MBA in India vs MBA Abroad – Which One is Better For You?

What is MBA and which is better for your career? – MBA in India vs MBA Abroad

This article is for students who just completed their undergraduate and are stuck in deciding whether to do an MBA in India or MBA Abroad.

MBA aka Master of Business Administration is one of the most popular academic post-graduate programs in India and abroad.

This course is a two-year program with millions of job opportunities to deal with the study of science, commerce, and humanities.

You can pursue this course in various modes as a Regular, Online and through distance education or evening college.

But, you will enjoy the full benefits when you do a regular MBA including theory classes, practicals, projects, and internships.

While studying you can easily get an internship opportunity which will be very helpful to get a job easily after your studies.

There are a few colleges in India offering top business management courses in India for students.

Fresh graduates also can apply for a full-time MBA, but few colleges seek candidates with a few years of work experience.

On another hand, a qualified MBA student can easily find his/her designated job in many top MNCs and Manufacturing companies.

Which is Better? MBA in India or Abroad

MBA is one of the most attractive career choices among national and international students.

After completing MBA from a recognized college or university; the students can explore endless career options in the business world.

Lakhs of Indian students preparing harder for the entrance exam to get admission to the topmost business schools.

But sadly only some students can score high on the exam, allowing them to do an MBA in India.

Getting admission to the Master of Business Administration program in India is not that easy, which is mainly due to growing competition.

This scenario is going on for last so many years and has motivated Indian students to look for MBA abroad.

Some of the famous international countries that provide quality MBA courses are the USA, Australia, Canada, and France, among others.

No country can beat the US, which is undoubtedly among the top MBA destinations for Indian students.

In contrast, other countries including Canada, the UK, Europe, Singapore, Australia, etc. are on the minds of students for doing an MBA abroad.

Most MBA programs in the US have two years while the programs in Europe, the UK, and Singapore have a shorter duration, of almost a year.

According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, India has almost 5,500 business schools.

But only some percentage of the total graduates get employed mainly due to the lack of quality education.

Most of the B-schools in India do not have proper infrastructure and most probably, they lack the qualified staff to teach students.

Due to all these reasons, many young professionals have started considering doing an MBA from abroad.

Read More: Best Business Management Courses in India – Top Colleges and Universities.

What benefits of Doing an MBA in India?

Students from India can do MBA in Indian colleges, universities, and B-schools is beneficial.

In India, the cost of education is comparatively cheaper than MBA Abroad.

When doing an MBA in your home country, you can exclude expenses like flights, accommodation, etc.

The tuition fee for MBA is high in most countries except Germany, where you won’t be charged in public universities.

No Visa and citizenship problems, because the process of getting a student visa is tedious and will take time.

There are many other advantages when doing MBA in India vs MBA Abroad, and not only the above facts.

When you pursue your course in India, you will be more likely to adopt our culture and realize our heritage values.

You can easily build a network while pursuing your academics, but when you study abroad, it will be difficult.

Getting a Job with MBA is not like posting your resume in freshers’ job portals and other relevant job search sites.

After a certain age, you will get your next job only through your network connections.

So, pursuing an MBA in your home country can help you build a strong network to get a job easily.

Career Goals and Geographical Preferences

For all those who don’t want to work and settle abroad and have long-term plans to settle in India, then doing MBA programs in India.

It could be a great option as most of the MBA programs are for two years including theory, practicals, and internships.

After completing the course; most of the graduates can secure jobs through campus placements.

In case you are working professionally and don’t have much time to do a regular MBA, you can do a one-year MBA program.

Many renowned universities and B-schools offer executive programs as well, especially for working-class people.

But in case you want to start your career by working in a company located overseas then you can consider doing an MBA abroad.

Doing an MBA from a top business school abroad will open the door to a great career and can explore unlimited job opportunities as well.

Joining Requirements for MBA in India vs MBA Abroad

The traditional 2-year MBA programs offered by Indian universities welcome fresh graduates with no prior work experience.

But, a student who completed the CAT entrance test with a high score will be given priority in most universities and colleges.

There are many similar entrance exams (or) tests like the CMAT, XAT, MAT, etc. are also considered for the MBA application.

After completing the entrance exams, the applicants should complete group discussions and personal interviews to get admission.

While for those who plan to do an MBA abroad, the entry criterion is more complex and competitive.

This tight criterion is due to the surge in the number of applications from candidates belonging to different countries.

The candidates need to have a higher GMAT or GRE score.

Also, the universities located overseas pay detailed attention to candidate profiles including:

1. Academics
2. Work experience
3. Career goals
4. Extracurricular involvement.

The candidates must produce high-quality essays and recommendations in addition to securing a high GMAT score.

These extra-curricular are, therefore, must which is a prerequisite to get admission to top-most colleges and institutions.

Post-qualifying all the rounds and tests, shortlisted candidates will be required to go through an interview round as well.

Working Experience for Applying for MBA in India vs MBA Abroad

Unlike Indian MBA applications, in case you have good work experience, then it can have a huge impact on your MBA applications abroad.

Applicants use their work experience to deliver professional MBA essays which can help get admission to top MBA colleges and universities abroad.

Also, professional experience can be used to get high-quality recommendations from colleagues or bosses that play an important role in getting MBA admissions.

For instance, the candidates applying for US MBA programs have on average around 3-5 years of pre-MBA work experience.

While the professionals applying to the UK and Europe-based programs have an average work experience of 5-6 years.

Global Experience and Exposure

The students doing MBA abroad get global experience and exposure that boost their learning and understanding of the subject.

While doing MBA from India, the students don’t get the international exposure and experience which is needed during the course.

But this kind of vast learning experience will come automatically when the students plan to do MBA from a recognized international university.

While doing an MBA from abroad, a lot of focus is given to practical training to qualify the students.

Along with giving me a chance for the students to interact with experienced peers from diverse industries working in a variety of roles.

The Indian MBA programs are filled with full of freshers, and the kind of enthusiasm needed among the young peer group is somewhere missing.

Fees and Salary – Indian B-Schools vs International Universities

The overall cost of the program acts as a deciding or restricting factor while doing the course.

On average, the cost of doing two years of Indian MBA programs varies from 15 to 21 lakhs for the most sought IIM Ahmedabad.

Also, the return on investment is amazing for the top-ranked IIM programs with a starting package of 20 to 22 lakhs.

While doing an executive MBA program, one needs to pay the basic tuition fees, which range between 20 to 25 lakhs.

And when we add the taxes, accommodation charges, cost of meals, books and course material and other related costs.

The overall course fees would be almost 30 lakhs or more based on the management program you choose.

The international programs are quite expensive, and including the cost of living, traveling, and related expenses.

The tuition fees for the two years US-based programs vary from almost USD 90,000 to USD 1, 40,000 depending upon the university.

While one-year programs would be relatively cheaper, ranging from USD 55,000 to USD 80,000.

Conclusion

You need to add the cost of living, medical insurance, books, and transportation as well to the overall cost.

The cost of living would vary according to the city you would be living in while doing the course.

The average post-MBA negotiable salary varies from USD 85,000 to USD 1,20,000 for most of the global top 100 programs.

Students who want to pursue their careers in the business world by doing MBA can explore endless opportunities internationally.

The degree offered at international institutes and colleges is valid globally. The students can start their careers in a more flourishing way.

Doing an MBS in India vs MBA abroad allows the students to choose their excellent education quality.

Apart from that, the best of the faculties, along with learning the best business that matches the international standard.

So in case, you have dreams of studying in a top business school abroad, and your work experience and credentials should be excellent.

Then you can surely move ahead with your plan to do an MBA abroad. For others doing MBA from India is also not a bad idea.