MBA General Management Course: Full Form, Admission 2025, Fees, Syllabus, Entrance Exam, Top Colleges, Career Scope

General management is a broad or general study on all aspects of management. It includes topics like marketing, finance, managerial leadership, data analysis, information system, human resources etc.

Good luck

Specialised MBA vs. General MBA: Every MBA aspirant is faced with a question that is whether to go for specialised MBA or general MBA. The students who are appearing for MBA this year have two choices to choose from, one is to go for a holistic MBA programme that is which is the General MBA programme and the other is specialised MBA programme.

Generally, all the top Indian Institutes provide General Management Programs, but these days specialised MBA programs are also gaining popularity.

Specialised MBA programs are meant to provide a direction to your career. These programs provide you with a focused career. It provides the right launch to your career. Specialist MBA is specially preferred in fields like Retail, infrastructure, Banking, Finance Insurance etc. While General Management makes you jack of all, specialised MBA makes you master of one.

General MBA and specialised MBA have their own strengths and weaknesses. Strengths of general MBA: The General MBA programme provides holistic learning. It allows you to learn all the nitty-gritties of management. It will surely ensure a wider knowledge base and you can shift to other sectors. Weaknesses of General MBA You don't have in-depth knowledge of any sector. When you begin your career, you don't have a specialised area to join.

After graduation, pursuing an MBA might be a wise decision for a variety of reasons. In the first place, it improves your leadership and business acumen while giving you a more profound grasp of strategy, marketing, finance and management. This thorough education increases your knowledge base and improves your career chances which increases your competitiveness as a job applicant.

Additionally, an MBA program frequently offers beneficial networking possibilities putting you in touch with colleagues and professionals in the field who can lead to new employment chances. 

Furthermore, an MBA program often provides valuable networking opportunities connecting you with industry leaders and peers who can open doors to new career paths.

The diverse experiences and perspectives shared in an MBA program can foster innovative thinking and problem-solving skills essential in today’s dynamic business environment.

• The duration of MBA in General Management is Typically 18 to 24 months, with options for full-time, part-time, or online study.
• A regular MBA in General Management degree is a two-year course divided into four semesters. However, certain private institutes offer one-year PGDM programs as well.
• Only individuals with a bachelor's degree in any discipline or a BBA program from a recognised institute or university are eligible for an MBA in General Management.

Typically, the programme lasts 1 to 2 years, depending on whether you choose a full-time or part-time format. Here is the detailed duration of the course:

Full-time MBA in General Management: 2 years
Online/ Distance MBA in General Management: 1- 2 years 
Executive MBA in General Management: 1 - 1.5 year 
Integrated MBA in General Management: 5 years  

Eligibility for MBA programme: The prospective applicant must satisfy one of the following eligibility criteria for admissions to the MBA programme. A graduate degree under 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 pattern under any discipline, securing at least 50% marks in aggregate, from a recognised university.

Yes, many institutions offer online or hybrid formats for their MBA programs, allowing for flexibility while studying. For example Amrita Ahead Online provides online course. You can check more universities which provide online programme online.

The requirement for Class 12 marks (or equivalent high school qualifications) for MBA admissions can vary depending on the university or business school. Some MBA programs may require you to submit your Class 12 transcripts or equivalent as part of the application process, while others might prioritize undergraduate or bachelor's degrees and might not emphasize high school marks as heavily.

However, it's important to note that while Class 12 marks might not be the primary focus for many MBA programs, they could still be considered part of the overall academic evaluation, especially if you have limited work experience or if the programme considers a holistic view of your educational background.

Yes, many individuals pursue their MBA around the age of 25. It's quite common for people to undertake MBA programs in their mid-20s.

Most full-time MBA programs generally expect applicants to have a few years of work experience, usually ranging from 2 to 5 years or more, depending on the program. By the age of 25, many individuals have gained sufficient work experience to meet these criteria.

The eligibility criteria for MBA is Graduation. However, many colleges prescribe minimum marks in aggregate in Graduation  (50 percent for General and 45 percent for SC/ST candidates) or equivalent from a recognised university. Students need to appear in entrance exams like CAT, MAT, XAT, NMAT, and CMAT and get a valid score to ensure their entry into good management colleges. Also, they need to clear Group Discussions/ Personal Interviews (GD/PI) to secure their seat. They can opt for the college of their choice and complete the admission process.

The CAT syllabus includes all the important topics of Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. Candidates can check the topic wise CAT syllabus above on this page. To crack the CAT 2025, candidates will have to study all the topics included in the CAT syllabus as questions can be asked from any topic.

No, the syllabus for MAT Entrance Examination is similar to other entrance examinations. If a candidate is preparing for any other management entrance examinations, they can easily prepare for MAT through the same syllabus as well. 

MAT is termed one of the easiest entrance examination for management studies. The examination has no sectional timing as well, sparing the candidates from the trouble of doing one section at a particular time.MAT can be attempted several times in an year, hence, candidates can learn from their mistakes and give another try in the same year.

Refer to the official website of MAT for more information.

Yes, the difficulty level of CAT syllabus is very high as compared to other MBA entrance exams. However, if you prepare well and follow the CAT exam pattern well, you will be able to score well. Besides having an understanding of the CAT syllabus 2025, candidates also need to be well aware of the CAT exam pattern before they start preparing for the exam. The CAT exam pattern was revised in 2021 and the number of questions were reduced from 76 to 66. The structure of CAT 2023 and CAT 2024 was the same. The syllabus is still tougher than other exams.

The most important things to keep in mind are:

1. CAT exam mode is online
2. Each question carries three marks 
3. There is negative marking of minus one mark for wrong attempts

The section-wise distribution of questions and difficulty levels as per the latest CAT exam pattern are listed below:

• Quantitative Ability (QA) - 24 questions, difficulty level - moderate to high 
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) - 20 questions, difficulty level - moderate 
• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) - 22 questions, difficulty level - moderate. to high

MAT is one of the easier MBA entrance exam. The difficulty level of the exam much easier than CAT XAT or CMAT. Candidates usually prepare for CAT XAT and CMAT and use that experience to give the MAT exam. Even though the MAT has more questions than XAT CAT CMAT. It is easier because the questions of all the five sections include:

• Mathematical Skills
• Language Comprehension
• Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
• Data Analysis and Sufficiency
• Indian and Global Environment

These are easy and straightforward. There are less Reading Comprehension passages of shorter length and are easy to comprehend. Since, the Indian and Global Environment scores are not taken into consideration for MAT percentile calculation, candidates find it easier to crack MAT in 2.5 hours with high scores.

NMAT exam is conducted by GMAC three times during one MBA admission session. GMAC facilitates the three exam takes within a testing window. The test window for NMAT ranges around 45 days. Once the candidate has a valid score, he/she can compete the retake registration process and schedule any date that is 15 days after the previous attempt.

Candidates can choose to appear for NMAT up to three times on chosen dates within the test window specified by GMAC. Of all the three test scores, best exam score is sent to the NMAT participating colleges, chosen by the applicant while filling the form.

The common core subjects in every universities which offers MBA in General Management includes:

• Principles of Management
• Financial Management
• Marketing Management
• Operations Management
• Human Resource Management
• Strategic Management
• Business Ethics and Corporate Governance

Yes, most of the MBA programs incorporate case studies, group projects, internships, and simulations to provide practical insights and applications of theoretical concepts to the students.

The syllabus is designed to build a comprehensive understanding of business functions and enhance soft skills like leadership and communication, preparing you to manage teams and drive organizational success.

Following is the list of skills that are required for success in career after pursuing MBA in General Management:

1. Leadership: Ability to guide teams and drive organizational goals
2. Decision-Making: Making strategic choices under uncertainty
3. Communication: Effective interpersonal and presentation skills
4. Problem-Solving: Analytical and creative thinking
5. Adaptability: Flexibility to manage diverse industries and functions
6. Time Management: Balancing priorities in dynamic environments

Here is the list of some of the renowned institutions abroad:

• Harvard Business School
• Stanford Graduate School of Business
• Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
• MIT Sloan School of Management
• INSEAD
• London Business School
• Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

 There are several factors contributing to the fact that MBA is perceived as a difficult course:

• Intensive Curriculum: MBA programs typically cover a wide range of complex business topics in a relatively short period. 
• Quantitative Analysis: Many MBA courses require a solid foundation in quantitative analysis, including Statistics, Finance, and Accounting. 
• Case Studies and Simulations: MBA courses often use case studies and business simulations to teach students how to apply theoretical concepts to real-world business situations. 
• Time Management: Balancing coursework, assignments, group projects, and potential work or other commitments can be demanding. 

Its is the study of management topics at manager level, which includes marketing & sales of a product, Financial management of a company, Selection and development of manpower(hr), information technology management, hospital management etc.

Graduates from the General MBA programme at SSM can explore diverse career paths with opportunities in BFSI, Retail/FMCG, Healthcare, Family Business and Entrepreneurship Development, Sports, Culture & Arts, Manufacturing, and Infrastructure. The programme emphasizes academic excellence, value-added programs, and international exposure, contributing to well-rounded career prospects.

MBA in general management prepares a student to get jobs in all management functions in different types of enterprises. A student can choose his own career direction based on his learning and understanding of his own skills and competencies. Most of the students start as management trainees in the business enterprises and graduate or specialise in one or more fields based on the requirements of the organisation and demonstrate their capabilities during the training period.

Firstly, it really comes with lots of hands-on. HR is a field which is truly people-centric. If you are already in an HR environment, it would be good to take initiative to conduct activities, arrange key tasks and activities which will directly / indirectly involve the use of soft skills and personality traits. For example, to enhance communication skills, it would be great to have employee engagement fun activity just to talk to people around and know them better. Like, breaking the ice. If it is a leadership skill enhancement, it helps to take responsibility for some task - big or small does not matter. Just to see how well you can manage people with different attitudes and expectations. Have your own book of learning and time to time improvements. When you want feedback, apart from your own assessment, you could also request few members to casually let you know what you could work on and what is that they really like about your work and management etc. More like an unofficial survey. Communication Skills, Goal setting, time management, leadership & management, team building, rapport building, negotiation and conflict management, business communication and cross-cultural competence are a few skills that come to my mind when I think of people skills/personality and soft skills. Create yourself instances both in personal and professional life. Implement learnt skills and see how you respond. Record all your experience. After some time review it and see how you could do it better next time. Taking up professional courses do help a lot as well.

Hi, Salary scale in India for freshers and experienced: The salary scale for an MBA in general management is commensurate with the position occupied and as well the years of experience of the individual. For the fresher of just within a year in the industry, the median salary range stands at INR 302,326 per annum. On the other hand, with more experience of between 5-9 years, the median salary per annum is about INR 719,315 per annum. With other experience levels, you stand to earn more with position attained in the company and the status of the particular company too playing a part.

Top 10 companies hiring after the course. There are a whole lot of places to work as an MBA holder. Virtually all sectors will one time or the other place adverts for vacancies.

Some of them in the top 10 are:

1. Aditya Birla Group
2. HCL technologies
3. JPMorgan Chase
4. New Gen Software
5. IEEE corporate
6. National Textile Corporation Ltd.
7. Amazon seller Services Pvt. Ltd.
8. Cisco Systems, Inc.
9. Global Eagle Entertainment
10. India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd.

General management is general and applicable to various business sectors. Strategy management is a specialisation. Depending on your interest and skill sets choose one of them. Either ways the job and career opportunities are ample.

MBA has the same curriculum in the 1st year for all the students. A student can opt for specialisations in the 2nd year. General management will be a combination of study topics such as HR, finance, marketing, operations, and general management concepts. Whereas, MBA in finance will have special finance subjects like banking and insurance, mergers and acquisitions and private equity instead of subjects taught in HR, operations or marketing. It would be focused on finance only.

MBA or Master of Business Administration is a postgraduate degree programme which offers advanced management and business training. The course enlightens students with the knowledge and abilities they need to be successful in leadership positions. The growing number of businesses has highlighted the importance of MBA degree. The fees of MBA courses range between INR 4 Lacs to 25 lakh.

On the other hand, MSc, is a two-year postgraduate degree that candidates usually opt for after completing their BSc. MSc is classified as a STEM degree since it puts an emphasis on Science,  Engineering, Technology, Mathematics, and Medicine. The fees of MSc courses are less than MBA and can be completed between INR 20,000 to INR 1.2 lakh.

Read More: Know difference between MBA and MSc

Dear Ommkar,

MMS is one of the best score highly regarded in Maharashtra and its corporate environment because of its beauty of structure of the course and pedagogy. Highly regarded and got stuff in the subject mostly research oriented. Further coming to MBA. MBA is also good but the pedagogy is not equal with MMS. Therefore I recommend prefer MMS, if not MBA. All the best.

Master of Business Administration or MBA is a popular Masters degree pursued by students after completing the UG degree in the related stream. Students are confused about pursuing an MBA in India or Abroad. There are major difference between MBA in India and Abroad is programme duration and salary. The duration of MBA in India salary is 2 years and abroad it is 1-2 years as per the specializations. Mentioned below are the major difference between MBA in India and MBA abroad:

MBA in General Management is the ideal course for people who have a bachelor's degree, some work experience, a desire to lead teams or organizations and people who are:

• Aspiring Leaders: Individuals aiming for leadership roles in diverse industries
• Entrepreneurs: Those planning to start or expand their own business
• Career Switchers: Professionals looking to shift into managerial roles from technical or non-managerial backgrounds
• Experienced Professionals: Mid-level managers aiming for senior leadership positions

Yes, candidates can pursue an MBA without having completed a BBA.

MBA programs often accept students from various undergraduate backgrounds, including Engineering, Science, Art, and more. While a BBA might provide a foundational understanding of business concepts, it's not a strict requirement for admission into an MBA program.

The first and foremost eligibility requirement is to have completed a basic Bachelors level graduation degree. This could be an engineering degree (BE, B.Tech), B.Sc, B.Com, BA or in any other discipline. MBA colleges abroad expect students with some work experience (1-2 years work-ex is fine).

The two primary exams are GMAT and GRE. Traditionally GRE was more popular among MS applicants and some universities accept GMAT score. However, things are changing and many MBA universities have also started accepting GRE scores. After clearing GRE/GMAT, you need to clear language proficiency exam - IELTS/TOFEL. Colleges also ask for recommendation letters from supervisors/HODs/managers. The last hurdle is to crack the interview you have applied for.