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Top MBA entrance exams 2024!
Do you plan on preparing for this year’s MBA exams? New to the whole cycle of MBA exams? You’re then right in the right place. In this article, we’ll cover in detail all the major MBA exams that you need to try to get into India’s top B-schools. Besides the IIMs, there are many other top B-schools (also called Tier-1 colleges) for which you can definitely opt. So, if you are planning to pursue an MBA next year, don’t miss out on the opportunity to attempt any of these exams. So, Let’s get on with the top 2024 MBA entrance exams.
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What are the top MBA entrance exams you can target in 2024:
CAT
Not much introduction is necessary here. The first top MBA Entrance exam you should take in 2024 is the Common Admission Test (CAT) is the most well-known MBA entry test out of all of them. CAT is your go-to exam for getting admissions to any of the 20 IIMs and other hundreds of B-schools in India. The examination duration is 180 minutes, for a total of 100 marks (60 minutes for each of the three sections).
IIMs conduct CAT on a rotational basis each year, which means each main IIM will be setting the exam for one year. As for CAT 2024, the institute will be announced in May 2024. Usually, CAT undergoes significant changes by adding new components every year which is notified on CAT’s official website from time to time.
The CAT application process starts in the first week of August. Around two lakh applicants apply and show up for the Computer-based test each year. Unlike GMAT or other exams, the CAT scorecard is valid only for one year. Around 4,000 seats are up for grabs for the 20 IIMs and many other top B-schools.
The application provides you with the nitty-gritty data on CAT regarding the warning, imperative dates, qualification criteria, enlistment process, application form, examination design, result, cutoff, and so on.
Pro tip: CAT releases a mock test a month or two before the final exam on their website so don’t forget to try it!
Click here to prepare for CAT with these online courses
NMAT
The next MBA entrance to take is the GMAC exam NMAT opens doors to India’s leading management programs. GMAC’s NMAT enables B-schools to recruit top talent with assurance as the test measures skills needed to make their programs successful. It gives candidates the confidence to make the best of themselves. Since becoming a computer-based test in 2009 GMAC’s NMAT has been at the forefront of Indian measurement as a valid and reliable predictor of success in graduate business school.
Schools will have access to one of India’s most diverse testing populations, with some of the highest proportions of women and non-engineers taking the examination. Test takers will have access to materials used in practise to improve their preparations. The examination duration is 120 minutes, for 108 questions, which also makes it a speed based test.
The NMAT by GMAC™ exam is used for admissions to some of the leading B-school programs in India, especially the most coveted Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai. Lakhs of students compete each year to get into NMIMS, so the competition is very tough here. There are also other B-schools in which can get into through NMAT, you can read about the top colleges here.
IIFT
The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) conducts its placement test at the national level, i.e. IIFT selection test, admission to its MBA programs at its campuses in Delhi and Kolkata. The IIFT takes place during the first week of December. It is an Objective type test bearing 110-114 questions of multiple-choice (MCQs). The exam will take 2 hours to complete. Previously, the exam was held in paper-pencil mode. Now it’s in the Web mode (based on a PC). The exam is carried out in excess of India’s 20 urban areas.
This exam is the entrance to the two-year Fully Private MBA program of IIFT in International Business (IB). The IIFT application process is likely to commence from the first week of July until mid-September. Competitors can check all IIFT data such as critical dates, qualification, application form, admission card, examination design, response scratch, result, cutoff, etc.
XAT
XAT is a national-level MBA admission test for more than 150 B-schools. It takes place on January 1st Sunday. XLRI, Jamshedpur does XAT annually. It’s also carried out via an online medium. The exam duration is 3 hours. In 2024, the time duration is changed to 3 hours 30 minutes and it has 4 sections (GK is the extra section). XAT’s degree of difficulty is considered one of the highest, but it will get you into top colleges like XLRI, Jamshedpur, XIMB Bhubaneshwar, etc.
Click here to get XAT Online Courses by XAT Toppers
SNAP
The Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) is an all-India management entrance exam conducted by the Symbiosis International (deemed) University, for admissions into almost 15 top institutes of this University. It is a Computer-based exam with a duration of 120 minutes but the time duration is changed to 60 minutes in 2024. There is no sectional time limit for this test, which is an advantage. SNAP is mainly targeted to get into SIBM Pune, SCMHRD Pune, which are Tier 1 colleges you can get into through SNAP.
SNAP had a GK section for a long time, which was hard to score in since there was no specific portion to it. But the GK section has been removed since 2019 and now only three main sections are involved in the examination. The new difference included questions in the sections in the Non- MCQ types, but they also get 25 percent negative marking (which is not the case in CAT or other examinations).
MICAT
MICA Admissions Test (MICAT) is the online entrance test for MICA’s flagship course Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications. The program focuses on Strategic Marketing and Communication and the specializations are:
- Brand Management
- Advertising Management
- Marketing Research and Analytics
- Media Management
- Digital Communication Management
MICAT exam is conducted in two phases. MICAT 1 is conducted in December and MICAT 2 is conducted in January. The unique thing about this exam is that they use a Psychometric test, which candidates have to clear, without which even their MICAT marks will not be evaluated. While the MICAT score is of top priority, they do have eligibility criteria for the candidates to possess at least a valid CAT, XAT, or GMAT score (the percentile requirement is usually very less). However, this exam will get you into the PGDM-C program at MICA which is considered top-notch for Marketing specialization aspirants.
CET
MAH CET is an MBA entrance exam for admission to MBA / MMS / PGDM / PGDBM courses in the affirmed AICTE Maharashtra B schools. It is also an online, 21⁄2 hour (150 minutes) test. The exam comprises 200 questions in the MCQ format. Best of all, the DTE conducted MAH MBA / MMS CET test does not have a negative marking. Clearing this exam will get you to some of Maharashtra’s top colleges, namely JBIMS, SIMSREE, PUMBA, N L Dalmia, DY Patil, and other Maharashtra’s 300 + MBA universities. All of Maharashtra’s best MBA universities, including JBIMS Mumbai, SIMSREE, which takes an interest in the CAP round, offer affirmation according to the set matrix and B-school assignment through DTE-CAP.
The only thing to note is that out of the total seats, only 15% to 35% seat assignment is accessible for All India competitors (the rest is for Maharashtra-born only).
Click here for CET Online Courses.
CMAT
The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is a national level entrance examination conducted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) every year as per the directions of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India. The CMAT is a three-hour computer-based online test that is conducted in a single session to evaluate the candidate’s ability across various segments like Quantitative Technique, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, and General Awareness.
All AICTE-approved Institutions / University Departments / Constituent Colleges / Affiliated Colleges accept the CMAT score. The exam’s level of difficulty is lower than the above, but the competition to get into the top ranks becomes a tough task. Also, this examination is with 100 questions for 180 minutes (4 sections with 25 questions in each section).
Also Refer: CMAT Exam Courses
TISSNET:
TISSNET is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Tata Institute of Social sciences (TISS), Mumbai. TISS offers an MA program that is equivalent to the MBA program offered by other B-schools. However, TISS is known only for its HR specialization, so this is a must-go-to for HR aspirants.
The exam duration is for 100 minutes for 100 questions. It has an additional GK section as well, which is different from other MBA GK exams as it focuses more on static GK. The competition is ve tough to get into the few seats that TISS offers, but the reputation that you will get with this degree will be very high.
MAT
Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is a government-sanctioned test being directed since 1988 to encourage B-Schools to screen the possibility for admission to MBA and unified projects. Govt. of India, Ministry of HRD affirmed MAT as a national level test in 2003. Any B-School – national or universal – can consider MAT Score as a confirmation input in light of the Score Cards issued to the applicants. MAT will keep on being your Passport to more than 600 B-Schools crosswise over India. This exam is conducted four times a year i.e. February, May, September, and December.
Salient Aspects of MAT
- ISO 9001:2008 certified by DNV with accreditation to RVA and Quality Council of India.
- Entrance test for recognized programs.
- Time tested over a decade.
- Validated through independent studies
- Availed by lakhs of students.
- Accepted by hundreds of Institutes and University Departments.
- Employing the latest technology in evaluation and result processing.
- Individual scorecard with the candidate’s photograph.
- Test Centres located all over the count
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That’s all Folks..!!! I hope you like this article and get an overview of MBA entrance exams that you’ll be attempting in 2024. For more such interesting blogs, subscribe to our notification.
