Top MBA Entrance Exams 2025 Upcoming Dates: Know Detailed Dates

Many students look for top MBA colleges in India without an entrance test to pursue management studies without exams like CAT or XAT. Some private universities and institutes offer direct admission based on academic performance or work experience. Similarly, those seeking global education can explore top global universities without an entrance exam, where selection is based on academic records, essays, and interviews. For students aiming for the top MBA colleges in India, institutions like IIMs, XLRI, and ISB rank among the best. This guide also lists the top 10 MBA colleges in India to help you choose the right institute.

Among all MBA entrance exams, CAT is the most popular, with over 2 lakh candidates appearing annually. More than 1,300 MBA colleges accept CAT scores for admission. CMAT, conducted by the NTA, is the second most preferred test, accepted by around 1,300 institutes. XAT, organized by XLRI Jamshedpur, ranks third in popularity and is accepted by over 800 MBA colleges across India.

Top MBA Entrance Exams in India 2025

There are over 50 entrance exams for admission to top MBA colleges in India. These exams are conducted at three levels:

Level	Popular Exams
National Level	CAT, CMAT, MAT
State Level	MAH-CET, TSICET, APICET, KMAT, TANCET
University/College Level	XAT, SNAP, MICAT

In 2022, the National Testing Agency (NTA) introduced the Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate (CUET-PG), a national-level exam for multiple courses, including MBA. The CUET-PG score is accepted by all central universities. Candidates who wish to pursue an MBA from a central university must take CUET-PG, which is held every May.

MBA Entrance Exam 2025: Application Deadlines & Exam Dates

The table below provides the application tentative deadlines and exam dates for the top 20 MBA entrance exams in India:

CAT

Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national level entrance exam, conducted by IIM . This exam is conducted for the admission to MBA and other postgraduate courses offered by its 21 IIM campuses. To apply for this exam, you must have completed your graduation with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	August 1, 2025
Registration Deadline	September 13, 2025
Admit Card Download	November 05, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Exam Date 2025	November 30, 2025

XAT

XAT 2025 (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national level entrance exam, conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur. This exam is conducted for the admission to MBA/PGDM courses and accepted by more than 250 b-schools. You must have a bachelor's degree to apply for the XAT exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	July 10, 2025
Registration Deadline	December 5, 2025
Admit Card Download	December 20, 2025 (Tentative)
Exam Date 2025	January 4, 2026

MICAT

MICAT 2025 is conducted by MICA Ahmedabad to select the candidates for the batch of 2025 - 2027. This exam is conducted for admission to MICA's PGP courses, that include the PGDM and PGDM-C. You must have completed your bachelor's degree or equivalent to appear for this exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	September 2024
Registration Deadline	November 23, 2024
Exam Date 2025	Phase 1: December 7, 2024, Phase 2: January 25, 2025

CMAT

The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT 2025) is conducted by NTA. This is a national level examination conducted for the admission to MBA/PGDM courses offered by government recognized institutes. You should have completed your bachelor's degree to appear for this exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	November 14, 2024
Registration Deadline	December 25, 2024 (Concluded)
Exam Date 2025	January 25, 2025 (Concluded)

KIITEE MBA

KIITEE management is a national level entrance exam, conducted by KIIT School of Management. This exam is held for the admission to various MBA courses. To apply for the KIITEE Management exam, you must have completed your graduation with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	September 20, 2024
Registration Deadline	January 2025
Exam Date 2025	January 11, 12, and 13, 2025 (Concluded)

KMAT Kerala

KMAT Kerala is a state level entrance exam, conducted by Commissioner of Entrance Exams. This exam is conducted for admission to various management schools throughout the state of Kerala. You must have completed your graduation in any discipline to apply for the KMAT Kerala exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	February 2, 2025 (Phase 1)
Registration Deadline	February 14, 2025 (Phase 1)
Exam Date 2025	Phase 1: February 23, 2025

MAT

Management Aptitude Test or MAT is a national level entrance exam, conducted by AIMA. This exam is conducted for the admission to MBA/PGDM courses at more than 800 B-schools across India. To appear for the MAT 2025, you must have completed your graduation in any stream from a UGC recognized university.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	December 26, 2024
Registration Deadline	PBT 2 March 2025, CBT 12 March 2025
Exam Date 2025	PBT: March 9, 2025, CBT: March 17, 2025

CUET PG MBA

CUET PG is a national level entrance exam, conducted by NTA. This exam is conducted for the postgraduate admissions, including MBA programs. To apply for the CUET PG 2025 exam, you must have completed your undergraduate degree with a minimum of 50% marks.

Events	Dates
Registration Deadline	February 8, 2025
Exam Date 2025	March 13 to 31, 2025

TANCET

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET 2025) is conducted by the Anna University. This exam is conducted for the admission into MBA and MCA courses in various colleges in Tamil Nadu state. To appear for the TANCET 2025, you should have completed your bachelor's degree with minimum of 50% aggregate marks.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	January 24, 2025
Registration Deadline	February 21, 2025
Exam Date 2025	March 22, 2025

MAH MBA CET

Maharashtra Common Entrance Test or MAH CET 2025 is a state level management test, conducted by State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra. This exam is conducted for the admission to management courses in various institutes across Maharashtra. You should have completed your bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks to apply for this exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	December 25, 2024
Registration Deadline	February 10, 2025
Exam Date 2025	April 1, 2, and 3, 2025

AP ICET

AP ICET 2025 is a state level entrance exam, conducted by Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Ananthapuramu. It is conducted for the admission to MBA and MCA courses at various colleges in the state of Andhra Pradesh. You should have passed a three-year bachelor's degree course with a minimum of 50% marks to apply for this exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	6 Mar 2025
Registration Deadline	7 Apr 2025
Exam Date 2025	May 7, 2025

OJEE

Odisha Joint Entrance Exam (OJEE) is a state level entrance exam, conducted by OJEE Cell. This exam is conducted for the admission to B.Pharm, MBA/PGDM, MCA, and M.Tech programs. OJEE eligibility criteria vary from undergraduate to postgraduate. For the undergraduate courses, you must complete Class 12 and postgraduate courses, you must complete graduation.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	30 Jan 2025
Registration Deadline	20 Mar 2025
Exam Date 2025	May 2 to 6, 10 and 11, 2025

TS ICET

Telangana Integrated Common Entrance Test (TGICET) is a state level entrance exam, conducted by Kakatiya University, Warangal. This exam is conducted for the admission for MBA and MCA programs in various institutes in Telangana. To appear for this exam, you must have completed your bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% marks.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	10th March 2025
Registration Deadline	3rd May 2025
Exam Date 2025	June 8 and 9, 2025

Karnataka PGCET

Karnataka PGCET is a state level entrance exam, conducted by Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). This exam is conducted for the admission to various PG courses such as MBA, MCA, MTech, and MArch courses. To appear for this exam, you must have completed your bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	2nd week of August 2025
Registration Deadline	3rd week of August 2025
Exam Date 2025	September 2025

SNAP

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP 2025) is a common admission test, conducted by the Symbiosis International Univrsity. This exam is conducted for the admission to MBA and PGDM courses offered at 16 constituent institutes. If you have completed your graduation with a minimum of 50% marks, then you can appear for this examination.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	To be announced
Registration Deadline	To be announced
Exam Date 2025	December 2025

NMAT

NMAT by GMAC is a national level entrance exam, conducted for the admission to MBA courses at NMIMS University and other reputed top B-schools. You need a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks to apply for this exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	To be announced
Registration Deadline	To be announced
Exam Date 2025	November to December 2025

IBSAT

IBSAT is a national level entrance exam, conducted by ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. This exam is conducted for the admission to MBA/PGPM programs at various IBS institutes. You should have completed your bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks to apply for this exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	To be announced
Registration Deadline	To be announced
Exam Date 2025	Last week of December 2025

KMAT

Karnataka Management Aptitude Test (KMAT) is a management entrance exam, conducted by Karnataka Private Post Graduate Colleges Association (KPPGCA). This exam is conducted for the admission to MBA, PGDM, and MCA programs in Karnataka. If you have completed your graduation, then you are eligible to apply for the KMAT exam.

Events	Dates
Commencement of Registration	To be announced
Registration Deadline	To be announced
Exam Date 2025	To be announced

Frequently Asked Questions

Which MBA entrance exam should I choose if I want to study in a specific state? +

Ans: If you are targeting a specific state-level MBA college, you should take the corresponding state-level entrance exam:   

• MAH MBA CET – For MBA colleges in Maharashtra
• SICET – For MBA colleges in Telangana
• APICET – For MBA colleges in Andhra Pradesh
• TANCET – For MBA colleges in Tamil Nadu
• KMAT – For MBA colleges in Karnataka
• OJEE MBA – For MBA colleges in Odisha
• HPU MAT – For MBA colleges in Himachal Pradesh

What is the difference between CAT, XAT, and CMAT? +

Ans: 

• CAT (Common Admission Test) is the most widely accepted MBA entrance exam in India, required for IIMs and top B-schools like FMS, SPJIMR, and MDI. It has a high difficulty level.
• XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is conducted by XLRI and is known for its Decision-Making section, making it unique. It is accepted by XLRI, XIMB, IMT, and many other top institutes.
• CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) is conducted by NTA and is considered easier than CAT and XAT. It is accepted by AICTE-approved institutes.

Can I take multiple MBA entrance exams in one year? +

Ans: Yes, candidates can appear for multiple entrance exams in a year. Many students take CAT, XAT, CMAT, MAT, and ATMA together to maximize their chances of getting into a good MBA college. Some exams, like MAT and ATMA, are conducted multiple times a year, so candidates can take them more than once to improve their scores.

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