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.
Apart from CAT, over 50 MBA entrance exams are conducted in India annually. Take a glance at the application and exam dates of the top 10 MBA entrance exams in India which are a gateway to popular MBA colleges in India. CAT is that the hottest MBA entrance examination in India as over 1400 MBA colleges select candidates for admission on the idea of marks obtained by them during this exam. Following CAT, the second hottest MBA entrance examination is CMAT conducted by the NTA.
CMAT score is accepted by 1200 MBA colleges across India. The third hottest MBA entrance examination is XAT which is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. XAT score is accepted by over 1000 MBA colleges in India. Apart from these exams, there are quite 50 entrance tests for admission to top MBA colleges in India. The MBA entrance exams are conducted at three different levels.
- National level: hottest among them are CAT, CMAT, and MAT
- State-level: hottest among them are MAH-CET, TSICET, KMAT, and TANCET
- University/College level: Some prominent entrance tests include XAT, SNAP, IIFT Exam and IRMASAT
CAT, XAT, IIFT, SNAP, TISSNET, IBSAT, and CMAT exams are over for the 2022 session. However, there are more MBA entrance exams like MAT, ATMA, APICET, KMAT, and TSICET you'll deem admission to the school term.
Read below to understand which MBA exams you'll absorb the approaching months, their registration process, eligibility, fees, syllabus, pattern, and preparation. This information will assist you to choose which exams you'll take and which colleges you'll apply to. Start your CAT online course
COVID-19 Affect on MBA Entrance Exams
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak within the country and the nationwide lockdown in March, tons of MBA entrance exams scheduled to be held in May-June were deferred to July. so as to avoid delay in the commencement of the tutorial year, national-level entrance tests, MAT, and ATMA were conducted in Internet-Based Test (IBT) mode.
State-level entrance exams like APICET, TSICET, OJEE, and Karnataka PGCET are deferred pending government decisions. Given the present situation of the pandemic, the registration process and entrance examination dates are expected to be further delayed.
Top 10 MBA Entrance Exams: Application and Exam Dates
The table below lists the appliance date and therefore the exam date of the top 10 MBA entrance exams in India. Read further below to understand the exam-wise registration process, fee, and other exam-related details. The subsequent sections provide details about the foremost popular top 10 MBA entrance exams in India and other related links.
1. Overview of CAT
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to their postgraduate management programs (MBA, PGDM). It's considered one of the most prestigious and competitive exams for B-school aspirants in India.
CAT score is employed by 20 IIMs and over 1000 other management institutes across the country for admission. quite two lakh students appear for the exam annually. CAT started in 1950 and graduated as an online entrance test in 2009.
Exam Format:
- Computer-based test (CBT): Conducted online across various test centers in India.
- Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes)
- No.of Questions: 66
- Sections:
- Quantitative Ability (QA): Tests mathematical skills and problem-solving abilities (40 minutes)
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): Assesses reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, and language usage (40 minutes)
- Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR): Evaluate analytical and logical reasoning skills (40 minutes)
-
Important Dates (2024 - Tentative):
- Registration: Likely in July/August 2024
- Exam Date: Typically held in November/December 2024
Also Read :
What is CAT exam? | Minimum CAT Scores required to Get into IIMs
How to crack CAT | Sections for CAT exam
2. Overview of CMAT
The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is another national-level entrance exam widely accepted by various business schools in India for admission to their management programs (MBA, PGDM).
The second-largest management entrance exam of the country, Common Management Admission Test or CMAT is taken by roughly 1.5 lakh candidates. Conducted by the National Testing Agency, CMAT may be a popular option among MBA aspirants after CAT. the primary CMAT exam happened in 2012. The exam score is accepted by quite 1000 MBA institutes across the country.
Exam Format:
- Computer-based test (CBT): Conducted online across various test centers in India.
- Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes)
- No.of Questions: 100
- Sections:
- Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation (QTDI): Tests mathematical ability, data analysis, and interpretation skills (20 questions)
- Logical Reasoning (LR): Evaluates analytical and logical reasoning abilities (20 questions)
- Language Comprehension (LC): Assesses reading comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar skills (20 questions)
- General Awareness (GA): Tests knowledge of current affairs, business environment, and general knowledge (20 questions)
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE): Evaluates problem-solving, innovation, and entrepreneurial mindset (20 questions) (Score not considered for percentile calculation, but used for shortlisting in some institutions)
-
Important Dates (2024 - Tentative):
- Registration: Likely in January/February 2024
- Exam Date: Typically held in March/April 2024
Also Read:
CMAT Exam Pattern | How to crack CMAT
3. Overview of XAT
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted annually by the Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) in Jamshedpur on behalf of the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI). It's a highly sought-after exam for admission to MBA and PGDM programs at various prestigious institutions across India.
Another top management entrance, the Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT may be a computer-based management aptitude test. Conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur, XAT is taken by approximately one lakh candidates, annually. XAT is persisted on the primary Sunday of the year (January). Exam scores are accepted by XLRI Jamshedpur and in quite 1000 management institutes. It tests the candidate on four fronts:
-
Exam Format:
- Computer-based test (CBT): Conducted online across various test centers in India.
- Duration: 210 minutes
- No.of Questions: 100
- Sections:
- Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning (VA&LR): Assesses reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, and critical thinking skills
- Decision Making (DM): Evaluates problem-solving, analytical reasoning, and decision-making abilities through simulated business scenarios
- Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation (QA&DI): Tests mathematical and analytical skills, data analysis, and interpretation abilities
- General Knowledge (GK): Assesses knowledge of current affairs, business environment, science, and general topics
- Essay Writing: A short essay topic is provided to assess writing skills and analytical thinking (Not included in the final score but used for shortlisting in some institutions)
-
Important Dates (2025 - Tentative):
- Registration: Likely in September/October 2024
- Exam Date: Typically held in January 2025
Also Read:
XAT exam | XAT Syllabus | Top colleges through XAT
4. Overview of SNAP
The Symbiosis National Aptitude (SNAP) Test is a national-level entrance exam conducted annually by Symbiosis International (SIU) for admission to various postgraduate management programs (MBA, PGDM) offered by its constituent institutes across India. It's a popular option for students seeking admission to management programs at these prestigious institutions.
SNAP score is primarily used for admission to fifteen institutes under Symbiosis International University. However, many other MBA colleges use SNAP scores for admission.
Exam Format:
- Computer-based test (CBT): Conducted online across various test centers in India.
- Duration: 1 hour (60 minutes)
- No.of Questions: 60
- Sections:
- General English: Assesses reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and verbal reasoning skills (15 questions)
- Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation (QA&DI): Tests mathematical ability, data analysis, and interpretation skills (20 questions)
- Analytical & Logical Reasoning (ALR): Evaluates analytical and logical reasoning abilities through puzzles and problem-solving scenarios (25 questions)
-
Important Dates (2024 - Tentative):
- Registration: Likely in August/September 2024
- Exam Date: Typically held in November/December 2024
Also Read:
5. Overview of NMAT by GMAC
The NMAT by GMAC exam, also known as the National Management Admission Test, is a computer-based test conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) for admission to MBA programs at various business schools in India, South Africa, Philippines, Nigeria, and Morocco. It's a popular choice for students seeking a flexible and candidate-friendly entrance exam for MBA programs.
NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) is additionally one of the favored MBA entrance exams. it had been acquired by GMAC in 2015 and rebranded as NMAT by GMAC. NMAT by GMAC may be a computer-based exam, held over a 75-day testing window, between October and December.
NMAT by GMAC has various candidate-friendly options. as an example, candidates can appear for the exam a complete of 3 times and therefore the better of three scores are going to be used for admission.
Exam Format:
- Computer-based test (CBT): Conducted online across various test centers or through online proctored exams within India. The rest of the world has online proctored exams only.
- Duration: 2 hours (120 minutes)
- Sections: Total 108 Questions
- Language Skills (LS): Assesses reading comprehension, grammar, and verbal reasoning skills (36 Questions)
- Quantitative Skills (QS): Tests mathematical ability, data sufficiency, and problem-solving skills (36 Questions)
- Logical Reasoning (LR): Evaluates analytical and logical reasoning abilities through various question formats (36 Questions)
-
Important Dates (2024 - Tentative):
- Registration: Likely in the first week of August 2024
- Exam Window: Typically from October to December 2024 (You can schedule your exam within this window and attempt it up to three times)
Also Read:
NMAT by GMAC | NMAT Syllabus | How to crack NMAT Exam
What is NMAT Exam? | How to prepare for NMAT
6. Overview of MICAT
The Management Institute Chronicle Ability Test (MICAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted twice a year by the Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA) for admission to its flagship two-year postgraduate programs:
- Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) - A general management program with a focus on communication and marketing.
- Post Graduate Diploma in Management - Communications (PGDM-C) - A specialized program focused on various aspects of communication management.
MICAT is known for its unique focus on assessing skills crucial for success in communication-intensive careers.
To be eligible for MICAT, candidates first got to apply with CAT, XAT, and GMAT.
Exam Format:
- Computer-based test (CBT): Conducted online across various test centers in India.
- Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes)
- Section A: Psychometric Test - 150 Questions - 30 minutes
- Section B: Descriptive Test - 4 Questions - 25 minutes
- Section C: 70 Questions - 80 minutes & - 0.25 marks for each wrong answer
- Divergent-Convergent Reasoning - 20 Questions
- Verbal Ability - 20 Questions
- Quantitative Ability - 20 Questions
- General Awareness - 10 Questions
-
Important Dates (2024 - Tentative):
- Registration: 14 Sept 2023–17 Jan 2024
- Admit card available:
- 29 Nov 2023
- 24 Jan 2024
- Exam:
- 2 Dec 2023
- 27 Jan 2024
- Results available: 8 Apr 2024
Also Read:
Micat Exam Pattern | How to prepare for MICAT
7. Overview of MAH-CET
The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MAH-CET), also known as MHCET/ MBA-CET/ MAH-MBA-CET/ MMS-CET, is a state-level entrance exam conducted by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Maharashtra, for admission to various management programs (MBA/MMS/PGDBM and PGDM) offered by universities, institutes, and colleges affiliated to Maharashtra State Universities. It's a gateway to numerous esteemed B-schools in the state.
Exam Format:
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes)
- No. Of Questions: 200
- Sections:
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC): Assesses reading comprehension, vocabulary, and verbal reasoning skills (50 questions)
- Logical Reasoning (LR): Evaluates analytical and logical reasoning abilities through puzzles, syllogisms, and critical thinking questions (75 questions)
- Abstract Reasoning: Tests visual reasoning and pattern recognition skills (25 questions)
- Quantitative Aptitude (QA): Focuses on basic mathematical abilities, data analysis, and interpretation skills (50 questions)
- The exam is scheduled for March 9, 10, and 11, 2024
Also Read:
Top Colleges through CET | How to crack verbal ability | CET Preparation
MAH-CET Preparation Plan | How to prepare for CET in one month
