Online PGDM - A best option to take up during this Pandemic Situation

The Covid-19 virus pandemic sent the economy to a state of turmoil and recession overnight and is affecting everyone's lives in a big way. The challenging times have developed an uncertainty among the whole of mankind on this planet, where they are looking forward to passing this catastrophic situation with no hopes of recovery. But on the flip side, the positive thing is that we can witness this moment as an opportunity to increase our potential by enriching our knowledge and skill. It may be a wise decision in times like these, where if we consider to invest ourselves in education and try to increase our competitiveness, career stabilities and earning power by enrolling for an online PGDM degree.

There are many instances in the yesteryears where many people considered to take up full-time PGDM during the times of economic recessions. In olden days it was a traditional PGDM degree, but now in the changed times it’s in the form of an online PGDM degree. It may be a wise option to consider an online PGDM degree rather than the traditional one in the current situation. In the new normal where social distancing rules are in place that are required to be observed for some more months even after the pandemic subsides by all of us. So, taking up an online PGDM may be the best alternative instead of wasting time to join a traditional PGDM course.

Why choose Online PGDM course?

The prospective students in the past who may have only considered in-person programmes for their PGDM degrees, are now warming up to online programmes. An online PGDM certainly seems more attractive now and is having higher-levels of consideration among many recruiters than it did a few months ago. With an online PGDM course, a student or a professional can enrich his/her skills just by sitting in their homes or from nearly anywhere with a good internet connectivity. With all the reputed educational institutes having closed their campuses in the pandemic times, the online PGDM courses have gained a lot of popularity among both the students and working professionals. The interesting development is that all the top organisations and top recruiting firms are preferring professionals with online PGDM degrees over the traditional PGDMs in recent years. The online PGDM is bound to become the new normal after this gloomy situation ends.

There are certain key factors that make an online PGDM course as a best bet, let's discuss the same below:

Online PGDM is highly adaptive

The key advantage of an online PGDM programme is that it adapts itself to every individual’s lifestyles. One can complete the course work from anywhere he/she likes, whether in self- quarantine in their bedrooms or working from a mobile hotspot in the park nearby, it doesn’t matter. The only requirements for completing the course work is individual interests and a good computer with good internet connectivity.

The online PGDM provides an option to pick between synchronous and asynchronous classes. Synchronous classes basically involve attending to virtual lectures, seminars and discussions at the same time, as all the other students, while asynchronous classes allow the students to access course materials entirely according to the individual schedules. One can complete the course work at one’s free time in an online PGDM programme.

Online PGDM programmes are cheaper

In the present condition, cost simply matters for all in the new economic environment. In the current economic environment, it always makes sense to have a more rigorous cost-benefit analysis before taking any decisions. The traditional PGDM programme is a bit costlier while the online PGDM programme is quite cheaper. Due to the economic situations many prospective students may not choose to join the traditional PGDM programme for its costly fee structures even after the normalcy in the situation returns there may be very few takers for traditional PGDM course, but they can surely join for online PGDM course immediately due to its attractive benefits and lesser fees.

Many top-notch educational organisations have reduced their PGDM course fees drastically to make it affordable and have increased the reachability, so that more and more aspirants can join the PGDM course. The current pandemic situation has even forced many B-schools and colleges to take a call on their fee structures and are looking towards shifting their existing traditional PGDM programme to online platforms. The time is apt for all aspirants who wish to join for an online PGDM course.

No difference in the study materials for both online and traditional PGDM programmes

The top educational organisations are promoting online PGDM courses in current challenging times and are providing a golden opportunity for many of the aspirants to enroll themselves in the online PGDM courses. They have shifted the whole traditional PGDM coursework to online platforms to make it more reachable to every aspirant. They are also ensuring that the quality is not compromised in the online platforms. The same course work that is available in the traditional PGDM is also available in online formats, so there is no difference between them.

The educational organisations are digitising their course materials and are making them available for all the enrolled students in digital format.

Online PGDM is open for all

Online PGDM programmes are open for all and not limited to specific categories of students.

Unfortunately, it has been observed that many students take the requirements of on-campus education for granted, not realising that it is inaccessible for many prospective students with disabilities, special needs, etc. This inequality is rectified in the online PGDM course. The PGDM curriculum has been made accessible for every enrolled student and an equality is maintained among all the students. In today's era of potential intermittent social distancing requirements, the online PGDM can be a best option for all, so that they can look for better opportunities post pandemic with a PGDM degree in hand.

The best part in online PGDM is that it goes beyond physical concerns. It is also much easier to gain admission to an online PGDM course when compared to traditional ones. Majority of online PGDM programmes do not have any entrance tests, so that more and more students can join the online PGDM programme without any difficulty. The best part of the online PGDM course is that there is no limitation for seats in online platforms. While the traditional PGDM programme has limited seats and entrance exams are conducted for students according to the available intake of the educational institutes.

Online PGDM offers staged delivery

The PGDM programmes are having the best option of staged delivery methods. This ensures that one can finish a certain number of courses and subjects and still walk away with qualification even before the specified course duration. The students can take up the exams and course work at their convenience and complete the course of PGDM according to their convenience. This articulation pathway provides a great opportunity for students to balance both work and studies, so that they can easily get their degrees without any hurry.

Online PGDM programmes have the potential to create real-life networks

Networking with professors, other students and industry representatives is the most important part of getting an PGDM degree. In fact, it is believed that networking was considered as the main reason by many students to pursue a PGDM programme. In the yester years, the online PGDM programmes attracted a lot of scepticism from different sections of students due to its networking limitations, who were interested to grow their networks. But, thanks to advances in technology and carefully designed student experiences where the networking is even simpler for an online PGDM course when compared to traditional PGDM courses. Today networking happens with a single mouse click, all this is possible due to the technology advancements. Online PGDM students are able to make powerful connections through their course work easily without any struggle.

The stigma of online PGDM is diminishing

The stigma associated with online learning has been reducing day by day and it is observed that the diminishing rates are even faster today, all thanks to the Covid 19 pandemic. Many top universities and a large number of institutes are adapting towards the new normal, that is an online PGDM course. The organisations are not finding any difference between the thin line of demarcation between an online PGDM and a traditional PGDM while hiring the professionals. Both of them are given equal importance, while the importance is inched more towards online PGDM students when compared to traditional PGDM students.

Recruiting Managers are looking towards online PGDM course graduates

A sense of scepticism about online PGDM professionals that was lingering around in the hiring fraternity of different organisations till now has vanished in the current scenario. The Covid 19 situation has remarkably transformed the hiring mechanism by removing the stigma associated with online PGDM programmes when it comes to hiring.

Today, online PGDM degree students are given equal value as students from traditional PGDM courses. So, the thin line of demarcation has completely vanished in the present situation.

So, this is the best time to join for an online PGDM programme and enrich the skills and knowledge.

Final Lines

The message is clear that these challenging and tough times continue to stay at least for a few months until there is a permanent medical solution that can stop the corona virus from spreading completely. But these covid times can be used for taking up some productive tasks like enrolling for an online PGDM course. Even after the post pandemic days, it may be essential for many of them to upskill their knowledge to get a better position and pay scale in the industry. The enrichment of the skills may be only a best option to witness a career growth for many professionals.

A PGDM certainly provides the required skill and qualification and it also acts as a support for many of the professionals who are under the stress of job loss. The PGDM can help many of them to sustain a living and expect a good career growth even in the post pandemic situation.