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What Are the Top MBA Entrance Exams and Their Eligibility

CL Team December 05 2025
3 min read

What Are the Top MBA Entrance Exams and Their Eligibility?

A Complete Guide for MBA Aspirants**

MBA aspirants often get confused about which entrance exams to appear for. India has multiple national and institute-level tests like CAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT, SNAP, CMAT and more—each with different eligibility norms, exam patterns, and difficulty levels.

To make your preparation easier, here is a complete overview of the top MBA entrance exams, along with who can apply, what the exam looks like, and the skills tested.

1. CAT (Common Admission Test)

Eligibility

  • Must hold a Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD).

  • Final-year students can also apply.

  • No age limit.

Exam Pattern

  • Sections (3):

    1. VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension)

    2. DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning)

    3. QA (Quantitative Aptitude)

  • Duration: 2 hours

  • Each section is timed; MCQs + TITA questions.

Syllabus Highlights

  • RC passages, para-jumbles

  • DI sets, LR puzzles

  • Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Modern Math

2. XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)

Eligibility

  • Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.

  • No minimum marks required.

  • Final-year students eligible.

Exam Pattern

  • Sections (4):

    1. Decision Making

    2. Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation

    3. Verbal & Logical Ability

    4. General Knowledge

  • Essay writing reintroduced recently.

  • Duration: 3+ hours

Syllabus Highlights

  • Case-based decision-making questions

  • Quant: arithmetic, algebra, DI sets

  • Verbal: critical reasoning, reading comprehension

  • GK: static + current affairs

3. NMAT (by GMAC)

Eligibility

  • Bachelor’s degree with 50% marks.

  • Final-year students can apply.

  • Candidates can appear up to 3 times in a testing window.

Exam Pattern

  • Adaptive test (difficulty adjusts based on responses).

  • Sections (3):

    1. Language Skills

    2. Quantitative Skills

    3. Logical Reasoning

  • Total duration: 120 minutes

  • No negative marking.

Syllabus Highlights

  • RC, grammar, sentence correction

  • Quant: arithmetic-heavy, DI

  • Logical: series, puzzles, critical reasoning

4. SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test)

Eligibility

  • Graduate with 50% marks (45% for reserved categories).

  • Final-year students eligible.

Exam Pattern

  • Sections (3):

    1. General English

    2. Quantitative, DI & DS

    3. Analytical & Logical Reasoning

  • Duration: 60 minutes

  • Conducted 3 times a year (best score often considered).

Syllabus Highlights

  • Grammar, vocabulary, RC

  • Arithmetic, algebra, DI

  • Reasoning puzzles, series, analogies

5. CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)

Eligibility

  • Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.

  • Final-year students can apply.

  • No minimum % required usually.

Exam Pattern

  • Sections (5):

    1. Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation

    2. Logical Reasoning

    3. Language Comprehension

    4. General Awareness

    5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship

  • Duration: 3 hours

Syllabus Highlights

  • Arithmetic, algebra, DI

  • Logical puzzles, CR

  • RC, grammar

  • Static & current GK

  • Basics of entrepreneurship & innovation

6. MAT (Management Aptitude Test)

Eligibility

  • Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.

  • Final-year students eligible.

  • No percentage criteria.

Exam Pattern

MAT is conducted in PBT / CBT / IBT modes.
Sections (5):

  1. Language Comprehension

  2. Intelligence & Critical Reasoning

  3. Mathematical Skills

  4. Data Analysis & Sufficiency

  5. Indian & Global Environment
    Duration: 150 minutes

Syllabus Highlights

  • Vocabulary, grammar

  • DI, data sufficiency

  • Arithmetic, algebra

  • GK (not counted for percentile)

Quick Comparison Table

ExamEligibilitySectionsDurationDifficulty
CAT 50% in graduation VARC, DILR, QA 2 hrs High
XAT Graduate (no % needed) DM, QA-DI, V-LA, GK 3+ hrs High
NMAT 50% in graduation LS, QS, LR 2 hrs Moderate
SNAP 50% in graduation English, QA-DI, LR 1 hr Moderate
CMAT Graduation 5 sections 3 hrs Moderate
MAT Graduation 5 sections 2.5 hrs Easy–Moderate

Which MBA Entrance Exam Should You Take?

  • For IIMs → CAT

  • For XLRI → XAT

  • For NMIMS Mumbai → NMAT

  • For Symbiosis Institutes → SNAP

  • For AICTE-approved colleges → CMAT / MAT

  • For multiple attempts → NMAT & SNAP

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right exam depends on your target colleges, your strengths (quant vs verbal vs reasoning), and your preparation timeline. Many students appear for 2–4 exams to maximize their chances of admission.