Feeling stuck in the same position because your career advancement has stalled? Don't worry, the Distance MBA has got you covered.
If you are a working professional who wants to climb the career ladder, a housewife who wants to continue her education, or a young graduate looking for a popular post-graduate programme, a distance MBA is the best option for you.
According to a report, in India, every year almost 5,00,000 students graduate from an MBA programme, and year by year, its popularity is going to skyrocket. Whatever your background is, there are no issues. The MBA programme is designed in such a way that every graduate, regardless of their background, can pursue it.
Distance MBA removes physical boundaries and provides you the leverage of attending classes from the comfort of your home. There is no need to physically go to the classroom. So, if you are an aspiring learner looking for flexible options and want to learn while earning, here are the top distance MBA colleges to consider.
Top 10 Distance MBA Colleges in India
In India, there are a number of universities and colleges offering distance MBA. Selecting the right college that suits your needs can be a dilemma. To help, here is a list of the top 10 distance MBA colleges approved by UGC-DEB (University Grants Commission-Distance Education Bureau) with good brand names, consistently updated curricula and affordable fee.
- Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University)
- Chandigarh University
- Jain University
- Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
- Annamalai University
- Uttaranchal University
- Amity University
- Online Manipal
- Lovely Professional University
- ICFAI University
Let's deep-dive into each college in detail:
1. Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University)
With 38 years of legacy, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth is one of the most well-known universities in Maharashtra and all over the globe. Founded by the great visionary Dr. D.Y. Patil with the aim of providing quality education to the Indian masses, Dr. D.Y. Patil University offers its distance MBA programme under the name of the Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Centre for Online Learning. Its distance MBA programme is designed in such a way that it empowers students with the skills demanded by the industry and bridges the gap between students and industry by providing them with managerial and leadership skills. Its quality of education and credibility are seen through its recognitions and accreditations, like UGC, NAAC, and AICTE.
Highlights
- Ranked among the top 50 universities in India by NIRF
- 1,00,000+ alumni network across the globe
Eligibility
- In order to be eligible for the MBA programme at Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45% in case of reserved categories) from a recognised university.
Specialisations
- Finance Management, Operations Management, Marketing Management, Business Analytics Management, Digital Marketing Management, FinTech Management, International Business Management, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Block Chain Management, Hospital Administration and Healthcare Management, IT Management, Project Management, Logistics, Materials and Supply Chain Management, AgriBusiness Management, Human Resource Management
2. Chandigarh University
Established in 2012, Chandigarh University has received an A+ Accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The Institute of Open & Distance Learning (ODL) is one of the subsets of Chandigarh University that offers a distance MBA degree recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC). This distance MBA programme is based on the globally accepted course curriculum, which empowers students with hands-on experience and job-ready skills.
Highlights
- Ranked 1st among private universities in India by the QS World University Rankings
- Futuristic Learner Management System (LMS) named CU-VERSE
Eligibility
- Candidates applying for Chandigarh University's Distance MBA programme must have a bachelor's degree from a recognised university.
Specialisations
- Finance, Marketing Management, Human Resource Management, International Business
3. Jain University
With over three decades of experience in education, Jain University is one of the leading institutes popular among the youth. Founded by Dr. Chenraj Roychand, Jain University offers various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. With its innovative and entrepreneurial approach to learning, Jain University has redeemed the title of Deemed-to-be-University. Recognised by UGC, Jain University is one of the largest distance-learning education institutes in India and also offers distance MBA programmes which are accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with an A++ grade.
Highlights
- Ranked 68th among the top 100 Universities by NIRF
- Ranked among the top universities in the QS World University Rankings
Eligibility
- Applicants having Min 50% for regular and 45% for category students from a recognized University are eligible for a distance MBA program offered by Jain University.
Specialisations
- Banking and Finance, Data Science and Analytics, Digital Marketing and E-Commerce, Human Resource Management, Finance, Information Technology Management, Retail Banking Operations, Entrepreneurship and Leadership, Project Management, Marketing, General Management, Healthcare Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, International Finance (Accredited by ACCA, UK), Marketing and Human Resource Management, Business Intelligence and Analytics (Accredited by IoA, UK), Systems and Operations Management, Strategic Finance (Accredited by CPA, US + CMA, US), Finance and Marketing, Human Resource Management and Finance
4. Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
IGNOU, or Indira Gandhi National Open University, is popularly known as the People's University. IGNOU is the world's largest university and offers a plethora of programmes, including distance MBA programmes. Starting its operation in 1985, IGNOU has gained various approvals from UGC and AICTE and also received NAAC Grade ‘A++’ accreditation. The university is recognised worldwide as one of the best institutes for remote learning.
Highlights
- IGNOU offers distance education to 30 lakh students across the globe
Eligibility
- Applicants with a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university are eligible for IGNOU's distance MBA programmes.
Specialisations
- Human Resource Management, Operations Management, Banking & Finance, Financial Management, Marketing Management
5. Annamalai University
Annamalai University is one of the largest residential universities in South Asia and offers its distance MBA programme under the Directorate of Distance Education(DDE). Since the inception of DDE in 1979, Annamalai University has offered quality management education with its world-class infrastructure and globally recognised curriculum.
Eligibility
- Candidates with education under the pattern of 10+2+3 or 11+2+2 or 11+1+3 from a recognised university can apply.
Specialisations
- Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, Financial Management, Production Management, Systems
6. Uttaranchal University
Established in 2013, Uttaranchal University is one of the top private universities in India. Apart from its regular programmes, Uttranchal University offers its Distance MBA, which is accredited by the University Grants Commission (UGC-DEB) and received an A+ grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Uttranchal University has designed its distance MBA programme in such a way that it develops problem-solving and analytical skills that are required to solve real-life problems. If you are looking for a distance MBA programme, Uttaranchal University is one of the best options in India.
Eligibility
- Applicants having a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for reserved category students) from a recognised University are eligible for the distance MBA programme offered by Uttaranchal University.
Highlights
- Integrated world-class LMS & e-library
- Ranked 1st university in Uttrakhand by India today
Specialisations
- Marketing Management, Digital Marketing, Human Resources, Business Analytics, Financial Management, International Business, Information technology
7. Amity University
Amity University is India’s first university recognised by the UGC to offer online education. Amity University offers its distance MBA programme under the Amity Directorate of Distance and Online Education. When it comes to adopting new technology, Amity University is never behind; be it their Metaverse campus or AI-Professor- Ami, powered by Chat-GPT 4 and open AI-driven technology, Amity is leveraging new technology to the fullest in order to shape new learning methodologies.
Highlights
- Amity Campus Metaverse
- AI-Professor Ami powered by Chat-GPT 4 and Open AI-Driven Technology
- Ranked 1st among the distance MBA programmes by QS
Eligibility
- Candidates applying for Amity University's Distance MBA programme must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 40% from a recognised university.
Specialisations
- Human Resource Management, Marketing & Sales Management, Information Technology Management, International Business Management, Production & Operations Management, International Finance, Petroleum & Natural Gas Management, Finance & Accounting Management, Global Finance Market, Insurance Management, Entrepreneurship & Leadership Management, Retail Management, Hospitality Management, Digital Marketing Management, HR Analytics, Data Science, Business Analytics, Digital Entrepreneurship
8. Online Manipal
Manipal University started offering online education under Online Manipal in 2021 to make quality education more affordable and accessible to the Indian youth. With over 60 years of experience in education, Manipal University is one of the pioneers of the education industry. In a short span, its distance MBA has gained a lot of popularity among students. With NAAC A+ accreditation and UGC approval, Online Manipal University is one of the best options for a distance MBA programme.
Highlights
- Free access to 10,000+ courses on Coursera
Eligibility
- Candidates applying for the Online Manipal’s Distance MBA programme must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% from a recognised university (45% for reserved categories).
Specialisations
- Marketing, Human Resource Management, Operations Management, Analytics and Data Science, Retail Management, Finance, IT & FinTech, International Business, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Total Quality Management, Information System Management, BFSI
9. Lovely Professional University
Lovely Professional University, popularly known as LPU, is one of the leading private universities in India. LUP has designed its curriculum based on industry standards and taught by industry professors. With its best-of-a-kind learning management system and advanced mobile app, Lovely Professional University is shaping a new way for online education.
Highlights
- Best LMS with rich interactive features
- Placements & other career support services
Eligibility
- Candidates with a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university can apply for Lovely Professional University's distance MBA programmes.
Specialisations
- Human Resource Management, Data Science, International Business, Finance, Business Analytics, Operations Management, Information Technology, Marketing Management, Digital Marketing
10. ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education
ICFAI University offers its distance MBA programme under the Center for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) which is Accredited with A+ grade by NAAC and approved by UGC & AICTE. ICFAI University has designed its distance MBA curriculum in such a way that it emphasises practical learning. To achieve this, ICFAI University follows a 70:20:10 learning formula where 70% of the time is allocated to job learning, 20% to peer learning, and only 10% to theory.
So, if you are searching for a distance MBA programme with practical learning, ICFAI University might be the best option for you.
Highlights
- Ranked 40th All Over India for its MBA Program, NIRF Ranking 2023
- Accredited by SAQS (South Asian Quality Standards), AMDISA
- Accredited for its Regular MBA Program of IBS Hyderabad by AACSB
Eligibility
- Candidates applying for ICFAI University's Distance MBA programme must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% from a recognised university.
Takeaway
There you have it: India's 10 finest distance MBA colleges worth considering. The top 10 colleges mentioned above offer a range of specialisations, flexible schedules, and industry-relevant curricula. So, start your distance education journey from the comfort of your home.
