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While choosing an MBA in Kerala, students have varied options because it has over 129 colleges in the state, located across different cities. Again, these colleges are a mix of government and private colleges, where some 22 are government-aided and about 108 come under the private sector. The top MBA colleges in Kerala offer the classes in different modes like full-time, part-time, Online, and distance learning. Of these, almost 127 have full-time MBA courses, while the remaining 2 are on a part-time MBA . There is also a modest presence of online MBA and distance learning modes, with each category consisting of only 1-2 colleges that can offer that kind of flexibility.
Most of the top MBA colleges in Kerala are based in Kochi, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode. Kochi, being the main commercial hub, houses many of the most prestigious institutions, including Amrita School of Business and SCMS Cochin School of Business. Most of the colleges here are co-educational, with very good gender diversity.
The admission process is one that a prospective student has to familiarize themselves with, in order to be in a position to hold a place in the top MBA colleges of Kerala. Almost all the colleges in this list select their candidates through a tough and demanding process comprising entrance examinations, group discussion, personal interview, and, in some instances, work experience. This section summarizes admission processes for the top 5 MBA colleges in Kerala.
College Name | Admissions Process (Only for MBA) |
IIM Kozhikode - Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode: Admissions | Admissions are based on CAT scores, followed by a Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). |
Admissions are based on CAT/CMAT/KMAT Kerala scores, followed by Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). | |
SCMS School of Technology and Management, Cochin: Admissions | Admissions are based on CAT/CMAT/MAT scores, followed by Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). |
NIT Calicut - National Institute of Technology Calicut: Admissions | Admissions are based on CAT scores, followed by Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). |
Admissions are based on CAT/MAT/KMAT Kerala scores, followed by Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). |
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) functions as a national ranking framework and a reliable source for the identification of top MBA colleges in Kerala. The parameters include teaching, learning, and resources and, finally, research. The premier institutions of Kerala offering courses in management have also done pretty well in the NIRF rankings, thus proving the quality of education in the state concerning management studies. Below is a list of the top MBA Colleges in Kerala according to the NIRF rankings:
College Name | NIRF Ranking |
3 | |
76 |
Careers360 is also a leading provider of insights into the best MBA colleges in Kerala, which forges its information on parameters such as student reviews, quality of faculty, infrastructure, placements, and industry exposure. Careers360 MBA Ranking ranks best MBA institutions on a state level, aiding students in responsible decision-making directed toward opportunities. The top MBA colleges in Kerala, as per the Careers360 ranking, are shown below:
College Name | Careers360 Ranking |
IIM Kozhikode - Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode | 3 |
Admission to the top MBA Colleges in Kerala is facilitated through some of the entrance exams which tests the aptitude of candidates on various grounds. Here is the top 5 entrance exams applicable and accepted with regard to MBA colleges in Kerala, the way they function, and their syllabus and pattern followed :
Conducting Body: Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)
CAT Syllabus: The CAT exam, in general, has three sections: Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension. The syllabus includes basic algebra, geometry, reading comprehension and logical puzzles.
CAT Exam Pattern: CAT reflects a computer-based type with mostly multiple-choice questions. The time duration for the CAT test takers is 180 minutes, approximately equal time is 60 minutes for all the three sections.
CMAT (Common Management Admission Test):
Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)
CMAT Syllabus: CMAT tests the ability of the test takers on Quantitative Techniques, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, and General Awareness. The syllabus is arithmetic, logical puzzles, grammar, and current events
CMAT Exam Pattern: The test consists of 100 questions, and each section carries 25 questions each. It is an online exam and has a stipulated time duration of 180 minutes.
KMAT Kerala (Kerala Management Aptitude Test):
Conducting Body: Office of the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala
KMAT Syllabus: KMAT Kerala Conducts the test on English Language Usage and Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, Data Sufficiency, and Logical Reasoning for the Candidates. The syllabus includes areas of basic mathematics, vocabulary, and data analysis.
KMAT Exam Pattern: The paper-pen based exam will consist of 180 questions. It will be divided into four sections of a total of 150 minutes.
MAT (Management Aptitude Test):
Conducting Body: All India Management Association (AIMA)
MAT Syllabus: MAT includes Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis & Sufficiency, Intelligence & Critical Reasoning, and Indian & Global Environment. The syllabus includes mathematical problems, logical reasoning, and current affairs.
MAT Exam Pattern: MAT rotates in a pattern where it is sometimes computer-based (CBT) or paper-based (PBT). The exam paper contains 200 questions and a stipulated time duration of 150 minutes.
While choosing an MBA college, one needs to understand the fee structure of it, as it is important for how affordable education is going to be. The top MBA colleges in Kerala comprise different types of fee structures to accommodate different financial needs. Here, the colleges have been divided between private and government institutions, each enlisting the top 5 colleges with fee details available.
Almost all private institutions have a plethora of facilities, along with industry exposure, that is generally reflected in their fee structures. Here are the top private MBA colleges in Kerala and their fees.
College Name | Course | Fees |
MBA | ₹8 Lakhs | |
MBA | ₹5.80 Lakhs | |
MBA | ₹2 Lakhs | |
MACFAST Tiruvalla - Mar Athanasios College for Advanced Studies, Tiruvalla | MBA | ₹3.98 Lakhs |
MBA | ₹3.68 Lakhs |
Most government colleges offer better quality education at reasonable costs and hence are within the reach of more students. Here are the top government colleges of MBA in Kerala and their fee structure:
College Name | Course | Fees |
School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi | MBA | ₹1.12 Lakhs |
MBA | ₹2.10 Lakhs | |
MBA | ₹41.17 K (Distance) | |
MBA | ₹1.42 Lakhs | |
College of Co-Operation Banking and Management, Vellanikkara | MBA Agribusiness Management | ₹2.18 Lakhs |
The top MBA Colleges in Kerala have their specializations selected based on the various branches of management. Some of the leading MBA specializations offered in Kerala are obtained from the available branches:
Degree | Specialization | Description |
MBA | Focus on all general concepts of management concerned with leadership, strategy, and organizational behavior. This program helps students prepare for general management roles across sectors. | |
MBA | General view of management in all functions, applicable to all the key leadership positions that require an integrated view of business operations | |
MBA | Focuses on the management of workforce dynamics: talent acquisition, employee engagement, and labor relations, among other relevant human resource management issues | |
MBA | Logistics, inventory management, and supply chain optimization: this prepares students to hold positions in supply chain management and operations. | |
MBA | Focuses on the development of ideas related to business, startups, and innovation, and nurtures the ability to create and manage business ventures. |
Placements are the most significant factor behind selecting an MBA college because it justifies the institution's capability in linking students with major employers and securing good job placement. The top MBA colleges in Kerala are known to have a very good record in terms of placements, as most of their graduates get recruited by the best companies in the industry. Given below is a summary of the placement details such as the median salary and the main recruiters for each college.
College Name | Median Salary | Top Recruiters |
IIM Kozhikode - Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode: Placements | ₹27 LPA | Amazon, Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, Flipkart, Microsoft, and Infosys |
Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies, Cochin: Placements : Placements | ₹6.6 LPA | Godrej, Decathlon, Deloitte, L&T, HDFC Bank, Microsoft, and Colgate |
SCMS School of Technology and Management, Cochin: Placements | ₹5 LPA | Infosys, Cognizant, TCS, Accenture, Wipro, and Airtel. |
NIT Calicut - National Institute of Technology Calicut: Placements | ₹10 LPA | Amazon, IBM, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Citi Bank, Dell, and ITC Infotech |
₹4.08 LPA | Vodafone, Amul, Airtel, Reliance, EY, Wipro, and KPMG. |
One of the basic requirements and indicators of the admission process in MBA programs are the set cut-offs, which are a minimum score expected by an applicant in the entrance exams. The top MBA colleges in Kerala specify cut-offs for different entrance exams such as CAT, CMAT, and KMAT Kerala. The table shown below presents details of the top 5 MBA colleges in Kerala along with their entrance examination cut-offs.
College Name | Exam | Cut-off |
IIM Kozhikode - Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode: Cut-offs | CAT | 85 percentile |
CMAT | 80 percentile |
The eligibility criteria of the top MBA colleges in Kerala are designed in a manner to ensure that the candidates have the required academic eligibility and proficiency for a tough management course. Though some requirements might vary with a specific university, in general, the criteria include educational qualifications, entrance exams, and further requirements such as work experience or personal interviews.
Following are the general eligibility criteria for MBA in Kerala:
Educational Qualification: A candidate should have passed a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Although it varies from college to college, most of the institutes require at least 50% of the aggregate marks. The percentage is, by and large, relaxed for the reserved categories.
Entrance Tests: Admission to MBA Course in Kerala is purely through National Level entrance test scores. Candidates with scores, through must required examinations, such as commonly CAT ,CMAT, KMAT Kerala, and MAT, shall pave the route to cut-off scores of individual colleges for the next procedure of admission.
Other Requirements: Some colleges even consider work experience, specifically in the case of executive MBA programs. Furthermore, after the candidate has cleared the entrance test, he or she is usually asked to appear for a group discussion and a personal interview. These phases reflect a candidate's communication skills, leadership qualities as well as other factors making him or her apt for pursuing an MBA course.
These are definitely very helpful tools in getting a good estimate of the chances of gaining admission into the desired MBA programs by entrance exam scores. The predictors work based on past admission data, cut-offs, and trends to provide insights into the most suitable colleges where a candidate may gain admission. Students aiming to join top MBA colleges in Kerala may definitely benefit from the predictors in simplifying their college selection process.
Careers360 has specialized predictors for different MBA entrance exams.
What are the best MBA colleges in Kerala based on the NIRF rankings?
IIM Kozhikode and NIT Calicut fall under the best MBA colleges of Kerala based on the NIRF rankings. In addition to this, the IIM Kozhikode continues to come out as one of the top 10 MBA institutions in India.
Which entrance tests are accepted by the MBA colleges of Kerala?
Most of the MBA colleges in Kerala accept national-level entrance exams like CAT, CMAT, MAT, and the state-level KMAT Kerala. Besides, many colleges accept the scores of XAT and GMAT as well.
What could be the typical fee range of the MBA programs in Kerala?
The course fee for an MBA in Kerala differs greatly from one institute to another. This would range from ₹2 Lakhs to ₹8 Lakhs for the private colleges and more economical government colleges whose fee would start as low as ₹1.12 Lakhs.
How are the placements at top MBA colleges in Kerala?
The placement records of the top MBA colleges in Kerala are pretty good, with tier-one colleges like IIM Kozhikode promising a median salary of close to ₹20 LPA. Other institutions too have nice placement records with top-notch recruiters such as Deloitte, Amazon, and TCS. Ends
Is work experience required for admission to MBA programs in Kerala?
While this case may not be so with regard to all MBA courses in Kerala, most institutions, particularly those offering executive MBA, would like their students to have some work experience. Work experience forms a part of the selection process in some colleges.
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