PGDM Admission 2024: Application Form, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Colleges

Sakshi Chaudhary

Updated on - Aug 23, 2024

PGDM Admission 2024-2026 is usually based on the entrance exams conducted at the national, state, and institute levels. Most of the colleges offering PGDM courses accept CAT scores which is held in month of November every year.

PGDM course admission in top colleges like XLRI, IMT, MDI, etc, is conducted in several steps such as the candidate needs to pass required entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, GMAT, CMAT, etc., along with clearing WAT (Written Ability Test), GD (Group Discussion), and Personal Interview rounds.

The well-renowned business schools like XLRI and IIFT conduct their own entrance exam for admission to the PGDM course known as the XAT and IIFT exam, along with a requirement of a minimum of 50% marks in a bachelor’s degree. 

Table of Contents

• PGDM Admission 2024 Application Deadlines
• PGDM Admission Process 2024-2026
• PGDM Entrance Exam 2024
• Top PGDM Universities in India as per NIRF Ranking 2023
• How to Choose the Right PGDM College?

PGDM Admission 2024 Application Deadlines

Prospective students can apply online to a number of B-Schools to enroll in a PGDM program. The requirements to fill out the application vary depending on the PGDM entrance exam required per college. For information on the individual colleges' application deadlines and PGDM admission procedure see the table below:

PGDM Admission Process 2024

The PGDM admission procedure differs from college to college as per the requirements, but the standard criteria include candidates meeting minimum eligibility criteria, clearing entrance exams, and passing WAT, GD, or PI or rounds. Below mentioned is the detailed overview of PGDM Admissions 2024-2026 requirements.

PGDM Admission 2024 Eligibility Criteria

The PGDM eligibility criteria may differ based on the college requirement but certain standard points need to be fulfilled like percentage, entrance exam cut-off, work experience, etc., are listed below:

• The candidate should have passed their bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% marks from a recognized university.
• The reserved category students are given a relaxation of 5% marks.
• The candidate needs to clear the cut-off for entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, CMAT, or GMAT.
• The cut-off usually ranges between 65-98% percentile as per the different colleges.
• The minimum age to apply for the course ranges between 20-21 years.
• Certain colleges also require candidates to have relevant experience of 2-3 years as an eligibility criterion.

PGDM Admission 2024: Application Process

The standard PGDM admission criteria followed in colleges and universities across India is mentioned below:

• The candidate needs to select the respective college in which he wants the admission.
• The candidate should clear the required entrance exam cut-off for admission.
• Further, the GD and PI list is rolled out after fulfilling the above criteria which a student needs to clear.
• The candidate, if selected, needs to submit the relevant documents such as Marksheets, Identity Proof, Work Experience certificates, etc.
• After the document verification is completed, the candidate needs to pay the admission fees either online or offline.

PGDM Admission for Academic Year 2024-2025: Selection Criteria

The PGDM eligibility for admission in various colleges in India follows certain standard parameters that a student needs to fulfill in order to further proceed for admission to respective colleges: Below are the selection criteria for the PGDM course:

• The candidate needs to fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria and clear the entrance exam with respective cut-offs.
• Further candidate's professional work experience and profile are taken into consideration as selection criteria.
• After the candidate application is assessed on the above parameters the performance in GD, WAT, or PI is judged.
• Finally, the section is done based on the performance in the above parameters.

PGDM Selection Process in Top Colleges

Given below is the table showing the top colleges and their selection process for PGDM courses.

PGDM Entrance Exam 2024

A number of institutions consider examination scores for offering admission to PGDM courses. Some of these entrance examinations include CAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT, SNAP, XAT, CMAT, etc. To get admission to a dream university for the students it is necessary for them to ensure that they research the PGDM admission eligibility and syllabus.

PGDM Entrance Exam Syllabus

The PGDM entrance syllabus is divided mainly into quantitative, verbal, logical, and current affairs sections. Listed below are some important topics covered in the top entrance exams for PGDM courses:

PGDM Entrance Exam Prerequisites

Below mentioned are a few prerequisites that one should keep in mind while applying for any of the PGDM entrance exams:

• The gates for the exam open two hours earlier, hence it is advised that candidates leave their home as early as possible for the center. 
• Remember to bring your ID and admit card. Without these crucial documents, they will not be permitted to enter the exam room.
• No electronic devices will be permitted in the exam room, along with books and notepads.

A Quick Glance at the PGDM Entrance Exams

The students must qualify for the national or state-level PGDM entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, etc. The PGDM entrance exams give aspirants a glance at the entire course, thus giving an overview of the topic.

• The question paper consists of 3-5 sections based on the exam.
• Questions are in the format of multiple-choice questions.
• The duration of the exam is 180 minutes.
• The exam structure consists of quantitative, logical, and verbal reasoning and current affairs.
• There is a negative marking of 1 mark for every wrong answer.
• The exams are held only in English, and thus language proficiency is a must

PGDM Admission Without Entrance Exam 2024

In India, for most colleges, a candidate needs to clear the national or university-level entrance exam for admission to the PGDM course but there are a few colleges that offer admission based on the merit score of their bachelor's degree. Below mentioned are details regarding PGDM admission without the entrance exam:

• PGDM direct admission in private colleges is done mainly on the basis of management quotas, sponsored candidates, industry interface programs, NRI Quotas, etc.
• Colleges like MATS Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, GIBS Bangalore offer direct PGDM admission.
• The candidate needs to have a minimum of 50% marks in their bachelor’s as an eligibility criteria.

Top PGDM Universities in India as per NIRF Ranking 2023

There are various colleges in India offering PGDM courses in various specializations. The admission to the course is done based on the merit score and marks in entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, GMAT, etc. 

PGDM Admission fees in India are determined by various aspects, including placement track record, expert facilities, learning resources, location, duration of the course and the curriculum. The PGDM course fee ranges between INR 3 - 12 LPA for private and government colleges in India. Given below are the  top colleges in India a as per the NIRF Ranking along with their average fees:

Also Read:  NIRF Ranking 2024 Management

IGNOU PGDM Admission 2024

For PGDM Admission in IGNOU, a candidate should have passed their bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% marks in any discipline. THE SC/ST/OBC candidates are given a relaxation of 5% marks. The duration of the course lasts between 1-3 years. The admissions to the PGDM course is done on a merit basis.

Great Lakes PGDM Admission 2024

For PGDM 2024 Intake, Great Lakes Institute of Management will accept scores of GMAT, XAT, CMAT, and CAT. All applicants should possess a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized institution and a minimum 60% score throughout 10th, 12th, and undergraduate degree

SIES PGDM Admission 2024

The admission to PGDM courses in SIES college is done on qualifying entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, MH-CET, and ATMA. Also, the candidate should have a qualified bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50-55% marks.

BIMTECH PGDM Admission 2024

BIMTECH offers PGDM courses in Retail Management, International Business, Insurance, etc. The student should also have 50% in the bachelor's degree along with entrance exam cut-off scores in CAT, GMAT, CMAT, etc.  Further, all the shortlisted candidates need to clear the GD and PI rounds.

Welingkar PGDM Admission 2024

For the Welingkar College PGDM course Admission 2024, applicants need a valid CAT, XAT, CMAT, and ATMA score and at least 50% in their undergraduate. After clearing the entrance exam cut off the candidate needs to clear the GD/PI process.

How to Choose the Right PGDM College?

Before selecting the right college to pursue the PGDM course it is important to understand various influencing factors associated with it as given below:

• Research about top colleges offering PGDM courses.
• Check the college is associated with which accreditation and what are the opportunities for future growth.
• Research about the specializations offered by the colleges and the type of practical earning offered such as SIP, short-term projects, etc.
• Check the fee structure for the respective colleges.
• Check the placement record of the college and compare it with the market standards.
• Ensure the colleges have adequate infrastructure and a conducive learning environment.

Also Read: PGPM vs PGDM - Which is Better?

Specialization Offered in PGDM Course

There are many specializations available in PGDM courses and a person can choose any specialty based on their interests and desire to pursue a profession. The best and most in-demand PGDM specialization for the academic year 2024-2026 is in operations, marketing, and human resources.

Given below are some of the top PGDM specializations that students can opt for as per their interest along with the average salary for freshers:

Preparation Tips to Qualify for PGDM Academic Year 2024-2026

Aspirants have to ensure that they crack the required entrance exams to get admission into the PGDM course. Additionally, they will also have to update their knowledge of the business world and stay up-to-date with major events and developments. Below are some preparation tips for aspirants who want to pursue PGDM:

• Time Management: The aspirant should be capable of answering 180-200 questions in about two hours, which means about a minute should be given to answer each question.
• Reading Newspapers: General knowledge and current affairs questions are often asked in entrance exams and sometimes in personal interviews and group discussion rounds.
• Skills: Trying to focus more on analytical skills, data interpretation skills, verbal skills, general knowledge, etc., which are all included in the questions
• Planning: To prepare well in advance, aspirants should practice with sample question papers, mock tests, and quizzes.

Top PGDM [Post Graduate Diploma in Management] Colleges

IIT Kharagpur

Kharagpur,West Bengal

AMU

Aligarh,Uttar Pradesh

Bharathiar University

Coimbatore,Tamil Nadu

Andhra University

Visakhapatnam,Andhra Pradesh

TISS Mumbai

Mumbai,Maharashtra

GNDU

Amritsar,Punjab

PSGCT

Coimbatore,Tamil Nadu

Pondicherry University

Pondicherry,Puducherry

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Exam Date: May 19, 2024

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PGDM Fee Structure