In short
The main MBA entrance exams in India are CAT for the IIMs, XAT for XLRI, SNAP for the Symbiosis institutes, NMAT for NMIMS, CMAT for state seats such as Gujarat's ACPC, and MICAT for MICA. Take CAT plus the one or two exams your target colleges use; one strong preparation base covers most of them.
In short: The main MBA entrance exams in India are CAT for the IIMs, XAT for XLRI, SNAP for the Symbiosis institutes, NMAT for NMIMS, CMAT for state seats such as Gujarat’s ACPC, and MICAT for MICA. Take CAT plus the one or two exams your target colleges use; one strong preparation base covers most of them.
Which are the main MBA entrance exams in India?
Six national tests decide most MBA admissions. The table shows who runs each one, its next exam date and the colleges it opens.
| Exam | Conducted by | Next exam date | Main colleges |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAT | The IIMs (IIM Indore this year) | 29 Nov 2026 | All 22 IIMs, FMS Delhi, MDI, SPJIMR, IIFT and most top B-schools |
| XAT | XLRI Jamshedpur | 03 Jan 2027 | XLRI, XIM University and 250+ institutes in all |
| SNAP | Symbiosis International (Deemed University) | 13 Dec 2026, 19 Dec 2026 and 26 Dec 2026 | 17 Symbiosis institutes, including SIBM Pune and SCMHRD |
| NMAT | GMAC | Testing window 02 Nov 2026 to 20 Dec 2026 | NMIMS campuses and other private B-schools |
| CMAT | National Testing Agency | 7 Feb 2027 (tentative) | Gujarat colleges through ACPC, and AICTE-approved colleges across India |
| MICAT | MICA, Ahmedabad | Phase I 05 Dec 2026; Phase II 12 Feb 2027 | MICA (with a CAT, XAT or GMAT score) |
Other exams with a narrower reach: MAH-CET for JBIMS and Maharashtra colleges, MAT and ATMA for many private colleges, IBSAT for the ICFAI business schools, and GMAT for ISB and one-year programmes for experienced professionals.
When are the MBA entrance exams in 2026-27?
The busiest stretch runs from late November to February, so registration deadlines overlap. Note these in one calendar:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 25 Nov 2026 | SNAP registration closes |
| 29 Nov 2026 | CAT exam day |
| 05 Dec 2026 | MICAT Phase I exam |
| 06 Dec 2026 | XAT registration closes |
| 13 Dec 2026, 19 Dec 2026, 26 Dec 2026 | SNAP tests 1, 2 and 3 |
| 20 Dec 2026 | NMAT testing window closes |
| 03 Jan 2027 | XAT exam day |
| 12 Jan 2027 | SNAP result |
| 31 Jan 2027 | XAT result |
| 7 Feb 2027 (tentative) | CMAT exam day |
| 12 Feb 2027 | MICAT Phase II exam |
Which MBA entrance exam should you take?
Start from the colleges you want, then pick the exams they use. Most students take CAT and add one or two others:
- IIMs: CAT is the only route to the IIMs’ two-year MBA.
- XLRI and other XAT colleges: XAT, which adds a Decision Making section.
- Symbiosis institutes: SNAP, which you can take up to 3 times, with your highest score counting.
- NMIMS: NMAT. You may retake it, but NMIMS counts only your first attempt.
- Gujarat state colleges: CMAT through ACPC, plus CAT for the early round at its Centres of Excellence.
- MICA: MICAT, along with a CAT, XAT or GMAT score.
- Maharashtra colleges, including JBIMS: MAH-CET, or CAT and CMAT through the state process.
- ISB or an MBA abroad: GMAT or GRE.
Not taking CAT at all? See how to do an MBA without CAT.
What does each MBA entrance exam test?
CAT
68 questions in 120 minutes, in three sections of 40 minutes each: VARC, DILR and Quant. A right answer earns +3 and a wrong multiple-choice answer costs −1. Full details: CAT exam guide.
XAT
95 questions in 3 hours: Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making, Quant and Data Interpretation, then General Knowledge, which XLRI uses but which does not count towards your percentile. Marking: +1 for a correct answer, −0.25 for a wrong one. See the XAT guide.
SNAP
60 questions in 60 minutes across four sections. Marking: +1 for a right answer, −0.25 for a wrong one, 0 if skipped. It is the fastest of the six papers, so speed decides your score. See the SNAP guide.
NMAT
108 questions in 120 minutes across Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning. There is no negative marking, you choose the order of sections, and you get up to 3 attempts. See the NMAT guide.
CMAT
100 questions for 400 marks in 180 minutes, across five sections that include General Awareness and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Marking: +4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 unanswered. In Gujarat, ACPC fills MBA seats at 73 colleges through CMAT. See our CMAT course.
MICAT
MICA’s own test, with a psychometric section, a descriptive writing section, and objective questions on verbal ability, quant, general awareness and divergent-convergent reasoning. MICA also needs a CAT, XAT or GMAT score.
Which is tougher: CAT, XAT or CMAT?
CAT and XAT are the toughest. Their questions need more reasoning each, and the colleges they open expect percentiles in the high 90s. XAT adds Decision Making, which rewards judgement more than speed. CMAT, SNAP and NMAT are faster papers with more direct questions, but competition for their top colleges is still sharp, so accuracy under time pressure decides the result.
Can you prepare for several MBA entrance exams at once?
Yes. Quant, reasoning, reading comprehension and grammar overlap across all of them, so one strong base built for CAT covers most of the syllabus. Then add each exam’s extras before its date: Decision Making for XAT, speed drills for SNAP and NMAT, and General Awareness for CMAT and XAT.
At Route99, CAT students prepare for the other MBA entrance exams on the same base, and a monthly one-to-one MAPs session (My Assessment and Planning) reads your mock results and decides which exams and colleges to add. See CAT coaching in Ahmedabad or live online CAT coaching.
Frequently asked questions
Choose the exam your target colleges use; no single exam suits everyone. CAT opens the most top colleges, including all the IIMs, so most students take it first and add XAT, SNAP, NMAT or CMAT for colleges such as XLRI, the Symbiosis institutes, NMIMS or Gujarat’s state MBA seats.
CAT is tougher. Its questions need more reasoning each, and the colleges it opens expect very high percentiles. CMAT is more speed-based with more direct questions, and it adds General Awareness and Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which CAT does not test. Many Gujarat students take both, because ACPC fills most state MBA seats through CMAT.
They test different strengths. NMAT has no negative marking, lets you choose the section order and allows retakes, though NMIMS counts only your first attempt. MAH-CET is a long, speed-heavy paper with a large reasoning share, used for Maharashtra’s state seats, including JBIMS. Choose by the colleges you want, not by which exam feels easier.
Yes. XAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT, MICAT, MAH-CET and GMAT all lead to good MBA colleges, such as XLRI, the Symbiosis institutes, NMIMS, MICA and JBIMS. The IIMs’ two-year MBA, however, admits only through CAT, so skipping CAT closes that door. Our guide to an MBA without CAT covers each route.
Take CAT plus the few exams your target colleges actually use, not every exam on the calendar. Each extra exam costs a fee and preparation time, and the papers fall close together in December and January. Shortlist your colleges first, check which tests each accepts, then register only for those.
Yes. CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT and CMAT all accept students in the final year of a bachelor’s degree, as long as they finish the degree with the required marks before the MBA starts. Check each exam’s official bulletin for the exact percentage and the date by which you must show your final result.
Sources
- CAT: iimcat.ac.in · XAT: xatonline.in (checked 11 Nov 2026) · SNAP: snaptest.org · NMAT: mba.com · CMAT: cmat.nta.nic.in (2027 notice awaited, checked 11 Nov 2026) · MICAT: mica.ac.in · Gujarat: ACPC MBA admissions
- Dates and exam facts on this page come from Route99’s exam records, each checked against the official site; each exam page shows the date it was last checked.
Updated 11 November 2026. Reviewed by Sachin Sir, Route99 faculty (VARC).