Pondicherry University [ http://www.pondiuni.org]
After completing my MBA in HRM, I felt a dual specialization would always boost my career. I was looking for an institute that would offer a PG Diploma in Marketing. My elder sister got me the prospectus from nodal contact center and I joined the PGDMM course without any hassles.
Very soon I got the Id card and the other material from the Directorate of Distance Education, Pondicherry University. After few days I received the study material too.
Then I had to attend the Personal Contact Program classes, held at the nodal contact center. Though some of my batch mates appeared only at the end of the day and some appeared only when the attendance certificates were issued at the end of the PCP classes, I attended all the classes from day 1. These classes were very useful, one might question me ’’how could you gain all the knowledge about the subject in a couple of days?’’ Well, it is certainly impossible to learn the entire syllabus in a couple of days; but the PCPs are useful in two ways-
To clear any doubts which the students might have had while learning at their homes.
To interact with erudite professors & lecturers (I was lucky enough to have the best of the faculty) and to gain knowledge outside the syllabus and books
Then came the exams and I did fairly well. The results were declared and I got through (regrets for missing out on the first class with a shortage of only few marks)
So far so good. Then there was a long wait for the certificates. Infact a never-ending wait and I was really fed-up to see the phrase ’’Pursuing PGDMM’’ in my resume and/or career profile.
The only way to communicate with the university is phone (with Fax & snail-mail one would not get the response immediately). No matter the number of calls I made to the DDE, I didnt get my certificates.
I had joined the course in Sep, 2002 and finished the same in 2003. However, I got my certificates in Jan, 2005. Such long wait to get a PGDMM one year course certificate!!
I would definitely recommend this course and the DDE, Pondicherry University as the course contents are on a par with any University syllabus. Also the DDE, PU is the best among the Universities offering education through distance modes.
But it is a strict no for those who expect to get a certificate immediately after the completion of the course.