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So how does one decide. The increasing competition, globalisation and market requirement makes it not so advisable to indulge in a one year MBA programme. As an alternative, one take up a one year PG Diploma course focusing primarily on a particular stream of management.
It is always better to opt for a part-time MBA only if the income that you earn forms a significant portion of your family's livelihood. Part-time MBAs is ideal for those who have a considerable amount of work experience and are now looking at moving up the corporate ladder. It is also for those who don't want a drastic change but want to move ahead in their existing line of work or want to know more about management.

The objective of the MBA programme is to coax out the manager in you. There are quite a lot of qualities a manager possesses, such as leadership skills, strong communication skills and so on. For some people, these qualities are portrayed in their day-to-day activities. But for some, they lay dormant. The key to answering this question is whether there is a will in you to learn. lf there is, then an MBA programme from a good B-school will make sure that it gets the best out of you.

According to Prof. Stanley, a visiting professor at IIM Bangalore, "People who have entered the world of work and are earning money, are ambitious and wish to upgrade themselves. They think that an E-MBA will get them promotions, and they have the money and ambition, so they would like to invest in it."

According to Ali Khwaja, "It should depend on the individual student. Those who are unsure which stream of management to go into; they should work for a year or two in one or two probable fields and then their choice will be much more meaningful. Similarly, those who choose to work should ensure that they are temperamentally the type who can resist the lure of a monthly pay packet and go back to being full time students. If anyone chooses to work, he or she should ensure that the work is meaningful and is an addition to the career profile, even if the salary is not very attractive. For those who have the funds, are clear of their specialisation choices, can study hard and get into a good B-school, it may be better to go in for an MBA straight away."

Concluded.

* Contributed by -
Oumkar Umesh,
Senior Correspondent - The Observer of Management,
Vol. 1 Issue 4 April 2006,
(With inputs from Prithvi Singh).