MBA / PGDM Entrance Exams
Overview of major national, university-specific, state-level and international exams relevant to management aspirants in India.
Major National Exams
1. CAT (Common Admission Test)
- Conducted by: IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management)
- Accepted by: All IIMs + 1,200+ B-schools (MDI, SPJIMR, FMS, etc.)
- Mode: Online (MCQ + Non-MCQ)
- Frequency: Once a year (Nov–Dec)
2. XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)
- Conducted by: XLRI Jamshedpur
- Accepted by: XLRI, XIMB, IMT, TAPMI, Great Lakes, and 700+ institutes
- Frequency: January every year
3. MAT (Management Aptitude Test)
- Conducted by: AIMA
- Accepted by: 600+ B-schools
- Mode: CBT, PBT, IBT
- Frequency: Multiple sessions each year
4. CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)
- Conducted by: NTA
- Accepted by: AICTE-approved B-schools (JBIMS, KJ Somaiya, GIM, Welingkar etc.)
- Frequency: Once a year (Apr–May)
5. NMAT by GMAC
- Conducted by: GMAC
- Accepted by: NMIMS + 30+ institutes (India, South Africa, Philippines)
- Retake option (up to 3 attempts)
6. SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test)
- Conducted by: Symbiosis International University (SIU)
- Accepted by: All Symbiosis institutes (SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, etc.)
- Frequency: December (3 attempts allowed)
7. IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade Exam)
- Conducted by: NTA
- Accepted by: IIFT Delhi, Kolkata, Kakinada (International Business focus)
8. TISS-NET (Tata Institute of Social Sciences)
- Accepted by: TISS campuses
- For MA (HRM & LR); viewed similar to top MBA HR programs
State-Level Exams
- MAH-CET (for JBIMS, SIMSREE, PUMBA, etc.)
- KMAT (Karnataka)
- TANCET (Tamil Nadu)
- AP ICET, TS ICET (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana)
- OJEE MBA (Odisha)
International Pathway Exams
- GMAT → Globally accepted for MBA/PGDM
- GRE → Accepted by many international B-schools
- TOEFL / IELTS / PTE (English proficiency)
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