Updated on 29th March 2024 | 10:54 am | #MBAEntranceExams
MBA opens the doors to getting admission to the top B-schools across the country. To get admission to these MBA colleges students have to prepare for their entrance exams. Out of the top MBA entrance exams in India, CAT is the most popular and sought after as it is the only means to the IIMs. However, every year more than 2 lakh students write CAT, competing for a few thousand seats in the top B-schools including IIMs, FMS Delhi, and MDI Gurgaon. Other top MBA entrance exams include XAT, NMAT, SNAP, CMAT, and more.
XAT Exam, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur, is accepted by over 800 MBA Colleges in India. The competition to secure a seat in the top B-schools is tough. Hence, to ensure admission to at least one B-school every student should prepare to attempt 5-6 entrance exams. Most of the MBA entrance exams have a similar syllabus structure and can be prepared simultaneously. In this article learn more about some of the top MBA entrance exams, their exam pattern, and the colleges that accept them.
Admissions for TISSNET will be conducted through CUET PG until further notice.
There are numerous entrance exams for admissions to MBA programs across the country. However, the top MBA entrance exams ensure candidates an opportunity to get into a top B-school with a good reputation and high placements. Here is a list of the top MBA entrance exams in India:
| Entrance Exam | Number of Questions | Time Allotted | Exam Timeline (Tentative) | Official website |
| CAT | 66 | 120 minutes | November 2024 | iimcat.ac.in |
| XAT | 102 | 210 minutes | January 2025 | xatonline.in |
| NMAT | 108 | 120 minutes | October 2024 to December 2024 | www.mba.com/en-in/exams/nmat |
| SNAP | 60 | 60 minutes | December 2024 | www.snaptest.org |
| MICAT | 234 | 165 minutes | December 2024 & January 2025 | www.mica.ac.in/pgdm |
| MAH MBA CET | 200 | 150 minutes | March 2024 | https://cetcell.mahacet.org/ |
| CMAT | 100 | 180 minutes | April - May 2024 | https://cmat.nta.nic.in/ |
| TANCET | 100 | 120 minutes | March 2024 | https://tancet.annauniv.edu/tancet/ |
| CUET PG | 75 | 105 minutes | March 2024 | https://nta.ac.in/ |
| TISSNET |
Conducted through CUET PG |
|||
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams with over 2 lakh applicants per year. It is a computer-based exam, held across the country in the month of November each year. CAT is the only entrance test for admission to MBA programs in the IIMs and over 150 B-schools accept the CAT score for admission to their programs. Read more
XAT or Xavier Aptitude Test is another popular MBA entrance exam held for admissions to the Xavier member institutes including XLRI Jamshedpur, XIMB, and XIME. The exam is given by over 75,000 candidates per year and is held annually in the month of January. Some other top B-schools that accept XAT are Great Lakes Chennai, SPJIMR, TAPMI, etc. Read more
NMAT is a national-level examination held by GMAC for admission to top MBA institutes including NMIMS and XIMB among 30 B-schools in India. The exam is held annually over 70 days and candidates can attempt the exam three times. Unlike other MBA entrance exams, the exam can be attempted in two modes, i.e. online proctored at home, or a test center. Read more
The Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) is held by Symbiosis International (Deemed University) for admission to 15 member institutes including SIBM, SCMHRD, and SICSR. The national-level exam is held annually over three days. Candidates can attempt the exam three times out of which the highest score will be considered the final score and no normalization will take place. Read more
MICAT is a computer-based test that is held twice annually. Candidates appear for MICAT to aim for admission to the PGDM programs at MICA Ahmedabad. Ideally, the entrance exam is held in the months of December and January. Read more
Convened by the National Testing Agency, the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a three-hour online, online-held MBA entrance exam. CMAT is accepted by over 1000 AICTE-approved institutes across India. Some of the top management institutes that accept the exam include Great Lakes Chennai, BIMTECH, and VIT Vellore. Read more
The MAH MBA CET is an entrance exam that paves the way to MBA programs in Maharashtra. Held by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), the government body responsible for technical education in Maharashtra, the exam is 2.5 hours long. The exam has 200 multiple-choice questions divided into 4 sections. Read more
The Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) is an annual state-level MBA entrance examination conducted by Anna University every year. The exam is divided into 5 sections of 20 questions each. It measures a candidate's aptitude for management studies and their ability to handle the rigors of an MBA program. Read more
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) PG is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in India for admission to postgraduate programs offered by central universities, participating state universities, and deemed universities. Read More
In recent years, pursuing an MBA/PGDM has gained immense popularity based on several factors. The primary concern related to MBA is the amount of time and effort a candidate has to put in before and after MBA admissions. So it is imperative to understand the various MBA entrance exams to identify tier relevance to the goals.
| Features | MBA Entrance Exam |
| MBA Program Fees | INR 2 - 30 lakhs |
| MBA Specializations |
|
| MBA Average CTC Offered |
|
| Top Recruiting Sectors |
|
| Top Recruiters | Amazon, Apple, Bain & Company, Citigroup, Deloitte, Facebook, Accenture, Boston Consulting Group, JP Morgan and Chase Co, Morgan Stanley, etc. |
| Important Parameters | Description |
| Eligibility Criteria | At least 50% in graduation, final year students can register as well. |
| Age limit | none |
| Selection of the Entrance exam based on targeted colleges | CAT scores: 20 IIMs, FMS, IMT, MDI, IMI, and IITs
XAT scores: XLRI, GIM, IMT, MICA NMAT score: NMIMS, SP Jain, Great Lakes, KJ Sumaiya SNAP score: 16 Symbiosis member institutes |
| Selection of shortlisted students for further admission rounds (Group Discussion- Written Ability Test-Personal Interview) | Shortlisting is based on weightage given to several parameters including exam score, academic
background, professional work experience, and gender diversity.
Top B-schools like IIMs, FMS, IMT, and MDI conduct mandatory batch-wise group discussion sessions for students who are shortlisted. |
| Declaration of merit lists by the universities | The institutes announce the results of candidates in the form of merit lists. It can be downloaded from the official website of the institute. The list usually contains the name of the selected student, registration number, roll number, entrance exam score, and entrance exam percentile. |
| Accepting admission letter and payment of acceptance fees | Post declaration of the result, the university/B-school sends an e-offer letter via an official email. A candidate needs to revert to the email by accepting the offer letter and paying the acceptance fees by the given date to confirm admission. |
The data/statistics formulated every year in the form of cut-offs, weightage, batch profile, gender diversity, academic diversity, summer placements, and final placements play a mandatory role in shaping the repute of the institute. When talking about the topmost B-schools in our country, most of the institutes’ admission procedures can be drawn along similar lines.
When candidates choose the MBA entrance exams they wish to appear for, they must identify the B-schools of their choice. Based on the institutes and the entrance exams they accept, candidates should finalize their decision for the MBA entrance exams. Here are the top MBA entrance exams and the list of major universities that accept them for admission.
| MBA Entrance Exams | Top B-schools |
| CAT | IIMs, IMI, FMS Delhi, JBIMS, SPJIMR, IIT, MDI |
| XAT | XLRI, XIMB, XIME, TAPMI, MICA, IMT, GIM |
| NMAT | NMIMS, XIMB, ISB Hyderabad, SPJIMR, TAPMI, IBS |
| MICAT | MICA Ahmedabad |
| CMAT | Great Lakes, GIM, VIT, BIMTECH |
| SNAP | SIBM Pune, SCMHRD Pune +13 other Symbiosis Colleges |
| MAH MBA CET | JBIMS, SIMSREE, PUMBA |
| TANCET | Anna University, PPG Business School |
Yes, you can pursue an MBA without sitting for the CAT exam. You can opt for other MBA entrance exams such as XAT, NMAT, SNAP, CMAT, etc. However, you will not be able to get admission to top B-schools such as the IIMs without acing CAT.
CAT or Common Admission Test is the most popular MBA entrance exam with over two lakh registrations. CAT provides the opportunity of getting into prestigious institutes such as IIMs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, etc.
The best way to decide which entrance exams you should apply for is by deciding the courses and institutes you wish to get admission to. Based on the list, identify the MBA entrance exams required to meet the B-schools' individual requirements.
All the MBA entrance exams have individual registration dates. Ensure that you keep a track of all the entrances you wish to give. Tentatively, registrations for CAT, XAT, SNAP and NMAT will begin in the 1st week of August .
Any exam preparation requires a well-thought-out strategy. If you are appearing for multiple MBA entrance exams, you must begin covering the syllabus for the exam nearest. As topics and syllabi overlap for most entrance exams, you can focus on the nearest exam and cover the remaining topics per exam as the dates come closer.