time and concentration to it, Distance MBA seekers, in most of the cases, learn while they earn.

Pedagogy
Full time or Regular MBA is a face-to-face instruction medium. Students need to go to the classrooms and attend classes, whereas in Distance MBA, there is nothing like a frequent classroom study. Various ICT (Information Communication Technology) methods are used for Distance Learning mode. Distance MBA institutes use technologies to fill the gap between Regular MBA and Distance MBA. The various Education Technologies being used by the eminent Distance Learning MBA Institutes today includes E-learning, online chats with professors, Video Conferencing, CD’s and DVD’s provided by the institutes, online (digital) library etc.

The reading material, e-learning and personal contact programs create a hybrid learning environment for students.

“The wider introduction of Satellite based education and entry of IT based companies in distance education has improved its quality in last few years,” says Dr. Raj Agrawal, Director, Centre for Management Education, All India Management Association.

Dr. A M Sherry, Director IMT-CDL, agrees. He says that “Increased use of latest technology for the delivery of lectures, online study material, online assignments and online examinations in distance management education has made it convenient for working professionals as they do not have to attend face-to-face lectures, read printed study material, submit offline assignments and appear in offline examinations.”

Fee Structure
One of the biggest advantages of the Distance MBA programmes is its low fee structure. Regular MBA is much more costly than Distance MBA. For example, SCDL fee for Post Graduate Diploma program is Rs 30,000 and for one year Post graduate Diploma program is Rs 18,000.

The fee at IMT-CDL is Rs One lakh for 2-Year PGDM Program, Rs.50,000 for 1-Year PG Diploma Programs and Rs 60,000 for PGDM (Executive) Program.

On the other hand, fees for regular MBA in most of the institutes are more than Rs 5-6 lakh. Moreover, Distance learning MBA eliminates cost incurred on travelling, infrastructure and a variety of other expenses.

Recognition & Value
Although Management education is in great demand these days, still distance MBA is not valued much in the market today. But Dr. Mujumdar of Symbiosis feels that the Distance MBA fits perfectly with the needs and aspirations of the individuals as well as the corporates. “The Distance MBA provides a unique opportunity to the people working full time, to pursue higher education and upgrade their skill sets. The companies also stand to gain as the distance learner, though not studying in a conventional model, keeps himself abreast with the new and innovative practices in Management through the online learning program,” she says

But she adds that “For distance learning programs to be valued in the market, it is important for the institutes to make the curricula relevant and in line with the current market trends.”

Dr. Raj Agrawal also says that continuous upgrading quality as per industry requirement, wider use of IT and satellite based education for virtual classes, upgradation of courses as per global requirement, will be some of the major challenges for distance MBA programs in the coming years.

In India, there are many quality institutes which offer Distance MBA programs. The key players in the Distance MBA domain include AIMA-CME, IMT-CDL, Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning, NMIMS-SDL, IGNOU, Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education, to name a few.

The key players in the Distance MBA domain:

Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning
Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) is located in the heart of India’s premier educational centre, the city of Pune. SCDL emphasizes on a constantly evolving curriculum which is at par with the full time educational programs and meets the latest needs of a fast growing economy and progressive society.

SCDL has various programs for graduates and working Executives. The different types of programs feature PGDBA (With various specializations), PGDHRM, PGDIT, PGDEA.

IMT-CDL
IMT-Centre for Distance Learning, Ghaziabad offers a wide range of management and information technology programmes. The institute updates its curriculum on a regular basis to be in pace with the fast moving educational world.

The institute offers 2-Year PGDM, 1-Year PGDM (Executive) and 1-Year PG Diploma in Business Administration, Human Resource, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain Management and Cyber Security. All these programs are recognized by Distance Education Council, Ministry of HRD, Government of India.

Various education technologies are used by the institute to conduct the classes and make the course at par with the Full time courses.

NMIMS-SDL
Since 1981, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Sciences, Mumbai, also known as NMIMS offers courses / programs across various disciplines, such as Management, Technology, Science, Pharmacy, Architecture and Commerce. NMIMS-SDL, a branch of NMIMS has over the years gained a position among the top league players in the Distance Education field.

It offers 2 year Post-Graduate Diploma Programmes and 1 year Diploma programs in various functional specializations of Management, such as, DBM - Diploma in Business Management, DHRM - Diploma in Human Resource Management, PGDBM - Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management, PGDHRM - Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management, and many more.

IGNOU
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), since its establishment in 1985, has contributed to a great extent to the educational world through Distance Learning Mode. The different MBA programs offered by IGNOU include MBA, MBA (Banking and Finance), MBA (Social Entrepreneurship), and MBA (Corporate Training).

To take admission in IGNOU, for management programs, a student need to undergo an OPENMAT entrance exam, held by IGNOU, twice a year. The mode of study adopted by the institute is also very flexible. The institute provides students with continuous evaluation and feedback. Students are given project work which helps them to learn and gain practical and relevant knowledge. Students are evaluated in the form of tutor-marked and computer-marked assignment, projects, term-end examination etc.

AIMA
Established in 1993, Centre for Management Education (CME), the education wing of AIMA function as a full-fledged autonomous business school, devoted to providing high quality management education through distance learning mode with a network of Nodal Centers across the country. CME offers various post graduate management programmes using state-of-the-art technology and flexible learning to suit the need of different levels of Managers.
The Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) is the flagship program of CME which has regularly been approved by AICTE, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India since 1994. CME also offers Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology Management (PGDITM) and Post graduate Certificate in Management (PGCM). The programs of the institute are known for their quality.

The Centre launched Ph.D. program in association with Aligarh Muslim University in January 2000; since then it has become a very prestigious programme in the academic and corporate circle and with the professionals with academic inclination. All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given approval for 1500 seats in PGDM and 750 seats in PGDITM.

SMU-DE
Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education (SMU-DE) offers diverse range of Distance MBA programs including Under Graduate, Post Graduate Diploma and Master Programs.

The programs are made accessible through more than 725 University authorized Learning Centers across the country. The various programs offered by the institute include MBA (Finance) and MBA (Banking).