Top 7 Competitive Management Entrance Examinations in India

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a golden ticket to entering into top management institutions at a decent profile. However, a ticket to an MBA comes at a price, a student needs to dedicate a certain amount of time to get well-versed in the competitive examination pattern. Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most popular exams among aspirants in India. Followed by XLRI’s XAT, NMAT, CET, CMAT, MAT etc.

Let’s discuss some of the most prominent management entrance examinations in India.

Common Admission Test (CAT): Considered the most popular entrance examination in India, the Common Admission Test (CAT) entrance exam score is used by 20 IIMs in India also, over a thousand MBA/PGDM colleges select candidates for admission on the basis of marks obtained by them in this exam. CAT is conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). Every year more than two lacs aspirant appears for the CAT examination. The exam consists of three sections: Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. The mode of examination has been online since 2009. It’s a three-hour test divided into three sections. However, this year CAT will be two hours paper due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Candidates can apply for the CAT examination through the official portal.

Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT): It’s a computer-based management examination. XAT is the second most popular management school examination after CAT. The examination is conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur for admission into the flagship two-year PGDM in Business Management. Every year more than one lac student appears for the XAT examination. XAT score is accepted by more than a thousand management institutes in India. XAT exam tests the candidate on four fronts: Quantitative Ability, English Language & Logical Reasoning, Decision Making and General Knowledge. Aspirants can apply through XAT official website.

Common Management Admission Test (CMAT): Known as the second-largest management entrance examination of the country, CMAT is roughly given by more than 1.5 lac aspirants every year. CMAT is conducted by National Test Agency (NTA). It’s a computer-based examination, and the duration of the test is three hours. The examination is divided into four sections: Quantitative Technique, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension and General Awareness. Candidates can apply for the same through the official website.

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP): Conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU), SNAP is a national-level computer-based 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 tests candidates on General English, Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency and Analytical & Logical Reasoning. The duration of the examination is two hours. Aspirants can apply for the SNAP test through their official website.

NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT): It’s also a popular nationwide management entrance examination. It was acquired 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. This year, NMAC has provided the facility of taking the test from home in remotely proctored mode due to COVID-19. NMAT is a student-friendly test offering three attempts to the aspirants and the best of three scores will be considered for the admission phase. The NMAT exam has three main sections: Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning. Candidates can apply through the official website.

Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade Exam (IIFT Exam): IIFT exam is an institute-specific entrance test. The exam is conducted by the National Test Agency (NTA) for admission to the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). Being an institute-specific exam, the IIFT exam score is valid for admission to IIFT only. It is held online mode in over 200 cities. The duration of the examination is two hours. It tests a candidate’s aptitude in four areas: English Comprehension, General Knowledge & Awareness, Logical Reasoning and Quantitative Analysis. Candidates can apply for the IIFT exam through the college’s official website.

Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MAH-CET): It’s a state-level entrance examination, however, quite popular among management students. 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. It’s a computer-based examination and the duration of the study is two hours. The MAH-CET question paper has three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical / Abstract Reasoning. Candidate can apply through the official website for the application form.

Apart from this list, there are several other national, state and regional-based management aptitude examinations such as; TISSNET, MAT, MICAT, IRMASAT, KIITEE MBA, OJEE MBA, APICET, TSICET, TANCET etc. For more details regarding these examinations, reach out in the comment section.

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