Top 12 MBA Entrance Exams
Top 12 MBA Entrance Exams - Wish to get a postgraduate degree from any of the top reputed colleges but do not know how to take admission in that B-School? Many exams are conducted by different B-Schools on an annual, half-yearly, quarterly basis. But how to know which exam is beneficial for you and will open the doorway of top B-Schools of India for you. Being an MBA aspirant, you must know all the top 12 MBA entrance exams which are conducted for admission in MBA courses offered by various top b-schools. Note that top 12 MBA entrance exams not only include admissions only in Indian Institute of Management. Top B-Schools other than IIMs also consider the scores of the entrance exams. Careers360 in this article of the top 12 MBA entrance exams brings to you the major exams, eligibility, selection process and much more.
Latest update- CAT result 2020 will be declared in second week of January 2021. Check CAT cutoff 2020 details here.

Overview Entrance Exam for MBA
S. No. | Exam Name | Application Status |
1. | CAT | Registration started from August 5. Click here to know more. |
2. | CMAT | Registration to begin from the first week of November. Click here to know more. |
3. | XAT | Registration begins from September 12. Click here to know more. |
4. | IIFT | Registration to begin from the second week of September. Click here to know more. |
5. | SNAP | Registration begins from September 24. Click here to know more |
6. | IBSAT | Registration closed. Click here to know more |
7. | MAT | Registration closed. Click here to know more |
8. | NMAT by GMAC | Registration closed. Click here to know more |
9. | MAH CET MBA/MMS | Registration to begin from the first week of January 2021. Click here to know more |
10. | ATMA | Registration going on. Click here to know more |
11. | TISSNET MBA | Registration has begun. Click here to know more |
12. | IRMASAT | Registration started. Click here to know more |
Let Us Have a Look on Each Top 12 MBA Entrance Exam
Common Admission Test i.e. CAT
Indian Institutes of Management conduct CAT every year on a rotational basis to provide admission to candidates in postgraduate management courses. There are various other top B-Schools other than IIMs that accept CAT scores to provide admission to candidates. Due to the inclusion of new IIMs in the list, the average number of seats in the Indian Institute of Management has increased to 4000 approximately. As per the data released by IIMs, more than two lakh candidates register themselves for the CAT entrance exam. The application form fee is Rs. 1800 for General category candidates and Rs. 900 for reserved category candidates.
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Common Management Admission Test i.e. CMAT
National Testing Agency conducts Common Management Admission Test i.e. CMAT every year in online mode. CMAT 2021 will be conducted tentatively in the fourth week of January, 2021. Eligible candidates who wish to takes admission in postgraduate courses like MBA/PGDM can take admission through CMAT scores. Application form of CMAT is easily available in online mode. The registration of CMAT will begin in the first week of November. Male candidates are required to pay a sum of Rs. 1600 and female candidates have to pay Rs. 1000 as registration fees. The computer-based exam is conducted for a duration of three hours in which candidates have to answer 100 MCQs.
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*CMAT Eligibility Criteria 2021
Xavier’s Aptitude Test i.e. XAT
For more than half a decade now, XLRI Jamshedpur has been conducting XAT for providing admissions to candidates in XAT and other participating institutes. The registration fees for XAT 2021 will tentatively be Rs. 1700. As per the important dates of XAT 2021, eligible candidates will be able to fill the application form tentatively from the fourth week of August, 2020. Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree or are still in their final year are all eligible to apply for XAT entrance exam.
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*XAT Eligibility Criteria 2021
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade i.e. IIFT
The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade conducts IIFT once in a year to help professionalise the country’s foreign trade management by providing admission to candidates in required courses. Every year approximately 50,000 candidates register themselves and fill the application form IIFT. The total seats are around 400 in all three campuses located in Kolkata, Kakinada and New Delhi. IIFT 20201 will be conducted by National Testing Agency. Registration of IIFT 2021 will begin from the second week of September, 2020.
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*IIFT Eligibility Criteria 2021
Symbiosis National Aptitude Test i.e. SNAP
Symbiosis International (Deemed University) conducts SNAP every year to admit candidates in its 16 institutes offering management programmes. SNAP is a national level entrance test. SNAP 2020 registration will begin from the third week of August, 2020. Eligible candidates who wish to take admission in Symbiosis International (Deemed University) can appear for SNAP 2020.
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*SNAP Eligibility Criteria 2020
*SNAP Participating Institutes 2020
*SNAP Selection Procedure 2020
IBS Aptitude Test i.e. IBSAT
ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education conducts IBSAT on annual basis in online mode to provide admission to candidates in PGDM and MBA courses. Candidates willing to give IBSAT 2020 must have a bachelor’s degree with at least 50 per cent marks. IBSAT 2020 registration will begin from first week of July 2020. IBSAT 2020 a national level entrance test will be conducted tentatively in the last week of December, 2020.
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*IBSAT 2020
Management Aptitude Test i.e. MAT
All India Management Association (AIMA) conducts Management Aptitude Test i.e. MAT in both online and offline modes. MAT 2020 is conducted four times in a year. Registration of MAT 2020 is going on in online mode for the May session MAT entrance exam. In India, more than 600 B-Schools provide admission to candidates on the basis of MAT scores. MAT computer-based test and paper-based test both are conducted on different dates and more than 20000 candidates register themselves in each session as per the information given by AIMA.
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*MAT Eligibility Criteria 2020
NMAT by GMAC
Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) conducts MBA entrance exam NMAT every year. The entrance exam is called NMAT by GMAC. The scores of NMAT by GMAC are accepted by Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies i.e. NMIMS and 25 other management institutes across India. The application form of NMAT by GMAC 2020 will be available tentatively from the first week of July 2020. Eligible candidates can fill the application form in online mode.
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*NMAT Eligibility Criteria 2020
*Top B-schools Accepting NMAT Scores and Cutoffs
*NMAT Selection Procedure 2020
MAH CET MBA
Maharashtra MBA Common Entrance Test i.e. MAH CET MBA is conducted once in a year. MAH CET MBA 2020 was conducted on March 14 and 15 in online mode across various exam centres in India. MAH CET MBA is conducted by State Common Entrance Test Cell. The application form of MAH CET 2021 will be available tentatively from the first week of January 2021. Candidates who appeared for MAH CET 2020 can check the MAH CET 2020 Analysis and Expected Cutoff.
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*MAH CET Participating Institutes
AIMS Test for Management Admissions (ATMA)
AIMS Test for Management Admissions is conducted by Association of Indian Management Schools four times in a year. Similar to MAT, ATMA is conducted in both computer-based and paper-based mode. To register for ATMA 2020, candidates have to pay an application fee of Rs. 1298. More or less 100 B-Schools accept the scores of ATMA and provide admission to candidates. Application form of ATMA for May session is available now and can be filled by candidates till May 18.
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*ATMA Eligibility Criteria 2020
*ATMA Selection Procedure 2020
Tata Institute of Social Sciences National Eligibility Test i.e. TISSNET
Tata Institute of Social Sciences conducts TISSNET MBA every year to provide admission to candidates in postgraduate managerial courses. TISSNET MBA 2020 was successfully conducted by TISS in computer-based mode on January 4. The application form of TISSNET MBA 2021 tentatively in the third week of October, 2020. Eligible candidates can fill the application in online mode from the official website.
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*TISSNET MBA Eligibility Criteria 2021
*TISSNET MBA Selection Procedure
IRMA Social Concern Test i.e. IRMASAT
Institute of Rural Management Anand conducts IRMASAT once in a year to provide admission to candidates in the post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management (PGDRM) programme. As per the eligibility criteria of IRMASAT, to appear for the national-level exam, candidates must bachelor’s degree and should have CAT/XAT scores. IRMASAT entrance exam is conducted in February.
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