Here is my attempt to demystify – “The Crystal Maze” of Indian Master’s degree / PGDM / EPGDM / MBA / Executive MBA & PhD / FPM / EFPM. “The Crystal Maze” was a TV series as described here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Maze – the programme focused on teams of contestants, a mixed group of men and women, attempting a range of challenges to earn time required to help them complete one final challenge, which if completed successfully earns them a prize. – From Wikipedia page of the topic.

Many students have questions around PGDM / EPGDM / MBA / MTech / PhD / FPM / EFPM and similar depending on their aims. Here are some notes for the questions that will drive you towards the answers:

1. Where do you go for checking validity of PGDM / EPGDM in Full Time / Part Time / Online / Distance Learning mode – AICTE, UGC Distance Education Bureau websites
2. Where do you go to check if your PGDM is equivalent to a standard MBA – AIU website
3. Where do you go to check if your FPM / EFPM is equivalent to a PhD – AIU website
4. Where do you go to check validity of degrees from central universities / autonomous universities & institutions of eminence – UGC, AICTE, AIU & MHRD websites
5. Where do you check rankings of universities & institutes in India – NIRF
6. How do you do a PhD if your PGDM is not equivalent to MBA – Either go to IIMs, IITs, Government institutions & universities which are autonomous / institutions of eminence or universities in the advanced economies
7. What are the accreditations you should be checking – NAAC & NBA
8. What are the foreign accreditations that Indian institutes & universities participate in – QS world rankings, Times Higher Education rankings, there are more as well
9. What is triple crown – AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS – These are three accreditations which if a college / university / institute has they are called triple crown accredited

List of websites referred above:

1. UGC – https://www.ugc.ac.in/
2. MHRD – https://www.education.gov.in/en
3. AICTE – https://www.aicte-india.org/
4. AIU – https://www.aiu.ac.in/
5. Triple crown – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_accreditation
6. NIRF – https://www.nirfindia.org/Home
7. NAAC – http://www.naac.gov.in/
8. NBA – https://www.nbaind.org/
9. QS world rankings – https://www.topuniversities.com/
10. UGC DEB – https://deb.ugc.ac.in/
11. Times Higher Education Rankings – https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings

Email me: Neil@HarwaniSystems.in