What are the pros and cons of pursuing an MBA in India versus abroad? Will the cost of studying abroad justify the return on investment? Or, will a good school in India help one land a dream job? — Srishti
An MBA from a premier B-school, irrespective of the location, will always do wonders for one’s career. It helps in securing managerial roles, wide career prospects, faster growth, and high pay.
The pros of pursuing an MBA abroad include international exposure — both academic and professional. Top B-schools ensure learning under accomplished and published academics, sometimes even Nobel Prize winners. The cons include high tuition costs. Does that justify the return on investment? Yes, but surely depends on the ranking of the B-school.
Similarly, the pros of pursuing an MBA in India include, along with high quality education, the opportunity to learn from and interact with industry leaders such as CEOs, MDs, and VPs. Due to the relatively moderate fee structure, the ROI (comparison between fee and placement figures) is very good. Moreover, Indian B-schools such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, XLRI, and SPJIMR feature among the top 100 B-schools globally in various international rankings. Among the cons of pursuing an MBA in India is the high-level competition among CAT and other exams aspirants. But this applies for the top B-schools overseas too.
So, take a call with these parameters in mind when choosing your MBA programme.
(Answers by experts from T.I.M.E, a leading test-prep institute.)