MBA Admission 2026: Application Dates, Registration Process, Eligibility, Seat Allotment

The MBA admission cycle in India is based on MBA entrance exam dates. As CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP exams are held in December-January, colleges accepting scores of these exams for admission begin their selection process from January onwards. Colleges accepting CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT scores open application window March onwards. Many private B-schools keep their admission window open till September. Any candidate who plans to pursue an MBA programme in regular mode of education, must follow the process explained below.

STEP 1: Shortlist MBA Colleges of Your Choice

First of all, the candidates must shortlist the colleges they wish to pursue MBA or PGDM programme. College selection should be based the following factors:

• Government/UGC Recognition
• Eligibility criteria and cut offs
• MBA course and specializations
• Programme fees
• Infrastructure, faculty and pedagogy
• Placement record

STEP 2: Check MBA Admission Process and Selection Criteria

Most of the B-schools in India accept MBA students on the basis of an entrance exam score and personality assessment test which includes Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI).

Some institutes offer direct admission on the basis of graduation scores but the number of such colleges is less. Such colleges usually fall in Tier 3 category. Admission process of such institutes include only two steps:

• Filling the MBA application form
• Payment of admission fees

STEP 3: Participate in WAT/GD/PI

If admission process of the MBA colleges that you have shortlisted includes entrance exam, WAT-GD-PI, you will be required to clear these rounds to be selected for admission. If the institute of your choice offers direct admission, you will be required to fill the admission form and pay the fees.

Written Ability Test: The WAT is a process in which candidates are given a topic to write a short essay on, explaining their point of view. It is about 250 words and one is given 15-20 minutes to write. WAT topics are generally from current affairs topics across fields. 

Group Discussion: In this round, a bunch of students are group together to discuss a given topic. Every group member is invited to speak for a brief time before the floor is thrown open for discussion. Candidates must display their leadership skills and convincing ability. 

Personal Interview: It is a personal interaction where a panel of experts, interview the candidate on the basis of their academics, work experience and career plan.

Also Read:

• MBA admission 2026: Application Process and Dates for top B-Schools

Given below is the table for application status of 20+ popular MBA colleges in India. You can apply to these institutes by filling the online application form available at their official websites.

The entrance exam score is the main criteria for shortlisting of candidates for MBA admission. The Tier-1 and Tier-2 B-schools in India accept candidature of prospective students on the basis of their MBA entrance exam score. The MBA entrance exams are MCQ based where questions are asked from Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude and General Awareness. We have listed below the top seven MBA entrance exams scores of which are accepted by many colleges.

MBA Admission Through CAT

The Common Admission Test or CAT conducted by the IIMs for admission to their MBA programmes and over 1,300 other MBA colleges. Most of the top MBA colleges in India apart from the IIMs such as SPJIMR-Mumbai, FMS-Delhi, MDI-Gurgaon and IMT-Ghaziabad accept CAT score for admission. CAT exam is conducted in the month of November every year across India and the result is announced in January. Every year, more than 2.2 lakh candidates take CAT. For CAT 2023 and CAT 2024, the number of applications received was over 3 lakh. CAT 2025 exam will be held on November 30, 2025.

Also Read: Top Colleges Accepting CAT score

MBA Admission Through XAT

Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT is conducted by XLRI, Jamshedpur for admission to its PGDM programmes. Apart from XLRI, XAT score is accepted by over 800 B-schools in India. XAT exam is held in January every year across India and the result is announced in the same month. More than 90,000 candidates appear for XAT every year. XAT 2026 will be held on January 4, 2026 and registration window is open till December 5, 2025.

Also Read: Top Colleges Accepting XAT score

MBA Admission Through CMAT

Common Management Entrance Test or CMAT is conducted by the National Testing Agency NTA for admission to over 1300 MBA colleges in India. CMAT exam is conducted nation-wide and about 70, 000 candidates take the test every year. CMAT 2025 was held on January 25, 2025. The 2026 session is also expected to be held around same time next year.

Also Read: Top Colleges Accepting CMAT score

MBA Admission Through MAT

Management Aptitude Test or MAT is conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA) for admission to over 800 B-schools in India, MAT exam is conducted four times a year (February, May, September and December) in computer-based mode and paper-based mode. MAT 2025 registration can be done at AIMA MAT website.

Also Read: Top Colleges Accepting MAT score

MBA Admission Through SNAP

The Symbiosis National Aptitude Test or SNAP is a national-level entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International (Deemed) University for admission to MBA/PGDM programmes offered by its constituent institutes. SNAP exam is conducted pan-India in December and the result is announced in the same month. SNAP 2025 registration is open till November 20, 2025. The SNAP 2025 exam will be held on December 6, 14 and 20, 2025.

Also Read: Top Colleges Accepting SNAP score

MBA Admission Through NMAT

NMIMS Management Aptitude Test or NMAT exam is conducted by Graduate Management Admission Council. Officially known as NMAT by GMAC, the exam is conducted in a 75-day window giving the candidate the option to choose their exam date and slot. NMAT exam is held from October to December and the score is accepted by over 100 institutes in India. Over 30,000 candidates appear in NMAT, every year. 

Also Read: Top MBA Colleges Accepting NMAT Score

The WAT-GD-PI is the second stage of MBA admission process after entrance exam. The top IIMs and non-IIMs conduct WAT which is a short essay writing test to check the candidate’s clarity of thoughts in writing. The GD is conducted to assess the candidate’s leadership qualities and communication skills. The PI round is a more personalized round in which the interviewers judge the candidate on the basis of their subject-knowledge, problem solving skills, career plan and the capability to handle pressure.

Also Read:

• 200+ Group Discussion (GD) Topics  for MBA: Current & Latest GD Topics with detailed analysis
• Personal Interviews: 5 Situations That May Stump You
• How to Handle Surprise Topics in GDs
• Common questions asked in Personal Interviews
• 13 must do things to crack GD-PI-WAT
• 14 parameters on which you are judged in WAT-GD-PI

At the time of MBA admission, the candidates are required to furnish personal details and submit proof of the same. Given below is the list of documents to be submitted at the time of MBA admission along with fees.

• Date of Birth Certificate
• Class 10^th Certificate
• Class 12^th Certificate
• Graduation/Post Graduation Marksheet
• Professional Degree Certificate
• Letter of Recommendation (if applicable)
• Statement of Purpose (if applicable)
• Experience Certificate (if applicable)
• Category Certificate (if applicable)
• Photo ID issued by the Government of India

Also Read: MBA Scholarships in India

Check here Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related to MBA Admission in India