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Top 20 MBA Entrance Exams in India You Can Take in 2020

Henesh Rawat December 18, 2020 51 0

Apart from CAT, over 50 MBA entrance exams are conducted in India annually. Take a look at application and exam dates of top 20 MBA entrance exams in India which are a gateway to popular MBA colleges in India.

CAT is the most popular MBA entrance exam in India as over 1400 MBA colleges select candidates for admission on the basis of marks obtained by them in this exam. Following CAT, the second most popular MBA entrance exam is CMAT conducted by the NTA. CMAT score is accepted by 1200 MBA colleges across India. Third most popular MBA entrance exam 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 more than 50 entrance tests for admission to top MBA colleges in India. The MBA entrance exams are conducted at three different levels.

• National level: Most popular among them are CAT, CMAT and MAT
• State level: Most popular 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, CMAT exams are over for 2020 session. However, there are many more MBA entrance exams like MAT, ATMA, APICET, KMAT and TSICET you can take for admission to 2020 academic session. Read below to know which MBA exams you can take in the coming months, their registration process, eligibility, fees, syllabus, pattern and preparation. This information will help you in deciding which exams you can take and which colleges you can apply to. 

COVID 19 Affect on MBA Entrance Exams 

Due to the COVID 19 outbreak in the country and nationwide lockdown in March,  a lot of MBA entrance exams scheduled to be held in May-June were deferred to July. In order to aviod delay in commencement of the academic year, national level entrance tests, MAT and ATMA were conducted in Internet Based Test (IBT) mode. State level entrance exams such as APICET, TSICET, OJEE and Karnataka PGCET have been deferred pending government decision. Given the current situation of the pandemic, registration process and entrance exam dates are expected to be further delayed.  

Top 20 MBA Entrance Exams 2020: Application and Exam Dates

The table below lists the application date and the exam date of top 20 MBA exams in India. Read further below to know exam-wise registration process, fee and other exam related details.

The subsequent sections provide details about the most popular MBA entrance exams in India and other related links.

Overview of CAT 

Common Admission Test or CAT, the most popular entrance examination of India, is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). CAT score is used by 20 IIMs and over 1000 other management institutes across the countryfor admission. More than two lakh students appear for the exam each year.

CAT started in 1950 and graduated to being an online-entrance test in 2009. The CAT question paper consists of 100 questions (MCQs) to be solved in 180 minutes. Registration for CAT begins in August and the exam is held in November. CAT exam consists of three sections: Verbal Abiliy, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. These segments are grouped into three sections:

• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC)

Overview of CMAT

The second-largest management entrance examination of the country, Common Management Admission Test or CMAT is taken by roughly 1.5 lakh candidates. Conducted by the National Testing Agency, CMAT is a popular option among MBA aspirants after CAT. The first CMAT exam took place in 2012. The exam score is accepted by more than 1000 MBA institutes across the country. The CMAT exam is held in January every year.

CMAT is a computer-based exam (held for 180 minutes) and tests the candidate’s aptitude in four main sections:

• Quantitative Technique
• Logical Reasoning
• Language Comprehension
• General Awareness

Overview of XAT

Another top management entrance, Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT is 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 held on the first Sunday of the year (January). XAT scores are accepted by XLRI Jamshedpur and more than 1000 management institutes. XAT exam tests the candidate on four fronts:

• Quantitative Ability
• English Language & Logical Reasoning
• Decision Making
• General Knowledge

Overview of SNAP

Conducted by Symbiosis International University, Symbiosis National Aptitude Test or SNAP is also a national-level management entrance examination. SNAP score is primarily used for admission to 15 institutes under Symbiosis International University. However, many other MBA colleges use SNAP scores for admission. SNAP registrations take place from August to November and the exam is held in December.

SNAP Test is a computer-based exam and the duration is two hours. It tests candidates on:

• General English
• Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency
• Analytical & Logical Reasoning

Overview of NMAT by GMAC

NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) is also one of the popular MBA entrance exams. It was qcquired by GMAC in 2015 and rebranded as NMAT by GMAC. NMAT by GMAC is a computer-based exam, held over a 75-day testing window, between October and December. Candidates need to attempt 120 MCQs in 120 minutes. Also Read: Colleges Accepting NMAT by GMAC score

NMAT by GMAC has various candidate-friendly options. For instance, candidates can appear for the exam a total of three times and the best of three scores will be used for admission. The NMAT exam has three main sections:

• Language Skills
• Quantitative Skills
• Logical Reasoning

Overview of MAT

Management Aptitude Test or MAT is also a very popular MBA entrance exam. More than 600 institutes accept MAT exam scores for admission to management programmes. Conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA), MAT is held four times a year – February, May, September and December.  The exam is held in both online (computer-based) and offline (written) mode. Held for 150 minutes, MAT question paper has 200 questions. The aspirant is tested on the following five areas:

• Indian and Global Environment
• Language Comprehension
• Data Analysis and Sufficiency
• Mathematical Skills
• Intelligence and Critical Reasoning

Overview of IIFT Exam

IIFT exam is an institute specific entrance test. The exam is conducted by the NTA for admission to the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). IIFT exam score is valid for admission to IIFT only. It is held in online mode in over 200 cities. IIFT exam is conducted in December. The duration of exam is 2 hours and the question paper consists of 200 multiple choice questions. It tests a candidate’s aptitude in the following areas:

• English Comprehension
• General Knowledge & Awareness
• Logical Reasoning
• Quantitative Analysis

Overview of ATMA

AIMS Test for Management Admissions or ATMA is also a national-level management entrance test. It is conducted online and held four times a year–February, May, July and August. ATMA score is used for admission by several management programmes in over 500 MBA institutes. Held for three hours, ATMA question paper consists of the following sections:

• Analytical Reasoning Skills Part 1
• Analytical Reasoning Skills Part 2
• Quantitative Skills Part 1
• Quantitative Skills Part 2
• Verbal Skills Part 1
• Verbal Skills Part 2

Overview of IBSAT

ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test or IBSAT is an institute-level entrance test. The exam is conducted by ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. IBSAT exam score is used for admission to MBA and PhD programmes at nine ICFAI Business School (IBS) campuses – Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Dehradun, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.

IBSAT exam is a computer-based test (CBT) and it assesses the candidate’s ability in the following:

• Verbal Ability
• Reading Comprehension
• Quantitative Aptitude
• Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation

Overview of MICAT 

MICAT is the online entrance test for MICA’s flagship two-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications (PGDM-C). To be eligible for MICAT, candidates first need to apply with CAT, XAT and GMAT. Selected applicants will be called for MICAT entrance test which is held in December.

Conducted for over 125 minutes, MICAT has two sections:

• Section 1 assesses the candidates’ Analytical Skills, Logical Skills, Verbal Skills, Divergent Thinking, Written Communication Skills and General Awareness.
• Section 2 consists of a Psychometric Test

Overview of MAH-CET

Maharashtra Common Entrance Test or MAH-CET is a state-level MBA entrance exam. The exam is conducted by the Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra, for admission to various management courses such as MBA, MMS, PGDBM and PGDM in various institutes in the state of Maharashtra.

MAH CET MBA is held in the month of March. Candidates need to attempt 200 questions in 150 minutes. MAH-CET question paper has three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
• Quantitative Aptitude
• Logical / Abstract Reasoning

Overview of IRMASAT

IRMA Social Awareness Test or IRMASAT is an institute-level entrance examination. It is conducted for admission to Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management (PGDRM) and Fellow Programme in Rural Management (FPRM) at Institute of Rural Management, Anand. IRMA exam is held in the month of January.

IRMA uses CAT/XAT scores to shortlist candidates in the first round. Shortlisted candidates are called for IRMA written test or IRMASAT on the subject of “Issues of Social Concern”.

Overview of KIITEE MBA Test

KIITEE is a national-level computer-based test for multiple courses, one of them being MBA. The KIITEE exam is conducted by KIIT University in January every year. The KIITEE MBA exam scores are primarily used for admission for two programmes: 

• MBA at KIIT School of Management (offered at KIIT University) 
• MBA (Rural Management) (KIIT School of Rural Management)

Candidates need to answer 150 questions in 150 minutes. There are four sections in KIITEE MBA:

• Quantitative Aptitude
• Analytical Reasoning
• English
• General Knowledge
• Issue of Social concern

Overview of OJEE MBA

Odisha Joint Entrance Exam or OJEE is a state-level MBA entrance test conducted by the Government of Orissa. The test scores are used for admission to various MBA courses in Odisha. The exam is conducted in April-May. OJEE is an online test in which candidates need to attempt 120 questions in 120 minutes. OJEE MBA has five sections:

• Verbal reasoning
• Analytical reasoning
• General Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Computer and Business fundamentals

Overview of KMAT

Karnataka Management Aptitude Test or KMAT is also a state-level MBA entrance examination for admission to post-graduate level programmes offered by MBA colleges and B-schools in the state of Karnataka. KMAT exam is held thrice in the months of May, July and September. KMAT registration schedule is announced in April.

Conducted by Karnataka Private Post Graduate Colleges Association (KPPGCA), KMAT scores are used for admission by more than 169 colleges across the state.

Candidates need to attempt 120 questions in 120 minutes. KMAT consists of the following sections:

• Language Comprehension
• Mathematical Skills
• Basic Aptitude

Overview of APICET

Andhra Pradesh – Integrated Common Entrance Test or APICET is a state-level MBA entrance examination conducted for admission to various B-schools and MBA colleges in Andhra Pradesh. APICET is generally held in the month of May. In 2019, the exam was conducted by Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, on behalf of Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). Also Read: Colleges accepting APICET score

APICET is a paper-based entrance test. Candidates need to attempt 200 questions in 150 minutes. 

APICET consist of three sections:

• Mathematical Ability
• Analytical Ability
• Communication

Overview of TSICET

Telangana State Integrated Common Entrance Test or TSICET is a state-level written MBA entrance test. TSICET was held for the first time in May 2015. The test scores are used for admission to various MBA courses in the state of Telangana. Also Read: Colleges accepting TSICET score

TSICET question paper has three sections:

• Analytical Ability
• Mathematical Ability
• Communication Ability

Overview of TANCET

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test or TANCET is a state-level written entrance examination conducted for admission to MBA courses in the state of Tamil Nadu. TANCET is conducted by Anna University, Chennai, on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Also Read: Colleges accepting TANCET Score 

TANCET exam is held in May, is for two hours (100 questions) and tests the candidates ability in:

• Analysis of Business Situations 
• Reading Comprehension
• Quantitative Ability
• Data Sufficiency
• English Usage

Overview of TISSNET

Tata Institute of Social Sciences National Entrance Test or TISSNET is an institute-level exam conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences for all Masters programmes offered in TISS-Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad, Guwahati, IMHST Chennai, MHAT Calicut and G-SET Ranchi. Also Read: Colleges Accepting TISSNET Score

A computer-based exam, TISSNET is held for 100 minutes (1 hour & 40 minutes). Questions asked in the exam are related to:

• Social Sensitivity
• Logical Reasoning
• Analytical Ability
• Knowledge on Contemporary issues

Overview of HPU MAT

HP University Management Aptitude Test or HPU MAT is an institute-level entrance examination conducted for admission to Himachal Pradesh University Business School and and HPU Regional Center, Dharamshala. Also Read: Colleges Accepting HPUMAT Score

The HPU-MAT entrance test has four sections:

• English Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Business Environment
• Arithmetic Comprehension & Data Interpretation

Other popular MBA entrance exams

The table below indicated MBA entrance exams beyond the ones already discussed above. Click on the links below to get detailed information about each examination.