I want to quit current job and do MBA. So please tell when will the admission process of top B schools begin after CAT so that I could plan accordingly to quit this job so as to be able to serve three months notice period before quitting and if called by top B schools can attend interviews also.

Hi Ranjith,

There are many different exams that can help you pursue an MBA in various colleges across India. The MBA entrance exams are been conducted by various government and private colleges in India to intake students for different programs offered by them. IIMs conduct CAT or Common Admission Test to intake students for their 20 IIMs. Although, the CAT scored is considered by other colleges as well, some colleges do or do not conduct their own entrance exams along with CAT scores. Let me walk you through the various exams and also, the various colleges that accept each exam for their MBA admissions.

The best rated examination of India, Common Admission Test or CAT is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM). CAT scores are used for admission by 20 IIMs and various other management institutes across the country. Approximately about two lakh students or more appear for this exam every year.

CAT started in 1950 as a paper-based exam and transformed to become an online-entrance test in 2009. The question paper consists of 100 questions (MCQs) and the students are required to solve the same in 180 minutes. The number of questions might differ every year and are pre-informed to the students. Registration for CAT starts in the month of August or September and the exam is held in November or December.

The exam consists of four segments: Verbal, Quantitative, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. These segments are accordingly grouped into sections. CAT has three sections:

• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC)

The important dates related to the exams are,

The second largest management entrance examination in terms of university acceptance is Common Management Admission Test or CMAT. It is taken by roughly 1.5 lakh candidates. It is conducted by National Testing Agency and is a popular option among MBA aspirants after CAT. The first CMAT exam took place in 2012. It has become one of the most popular exams of the country in a short span of time. It is accepted by more than 500 MBA institutes across the country. The CMAT exam is held in January every year.

CMAT is a computer-based exam (held for 180 minutes) and tests the candidate’s aptitude in four main sections:

• Quantitative technique
• Logical reasoning
• Language comprehension
• General Awareness

One of the top management entrance exams and a highly sought after exam is Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT. It is a computer-based management aptitude test and is conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur. Annually, XAT exam is written by approximately one lakh candidates.

Usually, XAT is held on the first Sunday of the year (January). XAT scores are accepted by XLRI, Jamshedpur and more than 100 management institutes.

XAT exam tests the candidate on four fronts:

• Quantitative Ability
• English Language & Logical Reasoning
• Decision Making
• GK & Essay

SNAP is a national-level entrance examination and is conducted by Symbiosis International University. Its scores are primarily used for admission to 15 institutes under Symbiosis International University. SNAP is a computer-based exam and is held for two hours. It tests a candidate on:

• General English
• Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency
• General Awareness: General Knowledge, Current Affairs, Business Scenario
• Analytical & Logical Reasoning

NMAT is one of the important and popular MBA entrance exams offered by any private college. It is a computer-based exam, and is held over a 75-day testing window, between the month of October and December. students need to attempt 120 MCQs in 120 minutes. Students can appear for the exam for about three times and the best of three scores will be used for admission.

The NMAT exam has three main sections:

• Language Skills
• Quantitative Skills
• Logical Reasoning

All the very best!!