MBA Admission 2026: Dates Announced for 5 Major Entrance Exams Including CAT

Candidates planning to appear for major entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, and MAT need to pay attention to application deadlines and exam schedules.

Information regarding the dates and registration for the country's major management entrance exams has been released for candidates preparing for MBA admissions. Candidates planning to take exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, and MAT should take note of the application deadlines and exam schedules. Scores from these exams will be accepted for admission to various management institutes; consequently, candidates can choose the exam that aligns with their preferred business schools.

The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 will be conducted by IIM Indore. The exam is scheduled for November 26, 2026. The deadline to apply for CAT 2026 is 5:00 PM on September 15, 2026, and the admit card will be released on November 4, 2026.

XAT 2027 will be conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. The exam is scheduled for January 3, 2027, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The deadline for submitting applications for XAT is set for December 6, 2026, and admit cards are expected to be released on December 20, 2026.

SNAP 2026 will be conducted by Symbiosis International. Candidates will have the opportunity to take the exam on three different dates. The SNAP 2026 exam will be held on December 13, 19, and 26, 2026. The registration deadline for SNAP 2026 is November 25, 2026. Additionally, NMAT 2026 is conducted by GMAC. The testing window for this exam will remain open from November 2 to December 20, 2026. Candidates can register until October 10, 2026. NMAT is a computer-based test conducted at physical exam centers; it comprises a total of 108 questions, and candidates are allotted 120 minutes to complete the exam.

For the MAT (September 2026) conducted by AIMA, candidates have the option to take either the paper-based test (PBT) or the computer-based test (CBT). The registration deadline for the PBT is today, September 7, and the exam is scheduled for September 13. Meanwhile, the application deadline for the CBT is September 14, with the exam itself scheduled for September 20, 2026.

Before applying for any entrance exam, MBA aspirants should verify which exam scores are accepted by the business schools where they seek admission. They can select the exam based on this information. Furthermore, candidates may appear for multiple management entrance exams, thereby increasing their options for MBA admission.