Top MBA Entrance Exams 2024-2025: Check Exam Dates & Last Date to Apply!

Top MBA entrance exams like CAT, XAT, MAT, SNAP, NMAT will be held between November 2024 to January 2025. Take a look at application and exam dates of every top entrance exam for MBA in India that are the gateway to popular B-Schools in India.

Top MBA entrance exams in India include CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT, IIFT, MAT, MAH CET, IBSAT, etc. MBA aspirants must know all about these top MBA entrance exams. Appearing for an MBA entrance exam is mandatory for admission to the MBA/PGDM courses in India. Thus, aspirants must gather all the information about these tests and then choose the one which is most useful for them. For example, if an aspirant is aiming for IIMs, then they must appear for the CAT but if an aspirant is aiming for a Tier-2 private MBA college, then they should appear for CMAT or MAT.

IIM CAT is the most popular entrance exam for MBA in India as over 1,300 MBA colleges select candidates for admission on the basis of marks obtained in this exam. Over 2 lakh candidates appear for CAT every year. The second most popular MBA entrance exam is CMAT conducted by the NTA. CMAT score is accepted by 1,300 MBA colleges across India. Third most popular MBA entrance exam is XAT which is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. XAT score is accepted by over 800 MBA colleges in India. 

Apart from these exams, there are more than 50 entrance tests for admission to the top MBA colleges in India. The MBA entrance exams in India are conducted at three different levels.

• National level: Most popular among them are CAT, CMAT and MAT
• State level: Most popular among them are MAH-CET, TSICET, APICET, KMAT and TANCET 
• University/College level: Some prominent entrance tests include XAT, SNAP and MICAT

In 2022, NTA introduced a pan India entrance exam for multiple courses, including MBA, CUET-PG. This, national-level MBA entrance exam score is accepted by all Central universities. Candidates interested in pursuing MBA from a Central university must appear for CUET-PG. It is held in May, every year.

Top MBA Entrance Exams in India: Registration Last Date

Top MBA entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, MAT, SNAP, CMAT, etc. are conducted between November and May. CAT exam is over, check below the applicatio deadline of other top MBA entrance exams.

• XAT 2025 registration last date is December 10, 2024
• CMAT 2025 registrations last date is December 13, 2024.
• MAT December 2024 registration last date is December 15, 2024.
• ATMA December 2024 registration last date is December 11, 2024.

Read below to know which MBA exams you can take in the coming months, their registration process, eligibility, fees, syllabus, pattern and preparation strategy. This information will help you in deciding which entrance exam for MBA you can take this year and which MBA colleges you can apply to. 

Also Read:

• MBA admission 2025: Check Application dates, fees and process of top B-schools in India
• MBA preparation 2025: Tips to prepare for MBA entrance exams
• Top PGDM Colleges in India: NIRF Ranks, Placements, Fees, Courses
• MBA Scholarships in India- Check College Wise Scholarships for MBA

Top MBA Entrance Exams 2025: Application and Exam Dates

The table below lists the application deadline and the exam date of top 20 MBA exams in India. Read further below to know exam-wise registration process, fee and other exam related details.

MBA Entrance Exam Flow

The subsequent sections provide details about the top MBA entrance exams in India and other related links.

Overview of CAT 

Common Admission Test or CAT, the most popular entrance exam for MBA of India, is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). CAT score is used by 20 IIMs and over 1200 other management institutes across the country for admission. More than two lakh students appear for the exam each year.

CAT was launched in 1950 and graduated to being an online-entrance test in 2009 of 3 hours. The CAT question paper consists of MCQs and Non-MCQs. In 2020, CAT exam was conducted in three sessions and the duration of the exam was 120 minutes, the number of questions was reduced to 76. In 2021, the number of questions was further reduced to 66. Since then it is conducted in three slots and for 2 hours only. Registration for CAT is online and the exam is held at over 400 exam centres. CAT exam consists of three sections: Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning.

These segments are grouped into three sections:

• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC)

Also Read:

Overview of CMAT

The second-largest management entrance examination of the country, the Common Management Admission Test or CMAT is taken by roughly 1.5 lakh candidates. Conducted by the National Testing Agency, CMAT is a popular option among MBA aspirants after CAT. The first CMAT exam took place in 2012. The exam score is accepted by more than 1,300 MBA institutes across the country. The exam is held in May, but in 2025, it will be held in January, as per announcement made by the NTA.

CMAT is a computer-based exam (held for 180 minutes) in two sessions and tests the candidate’s aptitude in four main sections:

• Quantitative Technique
• Logical Reasoning
• Language Comprehension
• General Awareness
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Also Read:

Overview of XAT

Another top management entrance, Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT is a computer-based management aptitude test. Conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur, XAT is taken by approximately one lakh candidates, annually. XAT is held on the first Sunday of the year (January). XAT scores are accepted by XLRI Jamshedpur and more than 800 management institutes.

XAT exam tests the candidate on the following:

• Quantitative Ability
• English Language & Logical Reasoning
• Decision Making
• General Knowledge

Also Read:

Overview of SNAP

Conducted by Symbiosis International University, Symbiosis National Aptitude Test or SNAP is also a national-level management entrance examination. SNAP score is primarily used for admission to 16 institutes under Symbiosis International University. In SNAP, candidates get three attempts and the best of three scores is taken into consideration for admission shortlisting process. SNAP registrations take place from August to November and the exam is held in December.

SNAP Test is a computer-based exam and the duration is two hours. It tests candidates on:

• General English
• Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency
• Analytical & Logical Reasoning

Also Read: 

Overview of NMAT by GMAC

NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) is also one of the popular MBA entrance exams. 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. Candidates need to attempt 108 MCQs in 120 minutes. During COVID-19, NMAT was conducted in remote proctored mode. Now, it is again conducted in computer based test mode at designated exam centres. 

Also Read: Colleges Accepting NMAT by GMAC score

NMAT by GMAC has various candidate-friendly options. For instance, candidates can appear for the exam a total of three times and the best of three scores will be used for admission. The NMAT exam has three main sections:

• Language Skills
• Quantitative Skills
• Logical Reasoning

Also Read:

Overview of MAT

Management Aptitude Test or MAT is also a very popular MBA entrance exam. More than 600 institutes accept MAT exam scores for admission to management programmes. Conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA), MAT is held four times a year – February, May, September and December.  The exam is held in Computer Based Test (CBT), Paper Based Test (PBT) mode and Internet Based Test (IBT) mode. The MAT exam pattern has changed recently. It is now held for 150 minutes and has 200 questions. The aspirant is tested on the following subjects:

• Indian and Global Environment
• Language Comprehension
• Data Analysis and Sufficiency
• Mathematical Skills
• Intelligence and Critical Reasoning

Also Read:

Overview of ATMA

AIMS Test for Management Admissions or ATMA is also a national-level management entrance test. It is conducted online in internet based test mode and held four times a year--February, May, July and August. ATMA score is used for admission by several management programmes in over 500 MBA institutes.

Held for three hours, ATMA question paper consists of the following sections:

• Analytical Reasoning Skills Part 1
• Analytical Reasoning Skills Part 2
• Quantitative Skills Part 1
• Quantitative Skills Part 2
• Verbal Skills Part 1
• Verbal Skills Part 2

Also Read:

Overview of IBSAT

ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test or IBSAT is an institute-level entrance test. The exam is conducted by ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. IBSAT exam score is used for admission to MBA and PhD programmes at nine ICFAI Business School (IBS) campuses – Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Dehradun, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.

IBSAT exam is an Internet Based Test (IBT) and it assesses the candidate’s ability in the following:

• Verbal Ability
• Reading Comprehension
• Quantitative Aptitude
• Data Adequacy & Data Interpretation 

Also Read:

Overview of MICAT 

MICAT is the online entrance test for MICA's flagship two-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications (PGDM-C). To be eligible for MICAT, candidates first need to apply with CAT, XAT and GMAT. Selected applicants will be called for MICAT entrance test which is held in December and February.

Also Read: Colleges accepting MICAT score

Conducted for over 125 minutes, MICAT has two sections:

• Section 1 assesses the candidates’ Analytical Skills, Logical Skills, Verbal Skills, Divergent Thinking, Written Communication Skills and General Awareness.
• Section 2 consists of a Psychometric Test

Also Read:

Overview of MAH MBA CET

Maharashtra Common Entrance Test or MAH-CET is a state-level MBA entrance exam. 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. MAH CET MBA is held in the month of March. Candidates need to attempt 200 questions in 150 minutes.

MAH MBA CET question paper has three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
• Quantitative Aptitude
• Logical / Abstract Reasoning

Also Read:

Overview of KIITEE MBA

KIITEE is a national-level computer-based test for multiple courses, one of them being MBA. The KIITEE Management exam is conducted by KIIT University in January every year. The KIITEE MBA exam scores are primarily used for admission for two programmes: 

• MBA at KIIT School of Management (offered at KIIT University) 
• MBA (Rural Management) (KIIT School of Rural Management)

Candidates need to answer 150 questions in 150 minutes. There are four sections in KIITEE MBA:

• Quantitative Aptitude
• Analytical Reasoning
• English
• General Knowledge
• Issue of Social concern

Also Read: Colleges Accepting KIITEE MBA score

Overview of OJEE MBA

Odisha Joint Entrance Exam or OJEE is a state-level MBA entrance test conducted by the Government of Orissa. The test scores are used for admission to various MBA courses in Odisha. The exam is conducted in April-May. OJEE is an online test in which candidates need to attempt 120 questions in 120 minutes.

OJEE MBA has five sections:

• Verbal reasoning
• Analytical reasoning
• General Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Computer and Business fundamentals

Also Read:

Overview of KMAT

Karnataka Management Aptitude Test or KMAT is also a state-level MBA entrance examination for admission to post-graduate level programmes offered by MBA colleges and B-schools in the state of Karnataka. KMAT exam is held thrice in the months of May, July and September. The candidates can choose a slot on the exam day to take the test from home.

Conducted by Karnataka Private Post Graduate Colleges Association (KPPGCA), KMAT scores are used for admission by more than 169 colleges across the state.

Candidates need to attempt 120 questions in 120 minutes.

KMAT consists of the following sections:

• Language Comprehension
• Mathematical Skills
• Basic Aptitude

Also Read:

Overview of APICET

Andhra Pradesh - Integrated Common Entrance Test or APICET is a state-level MBA entrance examination conducted for admission to various B-schools and MBA colleges in Andhra Pradesh. APICET is generally held in the month of May. The exam is conducted by Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, on behalf of Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE).

Also Read: Colleges accepting APICET score

APICET is a paper-based entrance test. Candidates need to attempt 200 questions in 150 minutes. 

APICET consist of three sections:

• Mathematical Ability
• Analytical Ability
• Communication

Also Read:

Overview of TSICET

Telangana State Integrated Common Entrance Test or TSICET is a state-level written MBA entrance test. TSICET was held for the first time in May 2015. The test scores are used for admission to various MBA courses in the state of Telangana.

Also Read: Colleges accepting TSICET score

TSICET question paper has three sections:

• Analytical Ability
• Mathematical Ability
• Communication Ability

Also Read:

Overview of TANCET

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test or TANCET is a state-level written entrance examination conducted for admission to MBA courses in the state of Tamil Nadu. TANCET is conducted by Anna University, Chennai, on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Also Read: Colleges accepting TANCET Score 

TANCET exam is held in May, is for two hours (100 questions) and tests the candidates ability in:

• Analysis of Business Situations 
• Reading Comprehension
• Quantitative Ability
• Data Sufficiency
• English Usage

Also Read:

DFP-Banner

Overview of HPU MAT

HP University Management Aptitude Test or HPU MAT is an institute-level entrance examination conducted for admission to Himachal Pradesh University Business School and and HPU Regional Center, Dharamshala.

Also Read: Colleges Accepting HPUMAT Score

The HPU-MAT entrance test has four sections:

• English Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Business Environment
• Arithmetic Comprehension & Data Interpretation

Also Read:

Overview of NBSAT

Narayana Business School Admission Test or NBSAT is a common entrance test conducted by Narayana Business School for admission to its PGDM/MBA programmes. It is an online proctored test that can be taken from home. The test is of two hours duration and comprises questions from Quantitative Techniques (QT), Data Interpretation & Data Adequacy (DI & DA), Vocabulary & Analytical Reasoning (AR) and Reading Comprehension (RC).