IGNOU Distance MBA: A Complete Guide to Online Education

If you plan to start a distance MBA from IGNOU, we have listed all you need to know. Distance Education Guru is India's leading academic and career counsellor to offer you complete guidance on the top Indian MBA universities and their courses.

About IGNOU

IGNOU or Indira Gandhi National Open University, established in 1985 by the Act of Parliament, opened its door to Diploma in Distance Education in 1987. Since then, the university has remained one of the leading centres to offer distance MBA courses in India. With 67 Regional Centres, 20 overseas institutions, and around 2000 Learner Support Centre, the university aims to impart the highest quality education to students aspiring for distance learning. There are over 200 certificate, degree, diploma, and doctorate programmes available with the university. 

If you have joined a distance learning MBA course from IGNOU, you are sure to receive need-based and innovative programmes. The university reaches out to all aspiring candidates with their best distance learning courses at an extremely affordable rate. The main aim of the university is to provide continual and high-quality professional training and development to students across all sectors of the nation. The National Resource Centre for Open and Distance Learning under the university has received international recognition for providing learner-centric and sustainable quality study materials for the skill upgradation of students. 

Why choose IGNOU distance learning programmes?
  • All distance learning courses offered here at IGNOU are AICTE-approved. 
  • They focus on online learning with interactive multimedia sessions.
  • The online MBA courses here are available at highly affordable rates. In fact, IGNOU offers distance education for free to prison inmates who wish to pursue higher education. 

An overview of the IGNOU distance MBA course

Since 1987, Indira Gandhi National Open University has been one of the leading universities in India to offer distance learning MBA courses to students. The course for MBA IGNOU conducts 2 years with a relaxation of a maximum of 5 years duration for course completion. The university is renowned for offering excellent MBA course at a highly affordable rate.

For years the university has produced strong corporate leaders and survived in the industry only based on word-of-mouth. There are excellent MBA programmes available here that are specifically designed for working professionals. The MBA courses are designed such that help you build business and management skills over the different field. 

If you are a management aspirant with a corporate aim, this is the course for you. With the advanced learning techniques under industry seasoned faculties, students learn the importance of communication, smart management techniques and many more. The university conducts regular weekend online classes with live lecture sessions, question-answer solving session, and forum discussion. IGNOU regional centres conduct all the weekend study programs. 

Highlights of the distance MBA course from IGNOU:
  • The 2-years distance MBA course from IGNOU ranks number 1 in India by respectable organizations.
  • IGNOU MBA degree is widely recognized globally by recruiters and other universities. 
  • IGNOU regional centres in countries outside India like Singapore, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and even some European countries.
  • Students pursuing IGNOU distance MBA course have the flexibility of completing the course in a maximum of 5-years instead of the regular 2-years limit.
  • AICTE, DEB, and UGC widely recognize this MBA course.
  • As per the recent High Court orders, an IGNOU MBA degree is valid for employment in any part of India.
  • The efficient distance learning study materials and assignments help you develop strong managerial skills to cope with the current industry scenario.

Distance MBA courses offered by IGNOU

Do you want to start a distance MBA course at IGNOU? Here is the list of MBA and post-graduate diploma courses IGNOU offers under their school of management-

  • Master of Business Management (MBA)
  • Master of Tourism and Travel Management (MTTM)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Finance Management (PGDFM)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (PGDHRM)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Financial Markets Price (PGDFMP)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Operations Management (PGDOM)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management (PGDMM)

All the above courses are of 2-years and spread over 4-semesters. Each of them has a maximum completion duration of 5 years. 

The admission process at IGNOU for distance MBA courses

Have you completed your graduation yet? Did you appear for any of the National-level Post-Graduation entrance examinations? IGNOU conducts admission twice a year during January and July. If you are eligible to apply for the Distance MBA course at IGNOU, you can apply with us for admission following the below step-by-step process:

Step 1: Application
Applying through IGNOU for admission is very simple and easy. You can either take admission online or visit the regional centre and collect the admission form. The application form is available for free at the official IGNOU website. 

Step 2: Form fill up
Purchase or download the MBA course prospectus from the university regional office or website, respectively. The prospectus comes with an enclosed admission form. Students eligible as per IGNOU standards to pursue the MBA course need to fill up the admission form thoroughly for submission. as you

Step 3: Profile creation
Submit your application with the IGNOU regional centre of the website to create a student profile. You will get a Student ID and password for your student portal. Once your profile is created, you need to proceed with document uploading. Upload all the relevant documents.

Step 4: Form submission
Once all documents are uploaded, review your form and submit the same along with all documents. If you are applying offline, you need to send all documents along with your application form to the Regional Director of IGNOU.

Step 5: Confirmation
Upon successful submission of all documents and application, students will receive an admission confirmation. Students need to pay for their 1st-year through the portal before getting the confirmation. 

Documents you need to submit:
  • A copy of your Birth Certificate or Birth Proof
  • A copy of your Photo ID Proof
  • Scanned copy of your 10, 10+2 mark sheet
  • Scanned copy of your graduation mark sheet and certificate
  • A copy of the OPENMAT scorecard reflecting the minimum requisite percentile.
  • Students applying during their last semester of graduation need to attach the "Result-awaited" application, duly attested by their colleges.
  • Acknowledgement for GAP in education
  • A scanned copy of your passport-sized photographs. For offline submission, share 2 coloured photographs
  • For offline submission, share the Demand Draft of course fees.

Eligibility Criteria and Course Fees

The eligibility criteria for the IGNOU distance education MBA course are-

  • Aspiring candidate must possess a Bachelors Degree (10+2+3) in any discipline from a recognized university with a minimum of 50% aggregate for general category students and 45% for the reserved category as per Indian Government rules. 
  • There is no age bar. 
  • Work experience is not a mandatory rule. However, it is an advantage to gave prior work experience. 
  • Management aspirants need to clear OPENMAT or equivalent online entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). One must enrol for the test by July 15th or December 15th every year.

Course Fees: Rs. 37,800/- ( for 2-years MBA course)

The distance MBA from IGNOU fees structure varies widely with the post-graduation course you select. Given above is the course fee for the distance MBA program for 2-years. Students need to pay their course fee on an annual basis. The payment structure is as below-

  • Pay for your course fee during registration and re-registration. The university has a yearly once payment method.
  • Students need to pay an examination fee of RS. 200/- per course in each of the semesters.
  • If you are ordering your study materials, aside from the books shared by the university, there is a separate courier charge.
Payment Mode::
  • Students submitting their application online can pay through Net Banking / Credit Card / Debit Card / Google Pay.
  • If you are submitting your forms offline, prepare a Demand Draft with the course fee in favour of "IGNOU" payable at New Delhi. While submitting the DD, it is recommended to mention your name, address, contact number, and enrolment number. 

Distance MBA IGNOU Program Structure

The distance MBA program by IGNOU consists of 21 courses in 2-years, spread over 4-semesters. The courses (MS-1 to MS 11, MS-91, and MS-95) belong to compulsory courses. Students need to choose any of the 5 specialization courses as an elective subject during their 3rd semester. You also need to select an elective course out of the specialization courses as MS-92/93/04/96/97. MS-100 is the Project course that students need to pursue during teh 4th semester. It is equivalent to two courses.

Distance learning methodology at IGNOU

IGNOU conducts its courses with a modular approach and provides students with the below learning methodology benefits-

  • Printed study materials and course books
  • Audio-Visual course aids
  • Interactive weekend counselling sessions
  • Radio Counselling

Register for IGNOU distance learning MBA

Do you want to register for IGNOU distance MBA courses? Distance Education Guru is here for the ultimate academic counselling. We will guide you with a detailed course structure, admission procedure, and program fees. To know more about the course, call us at +91 966-777-0043.