Exploring PGDM: Pros and Cons for Your Career

Filter Results

Topics

Audience

Industry

Year

Is PGDM a Good Option for Your Career? Pros and Cons

13 Jun 2023
- admin
- Student Careers
Table of Contents
From small startups to large MNCs, companies are constantly seeking skilled management professionals who can effectively oversee business operations and contribute to its growth. The demand for management professionals has witnessed a significant surge in recent times, and even amid the pandemic, the value of postgraduate programs remains steadfast.

A Post Graduate Diploma in Management holds the potential to propel your career to new heights. The PGDM program has gained immense popularity in recent years, primarily due to its ability to produce competent management professionals who are ready to enter the dynamic business world.

Here are a few reasons/ pros to pursuing a PGDM program –
- Industry-Centric – As compared to the traditional MBA program, PGDM is designed to be highly industry-centric, incorporating regular updates to its curriculum to reflect the dynamic changes in the market, ensuring that students acquire knowledge and insights into the current market landscape. Opting for a PGDM course is particularly beneficial for individuals aspiring to become entrepreneurs, as it emphasizes developing soft skills that are non-negotiable nowadays, over and above specialized expertise.
- Lucrative Course – PGDM courses have gained significant attention and have become a popular choice among aspirants and students for being a skill-based, giving them the opportunity to develop industry-relevant skills positioning themselves for lucrative and well-paying employment opportunities.
- Entrepreneurial Skills – PGDM courses play a pivotal role in nurturing students’ entrepreneurial skills and equipping them with the necessary mindset and understanding to thrive in the dynamic business landscape. These courses serve as a guiding platform, empowering students aspiring to become entrepreneurs to explore diverse domains, generate their own ideas, and transform them into viable ventures.
- Certification – PGDM courses are certified by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and created in affiliation with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). These certifications and associations bring prestige to PGDM courses.
- Autonomy – PGDM courses are independently conducted by management institutes, granting them the freedom to design the curriculum and select course materials. This autonomy allows them to incorporate practical and industry-oriented examples to enhance student learning.
- Practical Application – PGDM programs offer practical learning experiences beyond the confines of the classroom. Through case study teaching methods, interactive seminars, workshops, study tours, and international internships, students gain a deeper understanding of theoretical concepts and their real-world applications.
- Industry-Institute Interface – PGDM programs provide valuable opportunities for students to interact with accomplished industrialists and entrepreneurs. These interactions offer practical insights and teachings, which students can apply to their current and future roles.
Let’s talk about the cons now…
1.
2. ..
3. …..
Literally none!

Students often get confused between MBA and PGDM, the main differences in the course contents, and uncertainty about which one to opt for, and why. Let’s take a detour here to understand the difference between the MBA and PGDM courses in India.

Let’s start from the basics…

PGDM VS MBA

What is MBA?

Master of Business Administration, a Postgraduate Degree in Management offered by most management colleges across the world. Being a master’s degree, it is only offered by recognized institutions affiliated with reputed universities that can offer a degree in Business Administration. These universities adhere to a single curriculum designed for programs while offering bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degrees.

What is PGDM?

As discussed above, the Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management is not a degree, but a diploma course offered by autonomous institutes that are not affiliated to any university, and hence are not permitted to offer an MBA degree. Institutes must get approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to offer PGDM programs. This offers an industry-centric curriculum and incorporates key features from AICTE’s model curriculum.

Enrolling in a PGDM course at a renowned institute is an investment that yields substantial returns in terms of career advancement. Whether you aspire to secure a managerial position in a leading startup, an established Indian company, or a multinational corporation, pursuing a PGDM from a prestigious institute is undoubtedly the ideal career pathway. Here are a few B-schools you can consider-
- Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi
- Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad
- SOIL Institute of Management, Gurgaon
- Xavier School of Management (XLRI), Jamshedpur
- Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon
These B-schools are highly esteemed for their rigorous academic curriculum that offer comprehensive management education and prepare students for leadership roles in various sectors.

Speaking of prestigious B-schools offering a PGDM program,

Here’s What Makes The PGDM Offered By The SOIL Institute of Management Unmatchable!

The Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) program offered by the SOIL Institute of Management is tailored to cater to the growing demand for professionals adept at designing innovative business solutions and tackling complex organizational challenges. The top leaders of India have collaborated to design and develop the PGDM program, to meet the business and environmental demands of modern times.

The PGDM program focuses on four key areas
Liberal Arts
Acquiring an in-depth understanding of human behavior, improving communication skills, and enhancing critical thinking while eliminating biases.

Design Thinking
Developing effective problem-solving skills through action and by adopting the fast-fail methodology to foster innovation.

Students even participate in the Design Thinking Workshop as part of the admissions process.

The participants are divided into teams that will be assigned a real-life problem, and the participants find a solution leveraging the following 5-step process –
- Empathize – Teams indulge in a brainstorming session.
- Define – Participants leverage their negotiation and leadership skills to identify all the possible solutions.
- Prototype – Students usually wind up creating more than two or three prototypes
- Test – A critique round where queries are raised to the presenting team.
- Feedback – Students submit constructive feedback, and share their learnings and experiences with the Admissions team.
SOIL is the only B-school that provides its candidates with this Design Thinking experience which is also highly appreciated by all. The prime purpose behind having candidates go through this workshop is to identify students who excel in real-time working environments, rather than basing the admissions decisions solely on academic performance and entrance exam scores.

Business Expertise
Developing knowledge and skills in critical business areas such as Analytics, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Human Resources.

Experiential Immersions
Networking with humans, societies, businesses, and the environment in their natural setting, provides transformational experiences that help develop a well-rounded perspective.

Placement Highlights
SOIL Institute of Management’s faculty, peers, alumni network, and Career Management Services provide personalized support to the PGDM candidates to advance in their current roles or to switch their career paths by transitioning into new functions, roles, sectors, and geographical locations.

Highest CTC – 20 L
Average CTC – 9.7 LPA
Median CTC – 9.8 LPA
No. of Companies Participated – 61

Student Experiences

Student 1

Having a background in the family business, learning about business management always piqued Subham’s curiosity. He desired to pursue the same at an institution that offered a unique learning experience. The 2 year PGDM from SOIL Institute of Management was PERFECT, with a curriculum that provided students with a multidisciplinary approach through Design Thinking and Liberal Arts. He was inspired and thrilled!

SOIL provided him a platform to develop skills and be ‘Corporate Ready’. “Experiential Fridays” is an event at SOIL where students get to network with industry leaders. These industrial events gave him the opportunity to use his theoretical knowledge in real-life scenarios.

Ashish Kashyap, a technology entrepreneur, founder of the Ibibo Group (Goibibo, redBus, PayU India), and was also India’s first Country Head – Google, offered him to work from their headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana.

Subham Jain
2-year PGDM, SOIL Institute of Management

Student 2
A student of SOIL Institute of Management talks about her first year in PGDM.
She talks about – how the “Break-out rooms” were always an escape from the intense classroom sessions. Although these were fun, they also developed soft skills such as compassion and empathy. She also fondly remembers how those “break-out rooms” quickly turned into gossip sessions that were a huge stressbuster.

Another vivid recollection was of the “Freedom of Fear” event she was a part of. It was an integral aspect of the Self-Leadership course, the idea of which was to opt for something they were scared of, and then present it in public. It was great to help them overcome their fears.

She talks about how the main aim of PGDM was to take the first step in any journey, even if it was uncomfortable or scary. The rest would follow through with determination and willpower.

Swati Sharma
PGDM, Class of 2022

So, Now To Answer Your Question

Enrolling in a PGDM course gives you access to industry-relevant expertise, experienced faculty members, and a vibrant network of professionals. The program nurtures your leadership capabilities and enhances your design thinking and business acumen, and decision-making skills to thrive in a competitive business environment.

A PGDM program from a renowned institute provides you with a comprehensive skill set and knowledge base that aligns with the dynamic demands of the business world. The curriculum is carefully designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, equipping you with practical insights and real-world problem-solving abilities.

So, YES! It is a fabulous career option worth investing in.