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16 July, 2025
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Over a thousand reputable management institutes/colleges in India offer MBA programmes specialised in finance, marketing, operations management, consulting, entrepreneurship, and human resources. However, admission to some of the best colleges is based on performance in MBA entrance examination. Choosing an entrance test for an MBA course can be challenging due to the many available options. Some popular entrance examinations for MBAs include CAT, GMAT, XAT, and NMAT. If you are planning for an MBA but struggling to decide which entrance exam is best for MBA, continue reading to learn everything about MBA entrance exams.
Around 250,000 students are expected to enrol annually in various MBA programmes worldwide. Most CEOs, CFOs, CTOs, and folks in top positions in firms are likely to hold an MBA degree, which is why it is a strategic step toward professional success. Since there are so many exams for MBA admission, it becomes confusing to choose the appropriate one and prepare accordingly. Here’s a list of some of the most sought-after entrance exams for MBA:
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the most popular and challenging MBA entrance exam by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). The exam is held for admission to over 1000 colleges in India, including IIMs, IITs, NITs, and MNITs. As a result, more than 2 lakh students appear for the CAT entrance exam every year. The CAT entrance exam date is tentatively in November.
CAT comprises four main parts: verbal, quantitative, data interpretation, and logical reasoning. These parts are grouped into three sections: verbal and reading comprehension (VRC), quantitative aptitude (QA), and data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR). So, if you want one exam which fits all, this is the test for MBA admission.
The NMAT (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test) is a national-level entrance exam organised by the Graduate Management Admission Council. It offers admission to MBA and several other graduate management degree courses from different institutes/colleges, such as Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) and various other institutions.
NMAT primarily tests a candidate’s quantitative skills, language skills, and logical reasoning abilities.
| Exam Sections | Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Language Skills | 36 questions |
| Logical Reasoning | 36 questions |
| Quantitative Skills | 36 questions |
| Marking Scheme | 1 mark for every correct question No negative marking |
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) conducts the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), a national-level MBA entrance examination, to assess candidates’ abilities in various segments such as general awareness, quantitative technique, logical reasoning, and language comprehension.
The CMAT score is recognised at all AICTE-approved institutes, departments, universities, and colleges. The exam evaluates general awareness, language comprehension, logical reasoning, and quantitative and data interpretation skills.
| CMAT Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation | 20 questions |
| Logical Reasoning | 20 questions |
| Language Comprehension | 20 questions |
| General Awareness | 20 questions |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship | 20 questions |
|
Marking Scheme: 80 marks per section – 4 marks for every correct answer 1 mark deducted for every wrong answer 100 percentile expected at marks 350 or above out of 400 | |
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) for admission to undergraduate management programmes offered by various foreign institutes and universities. However, the GMAT exam is replaced by the GMATTM Focus Edition. It is a shorter and more streamlined entrance test for an MBA. You can check your registration and confirm the same with the registration authority. You can give your GMAT exam five times in 12 months.
GMAT mainly comprises four sections, including verbal, quantitative, integrated reasoning, and analytical writing assessment.
| Exam Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| Verbal | 21 questions (45 mins time) |
| Quantitative | 23 questions (45 mins time) |
| Data Insights | 20 questions (45 mins time) |
Read: GMAT Score Chart and Percentile Calculator
The Management Aptitude Test (MAT) is a national-level MBA entrance examination administered by the All India Management Association (AIMA) to offer admission to various management programmes. MAT is conducted four times a year (typically in February, May, August, and December) and is available in both online (computer-based test) and offline (written test) formats.
The exam assesses candidates’ abilities in five areas, including mathematical skills, language comprehension, Indian and global environment, intelligence and critical reasoning, language analysis, and sufficiency.
| Exam Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| Language Comprehension | 30 questions |
| Mathematical Skills | 30 questions |
| Data Analysis and Sufficiency | 30 questions |
| Intelligence and Critical Reasoning | 30 questions |
| Economics & Business Environment | 30 questions |
| Marking Scheme: Total Marks: 200 One mark is awarded for each correct answer. 0.25 marks deducted for each incorrect answer. | |
The Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is another popular entrance exam for MBA which is conducted by the Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) in Jamshedpur. Around one lakh students appear each year for XAT, typically held on the first Sunday of January. More than 100 management colleges accept students based on their XAT scores. You can check out your results from their official website.
XAT mainly consists of four sections: quantitative ability, decision-making, English language and logical reasoning, and general knowledge and essay. However, the General Knowledge and Essay tests are conducted only after students are shortlisted for XLRI courses.
| Exam Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| Decision Making | 21 questions |
| Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 questions |
| Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 28 questions |
| General Knowledge | 20 questions |
|
Marking Scheme: Total Marks: 95 One mark is awarded for every correct answer. 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer. 0.10 marks are deducted consecutively for more than eight unattempted questions. No negative marking is done in the GK section. | |
ATMA (AIMS Test for Management Admissions) is a national-level entrance test for MBA administered by the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) to offer admission to various management programmes such as MBA, PGDBA, PGDM, MCA, MCM, etc. The exam is conducted four times a year.
Exam Pattern:
| Exam Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| Analytical Reasoning Part 1 & Part 2 | 30 + 30 Questions |
| Verbal Skills Part 1 & Part 2 | 30 + 30 Questions |
| Quantitative Skills Part 1 & Part 2 | 30 + 30 Questions |
|
Marking Scheme: Total Marks: 180 One mark is awarded for every correct answer. 0.25 marks are deducted for every incorrect answer. | |
MAH-CET, also known as MAH-MBA, is an MBA entrance examination conducted by the Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra. Its purpose is to admit students to various management courses offered by different institutes in the state of Maharashtra.
Admission to courses such as MBA/PGDM/PGDMB/MMS is facilitated by the Competent Authority of the State of Maharashtra through a centralised process known as CAP (Centralised Admission Process). The MAH-CET exam is held in various sessions, and the Competent Authority calculates scores for each session using the standardised equi-percentile method.
The exam tests logical reasoning, verbal ability, reading comprehension, quantitative aptitude, and abstract reasoning.
| Exam Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension | 50 Questions |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 50 Questions |
| Logical Reasoning | 75 Questions |
| Abstract Reasoning | 25 Questions |
|
Marking Scheme: Total Marks: 200 One mark for each correct attempt. No negative marking. | |
The Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) is a national-level management entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU) for admission to institutes under SIU and for other MBA or equivalent courses. Since 2017, the SNAP has been conducted online instead of the traditional pen-and-paper-based exam.
The test comprises three main sections, which include analytical and logical reasoning, general English and quantitative, data interpretation, and data sufficiency.
| Exam Sections | Questions |
|---|---|
| General English | 15 |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 25 |
| Quantitative Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency | 20 |
|
Marking Scheme: Total Marks: 60 One mark is awarded for every correct answer. 0.25 marks deducted for every incorrect answer. | |
Pursuing an MBA degree has a lot of benefits, such as providing a solid theoretical foundation in business concepts and helping to develop essential skills such as leadership, management, communication, motivation, and negotiation. MBA, or Master of Business Administration, is one of the most prestigious and highly enrolled courses worldwide, given the professional opportunities the course provides and the personal benefits this degree offers. Especially in today’s time, when the business landscape is ever-changing, the allure of management degrees has increased, a testament to the fact that MBA degrees are in high demand. The charm of an MBA degree has made the MBA entrance examinations a tough nut to crack. If you are eyeing a certain college, then prepare for the relevant exam to avoid wasting time and effort.
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