Is Sikkim Manipal Online Good or Bad? – Full Review and Facts

Sikkim Manipal University, one of the popular names of the Manipal family came into existence in November 1992. With its prime focus on imparting quality knowledge in the higher level of education & healthcare sectors, the university was formally established in 1995 as the Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Sciences. Since then the university has continuously thrived to make quality education accessible to candidates via a variety of UGC & AICTE-approved courses in regular, distance, & online modes.

Overview of Sikkim Manipal University Online

Sikkim Manipal University or SMU is based in the state of Sikkim & is a result of the agreement signed between the Government of Sikkim and the Manipal Pai Foundation to impart quality education in the country. It is an integral part of the Manipal group which also constitutes “The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ), and top-ranked institutes like Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Kasturba Medical College (KMC) & T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI). “

Today, this university is bringing academic excellence to the country through quality, innovation, & technical advancements in the regular & online modes. With a strong commitment to nurturing young minds, the university has incorporated project works on topics that create a positive impact on the sustainable development of the world.

Things You Should Check Before Finalizing a University

In today’s times, getting a degree/diploma/certificate is not as tough as it seems but some confusion can make this simple task highly complicated. So, before making any final decision, there are a few factors that you must verify regarding your chosen university to save your money, time, & energy. 

At first, with so many options of universities lying around you, analyze the authenticity of your selected university by looking for its government approvals. After checking the recognitions, verify whether the course offered by it has that particular specialization that you are interested in or not. If yes, go ahead to check the affordability of the program. After that match your qualifications with the eligibility requirements of the course & choose a mode of learning that is convenient for you. Gain knowledge on the performance evaluation method used by the university & the services of learning facilitations & placement support provided by it. 

Let’s do a review check of SMU based on the above-mentioned parameters.

1) Accreditations & Approvals of SMU Online

SMU online is a University Grants Commission (UGC)-entitled university that holds the NAAC A+ grade. The university is also approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Medical Council of India (MCI), & Indian Nursing Council (INC). It even secured the rank band of 101-150 in the NIRF 2023 rankings.

Moreover, this university’s reputation is quite evident from its rankings in the global awards & recognitions. In 2023, SMU ranked 51 in “India’s Best Multidisciplinary University” in THE WEEK. It also ranked at 25th position at the national level in the Education World Ranking 2023 in the list of “Private Multidisciplinary Universities.” As per the 2023 Outlook Icare India University Ranking, SMU ranked 3 in the “Top 15 Private Technical Universities” &  ranked 5 in the “Top 20 Private Medical Universities.”

2) Courses & Specializations at SMU Online

SMU is providing quality education via its advanced range of online courses & specializations. All of the programs offered by it are completely valid & are accepted by the government & private recruiters in India. A list of the online programs offered by SMU online is provided here.

Courses Offered by SMU Online	Specializations
Online Bachelor of Arts or Online BA	Online BA in English Online BA in Sociology Online BA in Political Science
Online Master of Arts or Online MA	Online MA in English Online MA in Sociology Online MA in Political Science

3) Fee Packages of Courses at SMU Online

Financial factor is one of the major concerns that prohibit many aspirants from pursuing a higher level of education. At SMU, you will not face such issues as both the online & regular programs offered by this university are pretty affordable & fit your budget very well.

Coming to the affordability of the courses offered by SMU online, you will feel financially relaxed with the EMI facility provided for each online program at the university. The fee structures are tabulated below which give you a total estimate of the cost associated with your choice of program at this university.

Courses	Total Fees	Semester-Wise Fees	EMI Starting Range
Online Bachelor of Arts	75,000 INR	12,500 INR	INR 2,083/month*
Online Master of Arts	75,000 INR	18,750 INR	INR 3,125/month*

The fee range mentioned here can vary depending on the choice of specialization & as per the fee revision policy of the university. Moreover, the exact terms & conditions of the EMI options must be confirmed with the loan partner of the university before enrolling in the program. 

4) Course Duration & Eligibility of Programs at SMU Online

The courses offered by SMU online fall into two major categories UG & PG, thus, the duration of these programs is similar to the ones generally offered for such programs. Referring to this, the online BA offered by SMU online lasts for 3 years & the online MA lasts for 2 years. 

Coming to the eligibility requirements of these courses, some specific requirements have been pre-decided by this university. The table below enlists the eligibility criteria for the courses offered by SMU online.

Courses	Basic Eligibility Criteria
Online Bachelor of Arts	10+2 from a recognized board of education. OR A 3-year diploma after the 10th from a recognized national or state institute.
Online Master of Arts	Graduation from a government-approved/recognized university.

5) Learning Facilitations Offered at SMU Online

SMU Online provides a variety of learning aids or facilitations for its online courses that make learners industry-ready by equipping them with the relevant techniques. After enrolling in the program, you will get access to the LMS portal of the university which has all the academic resources like digitized notes, e-books, etc. Moreover, the faculty-led online classes will be delivered via this portal only. 

In the pursuit of following 100% online mode, all the academic tasks like assignments, projects, quizzes, & others that will be assigned to you during the program will be submitted through the LMS portal of the university. In addition to the academic support, the webinars conducted by the university will help you gain industry insights that will play a vital role in preparing you for the corporate world.

6) Examination Pattern & Evaluation Method Followed at SMU Online

SMU Online follows a 100% online format for its online courses & when it says 100% online, it covers exams, results, & degree awarding steps as well. The examination pattern followed for the online programs of this university is based on the non-conventional mode of performance evaluating methods. Using “non-conventional methods,” the university not only judges your theoretical knowledge via term-end examinations (TEE) but your overall understanding is judged via various internal assessment or continuous assessments (CA) tasks.

This continuous evaluation method makes you learn even the minute details of your specialized field. To ensure the participation of students in these internal assessment tasks, the university has even put a compulsion on their conduction & given them a specific weightage of marks that will be added to the final results. 

7) Placement Support Offered by SMU Online

SMU Online is one of those educational institutions that support & promote the growth of the country by growing its young minds. In this direction, the university is incorporating all the relevant methodologies & practices that ensure their overall development & ultimately result in a productive contribution to industrial & social well-being.

The services that you will avail of by enrolling in any of the online programs of SMU online will make your job search easier & can help you get placed at a top-notch organization.

Let's discuss these placement assisting services one by one to get an idea of the services offered in them.

• Resume Building: In this service, a highly dedicated team of the university will help you create your resume based on your learning journey & achievements. This impactful resume will enhance your chances of appearing in some relevant job interviews.
• Alumni Interactions: At SMU online, your guidance is not only limited from the teaching faculty but you can get enlightened with the required knowledge from your peers & alumni. This service can be availed of during & after the completion of the program.
• Industry-Readiness Sessions: These sessions prepare you to face the challenges of the industry by equipping you with the latest trends & skills. 
• Virtual Placement Drives: Explore your career options & connect with top interviewers in the digitized format via the virtual placement drives conducted by this university. This way you can learn about the industry sectors where you can show off your skills & talents.
• Mock Interviews: Learn the tips & tricks to crack real interviews by practicing through mock interview sessions conducted by the university.
• Skill Enhancement Sessions: Gain a better understanding of yourself & work on your weaknesses via the skill-enhancing training sessions of SMU online. This will turn you into a confident individual & improve your employability quotient.
• Access to Multiple Job Opportunities: Get access to the job portal that has 1000+ jobs & make your job hunt easier & faster. Save your energy & apply for jobs that are based only on your interest, skills, & qualifications.

With all of the above-mentioned services, you can easily make your dream of working at a Multi-National Company come true that not only fulfills your professional desires but gives you financial security at an early stage of your career.

Similar Online Universities

Some alternate options for accredited online universities are provided here.

University Name	Location	Accreditations
Amity Online University	Noida	UGC, NAAC, AIU, ACU, BCI, WES
Dr. D. Y. Patil University-Centre for Online Learning	Pune	UGC-DEB, AICTE, AIU, ACU, ISO, WES, etc.
LPU Online	Phagwara, Punjab	UGC-DEB, AICTE, NIRF, WES, etc.
Online Manipal	Jaipur	UGC, AICTE, NAAC, WES, ACU, etc.
Chandigarh University	Chandigarh	UGC-DEB, NAAC
Hindustan University-Centre for Open and Digital Education (CODE)	Chennai	UGC-DEB, AICTE, NAAC, NIRF
Jain University	Bangalore	UGC, AICTE, NIRF
UPES	Dehradun	UGC-DEB, NAAC A, NIRF
ICFAI	Hyderabad	UGC, NAAC, NIRF, ACU
Manav Rachna Online University	Mohali, Faridabad	UGC, NIRF, AICTE, WES, IQAS, etc.

Conclusion

After getting detailed information on Sikkim Manipal University Online, one can easily conclude that it is one of the best options available for professionals & students for online learning. With its cutting-edge course curriculum, highly qualified faculty, & affordable fee range, the university is fulfilling many dreams of pursuing higher education. Moreover, the industry exposure & practical learning you will gain at this university will prepare you well for your professional journey. With a UGC & AICTE-approved degree, you can explore multiple career options all around the world.