MBA Entrance Exams: Not just CAT-MAT, there are 6 entrance exams for admission to management colleges..
MBA Entrance Exams: The value of MBA courses has increased significantly over the past few decades. Admission to an MBA is possible after any course, including B.Tech, B.Sc., B.Com., or BBA. Management graduates are in demand in almost every field. In response to this market shift, there are a plethora of MBA colleges and MBA graduates both domestically and internationally. Passing the CAT exam is a requirement for admission to the country's top management colleges, the IIMs.
Most major management colleges admit graduates based on their MBA entrance exam scores. There are several other entrance exams in India, other than CAT, that can be used to gain admission to various management colleges (Management Colleges in India). However, when shortlisting colleges, you should know which entrance exam is required for admission; otherwise, your efforts will be wasted. Learn about the six MBA entrance exams in India.
MBA Entrance Exam List 2025
You can check below the details of the most important and widely accepted national-level MBA entrance exams held annually in India:
1. CAT (Common Admission Test)
CAT is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) on a rotational basis. It is held once a year (usually on the last Sunday of November). Passing the CAT exam allows admission to the IIMs (21), FMS Delhi, MDI Gurugram, the management departments of the IITs, and over 1,300+ top B-schools across the country. It is considered India's most prestigious and difficult MBA entrance exam, focusing heavily on analytical ability and reading comprehension.
2. CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)
CMAT is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Like CAT, it is also held once a year (usually in April/May). It provides admission to all AICTE-approved management institutes and universities, numbering over 1,300. This exam is considered easier than CAT and XAT, with an additional section on innovation and entrepreneurship.
3. MAT (Management Aptitude Test)
The MAT exam is conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA). This MBA entrance exam is held four times a year (February, May, September, and December). Passing it allows admission to MBA courses at over 600 B-schools in India and abroad. It is considered the most flexible exam. There are three options to attempt it: a paper-based test (PBT), a computer-based test (CBT), and an internet-based test (IBT).
4. XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)
It is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur, Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI). It is held once a year (on the first Sunday of January). Based on the Xavier Aptitude Test results, admission is available at XLRI Jamshedpur, XLRI Delhi-NCR, XIMB, IMT Ghaziabad, and over 800 other B-schools. It is considered the second most difficult exam after the CAT.
5. NMAT by GMAC
It is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). It is held during the October-December window. Candidates can appear for the exam three times. Passing this MBA entrance exam provides admission to leading colleges like NMIMS Mumbai, XIMB, IBS Hyderabad, and K J Somaiya. It is an adaptive exam—meaning the difficulty of the questions depends on your previous answers.
6. SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test)
Symbiosis International (Deemed University) conducts the SNAP exam. This MBA entrance exam is held three times (on different dates in December). Candidates can use their best score to gain admission to over 16 Symbiosis-affiliated institutions (such as SIBM Pune, SCMHRD Pune). This is a speed-based exam, short, and exclusive to Symbiosis institutions.
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