Table of Contents
MBA is among the most sought degrees across the nation where candidates pursue their careers in the field of management. Last year, a total of 3,54,421 students enrolled in the MBA program in 3,364 institutions of the nation as per the report of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). India is the nation with the second-highest number of MBA aspirants applying to private and government MBA colleges every year.
With the conclusion of entrance exams like CAT, XAT, SNAP, IIFT, and NMAT by GMAC and others, there are many candidates who are hunting for some good MBA colleges. There are more than 5000 private as well as government B schools and colleges in our country.
What is MBA Entrance Exam?
The candidates may know that MBA Entrance Exam is the getaway to Top MBA Colleges in India, including IIFT, IIMs, XLRI, IITs, FMS, and more. There is both national-level and state-level exam, which helps the candidates to get an opportunity to study MBA in respective institute. MBA is basically a terminal and a professional degree. It covers a wide range of business fields like accounting, marketing & management. Not limited to this, an MBA degree is also for those who are interested in pursuing a career in the private, government & public sectors.
Additionally, there are no such eligibility criteria to appear in MBA Entrance Exam. The only MBA Eligibility is the candidates have to complete UG courses in any stream from a recognized university.
The MBA entrance exams in India can be divided into three parts:
|
Level |
MBA Entrance Exam |
|
National Level |
|
|
State Level |
|
|
University Level |
|
MBA Salary
Before pursuing any course, a student is more curious to know its outcome. Well, it is so obvious and appropriate for an MBA degree holder to know the salary being received for various job profiles. However, it will all be dependent on a manager’s skills based on planning, strategizing, execution, coordination, delegation of work and responsibilities, etc.
| MBA Jobs | Approx. Avg. salary per annum (in lakhs) |
| Retail Manager | 4.5 – 5 |
| Digital Marketing Manager | 4.5 – 5 |
| Human Resources Manager | 4 – 4.5 |
| Healthcare & Hospital Manager | 4 – 4.5 |
| NGO Manager | 4.5 – 5 |
| Transport & Logistics Manager | 6 – 6.5 |
| Materials Manager | 6 – 6.5 |
| Import & Export Manager | 6 – 6.5 |
| IT & Systems Manager | 7 – 7.5 |
| Telecom Manager | 7 – 7.5 |
| Operations Manager | 6.5 – 7 |
| Finance Manager | 8 – 9 |
| Marketing Manager | 10 – 11 |
| Sales Manager | 10 – 10.5 |
| Advertising Sales Manager | 8 – 8.5 |
| International Business Manager | 9 |
| Risk Manager | 9.5 – 10 |
| Infrastructure Manager | 10 – 11 |
| Project Manager | 13 |
| Data Analytics Manager | 14 |
| Product Manager | 15 |
Top MBA Entrance Exams 2023-24
There are numerous entrance exams for admissions to MBA programs across the country. However, the top MBA entrance exams ensure candidates an opportunity to get into a top B-school with a good reputation and high placements. Here is a list of the top MBA entrance exams in India:
| Entrance Exam | Number of Questions | Time Allotted | Exam Timeline | Official website |
| CAT | 66 | 120 minutes | Last week of November 2023 | iimcat.ac.in |
| XAT | 102 | 210 minutes | First week of January 2024 | xatonline.in |
| IIFT | 110 | 120 minutes | Third week of December 2023 | www.iift.ac.in |
| NMAT by GMAC | 108 | 120 minutes | October 2023 to December 2023 | www.mba.com/en-in/exams/nmat |
| TISSNET | 100 | 100 minutes | Last week of February 2024 | appln.tiss.edu |
| SNAP | 60 | 60 minutes | 3 dates in December 2023 | www.snaptest.org |
| PGDBA | 50 | 180 minutes | Last week of March 2024 | www.pgdba.iitkgp.ac.in |
| MICAT I & II | 234 | 165 minutes | MICAT I: First week of December 2023
MICAT II: Last week of January 2024 |
www.mica.ac.in/pgdm |
| IBSAT | 140 | 120 minutes | Last week of December 2023 | ibsindia.org/admissions/ |
CAT Exam
The candidates who are thinking to study MBA in IIMs must start their preparation for CAT Exam as the earliest. It is a national-level MBA exam conducted annually by one of the IIMs on a rotational basis.
The CAT Exam is the most popular IIM entrance exam in India. Getting an MBA from a reputed institution is a dream for many aspirants. Applicants seeking admission to MBA programs must appear for the CAT Exam. It consists of three exam sections: VARC, DILR and QA.
The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India’s most prestigious national-level entrance examination, which permits aspirants to get into top management institutes. There is no doubt that it is the biggest MBA entrance test in the country. The IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) conduct this Common Admission Test on a rotational basis.
It is a computer-based test that is held across 156 cities in India.
CAT IIM Highlights
In the table below we have shared important highlights related to the CAT Exam. The candidates must check these details and start their preparation for the upcoming CAT IIM as early as possible.
| CAT Exam Highlights | |
| Name of the Exam | Common Admission Test (CAT) |
| CAT IIM Website | https://iimcat.ac.in/ |
| Conducting Body | Yet to be announced |
| CAT Exam Duration | 2 hours
(160 Minutes for PwD candidates) |
| CAT Exam Fees | INR 1100 (Reserved categories)
INR 2200 (Other categories) |
| Total Questions | 66 (Expected as per last year exam analysis) |
| CAT Exam Date | 26 November 2023 (Tentative date) |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| CAT Exam Pattern | Online Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Question Type | MCQs and Non-MCQs |
| Syllabus | Quantitative Aptitude
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension |
| CAT Exam Eligibility | Bachelor’s degree with 50% aggregate
(45% aggregate or equivalent for reserved categories) |
CAT IIM Timeline and Registration
Every year, the total number of registered eligible candidates is approximately 2.30 lakh. CAT Exam 2023 is expected to be held on November 26, 2023. CAT 2023 official notification will be released in the last week of July or the first week of August 2023 (tentatively).
CAT Exam 2023 notification will be released in iimcat.ac.in. Following is a table showing the tentative calendar of events for the CAT Exam.
| CAT Exam Events | CAT Exam Date (Expected) |
| Release of Online Notification | Last week of July 2023 |
| Commencement of Online Application | First week of August 2023 |
| Date of CAT Exam | November 26th 2023 |
| CAT Exam Result Declaration | First week of January 2023 |
CAT Registration 2023
The exam conducting authority will start the CAT exam 2023 registration process tentatively by the first week of August 2023. The official of CAT IIM will activate the online application link and invite applicants for registration. The entire registration process is online. Here is a brief of the CAT 2023 registration process, that you have to follow for CAT Exam apply online process.
- Visit the official website of CAT IIM
- Do register on the online portal
- Fill out the registration form and enter all the required fields.
- After the successful registration, the candidates will get a login ID.
- Using this login ID, the candidates must log in to the portal again
- Fill out the CAT 2023 application form
- Upload all the required documents.
- Pay the exam fees
- Complete the final submission process
- Download the finally submitted form and take a printout of it for future reference.
CAT Exam: Evolution over the Years
The CAT Exam has undergone numerous changes since the time the test switched from paper pen mode to computer-based testing:
| Year | Time
-Duration |
Section | Total Number of Questions in Each Section | Total Number of Questions |
| 2021 & 2022 | 120 | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension
Data Interpretation and Logical reasoning Quantitative Ability |
24
20 22 |
66 |
| 2020 | 120 | VARC
DILR QA |
26
24 26 |
76 |
| 2019 | 180 | VARC
DILR QA |
34
32 34 |
100 |
| 2018 | 180 | VARC
DILR QA |
34
32 34 |
100 |
| 2017 | 180 | VARC
DILR QA |
34
32 34 |
100 |
| 2016 | 180 | VARC
DILR QA |
34
32 34 |
100 |
| 2015 | 180 | VARC
DILR QA |
34
32 34 |
100 |
| 2014 | 170 | QA
DI VARC |
34
16 50 |
100 |
| 2013 | 140 | Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning
& Quantitative Ability , Data Interpretation |
30
30 |
60 |
| 2012 | 140 | QA
DI VARC |
21
9 30 |
60 |
| 2011 | 140 | VALR
& QADI |
30
30 |
60 |
CAT Exam Syllabus
A thorough understanding of the CAT Exam syllabus is important for determining your direction all through this CAT journey. It will be much easier to determine how much time you should spend on each segment, when you have a reasonable understanding of the CAT syllabus.
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus |
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning Syllabus |
Verbal Reasoning Syllabus |
| Number Systems | Tables | English Usage or Grammar |
| Profit, Loss and Discount | Caselets | Vocabulary based (Synonyms/ Antonyms) |
| LCM and HCF | Bar Graphs | Fill in the blanks |
| Speed, Time and Distance | Line Charts | Sentence Correction |
| Percentages | Column Graphs | Cloze Passage |
| Time and Work | Venn Diagrams | Jumbled Paragraph |
| Ratio and Proportion | Pie Chart | Meaning-Usage Match |
| Averages | Other Basic Reasoning Questions | Analogies or Reverse Analogies |
| Quadratic Equations & Linear Equations | Calendars | Summary Questions |
| Complex Numbers | Number and Letter Series | Verbal Reasoning |
| Simple and Compound Interest | Clocks | Facts-Inferences-Judgments |
| Logarithm | Venn Diagrams | Reading Comprehension |
| Sequences and Series | Cubes | |
| Inequalities | Seating Arrangement | |
| Probability | Binary Logic | |
| Surds and Indices | Logical Matching | |
| Set Theory & Function | Logical Sequence | |
| Permutation and Combination | Syllogism | |
| Mixtures and Alligations | Logical Connectives | |
| Trigonometry | Blood Relations | |
| Coordinate Geometry | ||
| Geometry | ||
| Mensuration |
CAT IIM Marking Scheme:
- For each correct answer, candidates will receive 3 marks.
- 1 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer for the objective questions.
- For non-MCQ-type questions, no marks will not be deducted.
The table below will give you an outline of the MCQ and Non-MCQ questions for CAT:
| Section | Number of MCQ and Non-MCQs
In Each Section |
| Verbal Ability
& Reading Comprehension (VARC) |
MCQ -19
Non-MCQ – 5 |
| Data Interpretation
& Logical Reasoning |
MCQ – 15
Non-MCQ – 5 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | MCQ – 14
Non-MCQ – 8 |
| Total no of Questions | 66 |
CAT IIM Eligibility
The candidates who are appearing in the upcoming CAT exam, must be aware of the latest eligibility criteria, mentioned by the authority. It is seen that CAT eligibility has not been changed in the past few years.
- The candidates must be graduated from a recognised university in any stream with atleast 50% marks in aggregate (45% for reserved category candidates).
- Final year candidates are also eligible to apply for the exam, but they have to submit proof of their educational qualification within the stipulated time as mentioned by the authority.
- There is no upper age limit for appealing in CAT IIM. If you qualify the basic educational eligibility you can apply for this exam.
XAT Exam
Xavier Aptitude Test is the Admission Test for admission to MBA/PGDM programs in XLRI and other top MBA colleges like XIMB, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI New Delhi, LBSIM Delhi, TAPMI Manipal and 150 other top MBA colleges in India. XLRI will offer admission to its PGDM programs, offered in Jamshedpur and Delhi campuses on the basis of this exam score only, and will not accept any other test score. There are more than 70 cities and more than 100 venues where the exam will be conducted in India. XLRI will release the exam Notification 2024 in August 2023
Who Conducts the Exam?
XLRI conducts the exam on behalf of XAMI. For more than 72 years XLRI is conducting this exam at all India level to select the most appropriate students for management education. Last year also, XLRI conducted the exam as a centre based test in 72 cities in India.
XAT 2024 Notification
The Exam Notification will be released by XLRI in August 2023 second week wide a Press Release. The exam notification contains exam information with exam date, and other related important information about the Exam. The notification is also released on XLRI exam website xatonline.in. The Notification 2024 containing all the exam details, exam format, exam centres and all the exam dates is released in the leading news papers also. All the exam dates with other information and FAQs are available on MBAUniverse.com website.
Over the years the candidates applying for Xavier Aptitude Test have increased as the data for past exam registration also reveal this fact. As per Notification there are 11 member institutes and 150 Associate institutes accepting the exam scores. Till 2017 the exam remained a paper based test. With effect from 2018, this exam has become an online computer based test.
XAT 2024 Highlights & Exam Features
Following are the exam highlights with salient features and details on the exam date, notification, eligibility criteria among other key points
| XAT 2024 Test Conducting Body | Xavier School of Management (XLRI) Jamshedpur |
| Date of Notification 2024 | August 2023 second week |
| Number of MBA colleges accepting exam score | 150+ |
| Mode of the Exam | Computer Based Online Exam |
| XAT 2024 Registration & Application Process | Online; Simultaneously apply for entrance exam and for XLRI PGDM Programs |
| Application Fee 2024 | Rs.2000/- (Under Revision) |
| XAT exam Full Form | Xavier Aptitude Test |
| Cut offs 2024 for XLRI admission | 96 to 97 percentile (Expected; Check last year cut offs |
| Total Questions in Question Paper | 100 – 101 |
| Sectional Division of the Test | 5 Sections with different number of Questions in Each Section. |
| Section which is not counted to prepare merit for XLRI shortlisting | GK & Essay |
| Exam Difficulty Level | Moderate to Difficult |
XLRI conducts Xavier Aptitude Test in the month of January every year. Along with releasing the Notification 2024 and finalizing the exam date, XLRI announces the complete schedule and all important dates. Although XLRI will accept score of only Xavier Aptitude Test, the other associated top MBA colleges will accept other exam scores also. Earlier the exam was paper based test, but since 2018, the exam has become a computer based test. XLRI has been conducting this exam for more than 72 years on behalf of XAMI.
XAT 2024 Important Dates
Important dates for the exam are announced by XLRI. The key important dates for XLRI entrance exam 2024, last date to apply, XAT 2024 Exam date are as under:
|
Xavier Aptitude Test 2024 Schedule
|
XAT 2024 Important Dates
|
|
Date of Release of XAT Notification 2024
|
August 10, 2023
|
|
XAT Registration 2024 starts
|
August 11, 2023 ( 12 Noon Onwards)
|
|
Last date for XAT 2024 Registration & Application submission online without late fee
|
November 30, 2023 (Till Midnight)
|
|
XAT 2024 Registration Last date with late fee
|
Not Announced
|
|
XAT Admit Card 2024 download Start Date
|
December 24, 2023
|
|
Last date to Download XAT Admit Card 2024
|
January 7, 2024
|
|
XAT Exam Date 2024
|
January 7, 2024 (2.00 PM to 5.10 PM)
|
|
XAT 2024 Result date
|
January 20, 2024
|
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
Although there is no difference in the XAT eligibility criteria 2024 and for XLRI admission 2024, following points should be kept in mind.
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Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
- The exam eligibility criteria need only a pass in your bachelor’s degree.
- XAT Eligibility 2024 does not require any minimum percentage of marks in graduation to register and apply for the exam, while other exams need minimum 50% percentage of marks in bachelor’s degree.
- Students in their final year of graduation can also apply
- Minimum 15 years of academic study till bachelor’s degree is required. It means you must have pursued or pursuing minimum three years of graduation degree
- Exam eligibility criteria to appear in the exam is probably the simplest one among all the National Level MBA entrance exams.
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade IIFT
It is conducted by IIFT Delhi every year for admission into different IIFT campuses in India. This exam score is used only for admission to IIFT. The total time duration of this exam is 2 hours, in which the candidates are given 110 MCQs to solve.
- VARC
- Quantitative Aptitude
- General Knowledge & Awareness
- DILR
IIFT Highlights 2023
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade was established as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in 1963. The Deemed-to-be University is accredited by AACSB and with A Grade by NAAC. IIFT Delhi, through various departments, offers PG, doctoral, certificate, and various other courses to students. The courses are offered across Management and various other streams. IIFT College is a member of AMBA, the Academy of International Business, and EFMD. IIFT is ranked 4 by The Times 2023 for MBA. The major highlights of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade are tabulated below:
| Particulars | Statistics |
|---|---|
| Establishment year | 1963 |
| Top accreditations | AACSB, A Grade by NAAC |
| Rankings (2023) | 4 by The Times for MBA |
| Flagship course | MBA/PGDM |
IIFT 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who wish to apply for the IIFT exam 2024, must check the eligibility criteria before filling out the application form. Given below eligibility criteria can be checked by candidates for IIFT 2024 entrance exam;
- Educational Qualification: General category candidates with a minimum 3-year graduation degree in any discipline with 50% marks from a recognized university/ institute/ college are eligible to apply. Whereas, SC, ST, and PwD category candidates with a minimum of 45% marks in graduation can also be able to fill out the IIFT 2024 application form.
- Final-year graduation students can also be able to fill out the IIFT exam 2024 application form. They can submit their passing certificate later (by October).
- Age Limit – There is no age limit for candidates to apply for the IIFT entrance exam.
IIFT 2024 Application Process
Mode of Application : Online
Mode of Payment : Net Banking | Credit Card | Debit Card
The IIFT 2024 registration will begin from the last week of September 2023 in online mode and the last date to register for the IIFT exam 2024 will be closed in the last week of November 2023. While registering for IIFT exam, candidates will be required to enter personal details to create login credentials.
How to fill out the IIFT exam application form?
The IIFT exam 2024 application process can be completed using the below-mentioned steps:
- Candidates need to do a primary registration by filling in their personal details, contact number, email id, and password.
- In the second step, candidates need to fill in the academic and personal details.
- The third step is the payment of the application fee i.e. Rs. 2500 for General and OBC Category candidates and Rs. 1250 for SC, ST, and PWD category candidates. The application fee has been paid via net banking, credit card, debit card, and DD. The application fee for foreign nationals and NRIs is Rs. 15,000 which is US$200.
- In the fourth and final step of the IIFT application form, candidates are required to upload a scanned copy of their photograph (size: not more than 50KB) and signature (size: not more than 20KB) in JPEG/JPG format.
- Make sure that contact number(s) and email id are entered correctly as all communication related to the exam has been sent to those only.
Application Fees
| Category | Quota | Mode | Gender | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC, ST | PWD | Online | Transgender, Male, Female | ₹ 1250 |
| EWS, OBC, General | Online | Transgender, Male, Female | ₹ 2500 |
