MBA Entrance Exam

IIFT entrance exam is a computer based test. It is conducted in a single session at designated test centres. At the exam centre, every candidate will be allotted a computer system on which they will have to enter their answers with the help of computer mouse.

Candidates are allotted the IIFT test centre in the city of their preference. They have to appear for the IIFT entrance exam at that test centre on the exam day at a particular time as mentioned in the IIFT admit card. The option to choose cities for test centre allotment is given to candidates in the IIFT application form. Candidates can choose their home city or where they are likely to be in on the date for allotment of a test centre at the closest and convenient location.

For 2024 admission, IIFT did not conduct the entrance exam,. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the IIFT entrance exam on behalf of the institute. In the IIFT exam, about 110 questions were asked from Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Ability and General Awareness. The exam was held in computer based test mode and the exam duration is 2 hours. There was no sectional time limit. The questions were in MCQ and non-MCQ format carrying 3 marks each. The wrong answers had negative marking of -1.5. In General Awareness section, each question carried 1.5 marks for correct attempt and -0.5 for incorrect attempts. The IIFT exam was an annual test and there was no option of retest.

The MAT application fee is same for all exam modes. The fee amount to be paid is INR 2200 for every single attempt irrespective of the exam mode. If a candidate wishes to combine two attempts (e.g. IBT+IBT, PBT+CBT, IBT+PBT, IBT+CBT), then they will have to pay INR 1500 additionally. Those who opt for additional test will get the benefit of additional 2 Management Institutes for sending their scores in addition to existing option of selecting 5 Management Institutes.

If you wish to take the MAT exam in following combination, then you will have to pay INR 3,600.

For Double Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (IBT)
or PBT+IBT
or PBT+CBT
or CBT+IBT

For every MAT attempt in different phases you need to fill a separate form. However, if you are planning to go for more than one attempt in the same exam phase, they you can apply for a combination of two exam session.

Candidate can take MAT in the following modes and combinations:

• Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (IBT) or
• Double Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (IBT) or
• Paper Based Test (PBT) or
• Paper Based Test and Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (PBT+IBT) or
• Computer Based Test (CBT) or
• Computer Based Test and Remote Proctored Internet Based Test (CBT+IBT) or
• Paper Based Test and Computer Based Test (PBT+CBT) 

 The MAT application form will be common and candidates will have to only mention their exam modes in it.

The IIFT GK section has questions from Current Affairs and Static GK. There are 20 questions in this section and they are asked from a range of fields including Politics, Industry, Geography, Business, Society, International Affairs, Science, Economics, Banking, Awards & Awardees, Entertainment, Sports, History and Mythology. If you think about it, then the IIFT syllabus for GK is too vast, so to prepare for it, stick to GK year books and new journals. Keep yourself abreast with political news and awards.

GK is the only subject that is memory based, so you need to keep studying it every day. But the year book and revise it every week. You can also dedicate an hour every day to GK in the last month of IIFT preparation. That will be enough to cover the GK syllabus.

The Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) section of IIFT exam includes Vocabulary, Synonyms/Antonyms, Analogies, Spelling Mistakes, Idioms and Phrases, English Proficiency, Sentence Formation, One Word Substitution, Sentence Reconstruction, Sentence Improvement, Sentence Completion, Fill in the Blanks, Rearrangement of Words, Paragraph Formation, Paragraph Completion, Jumbled Paragraph, Reading Comprehension, English Grammar, Word Meaning, Preposition, Odd Word Out, Sentence Correction and Phrases.

Candidates preparing for the IIFT entrance exam, must focus on these topics during preparation. The total number of questions in VARC section of IIFT is 35 and there is negative marking of -1. So, when you are preparing for it, keep your focus on RC passages, Antonym, Word Root, Match the Following, Idioms, Vocabulary and Noun/Adjective as these are the topics from which maximum questions are asked.

Quantitative Aptitude section of IIFT entrance exam comprises all the topics of Geometry, Algebra, Number System, Arithmetic, Mensuration, Trigonometry and Modern Math, etc. that include Percentages, Number System, Binomial Expansion, Arithmetic Progression, Simple Interest, Ratios, HCF & LCM, BODMAS, Median, Compound interest, Arithmetic Mean, Co-ordinate geometry, Standard Deviation, Vectors, Set Theory, Instalments/ payments, Permutation & Combination, Mode, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Probability, Clocks & Calendar, Time, Speed, Distance, Logarithm, Geometric Progression, Averages, In- equations Quadratic, Profit & Loss, Venn Diagram, Geometric Mean, Ratios & Proportions, Linear Equations, Algebra, Geometry, Work & Time, Harmonic Mean.

Candidates must start preparation of IIFT Quantitative Aptitude section about 6-8 months in advance so as to be able to have enough time to complete the syllabus and practice sample questions.

This section also requires practice of sample questions as mere theoretical understanding is not enough. The need for speed and accuracy is critical for IIFT exam so candidates must focus on gaining conceptual clarity of every topic and correct application for the theorems and formulae. Having a mentor or guide will be helpful so join a coaching institute or online study groups.