MBA Entrance Exams 2022-23 in India

Are you looking forward to pursuing MBA from a reputed management institute but are confused about how to go about it? 

When it comes to pursuing an MBA, many students in India think about getting admitted to the top IIMs or XLRI Jamshedpur that require the CAT and XAT entrance exams, respectively. 

However, because of the increase in competition, not everyone can get into these top universities or crack CAT with flying colours. Hence, now MBA aspirants can choose from different types of MBA entrance exams to pursue an MBA degree from a college of their choice. 

You can learn more about pursuing MBA without CAT if it piques your interest. 

This article looks at the top MBA entrance exams with their important dates, registration and exam dates, eligibility, and more key details. 

Top MBA Entrance Exams: Overview 

The MBA exams in India act as gateways to the top management and highly ranked MBA colleges in India, like IIMs, FMS, IIFT, SPJIMR, NMIMS, TISS, XLRI, and MDI. 

There are three levels of MBA entrance exams in India: 

• National level: CAT, MAT, NMAT, and CMAT are national-level MBA entrance exams. 

• State level: MAH-CET, APICET, TANCET, KMAT, and TSICET are examples of state-level MBA entrance exams. 

• University level: SNAP, XAT, IIFT, IRMASAT, KIITEE, and IBSAT are some university-level entrance exams for MBA admission. 

You can choose between these entrance exams depending on your skills, interests, location, and choice of university to pursue an MBA. Check out the top preparation tips for management exams to prepare your best for the upcoming MBA exams. 

MBA Entrance Exams 2022-23 Important Dates 

Here are the important application and exam dates of the top MBA entrance exams. 

MBA Entrance Exam	Registration Start Date	Registration Last Date	Exam Date
CAT 2022	August 3, 2022	September 21, 2022	November 27, 2022
NMAT 2022	August 1, 2022	October 10, 2022	October 10 to December 19, 2022
MAT 2022	Available	CBT: September 12, 2022 PBT: August 29, 2022 IBT: August 24- September 13, 2022	CBT: September 18, 2022 PBT: September 4, 2022 IBT: August 28- September 17, 2022
SNAP 2022	August 4, 2022	November 24. 2022	December 10, 18, and 23, 2022
MAH CET 2022	March 17, 2022	May 11, 2022	August 23, 24, and 25, 2022
CMAT 2023	December 10, 2022	January 15, 2023	February 26, 2023
IIFT 2023	September 30, 2022	November 24, 2022	December 18, 2022
XAT 2023	August 10, 2022	December 11, 2022	January 8, 2023
TISSNET 2023	December 10, 2022	January 10, 2023	January 21, 2023

Top 5 MBA Entrance Exams: Brief Overview 

Here are the top MBA exams with their key details, like syllabus, exam duration, and more. 

• CAT

CAT, the Common Admission Test, is the most popular MBA admission test. It is conducted by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), and over two lakhs students appear for the CAT entrance exam each year. 

You can register for the CAT MBA entrance exam online, which is held at 400 different exam centres in India. 

• Exam level: National

• Exam duration: 180 minutes 

• Number of questions: 100

• Exam sections/pattern: Quantitative Aptitude (QA), Verbal and Logical Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• Application fees: ₹2200 for the general category and ₹1100 for the reserved category

• Top colleges accepting CAT scores: 20 IIMs, IMI, IMT, MDI, FMS, IIT, SPJIMR, TAPMI, and 500 others 

• CMAT

The National Testing Agency conducts CMAT, India’s second-largest MBA or management entrance exam. It stands for Common Management Admission Test, a Computer-based Test (CBT) held between January and March each year.  

• Exam level: National
• Exam duration: 180 minutes 

• Number of questions: 100

• Exam sections/pattern: Quantitative Technique, Language Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and General Awareness

• Application fees: ₹2000 for the general category and ₹1000 for the reserved category

• Top colleges accepting CMAT scores: BIMTECH, VIT, GIM, KJ Somaiya, Great Lakes, and more

• XAT

Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XILR), Jamshedpur, conducts the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) exam, a Computer-based MBA entrance exam. 

Over 800 management universities in India accept the XAT score, and the exam is held on the first Sunday of January each year. 

• Exam level: National

• Exam duration: 190 minutes 

• Number of questions: 100

• Exam sections/pattern: Quantitative Ability, English Language and Logical Reasoning, General Knowledge, and Decision Making.

• Application fees: ₹1750 for the general category and ₹1750 for the reserved category

• Top colleges accepting XAT scores: XLRI, Great Lakes, GIM, XIME, XIMB, FORE, IMT, TAPMI, and more

• MAT 

Management Aptitude test (MAT) is an MBA exam conducted by the All India Management Associations (AIMA). 

It’s conducted four times annually, in February, May, September, and December. The exam is held in three different modes, including the Computer-based Test (CBT), Internet Based Test (IBT), and Paper Based Test (PBT). 

• Exam level: National 

• Exam duration: 150 minutes 

• Number of questions: 200

• Exam sections/pattern: Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Language Comprehension, Indian and Global Environment, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, and Mathematical Skills

• Application fees: ₹1650 for the general category and ₹1650 for the reserved category

• Top colleges accepting MAT scores: BIMTECH, NDMI, JIMS, Jaipuria, IPE Hyderabad, and over 300 PGDM/MBA colleges in India. 

• SNAP

Symbiosis International University conducts the Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) every year. 

It’s a Computer-Based Test (CBT) held in December each year to allow students to get admission into different MBA universities and colleges under Symbiosis International University. 

• Exam level: National

• Exam duration: 60 minutes 

• Number of questions: 60 

• Exam sections/pattern: General English, Analytical and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative, Data Sufficiency, and Data Interpretation

• Application fees: ₹1750 for the general category and ₹1750 for the reserved category

• Top colleges accepting SNAP scores: SCMHRD, SIBM Pune, and over 16+ Symbiosis universities 

Conclusion 

The different MBA entrance exams allow students to pursue an MBA at the university of their choice. We hope this article helps you get familiar with the MBA entrance exams, important dates, top colleges accepting the exam scores, exam patterns, and other key details. 

But most importantly, getting a lucrative career after MBA depends a lot on the college you graduated from. Choose a college that offers career-focused training and 100% placement assistance after completing your MBA. Sunstone has collaborated with more than 50 such colleges in 35 Indian cities. In the last few years, more than 1200 recruiters selected 5000+ students from Sunstone campuses across the country.

FAQ -  MBA entrance exam

What is the entrance exam for MBA?

An entrance exam for MBA allows candidates to get admission into the top MBA colleges of their choice in India. 

Which MBA entrance exam is best?

CAT, or Common Aptitude Test, is one of the best and widely known MBA entrance exams that can admit you into the top MBA universities, including IIMs. 

How to prepare for the top MBA entrance exam?

Here are a few preparation tips for MBA entrance exams: 

• Read newspapers, novels, and books daily to improve your grammar, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. 
• Practise solving patterns and puzzles to develop reasoning skills. 
• Memorise tables, square roots, cube roots, important formulas, and fractions for quick mathematical calculations. 
• Refer to the best books and reading materials to improve your general knowledge and comprehension. 
• Solve mock tests regularly to practice finishing the exam on time.