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 | Lovely Professional University (LPU) | Institute of Management Technology – Centre for Distance Learning (IMT) |
|---|---|---|
| Accreditation | UGC-DEB EntitledAICTE ApprovedNAAC A++ | UGC-DEB EntitledAICTE ApprovedNAAC A |
| MBA specializations in our catalog | 10 | 13 |
| Fee range (our catalog) | ₹1,46,240 | ₹1,10,000 – ₹1,60,000 |
| Full name | Lovely Professional University – Online (LPU Online) | Institute of Management Technology – Centre for Distance Learning (IMT CDL) |
| Location | Phagwara, Punjab | Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh |
| Founded (online wing) | 2005 (online wing ~2015) | 1980 (CDL wing ~2000) |
| Official website | lpuonline.com ↗ | imtcdl.ac.in ↗ |
| UGC-DEB entitled | Yes | Yes |
| AICTE approved | Yes | Yes |
| NAAC grade | A++ (NAAC) | A (NAAC) |
| NIRF ranking (management) | #31 | #68 |
| International recognition | WES-recognized programs with global acceptance | AICTE approved; AIU recognized |
| Fee range | ₹70,000 – ₹2,00,000 | ₹1,10,000 – ₹1,40,000 |
| EMI / loan available | Yes (zero-cost EMI) | Yes |
| Scholarships | Merit-based; Defence; SC/ST; Alumni discounts | Merit-based |
| Scholarship categories | Merit-Based, Defence/Paramilitary, Sports Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, Corporate Employee Benefits, LPUNEST-based Scholarship | Merit Scholarship, Corporate Sponsorship, Alumni Benefits, Defence Category |
| Average placement | ₹7–8 LPA | ₹8–12 LPA |
| Highest placement | ₹49 LPA | ₹20–25 LPA |
| Career services | Placement support, mock interviews, PEP training, virtual job fairs | Placement assistance (alumni network); Industry connect sessions |
| Career progression after the program | Poor | Good |
| Private-sector recognition | Poor | Excellent |
| Most-taken program | MBA – Finance, Marketing, HR, Data Science | PGDM – Marketing & Finance |
| Online programs offered | 15+ | 5+ |
| Program levels offered | UG / PG / Diploma / Certificate | PG Diploma / Executive Programs |
| Learning platform | Live classes + recorded lectures + LPU e-Connect LMS | LMS; Recorded lectures; Live expert sessions; Study material |
| Faculty qualification | PhD/NET faculty, corporate trainers, experienced online educators | 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. |
| Difficulty level | Easy | Very Difficult |
| PhD-eligible after master's | Yes | Yes |
| Admission sessions | January / April / July / October | January & July |
| Entrance exam required | Merit / LPUNEST (for some scholarships) | No (merit-based; work experience preferred) |
| Campus connect | No | No |
| Post-enrolment support | Average | Average |
| Alumni feedback on program experience | Average | Average |
| Full-time MBA rating | 3.5/5 – Large program variety with placement support | 4.2/5 – Strong PGDM curriculum and industry value |
| Key strength | Strong placement network and wide specialization options | Reputed B-school brand (IMT Ghaziabad); Executive PGDM; 5+ yrs exp preferred; Strong alumni in FMCG/Banking |
| Unique selling point | Wide program range with strong placement support | Strong management curriculum for working professionals |
| See all 10 programs → | See all 13 programs → |