Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India 2026: Rankings, Courses, Fees, and Admissions
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Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India 2026: Rankings, Courses, Fees, and Admissions

#MBA
SundararajanUpdated on 25 Dec 2025, 10:44 AM IST

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India are the top B-Schools of India. Management institutions like the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, IIT Delhi and XLRI are some of the MBA Tier 1 colleges in India. The Tier 1 B schools in India excel in the following areas: academics, infrastructure, faculty, research, placements, and presence on national and international platforms, along with their alumni network. Continue reading this article to find the complete list of Tier 1 MBA colleges in India.
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Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India 2026: Rankings, Courses, Fees, and Admissions
top mba tier 1 colleges in india

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India 2026: Admissions and Fees

The Tier 1 MBA colleges in India also have an excellent NIRF ranking. The students passing out from tier 1 colleges in India for MBA have the brand value to jump into the business world effectively. Candidates can get admission to Tier 1 B schools in India in 2026 by appearing in exams like MBA colleges accepting CAT scores, XAT, MAT, SNAP, etc. The Tier 1 MBA colleges in India are the best-recognised business schools.

The highest-ranking management institutions in the country are placed in the Tier 1 MBA colleges list. Read the complete article to know the list of Tier 1 MBA colleges in India and other relevant details.

Top MBA colleges in India (Tier 1)

College Name

Location

Courses Offered

MBA Fees

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad

Gujarat

MBA, Executive MBA, Fellowship

Rs.26,50,000

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore

Karnataka

MBA, PGDM, Executive MBA

Rs.26,00,000

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode

Kerala

MBA, PGDM, PhD in Management

Rs.20,50,000

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta

West Bengal

MBA, PGDM, Executive MBA

Rs.27,00,000

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi

Hauz Khas, New Delhi

MBA, MBA Telecom, Executive MBA

Rs. 12,00,000

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow


Uttar Pradesh

MBA, PGDM, Graduate Diploma in Management

Rs.20,50,000


Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai

Maharashtra

MBA, PGDM, Fellowship

Rs.21,00,000

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore


Madhya Pradesh

MBA, PGDM, Ph.D. in Management

Rs.27,09,000

Xavier School of Management (XLRI), Jamshedpur

Jharkhand

MBA, PGDM, Ph.D. in Management

Rs.14,00,000

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay

Mumbai

MBA

Rs.14,00,000

Best Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India - Admission & Eligibility

The admission procedure for all the Tier 1 management colleges in India follows the same pattern. The eligibility criteria for admission to Tier 1 colleges in India is listed below:

  • To apply for MBA admission 2026-28 at the best business schools in India, candidates must have a minimum of 50% obtained from their undergraduate degree from a recognised university.
  • Candidates must attend the CAT (Common Admission Test), XAT, XLRI, or other exams and students with the highest percentiles are preferred for admission.
  • The candidates are then shortlisted and called for various rounds, such as a Personal Interview (PI), Group Discussion (GD), and Counselling.
  • Candidates who clear all the rounds will be enrolled in post-graduate programmes in Tier 1 B schools in India.
IMI Bhubaneswar PGDM Admissions 2026

Phase 02 Applications Window Closing on 23rd January 2026 | 100% Placements Record | Highest CTC 40.31 LPA | Average CTC 12.74 LPA | Median CTC 12.48 LPA

Chandigarh University Admissions 2026

NAAC A+ Accredited | Among top 2% Universities Globally (QS World University Rankings 2026)

Also Read | MBA Entrance Exams Other Than CAT in India 2026

Top MBA Colleges In India with NIRF Ranking

Top Colleges

NIRF 2025

NIRF 2024

NIRF 2023

NIRF 2022

IIM Ahmedabad

1

1

1

1

IIM Bangalore

2

2

2

2

IIM Kozhikode

3

3

3

5

IIT Delhi

4

4

5

4

IIM Calcutta

7

5

4

3

IIM Mumbai

6

6

7

9

IIM Lucknow

5

7

6

6

IIM Indore

8

8

8

7

MDI Gurugram9---

XLRI Jamshedpur

10

9

9

12

SIBM Pune11---

IIT Bombay

14

10

10

11

IIT Madras13---

MBA Admission in Tier 1 and Tier 2 Colleges: Entrance Exams

Candidates to get admission in Tier 1 and Tier 2 MBA colleges need to appear in the following entrance exams:

Exams

Registration End Date

MBA Entrance Exam Dates

CAT 2025

September 20, 2025

November 30, 2025

MAT

  • PBT: December 07, 2025
  • CBT: December 15, 2025
  • PBT: December 13, 2025
  • CBT: December 21, 2025

XAT

December 5, 2025

January 4, 2026

SNAP

November 20, 2025

  • December 06, 2025
  • December 14, 2025
  • December 20, 2025

NMAT

October 10, 2025

November 5 to December 19, 2025

Also Read;

Top UGC Approved Colleges for Online MBA
Download this ebook and get all details related to the top UGC approved colleges for Online MBA.
Download List Here

MBA Admissions in Tier 1 Colleges: Tips to Get the Best College

Candidates should follow the tips mentioned below to get admission to the best MBA colleges in India:

  • Aspirants should have a minimum aggregate score of 55-60% marks.
  • They should fulfil all the basic eligibility criteria.
  • Candidates should keep a check on the application form dates and exam dates of the particular exam.
  • They should fill out the application form on the basis of their choice of program.
  • Candidates should upload the documents in the proper size and format.
  • Aspirants should look at the exam pattern and syllabus of the exam and start their preparation accordingly.
  • In order to clear the GD round or interview, the aspirants should brush up on the basic concepts of Business and Ethics and prepare accordingly.
XIM University, Bhubaneswar MBA Admissions 2026

AICTE & UGC Approved | NBA & SAQS Accredited | Apply Now

Goa Institute of Management PGDM 2026

Among top 6% B-Schools globally to be accredited by AACSB | 7000+ Alumni Network

What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 MBA colleges in India?

The tier 1 colleges for Top-ranked MBA programs in India offer cutting-edge research, academic quality and MBA colleges with the highest placements. Tier 2 schools are, although more rigorous, not as difficult as Tier 1 institutions. They frequently have acceptance rates of less than a quarter of a per cent. Despite the fact that they have the same academic and extracurricular standards, they have fewer candidates.

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India - Location Wise

The section below lists the Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India located in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in Maharashtra

College

Fees

National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai

Rs.7,03,000

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Rs.14,00,000

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in Uttar Pradesh

College

Fees

Indian Institute of Management Lucknow

Rs.20,50,000

Tier 1 MBA College in Karnataka

College

Fees

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

Rs.26,00,000

Tier 1 MBA college in Gujarat

The table below lists the top MBA colleges in Gujarat:

College

Fees

IIM Ahmedabad

Rs.26,50,000

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in Kolkata

The Tier 1 MBA college available in Kolkata is given below.

College

Fees

Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta

Rs. 27,00,000

Tier 1 MBA College in Tamil Nadu

The MBA Tier 1 college available in Chennai is given below.

College

Fees

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

Rs. 9,14,000

Tier 1 MBA College in Delhi

The MBA Tier 1 college available in Chennai is given below.

College

Fees

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Rs. 12,00,000

List of Top private MBA colleges in India (Tier 1)

The list of Tier 1 private management colleges in India is given below:

Top 10 Private Tier 1 B-Schools in India

A list of top private colleges along with their expected fees for the 2026-28 session and average placement of previous year is mentioned below.

Institute NameAverage PlacementFees
Xavier's Labour Relation Institute – JamshedpurRs 28.29 LPARs 21.70 Lakh
Indian School of Business – HyderabadRs 34.21 LPARs 49.50 Lakh
Management Development Institute – GururgramRs 26.18 LPARs 16.70 Lakh
Institute of Management Technology – GhaziabadRs 17.35 LPARs 21.53 Lakh
Symbiosis Institute of Business ManagementRs 28.16 LPARs 24.20 Lakh
Great Lakes Institute of ManagementRs 15.10 LPARs 20.80 Lakh
Taxila Business School – JaipurRs 11.50 LPARs 9.50 Lakh
SPJIMR – MumbaiRs 33.00 LPARs 21.00 Lakh
TAPMI – JaipurRs 13.84 LPARs 8.64 Lakh
MICA – AhmedabadRs 17.45 LPARs 23.00 Lakh


Best MBA Colleges in India without CAT Exam

The CAT 2025 exam is believed to be the only entrance exam for getting admission to top B-schools in India. There are many MBA colleges in India which accept other exams than the CAT. Some of these colleges include ISB, SPJIMR, TISS and several others.

Check out the complete list of top MBA colleges without the CAT exam after the CAT 2025 results are out.

Institute Name

MBA Entrance Exams Accepted

Fees (in Lakhs)

Final Placement (Avg. in LPA)

XLRI Jamshedpur

XAT

31.59

31.08

ISB Hyderabad

GRE, GMAT

31.59

34.21

JBIMS Mumbai

CT, CAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA

6

26.12

SPJIMR Mumbai

GMAT, CAT

22.5

33

NMIMS Mumbai

NMAT

25

25.13

SIBM Pune

SNAP

17.47

8.9

TISS Mumbai (HRM & LR)

CAT

2.07

26.31

SCMHRD Pune

SNAP

24.12

21.47

MICA Ahmedabad

XAT, CAT, GMAT, MICAT

26

19.22

XIMB Bhubaneswar

CAT, XAT, GMAT

22

9.8

GLIM Chennai

XAT, GMAT, CAT, NMAT

22.65

17.3

IMT Ghaziabad

GMAT, XAT, CAT

20.8

16.25

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India are listed?
A:

Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India are the top-ranked management colleges that offer best education, infrastructure, staff, and placements.

Q: How can I get admission in a Tier 1 MBA college in India?
A:

To get admission in Tier 1 management college in India, candidates should have 50% marks in Graduation and also score high percentiles in entrance exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, etc.

Q: What is the minimum graduation percentage necessary for admission to an MBA program?
A:

Admission to an MBA program requires a minimum GPA of 50% overall.

Q: Is Amity a Tier 1 college?
A:

No, Amity University is considered as Tier 2 or Tier 3 institution in Inida, not a Tier 1 colleges as per various sources. 

Q: Which are tier 1 colleges for management in India?
A:

The tier 1 colleges in India include IIMs, IITs, XLRI, and NIT.

Q: What is tier 1 and Tier 2 MBA colleges?
A:

Tier 1 colleges in India offer cutting-edge research, academic quality and a good placement record. Tier 2 schools, though more rigorous, are not as tough as Tier 1 institutions.

Q: Which MBA is most demanded in India?
A:

The top 5 MBA specializations are as follows.

  • MBA in Finance
  • MBA in Information Technology
  • MBA in Human Resource Management
  • MBA in Marketing Management
  • MBA in Business Management
Q: What is the selection process for Tier 1 MBA colleges in India?
A:

Candidates will have to appear in the Common Admission Test (CAT) for all the Tier 1 PGDM colleges. Apart from CAT, there are many colleges that accept XAT, MAT, CMAT, and GMAT for MBA admissions.

Q: Are there any reservations or quotas in admissions to top MBA colleges?
A:

Yes, top MBA colleges in India, like IIMs, have seat reservations for certain categories as per government regulations, including Schedule Caste (SC), Schedule Tribe (ST), NC-OBC, EWS, and PwD.

Q: What is the average salary package offered to graduates from these institutions?
A:

The average salary package for MBA graduates from institutions like IIT, NITs, other top B-schools in India generally ranges from Rs 8 LPA to Rs 15 LPA.

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Questions related to MBA

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to MBA ?

HELLO,

Here are some good MBA Colleges that you can target with an NMAT score around 204:-

1.SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Hyderabad and Navi Mumbai

2.SDA Bocconi Asia Center, Mumbai

3.ICFAI Business School (IBS), Hyderabad

4.SOIL Institute of Management, Gurgaon

5.Great Lakes Institute of Management

6.Alliance

HELLO,

Yes , with your 10th , 12th and 3 year diploma and with 13 years of work experience you are absolutely qualified and it is a great time to pursue an MBA or specialized programs.

Business schools, specially for MBA , highly values work experience , giving you extra

Hello,

Here are Major MBA Entrance Exams for HR Specialization:

  • CAT
  • XAT
  • TISSNET
  • NMAT
  • SNAP
  • CMAT
  • MAT
  • ATMA

For more access mentioned link below:

https://www.careers360.com/courses/mba-in-hr-admission

Hope it helps.

Hi dear candidate,

The PGDM degree of Jaipuria Institute is recognized as a flagship degree as equivalent to MBA by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). You can consider the Jaipuria Noida campus as it is constantly ranked great for studies along with it's proximity to Delhi NCR and tie

Hello aspirant,

You must have a Bachelor's degree (50% marks, 45% for SC/ST), a valid CAT/GMAT score, apply online during admission cycles (typically mid-year), and pass their selection process, which includes GD/PI, entrance exam scores, and academic performance, in order to be admitted to NIFTEM Sonepat for an MBA.

For