Pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) continues to be one of the most preferred career paths among students in India. However, the first and most important step toward securing admission into a top MBA college is choosing and preparing for the right entrance exam. Every year, lakhs of aspirants appear for various MBA exams that evaluate not only aptitude and reasoning abilities but also communication and analytical skills. These MBA exams act as gateways to prestigious institutes such as the IIMs, FMS Delhi, MICA, JBIMS, and many others.
In this blog, we will explore the top 10 MBA exams in India, including their expected registration dates, exam schedules, exam patterns, number of sections, duration, and other important details. This page provides a complete overview of the most popular MBA exams that candidates should consider admission into leading business schools across the country.
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- CAT (Common Admission Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Common Admission Test |
| Registration starts | Early Augst |
| Last date for registration | Mid-September |
| Exam date | 29th November (Expected) |
| Exam mode | Online (Computer Based) |
| Answer key | 2nd week of December (Expected) |
| Result | December End |
| No. of slots | 3 slots on a single day |
| Duration | 120 Minutes |
| No. Of sections | 3 sections Quantitative Aptitude Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretations Verbal Reasoning & Reading Comprehension |
| Total questions | 68 questions |
| Total marks | 204 marks |
| Marking scheme | +3 for every correct answer -1 for every wrong answer No marks for unattempted question |
- XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Xavier Aptitude Test |
| Conducting body | XLRI Jamshedpur |
| Registration starts | August first week |
| Last date for registration | December first week |
| Exam date | January first week |
| Exam mode | Online (Computer based) |
| Result | January end |
| Duration | 180 minutes Part 1: Aptitude test – 170 minutes Part 2: GK test – 10 minutes |
| No. Of sections | Part 1: • VALR: 26 Questions • DM: 21 Questions • QA & DI: 28 Questions Part 2: • GK: 20 Questions |
| Total questions | 95 questions |
| Total marks | Part 1: 75 marks; Part 2: 20 marks |
| Marking scheme | +1 for every correct answer -0.25 for every wrong answer |
- CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Common Management Admission Test |
| Conducting body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Registration starts | Early October |
| Last date for registration | November |
| Exam date | January |
| Result | Mid February |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 180 minutes |
| Total questions | 100 questions(20 questions each section) |
| Total marks | 400 marks |
| No. Of section | 5 Sections • Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation • Logical Reasoning • Language Comprehension • General Awareness • Innovation & Entrepreneurship |
| Marking scheme | +4 for every correct answer -1 for every wrong answer No negative marks for unattempted question |
- SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Online Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Symbiosis National Aptitude Online Test |
| Conducting body | Symbiosis Pune |
| Registration starts | August first week |
| Last date for registration | November end |
| Exam date | 3 days in December |
| Result | January first week |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Total questions | 60 questions |
| Total marks | 60 marks |
| Total Attempts | 3 attempts (Result based on best of 3) |
| No. Of section | 3 Sections • General English – 15 Ques. • Analytical & Logical Reasoning – 25 Ques. • Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency – 20 Ques. |
| Marking scheme | +1 for every correct answer -0.25 for every wrong answer |
- NMAT (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test |
| Conducting body | NMIMS Mumbai |
| Registration starts | August mid |
| Last date for registration | Mid October |
| Exam date | October to December |
| Result | Score available just after exam |
| Exam mode | • Online test from exam centre • Online test from home |
| Duration | 120 Minutes • Language Skills: 28 Minutes • Logical Reasoning: 52 Minutes • Quantitative Skills: 40 Minutes |
| Total questions | 108 Questions (36 questions each section) |
| Total marks | 360 marks |
| No. Of section | 3 Sections • Language Skills • Logical Reasoning • Quantitative Skills |
| Marking scheme | • Adapts to your ability level • No negative marking |
- XGMT (Xavier General Management Aptitude Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Xavier General Management Aptitude Test |
| Conducting body | XIM Bhuvneshwar |
| Registration starts | August last week |
| Last date for registration | Mid December |
| Exam date | January third week |
| Result | January end |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 120 Minutes (section time limit varies) |
| Total questions | 100 to 130 questions |
| Total marks | 300 to 360 marks |
| No. Of section | 4 Sections • Quantitative Aptitude • Verbal & Logical Reasoning • Data Interpretation • Emotional Quotient and General Awareness |
| Marking scheme | • +3 for every correct answer • -1 negative marking • No marks for unattempted questions |
- MAH CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Exam)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Maharashtra Common Entrance Exam |
| Conducting body | State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra |
| Registration starts | December last week |
| Last date for registration | Mid-February |
| Exam date | April Mid |
| Result | June first week |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 150 Minutes |
| Total questions | 200 questions |
| Total marks | 200 marks |
| No. Of section | 4 Sections • Abstract Reasoning – 25 Ques. • Logical Reasoning – 75 Ques. • Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension – 50 Ques. • Quantitative Aptitude – 50 Ques. |
| Marking scheme | • +1 for every correct answer • No negative marking |
- PGDBA (Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics |
| Conducting body | Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata |
| Registration starts | January first week |
| Last date for registration | Mid-February |
| Exam date | March second week |
| Result | May end |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 180 Minutes |
| Total questions | 50 questions |
| Total marks | 150 marks |
| No. Of section | 4 Sections • Verbal Ability – 15 Ques. • Logical Reasoning – 5 Ques. • Data Interpretation and DataVisualisationn – 5 Ques. • Quantitative Aptitude – 25 Ques. |
| Marking scheme | • +3 for every correct answer • -1 negative marking • No marks for unattempted questions |
- MICAT (MICA Admission Test)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | MICA Admission Test |
| Conducting body | MICA, Ahmedabad |
| Registration starts | September first week |
| Last date for registration | Mid-January |
| Exam date | December (MICAT 1), February (MICAT 2) |
| Result | December (MICAT 1), February (MICAT 2) |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 135 Minutes |
| Total questions | 224 Questions Section A: 150 (Qualifier Only) Section B: 4 Section C: 70 |
| Total marks | 140 to 150 marks |
| No. Of section | 3 Sections Section A: Psychometric Test Section B: Descriptive Test Section C: with four sub-sections • Verbal Ability • Quantitative Ability • General Awareness • Divergent-Convergent Reasoning |
| Marking scheme | Only for Section C • +1 for each correct answer • -0.25 for each incorrect answer |
10. SRCC GBO (Shree Ram College of Commerce – Global Business Operation)
| Particular | Detail |
| Full name | Shree Ram College of Commerce – Global Business Operation |
| Conducting body | SRCC, Delhi |
| Registration starts | December Mid |
| Last date for registration | January last week |
| Exam date | February last week |
| Result | April Mid |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Duration | 120 Minutes (No sectional time limit) |
| Total questions | 100 que4stions (25 per section) |
| Total marks | 400 marks |
| No. Of section | 4 Sections • English Comprehension • Logical Ability • Data Interpretation • Quantitative Ability |
| Marking scheme | • +4 for every correct answer • -1 negative marking |
Conclusion
Choosing the right MBA entrance exam is the first step toward building a successful management career. With multiple options like CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, and NMAT, aspirants should select an exam based on their target colleges, career goals, difficulty level, and preparation strategy. Each exam offers unique opportunities to secure admission into top business schools across India and abroad.
Consistent preparation, understanding the exam pattern, and regular mock practice can significantly improve your chances of success. Whether you aim for premier institutes like Indian Institutes of Management or reputed private B-schools, choosing the right MBA entrance exam can shape your future in the corporate world. Start your preparation early, stay focused, and take the first step toward achieving your management career goals.
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