shyam prasad

I am 32 years old, is it a right option to pursue MBA at this age?

Hi,%0d%0aMy name is Shyam, I am working in Chennai for the past 3 years in a IT company providing Network Support. I completed my graduation in 2006 and have 5 years career gap as I was unable to stick to a job due to depressive illness. My current salary is 3 lakhs per annum and I feel it is less so I want to study MBA full time. I am 32 yrs old is it right decision to study MBA


by shyam prasad
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2 answers

RE: I am 32 years old, is it a right option to pursue MBA at this age?

Dr Aparna
Dr Aparna
Verified Career Expert
PhD Organizational Psychology
  • Hosur

Hello Shyam,


Unorganised Sector
Good to hear your interest on studying an MBA, and please be assured that age is no bar to any sort of education. To study an MBA, you need to have had a minimum Bachelors degree with an overall first class and a couple of years work experience. Ideally any work experience above 2-3 years is considered desirable to study an MBA, this certainly also qualifies you for good job roles with a decent hike in your take home pay. Studying an MBA is definitely a great choice for your sort of profile and I have to deeply appreciate you for your decision to study full time. I understand you have had illness that curbed five years of your career. But do not worry, your decision on studying the MBA will definitely prove fruitful as post MBA graduation you can definitely pull back your career. But to effectively make a pull back, I would highly advice you to trust on studying only at some reputed B-schools in Chennai or any where around India. Only when you pass out from a reputed business school, your profile will sound good and as well you will have excellent on-campus placement opportunities.

India never goes in short of demand for reputed B-school students pass-outs and let you be one of them to embark on your career. To study at a reputed B-school, first you need to figure out if you want to study only in Chennai or any where across India. I shall list down the popular b-schools in Chennai that will give you excellent placement opportunities,
1. Great lakes institute of Management, Old Mahabalipuram road.
2. Loyola School of Business and administration LIBA
Consider these two reputed B-schools in Chennai, try making an application at them. If you get any of them you can very well take it up.

Alternatively you can also consider studying at these top schools across India, where the placement record is usually great for MBA grads.
  1. IIM Ahmedabad
  2. ISB Hyderabad
  3. IIM Bangalore
  4. IIM Calcutta
  5. IIM Khozhikode
  6. FMS Delhi
  7. XLRI
  8. Symbiosis Pune
  9. IIM Indore
  10. IIM Trichy (You may consider this as this is in Tamilnadu itself)
  11. IIM Ranchi
  12. IIM Shillong
  13. IIM Raipur

To get an admission in either of the institutes above, you need to have cracked CAT exam with a very high score. Also note that ISB Hyderabad accepts only GMAT score and not CAT score. You can also consider for a coaching class for CAT exam, and 'TIME' CAT coaching is very reputed. Join in a coaching class and with it I am sure you can secure an admission at any of the top reputed schools mentioned in here. As you are currently working in an IT sector, you can also consider taking up MBA Information management, MBA Systems support or Operations management as your ideal MBA elective option.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

RE: I am 32 years old, is it a right option to pursue MBA at this age?

Dr. Anand Wadadekar, PhD
Dr. Anand Wadadekar, PhD

Hello My Dear MBA Career Aspirant - Shyam,

Age is really not a constraint or a barrier for doing a post graduation and that too like an MBA. I have seen more than forty years of age professionals do an MBA.With such kind of query, I am happy to see you approach CareerGuide.com for seeking guidance and advice on your really genuine career concern. I am sure that the experts here will be able to guide you appropriately.

You are very right when you say that you wish to do an MBA. Considering your three years of work experience, I can definitely say that an MBA will be best beneficial to you for your future career growth.


If you are wishing to continue in the Information Technology industry, then I suggest you to choose an MBA which is related to that, may be of Systems, Operations, etc. If you wish to diversify and remain into software or IT industry, than may be an MBA Finance will be good.

I hope you wish to continue in your current industry.


Part time Executive MBA instead of full time:

I would not suggest you to go for full time MBA leaving your current job. As said above, if you wish to diversify and get into another industry or sector, then you may leave your current job and do full time MBA. If you are not wishing to leave the current industry, I would suggest you to take up an Executive MBA from a reputed Institute in Chennai and continue your MBA along with your job.

I know that doing a job and an MBA together sounds hectic and unmanageable, but that would be the best thign to do. I am telling you this since you have a gap of five years after your graduation and I would not like to see you take another gap of two years by doing an MBA full time basis.

But let me tell you that since you are now thirty two years old, I would not suggest you take a gap for education again. If you would have been around twenty five years of age, then doing a full time MBA would have been better.

Considering your three years of work experience, I think you can get admission into Executive MBA in a reputed BSchool.

I hope you will consider my advice and think over it in the long term.

Do let me know if you wish to ask anything more or would like to discuss more on this.

All the Best!
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RE: I am 32 years old, is it a right option to pursue MBA at this age?

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Caching Date: 4/25/2024 4:09:11 AM