PGDM: Full Form, Entrance Exam, Courses, Admission 2025, Fees, Syllabus, Top Colleges

Get the full detail for PGDM, full form, course details, fees, subjects, syllabus, specialisations, entrance exams, career scope, Top PGDM Colleges In India

PGDM: Full Form, Entrance Exam, Courses, Admission 2025, Fees, Syllabus, Top Colleges

PGDM, in its full form, is a Postgraduate Diploma in Management, a two-year program offered by top management B-schools in India. PGDM courses are considered an alternative to an MBA and are looked upon equally in the management industry. PGDM courses cater to industry requirements and help students acquire the necessary skills. The PGDM syllabus is also designed to incorporate market trends and changing needs. 

To be eligible for PGDM courses, candidates must complete their graduation with 55%. In order to secure admission to colleges offering PGDM courses, desirous students need to appear in entrance exams like CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, and NMAT.

Candidates completing the PGDM courses are offered diplomas instead of degrees. AICTE-approved institutes/universities or autonomous B-schools offer PGDM courses, whereas institutes approved by UGC offer MBA degrees. Once graduated, candidates who have pursued PGDM courses can opt for job profiles such as Public Relations Officer, Content Developer, Editor, etc. The average salary range that a graduate with a PGDM course can earn ranges between INR 5 LPA and INR 15 LPA. 

Latest Updates:

  1. SNAP 2024 Test 1 admit card released.
  2. The XAT registration 2025 last date has been extended to Dec 10, 2024. Candidates can visit and register themselves on the official website. Further, the XAT 2025 exam will be conducted on Jan 5, 2025.
  3. The CAT 2024 answer key has been released. Candidates can download it using their login credentials on the official website. The CAT 2024 result is expected to be released by December 20, 2024.
  4. The CAT 2024 exam for admission to the MBA/PGDM courses is over. The CAT 2024 result is expected to be released by December 20, 2024.
  5. The MAT 2024 registration process for the December session is open for the CBT Phase 1 exam, and the last date is Nov 30, 2024. The PBT and CBT Phase 2 exams registration ends on Dec 7 and Dec 15, 2024, respectively. Further, MAT 2024 CBT Phase 1, PBT, and CBT Phase 2 exams will be scheduled on Dec 7, Dec 14, and Dec 22, 2024, respectively.
  6. The XAT registration 2025 for the MBA/PGDM courses is open; the last date is Nov 30, 2024. Candidates can visit and register themselves on the official website. Further, the XAT 2025 exam will be conducted on Jan 5, 2025.
  7. The NMAT 2024 exam is scheduled from Nov 5 to Dec 20, 2024.
  8. ATMA 2025 Dec session registrations are open for admission to MBA/MMS/PGDM courses; the last date is Dec 9, 2024. The ATMA 2025 exam for the Dec session will be held on Dec 22, 2024
  9. CMAT 2025 registrations are open for MBA, PGDM, and MMS courses; the last date to apply is Dec 13, 2024. The CMAT 2025 exam will be held on Jan 25, 2025.
  10. The Maharashtra State CET has announced the MAH CET 2025 exam date. The MAH MBA CET 2025 will be held on March 17, 18, and 19, 2025. MAH CET 2025 registrations will start in February 2025.

PGDM Course Details

Particulars

PGDM Course Details

PGDM Full form

Post Graduate Diploma in Management

PGDM Course level

Postgraduate level

PGDM Course duration

Two years

PGDM Course Eligibility

Candidate must have completed graduation in any stream

Entrance Exams

CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, SNAP etc.

PGDM Admission process

MBA Entrance Examination and Group Discussion and/or Personal Interview

Average PGDM fee

INR 3 lakh to INR 15 lakh

Average Package

INR 5 LPA to INR 15 LPA

Job Positions

HR Recruiters, Sales Manager, Public Relations Manager, Research Analyst etc.

Top Recruiters

HDFC Bank, Dell, Myntra, Amazon, Lifestyle etc.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates willing to pursue PGDM courses must check the eligibility criteria. The PGDM eligibility criteria may differ from institute to institute. Candidates are always advised to check the institute's official website to learn the eligibility criteria for PGDM courses.

  1. To be eligible to pursue the PGDM courses, candidates must have completed their graduation or an equivalent from a recognized institution/university.
  2. Candidates must ensure they have attained a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate for a bachelor’s degree.
  3. Aspirants must have attained a valid score in MBA entrance exams conducted for shortlisting candidates. However, few institutes offer direct admission to PGDM courses based on the candidate’s score in the qualifying examination.

PGDM Courses Entrance Exams

PGDM Entrance Exams

PGDM Exam Dates

ATMA

22 Dec '24

CAT

Nov '25 (Tentative)

MAT

MAT 2024 CBT 1 - 7 Dec '24

MAT 2024 PBT - 14 Dec '24

MAT 2024 CBT 2 - 22 Dec '24

XAT

5 Jan '25

NMAT

5 Nov '24 - 20 Dec '24

SNAP

SNAP 2024 session 1 - 8 Dec '24 

SNAP 2024 session 2 - 15 Dec '24

SNAP 2024 session 3 - 21 Dec '24

Important Exam Dates

Dates Upcoming Exam Dates

13 Jan '25 - 

17 Jan '25

NMAT 2024 Exam Window (second phase)

25 Dec '24 - 

25 Jan '25

MAH CET 20245 registration process

ONGOING

02 Jan '25 - 

01 Feb '25

CUET PG 2025 Application Process

ONGOING

24 Dec '24 - 

02 Mar '25

MAT 2024 Registration Process PBT (February)

ONGOING

24 Dec '24 - 

09 Mar '25

MAT 2024 Registration Process CBT (February)

ONGOING

25 Jan '25

CMAT 2025 exam date

Jan '25

XAT 2025 Cut Offs Release

TENTATIVE

Jan '25 - Feb '25

TANCET Registration Dates

TENTATIVE

09 Mar '25

MAT 2025 PBT (February)

Mar '25

CUET PG 2025 Exam Date

TENTATIVE

Mar '25

MAH MBA CET 2025

TENTATIVE

23 Mar '25

MAT 2024 CBT (February)

Mar '25

CEETA Exam Date 2025

TENTATIVE

Mar '25

TANCET Exam Date for MBA & MCA

TENTATIVE

Mar '25

TANCET Answer Key Objection Window

TENTATIVE

Mar '25

Publication of Provisional TANCET Answer Key

TENTATIVE

Mar '25

Publication of TANCET Final Answer Key

TENTATIVE

01 Apr '25 - 

03 Apr '25

MAH MBA CET 2024 exam

05 May '25

SET Exam 2025 (Test 01)

11 May '25

SET Exam 2025 (Test 02)

PGDM Year-wise Syllabus

Semester PGDM Syllabus
Semester I
  • Managerial Communication
  • Managerial Economics
  • Financial Reporting & Analysis
  • Marketing Management
  • Organizational Behaviour-I
  • Organizational Behaviour-II
  • Financial Management
  • Business Environment & Policy
  • Human Resource Management
  • Consumer Behaviour
Semester II
  • Legal Aspects of Business
  • Strategic Management
  • Operations Management
  • Supply Chain Finance
  • Quantitative Techniques and Optimisation
  • Strategic Marketing
  • Management of IT & Data Visualization
  • Statistics for Business Decision Making
  • Research Applications in Business
Semester III
  • Digital Business Transformation
  • Management of Change Innovation and Technology
  • Information Systems
  • Sales & Distribution Management
  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Product & Brand Management
  • Financial Modelling and Analytics
  • Investment Management
  • Derivatives & Risk Management
Semester IV
  • Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Insurance Management
  • Corporate Restructuring
  • Fixed Income Securities
  • Financial Planning & Wealth Management
  • Strategic Cost Management
  • Tax Planning and Management
  • Performance Management & Competency Mapping
  • Global Human Resource Management
  • Operations Strategy
  • Procurement Management
  • Lean Six Sigma
  • Dissertation
  • Summer Internship Project

PGDM Syllabus for Different Specializations

The best PGDM colleges in India provide a variety of PGDM specialisations to help students progress in a particular discipline while also broadening their understanding of the subject matter. In the programme's first year, all core PGDM subjects are covered; however, the second year is devoted to the specialisation that the student has chosen based on their area of interest. The following is a list of the most popular PGDM specialisations offered, along with the topics covered:

PGDM in HR Syllabus

Thousands of aspirants enrol each year in the PGDM HR specialisation, one of India's most popular PGDM specialisations. The most common PGDM HR subjects include HRM in the Service Sector and HR principles.

PGDM in HR Syllabus PGDM Subjects/Topics Covered
Performance Management
  • Objectives of performance and appraisal
  • Methods of performance and appraisal
  • Appraisal forms and formats
  • Appraisal communication
Managing Redundancy
  • Definition of redundancy
  • Impact of redundancy on organisation
  • Employees
  • Society
  • Managing redundancy
HRM in the Service Sector
  • Manufacturing and service sector
  • Difference in HR practices
  • Training and empowerment for customer satisfaction
  • Compensation and reward structure
Fundamentals of HR Management
  • Human resource development
  • HR management: concepts and challenges
  • Line management in HR
  • HR policies and practices

PGDM in IT Syllabus

PGDM IT is one of the finest technical PGDM programmes offered in India. It addresses numerous facets of overseeing IT teams and staff members, as well as advancing skills needed to succeed in the industry. The IT PGDM Syllabus covers topics like Biodesign Data, IT entrepreneurship, New Energy Technology, Big Data and Data Mining, and other PGDM subjects.

PGDM in IT Syllabus PGDM Subjects/Topics Covered
Big Data and Data Mining
  • Large scale visualisation
  • Information extraction
  • Parallel distributed processing
  • Anomaly detection
Computer Applications in Management
  • Office Management
  • Computer programmes & software

PGDM in Finance Syllabus

PGDM in Finance Syllabus PGDM Subjects/Topics Covered
Portfolio Management
  • Behavioral finance theory
  • Derivatives
  • Analysis of individual factors/risk premia
  • Fixed income and structured finance
  • International investing
  • Long-term/retirement investing
Managerial Accounting
  • Job order costing
  • Process costing
  • Absorption costing vs variable costing
  • Understanding cost behaviour and cost-volume-profit analysis
  • Operational budgeting
  • Pricing of individual products and services
Financial Risk Management
  • Enterprise risk management
  • Business interruption
  • Captive insurance
  • Claim management
  • Climate change
  • Crisis management
  • Cyber risk
  • Disaster preparedness
  • Legal risks
  • Reinsurance
Financial Reporting
  • Auditing
  • Budget analysis
  • Business strategy
  • Financial Accounting

PGDM in Marketing Syllabus

Thousands of aspirants enrol each year in the PGDM HR specialisation, one of India's most notable PGDM specialisations. The most common HR PGDM subjects include HRM in the Service Sector and HR principles.

PGDM in Marketing Syllabus PGDM Subjects/Topics Covered
Human Resource/Organisational Behavior
  • Managing organisations
  • Managing people and performance in an organisation
Business Environment
  • Concept, significance and nature of business environment
  • Broad profile of Indian economy
  • Industrial policy & its historical perspective (in brief)
  • Industrial policy liberalisation
Marketing Management
  • Concept, nature, scope and importance of marketing
  • Communication process
  • Factors affecting price determination; Pricing policies and strategies
Consumer Behavior
  • Introduction to Consumer Behaviour (CB)
  • Individual determinants of CB
  • Environmental influences on CB

Syllabus for PGDM Distance Programmes

Distance PGDM courses are particularly beneficial for individuals who want to get a management degree without losing their jobs. Numerous reputable universities in India offer distance PGDM programmes, enabling students to combine employment with their education. In comparison, educational expenses are lower, and online lectures save much time while letting students learn at their own pace. Candidates pursuing a distance-based PGDM course should also check out if the course's credits are authorised and up to par with industry requirements. The following briefly discusses the semester-wise syllabus for PGDM distance programmes.

First-Year Distance PGDM Syllabus

Semester I Semester II
Business Statistics Managing Quality and Supply Chain Management
Management Accounting Business Environment
Managerial Communication Introduction to Information Systems
Marketing Management Organisation Behaviour
Principle of Economics Financial Management

Second-Year Distance PGDM Syllabus

Semester III Semester IV
Legal & Regulatory Environment of Business Elective - 1
Strategic Management Elective - 2
Managing New Ventures Elective - 3
Human Resource Management Elective - 4
Ethics & Corporate Governance Elective - 5

PGDM Colleges in India

Choosing the right B-school to pursue the PGDM courses is one of the crucial steps. No rigid rules exist to select the best B-school to pursue the PGDM courses. Candidates can select the institute for PGDM courses based on several factors like accreditation, candidate requirements, placement, curriculum, global exposure, and so forth. Students compete for seats in the top institutions offering PGDM courses every year.

College Names

Total Fees

XLRI, Jamshedpur

INR 4 Lakh - 58.84 Lakh

MDI Gurgaon

INR 8.25 Lakh - 26 Lakh

SP Jain (SPJIMR), Mumbai

INR 9.5 Lakh - 24 Lakh

International Management Institute, New Delhi

INR 22 Lakh

Great Lakes Institute of Management

INR 9.45 Lakh - 11.5 Lakh

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune

INR 17.2 Lakh - 24.2 Lakh

NMIMS, Mumbai

INR 10 Lakh

Amity University, Noida

INR 6 Lakh - 21 Lakh

LPU, Jalandhar

INR 8 Lakh - 10 Lakh

Chandigarh University, Chandigarh

INR 1.5 Lakh - 9.99 Lakh

Best PGDM Government Colleges in India

Name of College Fees (in INR)

IIM, Calcutta

INR 25 Lakh

IIM, Kozhikode

INR 20.5 Lakh - 22.5 Lakh

IIM, Indore

INR 17.25 Lakh - 35 Lakh
IMI Mumbai INR 14 Lakh
IIM, Bangalore INR 12.5 Lakh  - 24.5 Lakh
IIT, Delhi INR 12 Lakh
IIM, Lucknow INR 7.6 Lakh - 12.6 Lakh
IIT, Kanpur INR 2.8 L - 13.5 Lakh
IIM Sambalpur INR 14 Lakh
IIM, Rohtak INR 17.66 Lakh - 17.9 Lakh