rediffGURU Patrick Dsouza: 'Will Online MBA Help Me In My Career?'

rediffGURU Patrick Dsouza discusses how to pick the right management course that will help you boost your career.

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy MBA Classroom/Pexels

Choosing an MBA degree is a big career decision.

And doing the right course from a good college can change the direction of your career.

With so many specialisations and programmes available both online and offline, picking the right MBA course can get overwhelming.

rediffGURU Patrick Dsouza, founder of Patrick 100, has been training aspirants to prepare for various competitive management exams including the Common Admission Test (CAT), Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and the Common Entrance Test (CET).

Here, he discusses how you can pick the management course that's right for you.

You can post your CAT and MBA-related questions to rediffGURU Patrick Dsouza HERE.

Rampal: Namaste. I am a working professional with 13 years of experience in plant engineering and mechanical maintenance in a multinational steel company.
I am planning to pursue an online MBA through the Birla Institute of Technology and Science Work Integrated Learning Programme.
Will it be helpful for me in the future?
Is it the right decision, or do I have to search for an alternate option?
I completed my BTech in 2019 from RTU Kota and have been working since completing my Diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 2010.

Since you graduated in 2019, your work experience would be calculated post your graduation for MBA admission.

One option would be to do a one-year full-time executive MBA from a good college. That could give you a good career jump.

You will have to take the GMAT exam. If you cannot do a full-time course for one year, you can directly pursue an online MBA.

Anonymous: I completed my graduation in electronics engineering from Mumbai University in 2016.
Although my undergraduate CGPA is below 6.0, I bring six years of professional experience in the IT industry along with certifications in Azure and Artificial Intelligence.
I am currently exploring master's degree opportunities in India and abroad through GATE.
I would like an evaluation of my chances of admission to top-tier institutions, guidance on steps to strengthen my profile for international admissions, and a list of colleges for which I may be eligible.

There are not many good colleges abroad accepting GATE scores for master's programmes.

For that, you may have to write the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) based on your target country, college and course. In countries like Germany and France, you may get a scholarship if you know the local language.

For studying masters in India, you can apply through GATE scores for any of the top colleges.

Anshu: I am currently pursuing BTech CSE from Bihar (GEC Banka) and I am also a JEE dropper.
After serious self-reflection, I feel that engineering does not align with my interests and strengths. Additionally, the college location is extremely underdeveloped and isolated, with very limited exposure, opportunities and overall academic environment, which is affecting my growth and motivation.
I am considering dropping out and shifting to a BA course from a reputed university like Benaras Hindu University or Delhi University.
However, if I take this step now, it will result in a two-year academic gap, which concerns me.
Since this is a major decision, I am seeking honest guidance on whether this transition is sensible, how such a gap is generally viewed, the future scope of a BA from BHU or DU, and the key factors I should consider before making this change.

You can shift to arts from engineering. There is no problem with that.

But please check if you can complete your BTech course and then switch your field to management or any other option post your graduation. That will save your gap year.

The concern is that if you shift to BA and face the same problem again, it may become difficult to change courses later.

Before you make the move, research the course that you plan to apply for by talking to students or alumni who have taken the course.

At the same time, you have to be sure why you really do not want to complete or continue engineering.

You can post your CAT and MBA-related questions to rediffGURU Patrick Dsouza HERE.

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