MBA from India or Abroad?

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is one of the most preferred postgraduate degrees available at the current times. A few of the students holding undergraduate degrees in relevant streams go for an MBA. But, technically, a student can go for an MBA irrespective of the undergrad degree he holds.

Ideally, when a student intends to hold one of the top positions at a managerial level in any of the popular organizations, he should be going for his MBA.

A dilemma that encounters the students planning to pursue their MBA is whether they should do their MBA from India or abroad. The basic criterion that influences their decision-making is that an MBA from abroad is going to be more expensive. It is going to be tougher as well.

Many questions counter an aspiring MBA student at this juncture. Go for MBA in India or abroad? Which one will work better for them? Questions associated with the cost factor of MBA India vs. abroad also concern aspiring students.

In this article, we take a look at a few of the most important questions that arise in the minds of aspiring students, when they contemplate whether should I do MBA from India or abroad. We will also attempt to find the answers to a few of these questions. This will help you choose the ideally placed MBA institution for your requirements.

GMAT vs. CAT

The two main exams that a student is required to undertake when he plans to get admitted to an MBA program are GMAT and CAT. Let us consider both these examinations individually.

• GMAT

GMAT is short for Graduate Management Admission Test. When a student plans to do his MBA from a university abroad, GMAT is one of the mandatory tests that he needs to take.

• CAT

CAT stands for Common Entrance Test. When a student plans to do his MBA from a Business school in India, he needs to take the CAT examination.

Both exams, CAT and GMAT have been standardized, which implies that they feature similar difficulty levels.

It is noteworthy that the CAT exam is more affordable as compared to the GMAT exam. But, while CAT scores can get one admission to all Indian universities, only the top universities in India will give weightage to your GMAT score.

If doing MBA from abroad is one's aspiration, one should be appearing for the GMAT exam. While being a more expensive alternative, GMAT will deliver more value to your career aspirations.

After clearing the GMAT exam, one can apply to both, universities abroad and universities in India.

Differences: MBA abroad vs. India

A few fundamental differences exist between an MBA abroad or India, which a student should be aware of. In this section, we will focus on the same. This will help you decide upon is it better to do MBA in India or abroad.

• MBA in India typically lasts for 2 years. But 1-year programs for MBA from abroad also stay easy to find.
• In India, the study mode for MBA is typically full-time. But MBA from abroad is also offered on an online and part-time basis, besides full-time.
• Top specializations for MBA from India include Finance, HR, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, International Business, Healthcare, etc. But when one does MBA from abroad, some additional specializations are also likely to be available at one's discretion, such as Data Analytics, Consulting, Digital Marketing, Information Systems, etc. One has to go through the business school's website and check out the courses that are on offer. If you have your sight on any particular course, you can select the university that makes them available.
• The practical aspect of learning is likely to be stronger when one does one’s MBA from abroad.
• Doing MBA from India might not cost more than 7-25 lakh INR. But, when you do your MBA from abroad, the total expenses are likely to come in the line of 20-75 lakh INR.
• Holding an MBA degree from abroad is likely to augur better for you in terms of compensation. You are likely to draw a yearly salary of anywhere between 25-70 lakhs INR. The average salary for freshers holding an MBA degree from India, on the contrary, is likely to lie in the bracket of INR 8-30 lakhs yearly.

A comparison of top MBA colleges in India vs. top MBA colleges abroad

It is a matter of wonder if we should be comparing the top B-schools in India and abroad. Each of the top B-schools has its own significance.

Prospects from either set of colleges are going to be premium, irrespective of whether one does one's MBA from India or abroad. But, the admission process is likely to be different for each unique use case.

The key point of difference between an MBA in India or abroad lies in the work experience that is made available for a student. However, universities from abroad pay a lot of weightage to a student's academic record before they give admission to him or her in their college. So, if your academics are above par and up-to-date, you may aspire to join a top university from abroad to do your MBA. Having some relevant work experience is also going to help clear the admission process.

Another important point of difference in the education provided by MBA colleges in India and abroad is that foreign universities deliver better exposure to a student. The student will be surer about how the corporate and business worlds operate at a global scale. This is even while there are likely to be widespread similarities in the syllabus followed by an MBA school from abroad and an MBA school in India.

Conclusion

Ultimately, choosing an MBA university from abroad or an MBA university in India is a matter of a student's choosing. One has to keep one's budget and preferences in mind. Another top reason why Indian students choose to do their MBA from abroad is that they intend to settle abroad over the long term. The country from which you do your MBA is likely to offer better prospects for a degree earned from the nation.