Both universities run their MBA fully online. Everything below is their own published data, plus the 30 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) | Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) |
|---|---|---|
| Accreditation | UGC-DEB EntitledAICTE ApprovedNAAC A | AICTE ApprovedNAAC A++ |
| MBA specializations in our catalog | 13 | 17 |
| Fee range (our catalog) | ₹1,10,000 – ₹1,60,000 | ₹76,000 – ₹90,000 |
| Full name | Institute of Management Technology – Centre for Distance Learning (IMT CDL) | Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) |
| Location | Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Founded (online wing) | 1980 (CDL wing ~2000) | 2001 |
| Official website | imtcdl.ac.in ↗ | scdl.net ↗ |
| UGC-DEB entitled | Yes | No (AICTE diploma; not a degree) |
| AICTE approved | Yes | Yes |
| NAAC grade | A (NAAC) | A++ (NAAC) |
| NIRF ranking (management) | #68 | Not Ranked (Not a university) |
| International recognition | AICTE approved; AIU recognized | AICTE recognized |
| Fee range | ₹1,10,000 – ₹1,40,000 | ₹46,000 – ₹80,000 |
| EMI / loan available | Yes | Yes (9–12 month EMI) |
| Scholarships | Merit-based | None officially; Affordable pricing |
| Scholarship categories | Merit Scholarship, Corporate Sponsorship, Alumni Benefits, Defence Category | Defence Personnel, Armed Forces, International Students, Alumni Discounts, Corporate Tie-ups |
| Average placement | ₹8–12 LPA | ₹5–7 LPA |
| Highest placement | ₹20–25 LPA | ₹15–18 LPA |
| Career services | Placement assistance (alumni network); Industry connect sessions | Placement assistance; Corporate tie-ups; Alumni network |
| Career progression after the program | Good | Average |
| Private-sector recognition | Excellent | Average |
| Most-taken program | PGDM – Marketing & Finance | PGDM – Business Administration & Marketing |
| Online programs offered | 5+ | 10+ |
| Program levels offered | PG Diploma / Executive Programs | PG Diploma / Certificate |
| Learning platform | LMS; Recorded lectures; Live expert sessions; Study material | LMS; Recorded lectures; E-library; Online exams |
| 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. | Min: AICTE norms (PG 55% + relevant exp for practitioners; PhD preferred for academic roles). Avg: ~50–55% PhD among core faculty; 10–15 yrs industry exp for practitioners. Heavy use of industry experts & visiting faculty from corporates like IBM, Wipro, TCS. |
| Difficulty level | Very Difficult | Easy |
| PhD-eligible after master's | Yes | No |
| Admission sessions | January & July | January & July |
| Entrance exam required | No (merit-based; work experience preferred) | Yes (SCDL Entrance or CAT/MAT/state CET score) |
| Campus connect | No | No |
| Post-enrolment support | Average | Average |
| Alumni feedback on program experience | Average | Average |
| Full-time MBA rating | 4.2/5 – Strong PGDM curriculum and industry value | 3.8/5 – Popular among working professionals |
| Key strength | Reputed B-school brand (IMT Ghaziabad); Executive PGDM; 5+ yrs exp preferred; Strong alumni in FMCG/Banking | Symbiosis brand; Affordable PG Diploma; Corporate-partnered (Airtel, IBM, TCS, Wipro) |
| Unique selling point | Strong management curriculum for working professionals | Industry-oriented distance learning programs |
| See all 13 programs → | See all 17 programs → |