Executive MBA is a two-year programme specifically designed for working professionals who want to upgrade their skillset but at the same time can’t leave their job. EMBA offers many perks including a flexible schedule like weekend or evening classes. EMBA helps in advancing the existing skillset including business sense, leadership skills, and strategic thinking preparing the professionals for higher level roles in bigger companies.
Executive MBA is very similar to the regular MBA with very minimal changes. Universities like IITs, ISB, XLRI, etc. provide an individual with an EMBA degree. Yet, entrance exams and working experience are some of the mandatory criteria to ensure your admission. It is designed for mid- to senior level managers looking to enhance their business skills, expand their networks and boost their career growth.
This article provides an individual with an overview of Executive MBA. It includes the eligibility criteria, a comparison with regular MBA, syllabus, available colleges and the future job prospects. This article is packed with information that could help you out.
Table of Contents
Executive MBA Overview
| Particulars | Detail |
| Course Name | Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) |
| Course Level | Postgraduation |
| Course Duration | 2 years |
| Course Suitability | Working Professionals |
| Admission Process | Graduation + Entrance Exam + 2–5 Years Work Experience |
| Top Institutes | IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, FMS, XLRI Jamshedpur, etc. |
| Salary | INR 10 LPA – INR 15 LPA |
| Job Positions | Senior HR Managers, HR Directors, VPs, Business Development Managers |
| Entrance Exams | CAT, XAT, NMAT, CMAT, etc. |
| Recruiting Companies | Infosys, HCL, TCS, Reliance, Airtel, etc. |
What is Executive MBA?
EMBA full form is Executive Master of Business Administration. Executive MBA is a professional and advanced course designed for experienced corporate employees and senior managers, enhancing and advancing their skills related to business, management, leadership and analytics. This is specifically designed for working professionals who want to continue working while also completing a degree.
Executive MBA meaning is to provide a holistic business education across a range of subjects and unique specializations. The course duration of EMBA is 2 years as it is a postgraduate degree. EMBA can be pursued with flexibility as the classes are on the weekend or in the evening. The course is also available in both offline and online mode, depending on an individual’s need.
Executive MBA Eligibility Criteria
EMBA has the potential to advance your careers with its specializations. The eligibility to EMBA is very similar to the regular MBA program with the only difference in the working experience that is a crucial criterion in EMBA. Below is a detailed analysis of the Executive MBA Eligibility:
- The professional must have completed a graduation with an aggregate of 50% or more from a recognized university.
- The candidate must appear for the entrance exam and a personal interview round to be eligible for selection.
- Working Experience is an important criterion in EMBA. Candidates who are applying must have a minimum working experience of 2 years at the managerial or executive level. This criterion depends on the universities as it can be between 2-5 years.
Ongoing Entrance Exams for Executive MBA in India
| Entrance Exams | Important Dates |
| CAT (Common Admission Test) |
Registration Date: 1st August 2025 Last Date of Registration: 13th September 2025 Exam Date: 30th November 2025 |
| GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) | GMAT Exam can be taken anytime in the year. One can apply a few weeks before they actually want to take the test. |
| XAT (Xaviers Aptitude Test) |
Registration Date: 10th July 2025 Last Date of Registration: 5th December 2025 Exam Date: 4th January 2026 |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examination) | GRE Exam is conducted year-round wherein the individual can apply anytime in the year and take their exam at their suitable convenience. |
Executive MBA vs Regular MBA: A Comparison
| Criterion | Executive MBA | Regular MBA |
| Target Audience | Mid to senior level professionals | Fresh Graduates or Early Career Professionals |
| Work Experience | 2-5 years, depending on the university | Not Required |
| Course Duration | 1-2 years (full time/ part time) | 2 years |
| Curriculum Focus | Strategic Leadership, Global Exposure, Management | Foundational Management, Functional Specialization |
| Entrance Exam | GRE/ GMAT/ CAT | CAT/ XAT/ MAT/ CMAT |
| Program Cost | INR 25 – 40 lakhs | INR 15 – 28 lakhs |
| Average Salary | INR 25 – 40 LPA | INR 15 – 30 LPA |
Executive MBA Admission Process
An Executive MBA can look new to the working professionals, and they might have difficulty in going through the admission process. To help them out, given below is the admission process guide for EMBA:
Step 1: Researching: Before filling in your application form, an individual should look out for the available colleges. Choose the university that fits you. One should look out for the eligibility criteria, curriculum, faculty and facility so that they are aware of the basic criteria.
Step 2: Filling in the Application Form: The next step is to fill in the application form before the deadline. It is always recommended to mark the important dates in your calendar to be aware of the deadlines.
Step 3: Entrance Exam and Interview: The next step is the entrance exam which is an important criterion. One should prepare for their entrance exam from six months to achieve a satisfying result. Some universities also plan on taking a personal interview. A personal interview helps the faculty in knowing your aspirations and the focus towards the course.
Step 4: Awaiting Results: Once you are done with all your entrance exams and interviews, the next obvious step is waiting for your results. Keep yourself updated with the website as many of the announcements to the latest updates are posted there. Along with that, keep your email updated. You will receive a mail if you are selected to pursue the course.
Step 5: Document Verification: Once an individual is selected, they will receive a mail regarding the original document verification in physical mode. An individual must verify their documents on time and then pay the required fee to be a part of the program. This will ensure their enrollment.
Executive MBA Syllabus
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
| Operations Management | Decision Sciences |
| Marketing Management | Organizational Behavior |
| Human Resource Management | Financial Management |
| Managerial Economics | Financial Reporting and Analysis |
| Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
| Sales Management | B2B Marketing |
| Product Management | Product Management |
| Designing Organizations | Corporate Strategy and Policy |
| Macroeconomics | Entrepreneurial Learning |
Executive MBA Colleges and Fee in India
| Universities/ Institutes | Program Fee |
| Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi (FMS Executive MBA) | INR 50,000 – 1 lakh |
| IIM Bangalore Executive MBA | INR 23 lakh |
| IIM Ahmedabad Executive MBA | INR 33 lakh |
| XLRI, Jamshedpur | INR 21.7 lakh |
| IIM Calcutta | INR 31 lakh |
| MIT College of Management, Pune | INR 2.38 lakh |
Executive MBA: Job Prospects, Recruiters and Salary
| Job Prospect | Description | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| CEOs | The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for managing the overall operations, strategic direction and company culture. | INR 15 LPA – INR 1 CR |
| CFOs | Chief Financial Officer is a senior executive responsible for managing a company’s financial actions, including financial planning, and management. | INR 12 LPA – INR 1 CR |
| Marketing Director | A Marketing Director is responsible for developing and implementing marketing communications strategies along with the branding in their company. | INR 35 LPA – INR 60 LPA |
| General Manager | The General Manager is responsible for overseeing the business unit’s daily operations and strategic direction. They act as a bridge between employees and higher management to understand and achieve growth. | INR 25 LPA – INR 45 LPA |
Executive MBA Recruiters
| HCL | Infosys | Vedanta |
| Airtel | Trident Group | Hindustan Unilever |
| Reliance Industries | KPMG | Larsen and Toubro (L&T) |
Conclusion
If you are a working professional who is looking out to earn a degree without leaving their job, Executive MBA is a perfect degree to grab. While being advantageous, it even allows individuals to have a lot of flexibility including part-time and online courses. One can pursue their degree from anywhere.
With an Executive MBA, an individual can pursue specializations including Finance, IT, Operations, Business Analytics, Human Resources, Retail, Entrepreneurship, etc.
With an Executive MBA, the scope has started widening towards different sectors including Healthcare, Finance, and Information Technology. Along with that, when an individual is pursuing an Executive MBA while being professionally employed, the chances of getting a higher job position increase.
Some of the top institutes for Executive MBA depend on if you want to pursue a full-time, part-time or an online EMBA. Below is a compiled list of universities including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, XLRI Jamshedpur, Christ University, IIM Indore, and much more.
Yes, a working experience of 2-5 year depending on the universities and institute is a crucial criterion for EMBA.
The average salary for EMBA is INR 30 – 35 LPA.
