PGDBA Course: Full Form, Eligibility, Fees, Duration, Admission

Shristi T

PGDBA full form stands for Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics, which is a two-year postgraduate course jointly offered by IIM Calcutta, IIT Kharagpur, and ISI Kolkata with the aim of helping students understand concepts of data analysis, statistical modeling, and predictive analytics used in business analytics.

PGDBA Admission requires candidates to clear their graduate or postgraduate degree with a minimum of 60% marks from an accredited university or a CGPA of 6.5. Apart from the merit score, the candidate also needs to qualify for the entrance exams such as CAT, PGDBA Admission Test by ISI, etc. The average PGDBA fees is in the range of INR 50,000-10 LPA.

What is PGDBA Course?

PGDBA or Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics course deals with the application of analytics to dynamic business trends and implementing data-driven decision-making. The course falls under the umbrella of the PGD courses. 

The PGDBA course syllabus includes advanced topics like statistical analysis, types of big data technologies, market basket analysis, application of optimization in organization decisions, etc. These subjects will help students gain technical expertise and build their careers in a data-driven business landscape.

After completion of the PGDBA course, graduates can work in various fields like e-commerce, supply chain, banking, operations, etc. The PGDBA program offers employment opportunities with businesses like Microsoft, Capgemini, Amazon, and Barclay. For individuals looking to advance their skills in the field of analytics, it is a widely sought-after course across the nation. The average PGDBA salary ranges between INR 6.60-15 LPA (Source: Ambition Box)

PGDBA Eligibility Criteria 

The PGDBA admission process depends on its eligibility criteria, which vary from one university to another based on student intake, reputation, and ranking. Below are the standard parameters followed for admission to the course.

• Candidates are required to have a graduate or postgraduate degree in BSc, BTech, MSc, MTech, or any equivalent degree with a minimum of 60% marks or a CGPA of 6.5 for the unreserved category and 55% marks or a CGPA of 6 for reserved category students. The candidate needs to qualify for entrance exams such as CAT, GMAT, PGDBA Entrance Exam by ISI, etc.
• Candidates who are in the last year of their degree exams can apply for the course and will be offered provisional admission; however, their eligibility may alter after the final results are released.
• There is no upper age limit to enroll in the course.

Why Choose a PGDBA Course?

The PGDBA course provides the skills and knowledge necessary for starting a business and joining business sectors for career growth and development. Below mentioned is a detailed overview of who should pursue a PGDBA course: 

• The course offers students job opportunities to work with top business analytics companies like Bridgei2i, Genpact, EXL Service, Mu Sigma Business Solutions, and IMRB International.
• Students can work in a diverse range of roles like Market Researcher, Management Analyst, Market Analyst, Predictive Analysis Professional, etc.
• As per the Mordor Intelligence report, the global business analytics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.01% from 2023-28.
• In India, the demand for business analysts is expected to grow at a faster rate as the Indian analytics industry is projected to reach $118.7 billion by 2026.
• Students who have domain expertise in marketing analytics will be in high demand. The approximate growth rate is 22% between 2020-30. ( As per BLS Report)

PGDBA Admission 2024

The PGDBA course admission process is based on merit and entrance exam scores obtained in CAT, GMAT, etc. There is no management quota available for admission in PGDBA course. For admission to the PGDBA course, most colleges in India follow the procedure given below:

• Step 1: Candidates need to clear the entrance exam qualifying cut-off scores.
• Step 2: Further, students can apply online and submit documents like graduation marksheets, scorecards, etc., through the college website. For offline admission, students can, however, go to the college admission counter.
• Step 3: The candidates are further called for a Personal Interview round.
• Step 4: The candidate needs to meet the weighting criteria for selection in the course, which is 45% in the admission test, 40% in PI, 8% for merit in 12th, and 7% for work experience.
• Step 5: Selected students must complete the admissions paperwork and pay the course fees.

PGDBA Entrance Exams

The candidates are required to take the common admission exams held across India to get admission into the course. The aim of the exam is to assess the critical and analytical thinking skills of the applicant. The following is a list of some of the key exams for the PGDBA course:

A Quick Glance at the PGDBA Entrance Exams

PGDBA requires that students familiarize themselves with the business analytics exam pattern and syllabus before taking the examination. It will help the students prepare for the exam in advance, and it will also help them clear the exam easily. In general, the entrance exam has the following format: 

• The entrance exam will be held via the internet, as a computer-based test.
• The exam duration is 2 hours.
• The exam is conducted in English.
• Each section of the paper is organized according to the following subjects: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability, and Verbal Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
• There is a maximum score of 228 points for the exam.
• All correct answers will be rewarded with +3 marks. Incorrect answers will result in a -1 mark.

Top PGDBA Colleges in India

The PGDBA course in India is provided by an initiative of three prestigious colleges IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, and the Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata, each focusing on various aspects of business analytics. The total PGDBA fees is INR 25 lakh. There are various other colleges that offer a 1 year Executive Program in PGDBA.

Below are the details regarding the three colleges offering the PGDBA course:

PGDBA IIT Kharagpur

Below are details regarding the PGDBA course at IIT Kharagpur:

• The PGDBA course at IIT Kharagpur focuses on the technical aspects of analytics and the trends in technology.
• It is a 2-year mandatory residential program.
• Candidates holding a Graduate or a Postgraduate degree with either 10+2+4 or 10+2+5 or 10+2+3+2 are eligible for the course with a minimum of 65% or 6.5 CGPA.
• The candidate needs to clear the PGDBA admission test to seek admission in the course.
• The students study subjects of semester 2 at IIT Kharagpur with a focus on building conceptual knowledge about machine learning, operations management modeling, etc.

Read More: IIT Kharagpur PGDBA

PGDBA IIM Calcutta

Below listed are details regarding the PGDBA course at IIM Calcutta:

• The PGDBA course part at IIM Calcutta focuses on understanding the application of analytics concepts in various domains like marketing, finance, banking, etc.
• It is a 2-year mandatory residential program.
• The students study subjects of the pre-semester module and a third semester at IIM Calcutta.
• The pre-semester module of the course focuses on management concepts related to financial management, marketing management, business communication, etc.
• The third semester at IIM Calcutta is inclined toward understanding topics like data mining, categorical data analysis, project management, etc.
• The student also needs to complete six months of internship in the analytics domain.

Read More: IIM Calcutta PGDBA

PGDBA ISI Kolkata

Below listed are details regarding the PGDBA course at ISI Kolkata:

• The PGDBA course part at ISIS Kolkata is inclined towards understanding of advanced machine learning and statistical concepts used in business analytics.
• The students study the first semester at ISI Kolkata, including subjects like database management systems, data science computation, etc.
• There is no mandatory residential requirement at ISI Kolkata.

PGDBA Course Fee Structure

The PGDBA Course fee vary from one college to another such as infrastructure, placement opportunities, location, etc. Given below is the fees structure of top colleges offering PGDBA courses in India:

Types of PGDBA Courses

PGDBA courses in India are in high demand due to the increased need for analysts in different industries. The course is available for students in full time, online, and executive learning modes. Below are the PGDBA course details:

Online PGDBA Course

The online PGDBA courses are helpful for individuals who want flexible and cost-effective learning. Below listed are a few important points regarding the online PGDBA course:

• UGC approved for Work Integrated Learning Programme at BITS Pilani.
• Conducted through online live classes for 7-8 hours a week.
• PGDBA Fees: INR 63,500 per semester.
• Eligibility: B.Tech/BSc/BE or integrated first-degree course with at least 60% marks.
• Working professionals with B.Com/BSc/BCA and 2 years of experience can also apply.

Executive PGDBA Course

The Executive PGDBA course is ideal for working professionals who want to enhance their business intelligence and data analysis skills. Below listed are a few important points regarding the course:

• Offered by IMT Institute in India.
• Duration: 1 year + additional 3 months of project work.
• Average PGDBA fees: INR 80,000.

PGDBA Entrance Exam Cutoff 

Admission to the PGDBA course is done on the basis of an entrance exam conducted by the Indian Statistical Institute and a valid score in the CAT or GMAT if required. The cutoff for the entrance exams varies as per the number of applicants, difficulty level of the exam, etc. 

The expected 2024 cutoff for various exams accepted for the jointly offered PGDBA course by IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, and ISI is given below:

PGDBA vs PGDM

The PGDBA program aims to enhance analytical skills in areas such as predictive modeling, data analysis, and machine learning, whereas the PGDM course is a general management program that covers a range of business-related topics, including marketing, finance, operations, and human resources. Listed in the table below is a comparison of PGDBA with PGDM:

Read More: PGDM

PGDBA Syllabus and Subjects

The PGDBA syllabus in the first year focuses on understanding concepts of the business world and fundamental knowledge about data analysis, data-driven decision making, and business analytics concepts. The second-year syllabus focuses on advanced analytical techniques used in different domains like marketing, finance, banking, operations, etc.

Below are listed some of the PGDBA subjects in detail:

PGDBA Projects

The PGDBA course curriculum requires students to complete their project work in the second year with trending and relevant topics in different industries such as IT, Manufacturing, Retail, etc. Below listed are some of the trending PGDBA project topics are:

• Study on Sentiment Analysis in Social Media Marketing
• Use of Predictive Analysis in Human Resource Turnover
• Analyzing Churn Prediction in Retail Industry

Read More: PGDBA Syllabus and Subjects

Courses After PGDBA

After completing the PGDBA course, students can pursue higher education with business analytics as the core objective, or they can also choose a different business stream of study. The following are some of the higher education options available to students: 

• Ph.D. in Analytics
• Ph.D. in Data Science
• Advanced Certification Course in Business Intelligence
• Advanced certification Course in Big Data and Machine Learning
• Executive Course in Business Analytics

Salary of a PGDBA in India

PGDBA graduate salaries range between INR 6.6-15 LPA. The salary offered to students varies depending on their skills, specialization, experience in the business analytics sector, and other related factors. Graduates after having three years of experience can earn in the range of INR 15-20 LPA. Below are the top job profiles for PGDBA graduates, along with their average salaries:

[Source: Ambition Box]

Career Options After Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics Course

The scope of the PGDBA course in India is high as after completing this program, candidates are qualified to join any top business, banking, or finance job and to hold a good career. Below are listed the top job roles, and top hiring companies along with their job descriptions for PGDBA graduates:

Top Recruiters for PGDBA Course

The PGDBA graduates are hired by top MNCs and government organizations to help them extract business data and make meaningful business decisions. Below mentioned are the top recruiters for PGDBA graduates:

Read More: Career Options After PGDBA Course

Skills to Excel as a PGDBA Graduate

PGDBA graduates should develop their business and unified communication skills, along with strong concept clarity. The following are some of the most important skills for PGDBA graduates: 

• Data Analysis and Interpretation: The graduate performs functions like statistical techniques, data mining, and data visualization tools for which a strong grasp of data analysis and interpretation is needed. 
• Proficient with Fundamentals of Machine Learning and AI: The students need to understand machine learning algorithms to make informed data-driven business decisions.
• Privacy and Ethics: The graduate needs to be ethical and ensure data privacy on the job as he is responsible for handling companies' sensitive data-related information.
• Critical Thinking Skills: For analyzing various models and algorithms a graduate needs to have critical thinking skills so he can suggest solutions and make predictions after analyzing trends and data.
• Business Acumen: The students need to understand key trends, consumer behavior, and other KPIs when analyzing any business process.