SNAP Exam Complete Guide 2025: Pattern, Cut-Offs, and Last 2 Year Score vs Percentile Analysis

What is SNAP?

• SNAP stands for Symbiosis National Aptitude Test. It is the MBA/PGDM entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU), used for admission to its various constituent institutes (MBA / PGDM courses across ~ 15–17 campuses). 

• SNAP is a computer-based test (CBT).

• The exam comprises 60 questions total, divided into three sections:

  1. General English (Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability) — ~15 questions 

  2. Analytical & Logical Reasoning — ~25 questions 

  3. Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency — ~20 questions 

• Marking scheme: +1 for each correct answer, − 0.25 for each incorrect answer. 

• Each candidate gets 60 minutes total to attempt all 60 questions. There are no sectional time limits. 

• For recent years (like 2024), candidates are allowed multiple attempts (e.g., 3 sessions), and their best score is considered for percentile/ranking. 

What is “Score” vs “Percentile” in SNAP — and how percentile is calculated

• Raw score: The total marks you get after adding +1 for each correct and subtracting 0.25 for each wrong answer. Because there are 60 questions, max possible raw marks is 60 (if you get all right). 

• Percentile: This shows how you rank against all candidates who appeared in that year — it tells you the percentage of candidates who scored the same or below you. 

• Example: If you get 99 percentile, it means you performed better than 99% of test-takers. 

Because percentile depends on relative performance (number of candidates, difficulty level, overall distribution), the same raw score may correspond to different percentiles in different years or sessions. 

SNAP – Score vs Percentile: Recent Trends (2022–2024)

Based on publicly available analyses and cut-off data, below are approximate mappings of raw scores to percentiles for SNAP over recent years. These can help you estimate where you stand if you know your raw marks.

 SNAP 2023

From one analysis: 

Another source for 2023 suggests: 95 percentile ≈ 40+, 99 percentile ≈ 45+ marks. 

🔹 SNAP 2024 (Test 1 and expected cutoffs)

Multiple sources give slightly varying but broadly similar mappings: 

Another approximate trend sheet (2024) suggests: 50+ marks → 99+ percentile; 45–49 → 97–99; 40–44 → 90–97; 35–39 → 85–90; 30–34 → 75–85; 25–29 → 65–75. 

Typical Cutoffs for Admission (Institutes) — Last Few Years

Clearing a certain percentile doesn’t guarantee admission — each participating institute under Symbiosis sets its own cutoff percentile (for GE-WAT-PI shortlisting), depending on seats, applications, and desired intake. 

For 2024 (for MBA admissions 2025), rough cutoffs for some top institutes were:

For lower-ranked campuses or less competitive courses, cutoffs may be lower — depending on seats, specializations, category (General/SC/ST), etc. 

What Has Changed Over Recent Years — Key Observations

• Higher raw marks required for same percentiles: For example, to get 95 percentile in 2023 you needed ~39 marks; in 2024, 95 percentile seems to require ~36–37 marks (some variation). 

• Top percentiles tighten up: 99+ percentiles often need 45+ (or more) marks out of 60 in recent years — showing competition remains stiff. 

• Cutoffs for top colleges remain very high — nearly always in 95–99 percentile range for general category, implying only strong performers get a shot at premier campuses like SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, etc. 

• Variability year-to-year and session-to-session: Because different slots may have different difficulty and because percentile is relative, it’s impossible to say “this score always gives X percentile.” The tables above are approximate, based on actual data from past years. 

What This Means for You — Interpreting Your SNAP Score & Planning

• If you aim for top Symbiosis institutes (like SIBM Pune or SCMHRD), you should target ≥ 45 marks (ideally), which historically corresponds to top ~99 percentile.

• If you get 40–44 marks, you may land around 90–97 percentile — still good, but admission to top campuses depends also on institute’s cutoff, number of applicants, and GE-WAT-PI performance.

• A score in 30–35 mark range gives around 75–85 percentile — may open doors to less competitive campuses or specialized courses, depending on seat availability and cutoff.

• Because of negative marking, accuracy matters as much as speed. Blind guessing may hurt your score.

• Since each SIU institute sets its own cutoff, it’s wise to check the previous year’s cutoff trend for your desired institute + course before deciding whether your SNAP percentile (or raw score) is “enough.”

Important Caveats & What You Should Keep in Mind

1. Percentile is relative — if a slot is "easier", many students may score high, shifting up the cutoffs; if it's "tougher", even modest marks may get high percentile. Hence, same raw score can yield different percentiles across years or sessions. 

2. Cutoffs vary by institute, course, and category (General/SC/ST/OBC etc.). Don’t treat “good percentile” as guarantee for your intended college. 

3. After SNAP, admission generally involves further rounds — Group Exercise (GE), Writing Ability Test (WAT), Personal Interview (PI) — so overall profile and performance in these also matter. 

4. There’s no official fixed “pass mark” for SNAP. What matters is relative performance and cutoffs decided each year by institutes. 

Conclusion: Is SNAP Easy to Predict? — And How to Use This Info

SNAP is relatively straightforward in terms of structure: 60 MCQs, single slot, negative marking, clear scoring. But predicting exact percentile or admission chances isn’t straightforward, because percentile and cutoffs shift with competition, number of test-takers, seat availability, difficulty level, and institute quota.

That said — using past years’ score-vs-percentile data + cut-off trends gives you a rough benchmark. If you aim for elite Symbiosis B-schools (SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, etc.), targeting the upper range (45–50 marks) gives you a solid shot. For mid-tier or specialized campuses, 30–40 marks may suffice — depending on competition and your performance in later rounds.