In India, over a thousand reputable management institutes/colleges offer specialised MBA programmes in fields such as Finance, Marketing, Operations Management, Consulting, Entrepreneurship, and Human Resources, among others. The demand for MBA graduates in the corporate world has led to the foundation of several management institutes in the country, which include IIMs. IIMs conduct the CAT exam, and the CAT scores are widely accepted in most of the top MBA colleges.
The following are the entrance exams for MBA that candidates must clear to get a spot in top management institutes across India.
Top MBA Entrance Exams in India
Here’s a list of some of the most sought-after entrance exams for an MBA:
1. CAT (Common Admission Test) Entrance Exam
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the most popular and challenging MBA entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). The exam is held for admission to over 1000 colleges in India as well as IIMs, IITs, NITs, and MNITs. As a result, more than 2 Lakh students appear for the CAT entrance exam every year.
CAT comprises four main parts: Verbal, Quantitative, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning. These parts are grouped into three sections – Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC), Quantitative Aptitude (QA), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR).
| Examination Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Exam Duration | 120 Minutes (2 Hours) |
| Number of Questions: | 66 Objective-Type Questions |
| CAT 2024 Registration Opens | First Week of August 2024 (tentative) |
| CAT 2024 Exam Date | November 24, 2024 |
2. NMAT (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test) Entrance Exam
The NMAT (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test) is a national-level entrance exam organised by the Graduate Management Admission Council. It offers admission to MBA and several other graduate management degree courses offered by different institutes/colleges, such as Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) and various other institutions.
NMAT primarily tests a candidate’s Quantitative skills, Language skills, and Logical Reasoning Abilities.
| Examination Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Exam Duration | 120 Minutes (2 Hours) |
| Number of Questions: | 108 (Multiple Choice Questions) |
| NMAT 2024 Registration Opens | First week of August 2024. |
| NMAT 2024 Exam Date | 10th October 2024 to 19th December 2024 |
3. CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) Entrance Exam
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) conducts the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), a national-level MBA entrance exam, to assess candidates’ abilities in various segments such as General Awareness, Quantitative Technique, Logical Reasoning, and Language Comprehension.
The exam evaluates General Awareness, Language Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative & Data Interpretation skills.
| Examination Mode | Online |
| Exam Duration | 180 Minutes (3 Hours) |
| Number of Questions: | 100 |
| CMAT 2024 Registration Opens | Second Week of March (Delayed) |
| CMAT 2024 Last Date of Registration | 31-March-2024 |
| CMAT 2024 Exam Date | 05 May -12 May 2024 |
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4. GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) Entrance Exam
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) for admission to undergraduate management programmes offered by various foreign institutes and universities. However the main GMAT exam is not available from February 2024.
Starting February 1, 2024, only the GMAT Focus Edition is available.
Although registration for the GMAT is open throughout the year, candidates can take the test only up to five times in a single year. You can give your GMAT exam 5 times in 12 months.
| Examination Mode | Online |
| Exam Duration | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Number of Questions: | 64 |
| GMAT 2024 Registration Opens | Can be done any time of the year |
| GMAT 2024 Exam Date | Candidates can choose the date |
5. MAT (Management Aptitude Test) Entrance Exam
The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is a national-level MBA entrance examination administered by the All India Management Association (AIMA) to offer admission to various management programmes. MAT is conducted four times a year (typically in February, May, September, and December) and is available in both online (computer-based test) and offline (written test) formats.
The exam assesses candidates’ abilities in five areas, including Mathematical Skills, Language Comprehension, Indian and Global Environment, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, and Data Analysis and Sufficiency.
| Examination Mode | Computer-Based Test (Online) and Paper Based Test (Offline) |
| Exam Duration | 150 Minutes (2 Hours and 30 Minutes) |
| Number of Questions: | 200 Objective-Type Questions |
| MAT Last Date of Registration 2024 | 20 February 2024 (PBT) 05 March 2024 (CBT) |
| Availability of PBT Admit Cards | 22 February 2024 |
| MAT 2024 Exam Date | PBT – 25 February 2024 CBT – 10 March 2024 IBT – 3rd, 8th and 24th of February 2024 |
| MAT 2024 Result | 25 March 2024 |
6. XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) Entrance Exam
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is another popular MBA entrance exam conducted by the Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) in Jamshedpur. Around one Lakh students appear each year for XAT, typically held on the first Sunday of January. More than 100 management colleges accept students’ admission based on their XAT scores.
XAT mainly consists of four sections: Quantitative Ability, Decision Making, English Language and Logical Reasoning, and General Knowledge and Essay. However, the General Knowledge and Essay tests are conducted only after students are shortlisted for XLRI courses.
| Examination Mode | Offline Test (Pen and Paper Based) |
| Exam Duration | 190 Minutes |
| Number of Questions: | 100 Objective Type Questions |
| XAT 2025 Registration Opens | 15th July 2024 (Tentative) |
| XAT 2025 Last Date Registration | 10th December 2024 (Tentative) |
| XAT 2025 Exam Date | 05th January, 2025 |
7. ATMA (AIMS Test for Management Admissions) Entrance Exam
ATMA (AIMS Test for Management Admissions) is a national-level MBA entrance exam administered by the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) to offer admission to various Management Programmes. The exam is conducted four times a year.
The ATMA exam aims to analyse the following skills in a candidate: Verbal Skills, Analytical Reasoning Skills and Quantitative Skills.
| Examination Mode | Online |
| Exam Duration | 180 Minutes (3 Hours) |
| Number of Questions: | 180 |
| ATMA 2024 Last Date of Registration Opens (For February 2024) | February 11, 2024 |
| ATMA 2024 Exam Date | February 18, 2024 |
| ATMA 2024 Upcoming Exams | 11 May 2024, 3 June 2024, 21 July 2024 |
8. MAH-CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test) Entrance Exam
MAH-CET , also known as MAH-MBA and CET, is an entrance exam conducted by the Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra. Its purpose is to admit students to various management courses offered by different institutes in the state of Maharashtra.
The exam tests Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, and Abstract Reasoning.
| Examination Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT Mode) |
| Exam Duration | 150 Minutes (2 Hours and 30 Minutes) |
| Number of Questions: | 200 (Multiple Choice) |
| MAH-CET 2024 Registration Opens | 16th Jan to 15th March 2024 (Closed Now) |
| MAH-CET 2024: MAH-CET Exam – PCB MAH-CET Exam – PCM |
16 April – 23 April 2024 |
| MAH-CET 2024 Registration Opens | 16th Jan to 15th March 2024 (Closed Now) |
FAQs:
1.Which is the easiest MBA Entrance Exam?
The difficulty level of SNAP and MAT exams is usually lower than other MBA entrance exams. However, the candidates must not take any exam lightly preparation requires exhaustive study and practice of sample questions.
2.Should I take CAT or GMAT?
GMAT scores are accepted by foreign universities but CAT score is not, thus if a candidate is planning to study management abroad, then they must take GMAT. Many Indian b-schools also accept GMAT for MBA and Executive MBA admission. But if the candidate is targeting the IIMs for full time MBA, they must take CAT.
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