Completing a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) is no easy task. It takes quite some time and is expensive, but it definitely opens a myriad of career paths and is generally worth it. There are different types of MBAs and methods to complete it, ranging from full time to distance learning.
MBA degrees are also available in most countries, but have different admissions requirements. These include Bachelor Degree transcripts, resumes, recommendation letters, essays, and standardized test scores.
If you are interested in completing your MBA in the U.S for example, the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is required. However, for other countries, this is widely different. One country in which students can go on to complete their graduate degree require different exams for MBA. We are talking here about India.
In India, there are more than 50 MBA entrance exams. Because there are so many, students need to become informed first in order to decide which one to take. Each one has different MBA preparation books and MBA entrance exam syllabus.
Here we will go through 10 of the most common entrance exams for MBA in India.
1. CAT
| Name | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| Administered by | Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) |
| Taken by | 2 lakh or 200,000 students |
| Number of Questions | 100 questions |
| Available Time | 180 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,700 or $26.36 |
| The date to enter the test | Tests are usually held from November to December each year, while registration is done between August and September |
| Eligibility
|
· Have a Bachelor’s Degree with at least 50% marks or its equivalent
· Seniors in their last year of completing a Bachelor’s Degree (or its equivalent) can also apply |
| Description or Format
|
The CAT test is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India. It is accepted by 19 Indian Institutes of Management and other universities. The CAT tests four skills as follows:
· Verbal Reasoning · Quantitative Reasoning · Data Interpretation · Logical Reasoning It groups these four skills into three sections: · Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) · Quantitative Aptitude (QA) · Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC) |
2. SNAP
| Name | Symbiosis National Aptitude (SNAP) |
| Administered by | Symbiosis International University (SIU) |
| Taken by | Not Available |
| Number of Questions | 150 questions |
| Available Time | 120 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1500 or $23.26 |
| The date to enter the test | The test is usually held in December annually, while registration is open until November. |
| Eligibility
|
· Have a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent with at least 50% marks
· Those who are applying in specific fields and not just a general MBA, might be required to have a previous degree in that field. · Undergraduate seniors are allowed to take the test · No minimum age is required
|
| Description or Format
|
The Symbiosis International University has 15 schools which accept SNAP test scores. Other universities might also accept them, but you should check with the institution of your choice. The test is conducted on a computer and tests four types of skills:
· Quantitative, Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency · General English Language Skills · General Knowledge of current affairs and business scenarios · Analytical and Logical Reasoning |
3. NMAT
| Name | NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) |
| Administered by | Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) |
| Taken by | Not Available |
| Number of Questions | 120 questions |
| Available Time | 120 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,800 or $27.91 for timely applications, while late applications cost Rs 2,000 or $31.01. |
| The date to enter the test | The test is administered from October to December each year. |
| Eligibility
|
· Valid Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized university
· Senior undergraduate students can also apply · Applicants who have two or more years of work experience are given preference
|
| Description or Format
|
The test scores of the NMAT are accepted by more than 7 prestigious universities. The NMAT tests the following skills of candidates:
· Logical Reasoning · Language Skills · Quantitative Skills In addition, if a student wants to retake the test, they can register for it three times and then choose the best scores to send to universities. |
4. CMAT
| Name | Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) |
| Administered by | All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) |
| Taken by | 1.5 lakh or 150,000 students |
| Number of Questions | 100 questions |
| Available Time | 180 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1400 or $21.71 plus bank charges |
| The date to enter the test | The test is usually administered in January each year. |
| Eligibility
|
· Test takers must be citizens of India
· The applicant must have an undergraduate degree · Students in their senior year of Bachelor studies can also take the test · The CMAT has no minimum age requirement |
| Description or Format
|
The CMAT exam was first compiled in 2012, so it’s relatively new. However, it is widely accepted, with more than 500 business schools in India accepting the scores for admission. The CMAT tests the following skills:
· Quantitative Reasoning · Language Comprehension · Logical Reasoning · General Awareness |
5. MAT
| Name | Management Aptitude Test (MAT) |
| Administered by | All India Management Association (AIMA) |
| Taken by | Not Available |
| Number of Questions | 200 questions |
| Available Time | 150 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,400 or $21.71 |
| The date to enter the test | The test is held four times each year in February, May, September, and December. |
| Eligibility
|
· Bachelor’s Degree in any field of study
· Undergraduate seniors are also eligible · No minimum age requirement |
| Description or Format
|
The MAT is accepted by more than 600 business schools for management fields. The test is available in two modes, both computer and paper based, and students can choose to take either one of them.
The test is comprised of questions in five topics: · Language Comprehension · Mathematical Skills · Indian and Global Environment · Data Analysis and Sufficiency · Intelligence and Critical Thinking |
6. XAT
| Name | Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) |
| Administered by | Xavier Labor Relations Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur |
| Taken by | 1 lakh or 100,000 students |
| Number of Questions | · The test has 78 questions, but students can choose not to answer 13 of them.
· If they do not answer more than 13 questions, their scores will drop by 0.05 per question. · In addition, their score decreases by 0.25 points per question for every wrong answer. |
| Available Time | 170 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,600 or $24.81 for timely applications. Late application fee is Rs 2,000 or $31.01. |
| The date to enter the test | The test is held in January of each year. |
| Eligibility
|
· A valid Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
· Seniors in their final year of undergraduate studies are also allowed to apply · Students with three or more years of work experience are prioritized · There is no minimum age requirement for the XAT
|
| Description or Format
|
XAT test scores are accepted by more than 100 business schools or institutions. It is designed to test these skills:
· English Language and Logical Reasoning · Writing skills (Essay is required to be written after students are shortlisted for courses in the Labor Relations Institute or XLRI) · Quantitative Skills · Decision Making |
7. IBSAT
| Name | ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test (IBSAT) |
| Administered by | ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education |
| Taken by | Not Available |
| Number of Questions | 120 questions |
| Available Time | 120 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,800 or $27.89 |
| The date to enter the test | The test is available to take in December each year. |
| Eligibility
|
· Have a Bachelor’s Degree with more than 50% of good marks
· Have completed the degree in English or otherwise present English language proficiency scores (TOEFL/IELTS/NELT) · Undergraduate seniors can also take the test if they can prove graduation by the deadline · There are no age requirements for the IBSAT |
| Description or Format
|
IBSAT is a test taken to get admission into a business school at nine ICFAI university campuses. The test is computer based and measures the following skills:
· Reading comprehension · Verbal reasoning · Quantitative reasoning · Data sufficiency and interpretation |
8. MICAT
| Name | MICAT |
| Administered by | MICA (formerly Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad) |
| Taken by | Not Available |
| Number of Questions | Approximately 94 questions |
| Available Time | 180 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,965 or $30.44 |
| The date to enter the test | The test is held in December annually. |
| Eligibility
|
· Have a Bachelor’s Degree recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
· Undergraduate seniors are eligible to apply |
| Description or Format
|
The MICAT test allows students to enter into the management school administered by MICA. The prerequisites for the MICAT test is that the students should have completed one of the other tests such as the CAT, XAT, or GMAT.
The test assesses students in several skills: · Logical reasoning · Analytical reasoning · Verbal reasoning · Communication · General Awareness · Psychometric test |
9. ATMA
| Name | AIMS Test for Management Admissions (ATMA) |
| Administered by | Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) |
| Taken by | Not available |
| Number of Questions | 180 questions |
| Available Time | 180 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,100 or $17.04 |
| The date to enter the test | The test is available in February, May, June, and July each year. |
| Eligibility
|
· Have a Bachelor’s Degree or the equivalent
· Be a citizen of India · Undergraduate seniors are also eligible · No minimum age requirements · No minimum work experience required to enter the test |
| Description or Format
|
The ATMA test is offered in both paper and computer based formats. Its scores are accepted in a variety of business institutions. It tests the following skills:
· Analytical Reasoning (Part 1 and 2) · Quantitative Reasoning (Part 1 and 2) · Verbal Reasoning (Part 1 and 2) |
10. IIFT
| Name | Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Test |
| Administered by | Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) |
| Taken by | Not available |
| Number of Questions | 200 questions |
| Available Time | 120 minutes |
| Test Fee | Rs 1,550 or $24.04 |
| The date to enter the test | The test is held in November annually. |
| Eligibility
|
· Bachelor’s Degree in any field or its equivalent
· Seniors in undergraduate school can also apply but must submit proof of an upcoming graduation · No minimum age requirements |
| Description or Format
|
This exam is only taken by students who want to attend an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. The test is not available as a computer based test, but can only be taken as paper based. It tests students in four areas:
· General Knowledge and Awareness · Quantitative Reasoning · Logical Reasoning · English Comprehension |
Besides these 10 of the most common MBA entrance exams, there are also a number of other exams administered in India. These are similar to the ones listed and are used to measure a student’s skills to successfully complete an MBA.
The tests are:
- Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MAH-CET)
- Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) Admission test
- KIITEE Management Test (KIITEE MBA)
- Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) MBA
- Karnataka Management Aptitude Test (KMAT)
- Andhra Pradesh – Integrated Common Entrance Test (APICET)
- Telangana State Integrated Common Entrance Test (TSICET)
- Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET)
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences National Entrance Test (TISSNET)
- HP University Management Aptitude Test (HPU-MAT)
In addition to all of these, another common test for which we have written articles and is used throughout the world as an entrance exam for MBA is the GMAT. The GMAT is administered by the GMAC and tests skills such as verbal and quantitative reasoning, data interpretation, and written skills. You can find out more about this test in the GMAT vs. GRE article.