Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) from AICTE-approved institutes with AIU (Association of Indian Universities) equivalence certification is recognised as MBA-equivalent. Employers, higher education institutions, and PSU/government bodies treat PGP and MBA identically in hiring decisions. IIMs historically awarded PGP (a diploma) rather than MBA (a degree) because they operated as autonomous institutions outside the university system; since the IIM Act 2017, they can now award MBA degrees directly, and several IIMs have transitioned. ISB’s PGP, XLRI’s PGP, MDI’s PGDM, and SPJIMR’s PGDM are all treated as MBA-equivalent by recruiters, the terminology is an artefact of how Indian management education evolved, not a reflection of program quality or outcomes. The only contexts where the PGP-versus-MBA distinction matters are narrow: specific foreign credential evaluations (where an AIU letter resolves it) and certain government hiring requirements. For 99% of career paths, PGP equals MBA. More at https://www.goalisb.com/post/isb-pgp.