IGNOU MBA 2021

Offered in a multitude of specializations, MBA has established its own eminence in the corporate world. If you are aspiring to attain this renowned degree, you can choose from an array of MBA streams ranging from Information Technology to Banking and Finance as well as Fashion Designing and Media Management. With the availability of these specialised MBA courses, one can pursue a unique interdisciplinary degree which aligns with their niche. Also, these programs are offered as Distance Learning MBA programs as well as weekend courses to make them more flexible for those entangled with their personal or work-related responsibility refraining them from getting into a full-time MBA degree. Renowned for distance and open-learning courses, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) also offers its own uniquely designed MBA that aims to equip candidates with the advanced skills and knowledge of their chosen field. Through this blog, let’s walk you through the prominent features of IGNOU MBA, its prerequisites, admission criteria and varied other essentials you must know before opting for it.

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IGNOU MBA Highlights 

Course Type	Distance Education
Offered by	School of Management Studies- IGNOU
Registration Process	Online
Course Duration	2 Years
Basic Eligibility	Bachelor’s degree or any other equivalent  with 50% Marks
Entrance Exam	OPEN MAT
Selection Process	Entrance Exam + Final percentage or CGPA in Bachelor’s Degree
Course Fee	INR 37,800
Applications Begin	Twice every year

IGNOU MBA: Programs Offered 

IGNOU currently offers Master’s, Postgraduate, and Advance Diploma programmes. The following is a list of programmes offered by the IGNOU School of Management that candidates can choose from based on their preferences.

S.No	IGNOU MBA/PG programs
Master’s Degree
1	Master of Business Administration (Banking and Finance)
2	Master of Business Administration (MBA)
PG and Advance Diploma
1	Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Markets Practice
2	Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management
3	Post Graduate Diploma in International Business Operations
4	Post-Graduate Diploma in Operations Management
5	Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management
6	Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management
Diploma
1	Certificate
Certificate
1	NGO Management

Also Read: Value Education Program by IGNOU 2021

IGNOU MBA: Important Dates 

According to the significant dates for IGNOU MBA admission 2021, the application process for MBA courses 2021 began on 2nd March and will end on March 25th, 2021. The following is a list of IGNOU MBA relevant dates for OPENMAT:

Events	Date
Online Application Starts	2nd March 2021
Last day of Application submission	25th March 2021
Dates for Correction in Application	24th-25th March 2021
Release of Admit Cards	First Week of April 2021
Examination Date (OPENMAT)	11th April 2021
Result	To be announced soon

Eligibility Criteria 

To get admission into the MBA Distance Education program offered by IGNOU, it is mandatory for the aspirants to satisfy certain prerequisites. The university claims to offers the program as per the AICTE norms. If you are planning to enrol under the IGNOU MBA, here are the major mandatory requirements which you need to fulfil: 

• Any graduate degree including CA/CS/Cost Accountancy with 50% marks for general category, 45% for reserved categories as certified by the Indian Government. (If your marks in graduation are in CGPA, you are required to convert your grades into a percentage for which you can use our online calculator for CGPA to Percentage as well).
• MBA aspirants must qualify for the OPENMAT entrance examination conducted by the NAT (National Testing Agency).
• There is no set age limit for the IGNOU MBA course.
• International students residing in India can also apply for the program if they possess a valid student visa for the minimum duration of the course.
• Foreign students will have to pay the admission fees as per the fee structure devised for the international students.

IGNOU MBA: Application Fee

The application fee for taking admission via IGNOU MBA 2021 is listed below.

Name of the Category	Application Fee in INR
Reserved Category	600
Unreserved Category	800

Documents Required for Admission into IGNOU MBA 2021 

Some of the documents that will be needed for IGNOU MBA Admission 2021 are mentioned below:

• All past academic transcripts and marksheet
• Passport-size photographs
• ID Proof
• Category Certificate
• OPENMAT Hall ticket
• OPENMAT scorecard

Steps to Fill IGNOU MBA 2021 Application Form

Candidates should use the step-by-step process outlined below to fill out the IGNOU MBA admissions registration form for 2021:

• Step 1: Go to http://ignou.ac.in/, which is the official website.
• Step 2: Complete the registration form by providing basic details.
• Step 3 – Take note of the “Application Number” created by the method.
• Step 4: Re-enter your credentials and complete the IGNOU OPENMAT MBA 2021 application form.
• Step 5: Add the necessary documents to your account.
• Step 6: Pay the fees associated with the application form.
• Step 7: Print the OPENMAT MBA application form after downloading it.

IGNOU MBA OPENMAT Exam

To get into the management programs of the university, the candidates need to qualify for an entrance exam referred to as OPENMAT and is conducted twice a year. As per the university guidelines, it is compulsory to clear the exam even if the applicants fulfil the complete eligibility criteria. Those wanting to grab a seat in IGNOU MBA, can fill the online application form and register for this exam which is conducted online and consists of 4 sections on which the candidates are tested. In total, there are 200 questions which carry a weightage of 200 marks. For every correct answer, one mark is allotted whereas there is no negative marking for the incorrect answers. Let us take a look at the format of the exam: 

Sections	Number of Questions
General Awareness	30
Quantitative Aptitude	50
English Language	50
Reasoning	70
Total	200

OPENMAT Exam Pattern 

Remember that IGNOU does not accept CAT/ MAT/ CMAT scores for entry, so all applicants must take the IGNOU MBA entrance exam if they want to be considered.

Exam Name	IGNOU OPENMAT 2021
Exam Duration	120 minutes
Exam Mode	Computer Based Test
Total Sections	4 (General Awareness, English Language, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning)
Total Questions	200
Total Marks	200
Marks Per Correct Answer	1
Negative Marking	NIL

Syllabus for OPENMAT

IGNOU has devised a section-wise syllabus of OPENMAT to evaluate candidates on different parameters. Following are the section-wise important topics of IGNOU MBA entrance exam:

Section	Topics Covered
General Awareness	-Current affairs in India: History, Geography, Laws, Famous Personalities of India and Around the World -World: Countries, Organisations, Summits -Science: Chemistry, Physics, Biology (basics, concepts and applications) -Industry: CEO, Statistics etc -Trade: Export, Import etc
Reasoning	-Cause and Effect  –Critical Reasoning  -Coding and Decoding -Statements and Conclusions -Visual Reasoning -Assumption -Premise -Conclusion -Family Tree -Symbol based problem
Quantitative Ability	-Ratio and Proportion –LCM and HCF -Mean, Median, Mode  -Algebra -Arithmetic Progression & Geometric Progression –Permutation and Combination  -Progressions
English Language	-Grammar -Fill in the blanks  -Vocabulary  –Reading Comprehension –Sentence Correction -Synonyms and Antonyms etc.

FAQs

If you are still confused about the different features of IGNOU MBA and how to apply it, then we have also curated a list of frequently asked questions that you can go through:

Q. What is the duration of distance MBA at the IGNOU?
The minimum duration for IGNOU MBA is 2.5 years whereas the maximum time to complete the program is 8 years.

Q. Can international students apply for the MBA program at IGNOU?
Yes, the distance MBA program is open for international students.

Q. What is the age limit for the MBA program at IGNOU?
The university has not mentioned any specific age limit to pursue the program. Those who meet the requisites and qualify the entrance test can apply for the course.

Q. How often the entrance test for MBA program is conducted by the IGNOU?
IGNOU conducts the entry-level examinations twice a year for MBA aspirants for Indian as well as international students.

Q. I have missed the deadline for IGNOU MBA. Is there a chance for special considerations or any alternate method to apply for the same?
No, once the portal is closed you cannot apply for the course and there is no other option available as well. You have to wait until the next intake.

Q. What are the necessary requirements to appear for the distance MBA examinations at the IGNOU? 
It is compulsory for the students to attend 75% of the lectures to appear for it. Moreover, it is mandatory for them to clear all the fee balance, failing which they would not be allowed to appear for the examinations.  

Q. Is the distance MBA program at IGNOU recognized?
Yes, IGNOU is a central university which was established through the Act of Parliament in 1985. It is also approved under the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU).  

Must Read: Madras University Distance Education

Thus, we hope that this blog has provided you with the key details about IGNOU MBA and its admission process. If you have planning to pursue an MBA but don’t know specialisation to opt for, reach out to our Leverage Edu who can guide you in selecting a suitable MBA course that fits your interests and aspirations and equips you with the necessary knowledge and skills to soar ahead in your career.