MBA Entrance Exams 2025: Millions of students pursue an MBA after completing a bachelor’s degree in a stream like BBA or BCA. MBA stands for Masters in Business Administration. Many people responded to a Quora question by writing that over 5 lakh young people do an MBA each year. IIM, i.e., the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), is the most prestigious MBA institute in India.
MBA Entrance Exams 2025
Entrance exams such as CAT are required to get into top B-schools. Common Admission Test is the full name of CAT. More than 3 lakh students take the CAT every year. A few thousand of them are successful and achieve their MBA dream. Did you know that you can take many other exams besides CAT to gain admission into a management school? Here is the list of MBA entrance tests.
MBA Entrance Exams 2025: How many entrance exams are there for MBA?
There are many levels of MBA entrance tests. Some of the entrance exams are at the national level, while others are at the state level. Many B-schools also have their own MBA entrance tests. Find out which top entrance exams you can take to gain admission into an MBA.
1. CAT (Common Admission Test): The most popular management entrance examination in India is CAT. CAT (Common Admission Test) is the most popular management entrance exam in India. Every year, the Common Admission Test (CAT) is conducted. This test allows admission to IIMs across the country.
2. XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)– The XLRI – Xavier School of Management organizes the test. This exam takes place in January. This exam is held in January.
3. MAT (Management Aptitude Test): This MBA entrance test is conducted four times a year in February, May, and September. The cutoff is always different.
4. SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude): Symbiosis International University administers the SNAP exam to admit students into management courses. This test is conducted in December. This exam has an additional section on General Awareness.
5- GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
More than 2300 business colleges in the world offer admission based on GMAT scores. Many management institutes offer admission through GMAT scores in India.
6. NMAT (Narsee Monjee Aptitude Test): This test is conducted every year between October and November for 75 days. NMAT can be taken by any candidate three times per year. This exam is used to grant admission to NMIMS as well as ICFAI. ARM University, BIT University, and other institutions.
7. CMAT (Common Management Admission Test): CMAT is an exam at the national level. AICTE has recognized it. This exam takes place in April. This exam is now being conducted in other countries.
8. IIFT (Indian Institute of Foreign Trade): This exam is required for admission to the Delhi, Kakinada, and Kolkata campuses. This exam is usually held in December. This event is open to all ages.
9. MH-CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test)/ MH-MBA/MMS-CET- This computer-based test is required to get into a 2-year full-time management program at government, private, or deemed MBA Institutes in Maharashtra. This test is conducted over 2 days in March.
10. TISSNET (Tata Institute of Social Sciences): This exam is required for admission to the full-time postgraduate degree program at Tata Institute of Social Sciences. TISSMAT is required after passing TISSNET.
MBA Entrance Exams 2025 : CAT Overview
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) conducts the Common Admission Test or CAT – the most popular exam for MBA in India. Admission is based on the CAT score at 20 IIMs as well as over 1200 management institutes in India. Each year, more than 2 lakh students take the test.
The CAT test was first launched in 1950. In 2009, it became an online entrance exam lasting 3 hours. The question paper is made up of both MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) and non-MCQs. In 2020, the CAT exam took place in three sessions, with a 120-minute duration. The number of questions decreased to 76. In 2021 the number of questions will be further reduced to 66. The exam is now conducted only in two-hour slots and three times a week. Registration is done online for the CAT exam. The exam is conducted at more than 400 test centers. The CAT exam is divided into three sections: Quantitative Aptitude (Visual Ability), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (Logical Reasoning), and Verbal Ability.
The segments can be divided into three parts:
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning
Verbal and Reading Comprehension
CMAT Overview
CMAT, also known as the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), is the second-largest management entrance exam in the country. Approximately 1.5 lakh candidates take it. CMAT, which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is a popular choice among MBA candidates after CAT. The first CMAT was held in 2012. More than 1,300 MBA institutions in the country accept exam scores. According to the NTA, in 2025, it will take place in January.
The CMAT (computer-based test) is conducted in two sessions of 180 minutes each. It tests four sections to determine the aptitude of the candidate:
Quantitative Technique
Logical Reasoning
Language Comprehension
General Awareness
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
XATOverview
Xavier Aptitude Test (or XAT) is a computerized management aptitude test. XAT, which is conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute Jamshedpur each year, is taken by about one lakh candidates. XAT takes place on the first Sunday in January. XLRI Jamshedpur, as well as more than 800 other management institutes, accept XAT scores.
The XAT exam is a test that
Quantitative Ability
English Language and Logical Reasoning
Decision Making
General Knowledge
MBA Entrance Exams 2025 : SNAP Overview
Symbiosis International University conducts the Symbiosis International Aptitude Test or SNAP. This is a national-level management entrance exam. The SNAP score will be used to determine admissions for 16 institutions under Symbiosis International University. Candidates are allowed three attempts in SNAP and the highest score is used for shortlisting. Registrations for SNAP are open from August through November, and the test is in December.
SNAP Test is a computer-based test with a duration of two hours. It tests the candidates on:
General English
Quantitative Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency
Analytical and Logical Reasoning
NMAT Overview by GMAC
NMAT is one of the most popular MBA entrance tests. In 2015, it was purchased by GMAC and rebranded NMAT By GMAC. The NMAT by GMAC exam is a computerized test that takes place over 75 days, from October to December. The candidates must attempt 108 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes. During COVID-19, the NMAT was administered in a remote proctored format. It is now being conducted at designated test centers in computer-based mode.
The NMAT by GMAC offers a variety of options that are candidate-friendly. Candidates can take the test three times, and the highest score will be used to determine admission. The NMAT test has three sections:
Learn to speak English
Quantitative Skills
Logical Reasoning
Overview of the MAT
Or the Management Aptitude Test, is also an MBA entrance test that’s very popular. More than 600 institutions accept the MAT exam score for admission into management programs. MAT, conducted by the All India Management Association, is held four times per year in February, May, and September. The exam can be taken in three different modes: Computer Based Tests (CBT), Paper Based Tests (PBT) and Internet Based Tests (IBT). Recently, the MAT exam format has changed. The exam is now 150 minutes long and contains 200 questions. The test covers the following topics:
Indian and Global Environment
Language Comprehension
Data Analysis and Sufficient Information
Mathematical skills
Intelligence and critical reasoning
Overview on ATMA
AIMS Test for Management Admissions (or ATMA) is a management entrance exam that is administered at a national level. The test is held online four times per year in February, May, August, and July. ATMA scores are used to determine admission into several management programs in more than 500 MBA institutions.
The test is held for three hours. ATMA questions contain the following sections.
