Both universities are UGC-DEB entitled, and both run their MBA fully online. Everything below is their own published data, plus the 23 specializations between them that sit in our catalog.
Every line above is computed from the fee, accreditation and placement figures in the table below — we don't rank universities on anything we can't show you.
A dash means the university has not published that detail.
| Parameter | Institute of Management Technology – Centre for Distance Learning (IMT) | Lovely Professional University (LPU) |
|---|---|---|
| Accreditation | UGC-DEB EntitledAICTE ApprovedNAAC A | UGC-DEB EntitledAICTE ApprovedNAAC A++ |
| MBA specializations in our catalog | 13 | 10 |
| Fee range (our catalog) | ₹1,10,000 – ₹1,60,000 | ₹1,46,240 |
| Full name | Institute of Management Technology – Centre for Distance Learning (IMT CDL) | Lovely Professional University – Online (LPU Online) |
| Location | Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh | Phagwara, Punjab |
| Founded (online wing) | 1980 (CDL wing ~2000) | 2005 (online wing ~2015) |
| UGC-DEB entitled | Yes | Yes |
| AICTE approved | Yes | Yes |
| NAAC grade | A (NAAC) | A++ (NAAC) |
| NIRF ranking (management) | #68 | #31 |
| International recognition | AICTE approved; AIU recognized | WES-recognized programs with global acceptance |
| Fee range | ₹1,10,000 – ₹1,40,000 | ₹70,000 – ₹2,00,000 |
| EMI / loan available | Yes | Yes (zero-cost EMI) |
| Scholarships | Merit-based | Merit-based; Defence; SC/ST; Alumni discounts |
| Scholarship categories | Merit Scholarship, Corporate Sponsorship, Alumni Benefits, Defence Category | Merit-Based, Defence/Paramilitary, Sports Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, Corporate Employee Benefits, LPUNEST-based Scholarship |
| Average placement | ₹8–12 LPA | ₹7–8 LPA |
| Highest placement | ₹20–25 LPA | ₹49 LPA |
| Career services | Placement assistance (alumni network); Industry connect sessions | Placement support, mock interviews, PEP training, virtual job fairs |
| Career progression after the degree | Good | Poor |
| Most-taken specialization | PGDM – Marketing & Finance | MBA – Finance, Marketing, HR, Data Science |
| Online specializations offered | 5+ | 15+ |
| Degrees offered | PG Diploma / Executive Programs | UG / PG / Diploma / Certificate |
| Learning platform | LMS; Recorded lectures; Live expert sessions; Study material | Live classes + recorded lectures + LPU e-Connect LMS |
| Faculty qualification | Min: PhD + UGC-NET / strong industry exp (MBA from reputed B-school + 10+ yrs for practitioners). Avg: ~65–70% PhD; 12–15 yrs exp. B-school heritage since 1980; faculty from IITs, IIMs, reputed MNCs; AICTE norms govern adjunct faculty. | PhD/NET faculty, corporate trainers, experienced online educators |
| PhD-eligible after master's | Yes | Yes |
| Admission sessions | January & July | January / April / July / October |
| Entrance exam required | No (merit-based; work experience preferred) | Merit / LPUNEST (for some scholarships) |
| Campus connect | No | No |
| Post-enrolment support | Average | Average |
| Alumni feedback on the learning experience | Average | Average |
| Key strength | Reputed B-school brand (IMT Ghaziabad); Executive PGDM; 5+ yrs exp preferred; Strong alumni in FMCG/Banking | Strong placement network and wide specialization options |
| Unique selling point | Strong management curriculum for working professionals | Wide program range with strong placement support |
| See all 13 specializations → | See all 10 specializations → |