Are you thinking about getting a PGDM to advance your career, but deciding whether to go with a 1-year course or a 2-year course?
Well, you are not alone!
There are so many different options available that it is only natural for you to have a difficult time deciding which one is the best in terms of duration. The 1-year PGDM and 2-year PGDM both have advantages and disadvantages depending on your career situation and how much you value the time.
Whether you are currently employed and want to advance your career or you have recently graduated from school and wish to build a strong foundation, this blog will help you through the ups and downs of the options in this regard, so you can decide the best one for you!
What is a PGDM?
Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) is a two-year full-time course that will equip you with leadership and management abilities. It is among the most popular degree programs for students and working professionals who wish to enhance their careers in business or shift to top management levels.
Here is what you should know about the course:
- Offered through autonomous institutions: AICTE-approved programs can update their courses to meet the industry’s needs.
- Curriculum relevant to the industry: With multiple streams of specialization like finance, marketing, business analytics, international business, and others, the course covers the latest practices within companies.
- MBA Equivalent: A PGDM may be branded as ‘Diploma’, but for a career perspective, it has the same validity as an MBA when it comes to employment in India and abroad.
- Practical/Experiential Learning: The PGDM has an emphasis on live projects, internships, and case studies, which help the students develop real practical skills that they can use in the workplace.
Now, let’s explore the 1-year PGDM course and the 2-year PGDM course:
1-Year PGDM Course: Fast-Track to Career Growth
If you’re a working professional who has some experience and feels ready to take the next big leap in your career, a 1-Year PGDM may be your golden opportunity.
This program is rigorous, fast-tracked, and streamlined, taught with everything you need to know about business and management in just 12 short months. It’s like a fast-tracked acceleration of your career in business and management, where you develop fundamental skills of an effective leader, strategist, and thinker, while not opting out of your professional journey for too long.
Program Highlights:
- Duration: 12 months full-time
- Trimester/Quarter-based curriculum
- Minimal breaks, highly structured
- Focus on advanced learning, leadership, analytics, and specializations
- Capstone project, executive mentorship, and peer networking
Who Can Apply? Eligibility Requirements for the 1-Year PGDM
Here’s what you need to know if you want to apply for a 1-year PGDM:
- You must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with at least 50% aggregate marks.
- At least 2 years of full-time professional experience is desirable, as most of the schools ask for this.
- You’ll also require valid test scores of examinations such as CAT, MAT, XAT, GMAT, CMAT, or any institutional-specific exam.
- Group Discussion/Personal Interview rounds
1-Year PGDM Fees: What to Expect
The PGDM program fee generally ranges from INR 4 to INR 20 lakhs. The fee structure is determined by the institute of choice, location, and specialization. This investment may seem like a huge one, but it is meant to pay back quickly, especially if you are a professional wishing to make a quick advancement in your career trajectory
1-Year PGDM Admission Process: Step-by-Step Guide
The admissions process for a 1-Year PGDM program is fairly straightforward to ensure that you are evaluated based solely on your academic coursework and professional background. Here is how the process generally works:
- Step 1: Fill out the online application on the college’s website – this is quite a simple step.
- Step 2: Provide your entrance exam scores like CAT, XAT, GMAT, MAT or the institute’s entrance exam scores.
- Step 3: Upload your Statement of Purpose (SOP), resume, and academic certificates. This simply gives them a better idea of who you are already.
- Step 4: Prepare for the interview or group discussion – this is your time to shine!
- Step 5: If all goes well, you will get the admission offer.
Career Outcomes: What Can You Expect After a Year of PGDM?
- Ideal for professionals aiming at mid to senior management roles
- Titles after graduation: Product Manager, Business Consultant, Operations Lead, Data Analyst
- Average Salary: INR 12 – INR 18 LPA, may be more depending on experience
- Recruiters: Big 4, MNCs, tech start-ups, strategy firms
2-Year PGDM Course: Build Strong Foundations
The 2-year PGDM course is a full-time course for recent graduates and young professionals who want to attain a comprehensive understanding of business and management. It contains a blend of classroom studies, applying this to real projects, and summer internships, so you will be developing management ability and a professional network across the timeline of the two years.
Program Highlights
- Spread over 24 months (internship included)
- Year 1: Core courses in management, finance, marketing, operations, HR, and analytics
- Year 2: Specialization of your choosing and electives
- Includes Summer Internship Program (SIP) and Capstone Project
- Campus engagement, student clubs, fests, and industry conclaves
2-Year PGDM Eligibility: What It Takes to Get Started
If you are a recent grad or in your final year and eager to dive into management, this could be your next big move! Below are the eligibility criteria to consider:
- You will need a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks in any stream from a recognized university
- You are a final-year student and wondering if you can apply without passing the final exams? Yes, you are eligible too!
- Usually, institutions accept admissions through entrance exams like CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, and others. You need to clear the cutoff marks specified by the institution.
- Attend the GD and PI rounds as organized by the institution of your choice.
2-Year PGDM Fee Structure: What You’re Paying for the Journey?
- The cost of a 2-Year PGDM program typically ranges from INR 6 – INR 15 lakhs, depending on the college, location, and opportunity for exposure like global exchange programs or better placement prospects.
- Although this may seem like a significant investment, several institutes have scholarships or loan assistance, and the returns in terms of career enhancement generally make it a good decision.
2-Year PGDM Admission: What You Need to Do
From filling the form to getting the final offer, here’s how it all works.
- To begin with, you simply need to fill out the application form available on the institute’s website.
- Upload your required documents to advance further. You need to enter your entrance test scores and academic transcripts.
- Demonstrate your communication and group skills while being assessed in a group discussion in a formal manner.
- The last round is the personal Interview, where you need to discuss your objectives, strengths, and reasons for wanting to pursue management studies.
- Final selection will be based on your overall performance.
Career Projections: What Do You Get with a 2-Year PGDM?
If you are at the entry-level stage of your career, this program helps you build a solid career foundation.
- Suitable for freshers building careers from scratch
- Common job roles: Management Trainee, Analyst, Marketing Executive, HR Associate
- Average salary: ₹6 LPA – ₹12 LPA, with top offers exceeding ₹20 LPA
- Recruiters: FMCGs, consulting firms, banks, startups, IT companies
Is the Choice of College Important?
In today’s era of rapid technological advances, organizations are realizing they need tech-enabled leaders to flourish in a digital world.
ISBR’s Future Ready PGDM
That is why ISBR’s PGDM programs stand apart. Their industry-relevant curriculum, practical case studies, and specializations in analytics, fintech, and digital transformations ensure you have a successful career in a data-driven, multi-national, and agile business environment. This is exactly what the tech sector is looking for.
What really sets ISBR apart?
- Hands-on projects that connect you directly to what companies are working on now
- Tech-powered learning, like data analytics labs and simulations
- Global immersion programs to understand tech markets around the world
- Recruiters from top tech firms like Amazon, Infosys, Deloitte, TCS, etc.
- Bangalore advantage: You will be studying in India’s Silicon Valley, where every day is shaped by the latest advancements and innovation.
ISBR’s 2-Year PGDM: Forward-Focused, Industry-Driven
This PGDM program at ISBR is structured on 3 central tenets:
- corporate partnerships
- academic freedom
- forward-thinking education
It is distinct not just in what you will learn but also in how you will learn it, combining academic wisdom with practical experience.
Program Features:
- Skill-based and Interactive Learning: Courses co-designed and co-instructed with corporate leaders – about 30% of each subject is instructed by executives.
- Pragmatic or Activity-Based Learning: Includes live case studies, simulation, workshops, and boot camps with trainers and practitioners from industry.
- Flexible Electives or Concentrations: Makes the choice of either industry-specific elective or specialization-type track offered not only with global faculty from industry but also innovators from within the organization.
Graduate Attributes: What you will achieve:
- Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: To recognize an issue and be willing to actively engage with challenges, making decisions with a deliberate purpose.
- Research & Innovation: Go deep, question things, and translate clever thoughts into actual, practical solutions
- Teamwork & Collaboration: Cooperate with various individuals, exchange ideas, and collectively develop something worthwhile.
- Leadership & Entrepreneurship: Lead the way, turn ideas into reality, and create impact through action and purpose.
- Global Mindset: Global understanding of cultures and contexts to thrive in a global business context.
ISBR’s 1-Year PGDM with 7 Industry-Ready Certifications
The 1-Year PGDM at ISBR is for you if you’re ready to accelerate your career. With an industry-focused approach and real-world problem-solving assignments, you will upgrade your skills. You will emerge back into the workforce faster, more equipped, and with confidence.
Things that make ISBR’s 1-Year PGDM distinctive:
- It is affiliated with Bangalore University and approved by the Government of Karnataka.
- You can take up specializations like Marketing, Human Resources, and Business Administration
- The program enhances your practical learning through Industry projects and real-life business challenges.
- The program is designed for today’s competitive world, balancing professional skill-building with personal development, which will help you in the long run.
What You Get — 7 Professional Certifications:
You can set yourself apart in the job market with 7 in-demand professional certifications designed to give you an experience advantage in every sector.
- PGP in Data Science (includes 16 hands-on projects)
- Advanced Certification in Digital Marketing (39 real-world projects)
- HR Management
- Marketing
- Accounting
- Finance
- AI & Machine Learning
ISBR is providing two options that are designed with the experience in mind, as noted above; you will have applicable learning, extensive industry exposure, global engagement, and mentoring that supports you to grow. ISBR does not just prepare you for a job; it prepares you for the world.
Regardless of the path you choose, whether it is for the one-year PGDM with a brisk pace or the more extensive two-year experience, the most important thing is that you find a path that matches your pace, your goals, and the future you visualised.
FAQs
1. What specialization areas can I choose from at ISBR?
ISBR has multiple specialization areas like Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Business Analytics, Operations, Healthcare Management, and International Business.
2. How is the teaching style different at ISBR?
ISBR employs a blended learning model of education, integrating classroom learning, digital enablement, guest sessions from the industry, capstone projects, peer learning, and mentoring, making sure that students are prepared for varied, dynamic challenges in the real world.
3. I am going to graduate this year. Can I apply for the ISBR’s one-year PGDM program? what are the eligibility criteria?
Definitely yes! ISBR does not mandate any prior work experience to enrol in the one-year PGDM program. To take admission, you must hold a graduation degree from a recognized university with a minimum of 40% marks. You might need to appear for the online tests specified by ISBR. If you do well in the personal interview round, you are good to go!
4. What is the mode of learning in the one-year PGDM program?
The classes will be held by the instructor online via live classes or Weekend campus classes.
5. How effective is ISBR’s placement support?
ISBR has a dedicated Career Services Cell with an excellent placement record. Some of the top recruiters are Deloitte, Amazon, PwC, KPMG, Phillips, HDFC Bank, Dell, Wipro, TCS, and many more.