Choosing Between Online Manipal and Sikkim Manipal Online
Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online offers a lower total programme fee for an online MBA at Rs 120,000, compared to Online Manipal (MUJ) at Rs 180,000. This lower fee does not include the wider range of specialisations available at Online Manipal. This page helps Indian students decide which online university best fits their academic and financial needs.
For a BBA, SMU Online charges Rs 90,000, while Online Manipal charges Rs 139,500. Online Manipal offers 7 BBA specialisations, compared to 4 at SMU Online. Both universities hold an A+ NAAC grade and are UGC approved.
Manipal University Jaipur (Online Manipal) vs Sikkim Manipal University Online (SMU) — compared on published total fee, specialisation count and recorded approvals.
| Measure | Online Manipal (MUJ) | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online | On this measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degrees with a published fee | 7 of 8 | 7 of 7 | level |
| Cheapest degree on offer | Rs 80,000 | Rs 75,000 | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
| Specialisations across all degrees | 43 | 35 | |
| NAAC grade | A+ | A+ | level |
| Approval bodies on record | 8 | 3 | Online Manipal (MUJ) |
Decided only by published data. Where a university does not publish a figure the row says so. FindMyCollege does not rank universities.
Online Manipal (MUJ) vs Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online: fees across every degree
Online Manipal’s MBA programme costs Rs 180,000, while Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online charges Rs 120,000 for its MBA. This represents a difference of Rs 60,000 between the two programmes. For BBA, Online Manipal’s fee is Rs 139,500, compared to SMU Online’s Rs 90,000.
In B.Com, Online Manipal charges Rs 99,000, while SMU Online charges Rs 75,000. The M.Com programme at Online Manipal costs Rs 108,000, and SMU Online’s M.Com is Rs 75,000. Online Manipal offers an M.Sc and MA for Rs 80,000 each. SMU Online’s MA and BA programmes are both Rs 75,000.
Online Manipal’s BCA programme is Rs 139,500. For MCA, SMU Online charges Rs 110,000, but Online Manipal does not publish its MCA programme fee.
Which degrees each university actually runs
The degrees offered by Online Manipal and Sikkim Manipal Online differ in both variety and cost. Online Manipal offers seven distinct online degree programmes, while Sikkim Manipal Online offers six.
Online Manipal provides a B.Com, BBA, BCA, M.Com, M.Sc, MA, and MBA. The total programme fee for a B.Com at Online Manipal is Rs 99,000. Sikkim Manipal Online offers a B.A, B.Com, BBA, M.Com, MA, MBA, and MCA. The total fee for an MBA at Sikkim Manipal Online is Rs 120,000, as shown in the table below.
Online Manipal does not publish the total programme fee for its MCA degree.
| Degree | Online Manipal (MUJ) total fee | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online total fee | Online Manipal (MUJ) specialisations | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online specialisations | Lower fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Com | Rs 99,000 | Rs 75,000 | 8 | 1 | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
| BBA | Rs 139,500 | Rs 90,000 | 7 | 4 | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
| M.Com | Rs 108,000 | Rs 75,000 | 1 | 1 | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
| MA | Rs 80,000 | Rs 75,000 | 2 | 3 | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
| MBA | Rs 180,000 | Rs 120,000 | 13 | 21 | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
| MCA | not published | Rs 110,000 | 5 | 1 | — |
| B.A | not offered | Rs 75,000 | — | 4 | — |
| BCA | Rs 139,500 | not offered | 3 | — | — |
| M.Sc | Rs 80,000 | not offered | 4 | — | — |
Total programme fee for Indian students as published by each university. Semester, annual and EMI amounts are not shown. Verify the current fee with the university before you pay.
Approvals compared
Online Manipal and Sikkim Manipal Online both hold UGC approval, making their online degrees valid for government and private sector employment in India. Both universities also carry a NAAC A+ grade, recorded in 2024. This indicates a high standard of educational quality for both institutions.
The key difference in approvals lies in the additional accreditations held by Online Manipal. Online Manipal is compliant with AICTE, and its NBA accreditation was recorded in 2023. It is also recognised by ICAS as of 2024 and is a member of ACU and WES. These additional recognitions may be important for students considering international opportunities or specific professional fields.
Sikkim Manipal Online also reports AICTE compliance, recorded in 2024, alongside its UGC approval and NAAC A+ grade. However, the list below shows fewer additional accreditations for Sikkim Manipal Online compared to Online Manipal. For instance, Sikkim Manipal Online does not list NBA accreditation or membership with ACU or WES in its records.
Students should review the specific requirements of their desired profession or future academic pursuits. Some employers or international universities may look for accreditations beyond UGC and NAAC. For example, an NBA accreditation, recorded for Online Manipal in 2023, is often relevant for engineering and management programmes.
The QS Top Universities recognition for Online Manipal, recorded in 2026, also indicates a broader international standing. This is not listed for Sikkim Manipal Online. While both universities are approved by the UGC, the extent of their additional national and international recognitions varies significantly. The table below provides a full comparison of the recorded approvals for each university.
It’s key to understand that an accreditation year, such as the 2024 NAAC grade for both universities, is the year the grade was recorded. It does not indicate an expiry date. The absence of a body from the table below means there is no record of that approval for the university in question, not that it has been refused.
| Body | Online Manipal (MUJ) | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online |
|---|---|---|
| UGC | Approved | Approved |
| NAAC | A+ | A+ |
| AICTE | Compliant | Compliant |
| WES | Member | not listed |
| NBA | Accredited | not listed |
| QS | Top Universities | not listed |
| ACU | Member | not listed |
Recorded approvals. A body that is not listed for a university means no record here, not a refusal — check the current UGC-DEB list before you apply.
Specialisation depth
Specialisation depth differs significantly between Online Manipal and Sikkim Manipal Online. Sikkim Manipal Online offers more specialisations across most programmes. For instance, its MBA programme lists 21 specialisations, while Online Manipal’s MBA programme lists 13 specialisations.
Online Manipal provides a broader range of choices in B.Com, with 8 specialisations compared to Sikkim Manipal Online’s 1. Similarly, Online Manipal’s BCA programme has 3 specialisations, a programme not offered by Sikkim Manipal Online. Online Manipal also offers 5 specialisations for its MCA, while Sikkim Manipal Online offers 1.
Conversely, Sikkim Manipal Online offers a B.A. programme with 4 specialisations, which Online Manipal does not publish. The table below details the full list of specialisations for each university’s online programmes.
| Degree | Online Manipal (MUJ) specialisations | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online specialisations |
|---|---|---|
| B.Com | 8 | 1 |
| BBA | 7 | 4 |
| BCA | 3 | — |
| M.Com | 1 | 1 |
| M.Sc | 4 | — |
| MA | 2 | 3 |
| MBA | 13 | 21 |
| MCA | 5 | 1 |
Duration and how the programmes are structured
The duration of online programmes at Online Manipal and Sikkim Manipal Online is largely the same. Both universities offer bachelor’s degrees over 36 months and master’s degrees over 24 months. This standard duration applies across most of their online offerings.
For example, a BBA from Online Manipal takes 36 months to complete, mirroring the BBA duration at Sikkim Manipal Online. Similarly, an MBA from Online Manipal is a 24-month programme, which is consistent with the MBA duration at Sikkim Manipal Online. The table below details the specific durations for each programme offered by both institutions.
| Degree | Online Manipal (MUJ) duration | Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online duration |
|---|---|---|
| B.A | not offered | 36 months |
| B.Com | 36 months | 36 months |
| BBA | 36 months | 36 months |
| BCA | 36 months | not offered |
| M.Com | 24 months | 24 months |
| M.Sc | 24 months | not offered |
| MA | 24 months | 24 months |
| MBA | 24 months | 24 months |
| MCA | 24 months | 24 months |
Minimum published duration. Both universities run online programmes under the UGC (ODL and Online) Regulations 2020.
The cheaper route, degree by degree
Students seeking a more affordable online degree find Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online is the cheaper option. Its BBA programme costs Rs 90,000, while Online Manipal (MUJ) charges Rs 139,500 for the same degree. This represents a difference of Rs 49,500.
For postgraduate studies, SMU Online’s MBA programme is Rs 60,000 less expensive, at Rs 120,000 compared to MUJ’s Rs 180,000. Similarly, an M.Com from SMU Online costs Rs 75,000, while MUJ charges Rs 108,000. MUJ does not publish the total programme fee for its MCA, but SMU Online offers its MCA for Rs 110,000.
Who should pick which
Many students confuse Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online with Online Manipal (MUJ). The key difference lies in the range of approvals and programme fees. Online Manipal (MUJ) holds more accreditations, including NBA accreditation from 2023 and QS Top Universities recognition from 2026, which SMU Online does not publish.
Students prioritising a wider range of accreditations and a broader selection of specialisations should consider Online Manipal (MUJ). For example, its MBA programme offers 13 specialisations. Its BBA programme costs Rs 139,500.
Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online is a more budget-friendly option. Its MBA programme costs Rs 120,000, which is Rs 60,000 less than Online Manipal’s MBA. SMU Online also offers more MBA specialisations, with 21 options available. Its BBA programme costs Rs 90,000.
What neither university publishes
Neither Online Manipal nor Sikkim Manipal Online publishes an average salary or placement rate for its online programmes. Information on the highest package offered or the number of recruiters is also not published by either university.
Students considering these programmes can review the accreditations and approvals each university holds. Online Manipal has a NAAC A+ grade, recorded in 2024, and is UGC approved as of 2021. Sikkim Manipal Online also holds a NAAC A+ grade, recorded in 2024, and is UGC approved as of 2024.
For programme-specific details, the total fee for an MBA at Online Manipal is Rs 180,000, while at Sikkim Manipal Online, it is Rs 120,000. Neither university publishes its NIRF rank for online programmes.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the difference between Manipal Online and Sikkim Manipal Online? | Online Manipal (MUJ) holds an A+ NAAC grade and UGC approval from 2021. Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online also has an A+ NAAC grade, with UGC approval from 2024. Online Manipal lists additional approvals from bodies like ACU, ICAS, NBA, QS, and WES. |
| How do the online MBA programmes differ at Manipal Online and Sikkim Manipal Online? | The online MBA at Online Manipal (MUJ) costs Rs 180,000 and offers 13 specialisations. Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) Online offers its MBA programme for Rs 120,000 with 21 specialisations. Both programmes are 24 months long. |
Read next
- Online Manipal (MUJ) — courses, fees and admission
- Sikkim Manipal (SMU) Online — courses, fees and admission
- Online Degree in Chennai: UGC Approved Universities, Fees and Admission
- Cheapest Online Degree in India 2026: Lowest Fee UGC Approved Universities
- Online IT & Computer Applications Degree in India 2026: Fees, Eligibility, Admission and UGC Approved Universities
- Is Online Degree Valid in India? UGC Approval, Government Jobs and Employer Acceptance
