Anisha has done MBA in Marketing from NMIMS And Executive Management(PMNO) from Harvard Business School. She has been instrumental in growing CATKing Digital with her experience with Marico and Henkel in the past.
Important MBA exams- CAT/NMAT/XAT
IIM administered CAT is the most popular entrance exam for MBA in India as over 1,200 MBA colleges select candidates for admission based on marks obtained in this exam. Following CAT, the second most popular MBA entrance exam is the NMAT conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). The third most popular MBA entrance exam is XAT which is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. XAT score is accepted by over 800 MBA colleges in India.
What should I appear?
Every exam I different or difficult is a myth. All exam papers are 80-100% similar. There is a delta difference in the syllabus only.
1. CAT exam
A comprehensive understanding of the CAT syllabus is crucial for effective exam preparation. The official CAT notification provides insights into the paper pattern and the test format, along with the CAT exam date. Candidates intending to appear for the CAT exam 2024 should understand the essential details of the CAT syllabus for an MBA.
Here are the important highlights of the CAT Exam syllabus for the MBA:
| CAT Exam syllabus sections |
|
| Number of questions from each section of CAT Exam syllabus | VARC- 24 questions
DILR- 20 questions QA- 22 questions |
| Total number of questions | 66 |
| Type of questions | Both MCQs and non-MCQs |
| Section-wise exam duration | 40 minutes per section
53 minutes 20 secs for PwD candidates |
| Total marks | 198 |
2. NMAT
NMAT is an MBA entrance exam that is conducted on a national level by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Approximately 75,000 candidates take the NMAT exam every year. To take the NMAT exam, candidates must schedule the test within 70 days starting from August 2024.
| Exam name | NMAT by GMAC |
| Conducting Body | Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) |
| Exam Level | National level |
| Frequency | Once a year |
| Attempts allowed | Up to 3 attempts within the 70-day exam window |
| NMAT exam mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Syllabus |
|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Language | English |
| No of questions | 108 Questions |
| No. of test centers and cities | 73 test cities |
| NMAT registration fee | INR 2,800 (indicative) |
| Course offered | MBA/PGDM |
| Exam purpose | Admission at India’s top business schools (e.g., NMIMS, SPJIMR, XIMB, ISB, LM Thapar, VIT, ICFAI, SDA Bocconi, etc.) |
| NMAT official website | nmat.org |
| Exam helpdesk number | 0120 4397855 |
3. XAT
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a national MBA admission exam administered by the Xavier Labor Relations Institute (XLRI) in Jamshedpur on behalf of the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI). XLRI has been conducting XAT at the national level for the past 70 years to identify the best-qualified candidates for its management programs. XAT results are approved for admission to MBA/PGDM programs at 11 XAMI member institutes, 83 associate institutes, and 600+ additional B-schools, making it one of the most difficult entrance tests.
|
Conducting Body |
XLRI, Jamshedpur |
|
Exam Level |
National |
|
Exam Frequency |
Once a year |
|
Exam Mode |
Online |
|
Exam Duration |
3.30 hours |
|
Exam Syllabus |
Decision Making Verbal & Logical Ability Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation General Knowledge Essay Writing |
|
100 questions in MCQ format |
|
|
Language |
English |
|
Exam Fees |
INR 2,000 (all categories) |
|
Exam Purpose |
Admission to 1,000+ MBA colleges |
|
Course Offered |
MBA/PGDM |
|
No. of test takers |
Nearly 98,000 |
|
No. of Test Cities |
79 (in 2023) |
|
Exam Helpdesk No. |
18002674008 |
|
Exam Website |
https://xatonline.in/ |
Conclusion-
Do not focus on 1 examination only. The goal should be to get admission into the top 50 B-schools in the country. Think like so, increase your probabilities by giving yourself more options and appear for all the exams.
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