The 1-Year Executive MBA has quickly become the go-to degree for experienced professionals looking to get into senior leadership. Built specifically for those with initial 5 to 7 years of experience, the curriculum focus on high-level strategy, general management, and leading global business transformations.India’s top B-schools have built world-class executive flagship programmes at IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX), ISB (PGP), and XLRI (PGDM-GM), alongside other B-Schools like SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, and FMS Delhi. The rewarding post program placements are with top domestic packages going up to INR 86 LPA at IIM Ahmedabad and reaching INR 1.56 Crore at ISB.
As companies look for leaders who can handle complex operations, the corporate requirement for Executive MBA alumni is at peak. This surge in executive hiring has pushed average packages higher and significantly improved the overall return on investment (ROI). For the aspirants the article breaks down the key metrics below from programme fees and placement to average salaries and GMAT/GRE score benchmarks.
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Executive MBA 2026: Comparative Breakdown
This breakdown compares the top Executive MBA institutes in India, including names such as IIM Ahmedabad, ISB Hyderabad and XLRI Jamshedpur. Aspirants can find course cost, duration, required experience and other details in the list below.
|
Feature
|
IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX)
|
ISB Hyderabad
(PGP)
|
XLRI Jamshedpur (PGDM-GM / GMP)
|
|
Course Fee (Approx.)
|
INR 35 lakh to INR 37.10 lakh + International immersion
|
INR 33 lakh to INR 35 lakh, specialised PGPMAX reach INR 41.78 lakh
|
INR 24 lakh
|
|
Duration
|
1 Year (Full-time, Residential)
|
1 Year (Full-time, Residential)
|
1 Year (Full-time, Residential)
|
|
Required Experience
|
4 to 5+ years (Avg 7-8 years)
|
5+ years (Avg 5-9 years)
|
5+ years
|
|
Accepted Exams
|
GMAT / GRE
|
GMAT / GRE
|
XAT / GMAT / GRE
|
|
Average Package
|
INR 54.8 LPA (Top tier ROI)
|
INR 37.29 LPA
|
INR 28.68 LPA
|
Executive MBA 2026: Seats & ROI Index
While choosing the correct institute along the average packages, seats and ROI Index also plays an important role. ISB has the largest number of seats which is around 800+ students. The detailed list is given below.
|
Metric
|
IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX)
|
ISB (PGP)
|
XLRI (PGDM-GM)
|
|
Seats
|
139 seats
|
808 seats
|
114 seats
|
|
Average CTC
|
INR 41.48 LPA
|
INR 37.29 LPA
|
INR 29.00 LPA
|
|
Median CTC
|
INR 37.78 LPA
|
INR 34Lakh to INR 35 Lakh
|
INR 27.00 LPA
|
|
Highest Domestic Offer
|
INR 86.00 LPA
|
INR 1.56 Cr
|
INR 60.33 LPA
|
|
ROI Index
|
0.90 Years
|
1.03 Years
|
0.83 Years
|
Executive MBA 2026: Entrance Exams & Previous Year Cutoff
Top executive MBA institutes in India accept entrance exams such as GMAT/GRE and XAT also for XLRI Jamshedpur. Also these institutions have stated on their official portal that online/home based GMAT/GRE scores are not accepted and they only accept test centres administered scores.Check the table below to know the detailed college-wise Executive MBA cutoff 2025:
|
B-School / Program
|
Exams
|
GMAT Benchmark (Previous Year Scores)
|
XAT / GRE Benchmark
|
|
IIM Ahmedabad (PGPX)
|
GMAT / GRE
|
Average: 697 ; Minimum Recommended: 625+
|
GRE: ~325+
|
|
ISB Hyderabad / Mohali (PGP)
|
GMAT / GRE
|
Average: 720 ; Admitted Range: 555 - 765
|
GRE: 327 - 330
|
|
XLRI Jamshedpur (PGDM-GM)
|
XAT / GMAT / GRE
|
Average: 700 ; Minimum Recommended: 620+
|
XAT: 85+ Percentile| GRE: ~320+
|
Executive MBA 2026 : Other Renowned Executive MBA Options
Some other top BSchools in India also offer Executive MBA programmes including IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow and FMS Delhi. The fee range is generally lower for these colleges. Check the table below to know the approximate course fees, the programmes/courses offered, specialization, etc. at these MBA colleges:
|
Institute / B-School
|
Institute Category
|
Executive MBA Program Name
|
Course Fees (Approx.)
|
|
IIM Lucknow
|
IIM
|
IPMX (International Programme in Management for Executives)
|
INR 26.00 Lakh
|
|
IIM Kozhikode
|
IIM
|
PGP-BL (Post Graduate Programme in Business Leadership)
|
INR 22.50 Lakh
|
|
IIM Indore
|
IIM
|
EPGP (Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management)
|
INR 26.40 Lakh to INR 27.65 Lakh
|
|
SPJIMR Mumbai
|
Private
|
PGPM (Post Graduate Programme in Management)
|
INR 22.66 Lakh
|
|
MDI Gurgaon
|
Private
|
PGDM-BM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management - Business Management)
|
INR 18.50 Lakh
|
|
FMS Delhi
|
Government
|
Executive MBA / Executive MBA (Healthcare Administration)
|
INR 2.00 Lakh to INR 2.50 Lakh
|