- A one year MBA in India is built for people with work experience. ISB's PGP and Great Lakes' PGPM each ask for at least 24 months of full-time work.
- ISB's 2027-28 programme fee is Rs 34.48 lakh plus GST. Great Lakes PGPM comes to about Rs 23.5 lakh with accommodation. Both are indicative and can change.
- ISB's Class of 2026 reported an average of Rs 37.29 lakh. Great Lakes' 2025-26 batch reported an average of Rs 18.1 lakh and a median of Rs 16 lakh.
- One year costs one year of salary instead of two, but a shorter programme is not automatically cheaper or faster to pay back.
A one year MBA in India is meant for people with at least two years of work experience, and the two programmes with verified details here, ISB's PGP and Great Lakes' PGPM, both require it. That floor decides who it is for more than any fee or ranking does.
This post compares what is published as of 6 November 2026: fee, test route, work-experience rules and placement figures, with the batch year beside each number. Rules for IIM one-year programmes vary by programme, so they are described and not tabulated.
What is a one year MBA in India, and what is it not?
It is a 12-month full-time programme taught on a residential campus. The credential names differ: ISB awards a PGP, and Great Lakes describes its PGPM as a one-year full-time MBA. Check the exact title and approval on each page.
It is not an executive MBA for senior managers. Great Lakes' separate PGXPM, for example, runs 18 months, needs at least eight years of work experience and costs Rs 13.4 lakh on its single-payment plan (2026-28 batch). It is also not a way for freshers to save a year.
ISB PGP: what are the fee, rules and package?
- Entry (Class of 2028): a bachelor's degree in any discipline, three-year degrees accepted, with no minimum percentage. At least 24 months of full-time work experience. A GMAT (10th Edition or Focus) or GRE score, with no minimum.
- Fee (2027-28): Rs 34.48 lakh plus GST for shared accommodation, paid in one instalment, plus a refundable deposit of Rs 20,000. ISB calls it indicative and subject to change.
- Rounds: Round 1 closed on 20 September 2026. Round 2 closes on 6 December 2026 and Round 3 on 17 January 2027.
- Placement (Class of 2026): 808 graduates, 1,117 offers and an average of Rs 37.29 lakh. The release gives no median or placed percentage. ISB also says 67% moved to a new industry and 69% to a new function.
- Support: about 25% of PGP students receive financial support, from merit waivers of 25% to 100% and need-based waivers.
How does Great Lakes PGPM compare, and what is the two-year contrast?
- Entry (2027-28): a bachelor's degree with at least 50% across Class 10, Class 12 and graduation, and two years of full-time experience as of 30 April 2027. It accepts GMAT (2024 onwards), CAT (2025 onwards), XAT (2026 onwards) or NMAT (2025 onwards), with no minimum cut-off. Cycle 1 closes on 26 November 2026.
- Fee (2027-28, Indian students): tuition Rs 12.43 lakh and programme fee Rs 6.96 lakh, together about Rs 19.4 lakh. Single AC accommodation adds Rs 3.96 lakh. With a refundable deposit and an alumni subscription the total is Rs 23.5 lakh, with vegetarian meals included.
- Placement (2025-26): average Rs 18.1 lakh, median Rs 16 lakh. Tech consulting took 32% of placements and business consulting 14%. Accenture, Infosys Consulting and Deloitte made the most offers.
- Approvals: the PGPM is AICTE approved and accredited by AACSB and AMBA, according to its page.
A two-year programme is the contrast. IIM Lucknow's MBA charges Rs 20.75 lakh for 2026-28 with no minimum work experience, though mess is extra.
What about IIM one-year programmes and the GMAT route?
IIM Ahmedabad's PGPX and IIM Lucknow's IPMX appear in the 2026 Financial Times global MBA ranking, at 27 and 58. Their work-experience floors, tests and fees differ by programme and by year, and published floors vary, so read the current brochure rather than a summary.
IIM Mumbai's Executive MBA in Wealth Management is a 12-month weekend programme at Rs 15 lakh including taxes, with 50 seats and no placement support. It needs two or more years of work experience. Entry is through the IMAT, scheduled for 8 November 2026, or a valid CAT, GMAT or GRE score, followed by an interview.
For the GMAT route, the Focus Edition scores 205 to 805, stays valid for five years and allows five attempts in a rolling 12 months. Read the GMAT Focus note before you book a slot.
Floors versus actual batches: how much work experience is typical?
ISB, Great Lakes and IIM Mumbai's executive MBA all set a floor of 24 months. ISB's Class of 2026 averaged four years, with 502 of 812 students at up to four years, 215 at four to six and 95 at six or more. The Class of 2027 release gives a range of 2 to 18 years.
Two-year IIM batches average about 22 to 27 months, so the floor for a one-year programme is close to the average of a two-year class. Meeting the floor does not make you typical for ISB.
What do the fee and payback look like?
| Programme | Fee basis (2027-28) | Average package | Average divided by fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISB PGP | Rs 34.48 lakh plus GST | Rs 37.29 lakh (Class of 2026) | 1.08, before GST |
| Great Lakes PGPM | Rs 23.5 lakh with accommodation | Rs 18.1 lakh (2025-26) | 0.77 |
| IIM Mumbai Executive MBA (Wealth Management) | Rs 15 lakh, taxes included | No placement support | Not applicable |
- ISB, one year: fee Rs 34.48 lakh plus one year of salary not earned, Rs 15 lakh. Total Rs 49.48 lakh, before GST.
- IIM Lucknow, two years: fee Rs 20.75 lakh plus two years of salary, Rs 30 lakh. Total Rs 50.75 lakh, before mess.
Answer: Close on these assumptions. The one-year route is not cheaper by default, and the two programmes admit different candidates. Test your own numbers in the MBA ROI calculator.
Who should choose a one year MBA in India?
- You have two or more years of experience, and ideally a few more, and want to restart your career quickly.
- You have, or can take, a GMAT or GRE score, or a CAT, XAT or NMAT score for programmes that accept them.
- You want a pivot. ISB's own release says 67% changed industry and 69% changed function.
- You cannot afford two years away from a salary.
How does it compare with a two-year MBA?
| Factor | One-year (ISB PGP, Great Lakes PGPM) | Two-year flagship (IIMs and similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Work experience | At least 24 months | Usually no minimum stated |
| Test | GMAT or GRE at ISB; GMAT, CAT, XAT or NMAT at Great Lakes | CAT for most IIMs |
| Income given up | About one year | About two years |
| Fee examples | Rs 34.48 lakh plus GST; Rs 23.5 lakh | Rs 20.75 lakh (IIM Lucknow); Rs 27.5 lakh (IIM Ahmedabad) |