All About CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT: Full Form, Eligibility, Dates, Exam Fees, Syllabus

All About CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT: Full Form, Eligibility, Dates, Exam Fees, Syllabus

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Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content
Updated on May 14, 2026 21:43 IST
CAT, MAT, CMAT, XAT are the top most MBA entrance exams in India for MBA admission. If you are planning a career in management, you need to clear one of these exams. Read all about CAT, MAT, CMAT and XAT in this article. Also know about other MBA entrance exams.

CAT, MAT, CMAT, XAT are the top four MBA entrance exams in India for MBA admission. These exam scores are accepted by the top MBA colleges in India. Read all about CAT, MAT, CMAT and XAT in this article. Also know about other top MBA entrance exams that are gateway to some of the top MBA colleges in India. 

Top MBA entrance exams

CAT, MAT, XAT and CMAT are India’s most popular national level MBA entrance exams in India. If you qualify any of these exams, you are sure to get a seat in a well ranked and well reputed B-School. All these four exams are conducted between November and January. Many aspirants appear for all four or at least two of them. Syllabus and pattern of CAT, MAT, XAT and CMAT are same with a few variation. For most of the candidates, CAT preparation forms the base for preparation of rest of the three. Read below to read key details of CAT, MAT, XAT and CMAT including application dates, fee, pattern and syllabus. 

Table of contents
  • Top MBA Entrance Exams in India 2026
  • CAT Full Form and Highlights
  • MAT Full Form and Highlights
  • XAT Full Form and Highlights
  • CMAT Full Form and Highlights
  • Other Top MBA Entrance Exams

Top MBA Entrance Exams in India 2026

  1. CAT, conducted by IIM is the top entrance exam in India for MBA. Every year nearly 2.5 lakh MBA aspirants apply for CAT. It is the gateway to IIMs, FMS Delhi, IMT, SPJIMR, IIT-DoMS, MDI Gurgaon, IMI Delhi and other top ranked MBA colleges. Overall, nearly 1600 colleges accept CAT score for admission. 
  2. XAT is the gateway to XLRI Jamshedpur, MDI, IMT, LIBA, BITS Pilani, XISS, KJ Somaiya, MICA, BIMTECH, IRMA, XIMB, etc. XAT is also accepted by nearly 1000 + B-Schools in India.
  3. MAT exam score is accepted by over 800 B-schools in India including Amity University, Christ University, ITM University, DY Patil B-School, JIMS Rohini, Taxila Business School, Alliance University, etc. MAT is conducted by AIMA. 
  4. CMAT is conducted by the NTA and is valid for admission to all AICTE approved colleges. Top colleges accepting the score include, JBIMS Mumbai, GIM Goa, KJ Somaiya, Welingkar Institute of Management Mumbai, SIMSREE Mumbai, Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai, NL Dalmiya Institute of Management, Jaipuria Institute of Management, BIMTECH, KIIT School of Management, XIME Bangalore, etc. 

Now that you know the MBA colleges for which CAT, MAT, XAT and CMAT scores are valid, you can decide which exam to target this season. The wise thing to do is appear for all four or more entrance exams so that you can secure a seat in a good MBA college, as the admission criteria does not include only entrance exam score. You can also choose combination of any two depending upon your target B-Schools. MBA admission includes Group Discussion (GD), Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI), as well. So, prepare well for both entrance exam and pesonality assessment test.

Also Read: MBA Admission 2026: Check Application Deadline and Process of Top B-Schools

CAT Full Form and Highlights 

The full form of CAT is Common Admission Test. The exam is valid for admission to over 1,600 MBA colleges in India. CAT is conducted annually and considered the toughest MBA entrance exam. CAT 2026 will be held on the last Sunday of November 2026. Here are key highlights of CAT exam 2026:

CAT Features 

CAT Details 

Conducting institute

IIM

Exam level

National

Exam frequency

Once a year

Exam mode

CBT

Exam duration

2 hours

CAT 2026 exam date

29-Nov-2026

Registration Dates

First week of August to third week of September 2026

Eligibility 

  • Graduation with 50 % aggregate (45 % for SC/ST students)
  • Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply

Number of applications

2.95 lakh (in 2025)

Number of test takers

2.58 lakh (in 2025)

Exam fees

INR 2,600 (General category) and INR 1,300 (Reserved category)

CAT syllabus

  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) 
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
  • Quantitative Ability (QA)

CAT pattern

68 MCQs and non-MCQs

No. of test cities

170

Exam purpose

Admission into IIMs, SPJIMR, FMS, MDI, IMT and over 1,300 B-Schools in India

Course offered

MBA/PGDM

Exam helpdesk no.

1-800-210-1088 (Toll Free)

Exam website

 https://iimcat.ac.in

Also Read:

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MAT Full Form and Highlights

The full form of MAT is Management Aptitude Test. It is considered an easy exam. The greatest benefit of MAT is that one can choose the month as well as the mode in which one wants to appear for it. Multiple attempts are also allowed in MAT as it is conducted in multiple sessions. Read key highlights of MAT 2026 exam below:

MAT Features 

MAT Details 

Conducting institute

All India Management Association (AIMA)

Exam level

National

Exam frequency

Multiple times a year

Exam mode

CBT, PBT

Exam duration

2 hours

MAT exam schedule

32-May-2026 (PBT)

14-Jun-2026 (CBT)

MAT registration dates

25-May-2026 (PBT)

08-Jun-2026 (CBT)

Eligibility 

  • Graduation in any stream from a recognised university
  • Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply

Number of applications

40,000 (approx.)

Exam fees

INR 2,300 (INR 1,700 additionally for second test mode)

MAT syllabus

  • Language Comprehension
  • Data Analysis & Sufficiency
  • Mathematical Skills (Quantitative Aptitude)
  • Intelligence and Critical Reasoning
  • Economic and Business Environment

MAT pattern

150 questions in MCQs format

No. of test cities

35-40

Exam purpose

Admission to 800 MBA Colleges in India (approx.)

Course offered

MBA/PGDM

Exam helpdesk no.

011 - 24645100 / 011 - 24617354 / 011 - 43128100

Exam website

https://mat.aima.in/

Also Read:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   When is NMAT cutoff released?
A: 

NMAT cutoff scores are released by the participating institutes during its admission process. Candidates have to apply for the desired b-school. Some of these institute may or may not release the NMAT cutoff scores. Candidates must refer to the official website of the desired b-school to know about the cutoff scores.

The overall NMAT cut-off level generally remains between 150-280. More than 40 B-Schools across India and 20+ international B-schools accept NMAT scores for MBA admission. the cutoff scores and percentile changes across participating b-schools. Additionally, some colleges may seek admission based on sectional as well as overall cutoff scores, while some may only consider the overall cutoff. 

Q:   What is meant by NMAT cutoff?
A: 

NMAT cut off score is the minimum score or marks required for shortlisting the candidate for admission or admission rounds. In simple words mean, the cutoff scores help in the screening process by which candidates can be shortlisted for further selection rounds, including the Group Discussion (GD)/Case Discussion (CD) and Personal Interview. The cut-offs list is determined by each participating college; therefore the minimum marks/ percentage required to for selection differs across different participating institutes.

Q:   Does good percentile in ATMA guarantee direct admission to colleges?
A: 

No, a good percentile does not guarantee direct admission to colleges accepting ATMA scores. Colleges conduct different selection rounds before providing admissions. Many colleges conduct rounds such as Group Discussion, Written Ability Test and Personal Interview. Students who match the ATMA cutoff are called to participate in these rounds. Admissions are offered based on the performance of students in all these rounds. 

Q:   What is the difference between ATMA score and percentile?
A: 

ATMA score represents the actual marks obtained by the students in the ATMA exam. The ATMA percentile indicates their relative performance compared to the other examinees. Percentile scores are used by the participating colleges to select and shortlist students for the admission process. 

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XAT Full Form and Highlights

The full form of XAT is Xavier Aptitude Test and it is conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur annually every year on first Sunday of January. XAT is of moderate to high difficulty level. After CAT, XAT is the most popular option among MBA aspirants. Read key highlights of XAT exam 2027 below:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT exam cutoff required to get admission to IIM Bangalore?
A: 

The CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore hovers between 97-100 percentile. The qualifying CAT cut off required for being eligible for IIM Bangalore's Written Ability test (What) and Personal Interview PI is 85 percentile for General category students, whereas for SC candidates, it is 70 percentile. For ST candidates, it is 65 percentile and for PwD candidates it is 60 percentile. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore.

  • General category: 80 VARC 75 DILR 75 Quantitative Aptitude 85 (Overall)
  • NC-OBC category: 75 VARC 65 DILR 65 Quantitative Aptitude 75 (Overall)
  • EWS category: 70 VARC 65 DILR 65 Quantitative Aptitude 75 (Overall)
  • SC category: 65 VARC 60 DILR 60 Quantitative Aptitude 70 (Overall)
  • ST category: 55 VARC 55 DILR 55 Quantitative Aptitude 65 (Overall)
  • PwD category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall)
Q:   I am in the final year of my Bachelor's degree. Am I eligible to take the CAT exam?
A: 

Yes, you are eligible to appear for the exam provided your score in the first two years of the degree course is above 50% (or equivalent). In case you belong to SSC/ST/PwD categories, the minimum aggregate should be 45%. Candidates planning to pursue MBA must make sure that they score minimum of 50 per cent in aggregate in every year of their Bachelor's degree programme, so that overall average too is 50 per cent. Those, in the final year of graduation must take care that if they do not have a minimum of 50 per cent in first two years, they need to score much higher in the final year so that their overall score meets the minimum requirement. To have a better chance of being selected by the Iims, candidates must aim for high scores in graduation and not just 50 per cent as academic record is a significant contributor in shortlisting of candidates for admission.

Q:   Can I appear for CMAT at any test centre?
A: 

No, you cannot appear for the CMAT exam at any test centre. You can appear for the test at the centre mentioned in your CMAT admit card. Entry at every CMAT test centre is given to candidates only after thorough scrutiny of the hall ticket and ID proof. If you attempt to gain entry in any other test centre, you will be disqualified. Thus, candidates must make sure that they check the location of their allotted test centre beforehand and reach there on exam day on time.  If they reach the test centre after the gates have been closed they will not be allowed entry under any circumstances. CMAT test centre gates close 15 minutes before the commencement of exam.

Q:   What is the difference between qualifying CAT cut off and final CAT cut off?
A: 
Qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of an IIM is the minimum percentile (sectional as well as overall) required by candidates to be eligible for the Written Ability Test (What) and Personal Interview PI round. These are only eligibility score and not the score for selection. The final CAT cut off percentiles are the scores on the basis of which a candidate is actually selected for the What-PI round. The qualifying CAT cut offs are released publically before the CAT exam and result as a part of selection criteria for the MBA/PGP batch of that year. The qualifying cut offs for CAT are release category wise - General, NC/OBC. General-EWS, SC/ST, PwD. The qualifying cut offs percentiles of General category candidate is higher than then rest. The final CAT cut offs are not released publically. The cut offs are estimate on the basis of candidate's selection for What-PI. The final CAT cut offs for General category candidate is also higher than then rest.

XAT Features 

XAT Details 

Conducting institute

XLRI, Jamshedpur

Exam level

National

Exam frequency

Once a year

Exam mode

CBT

Exam Duration

180 minutes

XAT exam date

January 3, 2027

Registration Dates

First week of July 2026 to First week of October 2026

Eligibility 

  • Graduation in any stream from a recognised university
  • Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply

Number of applications

Nearly 1.00 lakh ( for 2025 exam)

Exam fees

INR 2,200

XAT syllabus

  • Decision Making
  • Verbal & Logical Ability
  • Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation
  • General Knowledge
  • Essay Writing

XAT pattern

95 questions in MCQ format

No. of test cities

110

Exam purpose

Admission to XLRI and 800 MBA colleges

Course offered

MBA/PGDM

Exam helpdesk no.

18002674008

Exam website

https://xatonline.in/

Also Read:

What is the difference between CAT and XAT? What is the difference between CAT and MAT? What is the difference between CAT and CMAT?

CMAT Full Form and Highlights

The full form of CMAT is Common Management Admission Test. It is conducted by the NTA and valid for admission to all government institutions for MBA and PDGM programmes. Many private institutes also accept CMAT score for admission. Read key highlights of CMAT exam 2027 below:

CMAT Features 

CMAT Details 

Conducting institute

National Testing Agency

Exam level

National

Exam frequency

Once a year

Exam mode

CBT

Exam Duration

3 hours

Exam schedule

Fourth week of January 2026

Registration Dates

Third week of October to Last week of November 2026

Eligibility 

  • Graduation in any stream from a recognised university
  • Final year graduation students are also eligible to apply

Number of applications

75,000

Exam fees

General male candidates: INR 2,500

Reserved category male, women and transgender: INR 1250 

CMAT syllabus

  • Quantitative Techniques & Data Interpretation
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Language Comprehension & Verbal Ability
  • General Awareness
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship (optional paper)

CMAT pattern

100 questions in MCQ format

No. of test cities

124

Exam purpose

Admission to 1300 MBA colleges

Course offered

MBA/PGDM

Exam helpdesk no.

0120-6895200

Exam website

 https://www.nta.ac.in

Also Read:

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the CAT cut off for IIM Lucknow?
A: 
The CAT cut offs for IIM Lucknow is usually around 97-99 percentile. The two courses - PGP Agri-Business Management (ABM) and PGP Sustainable Management (some) are extremely popular among MBA aspirants who wish to make a career in these areas. The institute also offers PGP programme. The qualifying CAT cut off for IIM Lucknow's Written Ability test (What) and Personal Interview PI is 90 percentile for General category students, whereas for SC candidates, it is 70 percentile. For ST and PwD candidates, it is 60 percentile. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Lucknow PGP course. General category: 85 VARC 85 DILR 85 Quantitative Aptitude 90 (Overall) NC-OBC category: 77 VARC 77 DILR 77 Quantitative Aptitude 82 (Overall) EWS category: 77 VARC 77 DILR 77 Quantitative Aptitude 82 (Overall) SC category: 55 VARC 55 DILR 55 Quantitative Aptitude 70 (Overall) ST category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall) PwD category: 50 VARC 50 DILR 50 Quantitative Aptitude 60 (Overall) Click here for detailed IIM Lucknow admission and selection criteria: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-lucknow-shortlist-admission-criteria-blogId-18509.
Q:   Who is eligible for NMAT exam?
A: 

NMAT exam is conducted for admission to more than 45 b-schools in India. The exam eligibility criteria can vary from the eligibility criteria of a particular institute. Additionally, MBA eligibility conditions for all participating institutes can vary. However, the NMAT exam eligibility remains the same. The space below mentions the NMAT eligibility criteria:

  • Candidate must have a bachelor's degree, completed under 10+2+3 or four years of education pattern, irrespective of the stream.
  • Aggregate score in the graduation degree level should not be less than 50 per cent the final year of the degree course.
  • Candidates waiting for results or are currently in the final year of graduation are eligible to apply for NMAT exam.

Those who are yet to pass the bachelor's degree course get a provisional admission until the graduation mark sheet and certificate of the qualifying examination are submitted at the participating institute.

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Other Top MBA Entrance Exams

Given below is the list of some other popular MBA entrance exams you can explore and consider applying for admission a B-School of your choice: 

MBA Entrance Exams

MBA Entrance Exams Full-Form

KMAT

Karnataka Management Aptitude Test

IBSAT

ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test 

MICAT

MICA Common Aptitude Test

MAH CET

Maharashtra MBA Common Entrance Test

NMAT by GMAC

Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test by GMAC

SNAP

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test

TANCET

Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test Exam

TSICET

Telangana State Integrated Common Entrance Test

APICET

Andhra Pradesh Integrated Common Entrance Test

Karnataka PGCET

Karnataka Post Graduation Common Entrance Test

OJEE MBA

Odisha Joint Entrance Examination MBA

KMAT Kerala

Kerala Management Aptitude Test

List of all MBA entrance exams

Check Cut offs of top MBA entrance exams and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

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