Reservation in MBA Entrance Exams: Criteria and Guidelines
Many MBA entrance exams in India offer seat reservation for candidates belonging to various categories. This article contains detailed information about reservation in MBA entrance exams. Find out the eligibility criteria, percentage reservation and application for reserved category candidates in MBA exams.
Reservation in MBA Entrance Exams: Each MBA entrance exam has a different set of requirements and an admission process. Certain MBA exams charge an application fee, have different qualifying requirements, and have a different number of seats reserved for specific categories (General, SC, ST, etc.). However, not all exams adhere to the quota system. XAT and SNAP exam fees are the same for all students, but the exam fees for CAT, CMAT, and IIFT are 50% less for students in the Reserved category than for students in the General category. In the same way, as per the Government of India's Reservation guidelines, seats in the CAT and MAH CET are reserved for candidates from respective categories. On the contrary, there is no reservation of seats in private MBA exams such as SNAP and MICAT.
Depending upon the exam, various relaxations are provided for reserved category candidates in MBA entrance exams. These relaxations may be in the form of a lower application fee or a reduced minimum percentage criterion or reserving a certain percentage of seats for reserved category candidates. In this article, we explore the various criteria and guidelines of MBA entrance exams meant for reserved category candidates.
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Reserved Categories for MBA Entrance Exams
The exact categories of candidates that may be given reservation in MBA entrance exams are different for each exam. It usually depends on the exam-conducting authority and the government regulations put in place by the central as or state government. Some MBA entrance exams conducted by private institutes do not have any criteria for reservation.
Some of the categories of candidates that are commonly given reservation in MBA entrance exams include the following.
- Scheduled Caste (SC)
- Scheduled Tribe (ST)
- Other Backward Classes (OBC)
- OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer)
- Person with Disability (PwD) / Physically Disabled (PD) / Physically Handicapped (PH)
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
- Dependants / Wards of Defence Personnel
- Migrants from Jammu & Kashmir
- Residents of the state conducting the exam (State-Quota) etc.
How to Apply for Reserved Category Seats in MBA Entrance Exams
Candidates who wish to apply for reserved seats in MBA entrance exams must note the following details.
- Candidates are provided with the option to select their category while filling up the form for the MBA entrance exams.
Various options of categories are provided, depending upon the exam.
Entrance exams that do not have any reservation may also ask for the category of the candidate. Candidates must confirm the availability of reservation from the examination brochure.Candidates must be careful while choosing the category as the exam may not have the provision of changing it in the future.
Candidates will be required to upload a scanned copy or send a photocopy of the valid certificate for their selected category with the application form. The certificate must be issued and attested by the authority concerned.
The original certificate proof for the category will be required during counselling and/or admission.
Candidates who fail to produce the required documentation will be considered only for General / Unreserved (UR) seats.
Candidates applying for CAT may check the article provided below to know the process to apply for Category Certificates
MBA Eligibility Criteria For Reserved Categories
Reserved category candidates may be provided relaxations in the eligibility criteria in certain MBA entrance exams. Given below is the eligibility criteria for reserved category candidates as specified by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Candidate must have a bachelor's degree course of at least 3 years duration in any stream.
Candidate must have received at least 45% aggregate marks in the qualifying bachelor's degree. This is the minimum specified requirement. Some colleges may specify a higher percentage requirement.
Candidates from all streams are eligible to apply.
Reservation Criteria for MBA Entrance Exams
The table below contains the reservation criteria for various MBA entrance exams.
Exam | Reserved Categories | Percentage of Seats Reserved | Certificates Required |
| Schedule Caste (SC) | 15% |
| |
| Schedule Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | ||
Other Backward Classes: Non- Creamy layer (NC-OBC) | 27% | ||
| Person with disability (PwD)/ Differently Abled (DA) are divided into three categories: a) Low vision blindness b) Hearing impairment c) Loco-motor disability/cerebral palsy | 5% | ||
EWS | 10% | ||
SC | 15% |
| |
ST | 7.5% | ||
OBC - Non-Creamy Layer | 27% | ||
PwD (in each of the above categories) | 5% in each category | ||
Maharashtra State Candidates | 85% |
| |
| All India Seats (for MS and OMS candidates) | 15% | ||
Backward Classes (only under Maharashtra State Seats) | SC: 13% ST: 7% VJ/DT (NT-A): 3% NT-B: 2.5% NT-C: 3.5% NT-D: 2% OBC: 19% TOTAL: 50% | ||
Foreign Nationals / PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) | 15% | ||
Ward of NRIs | 5% | ||
Institute-Level Seats | 20% | ||
EWS | 10% | ||
Orphan Candidates | 1% | ||
Minority Seats | 66% reservation in minority institutes | ||
| Jammu & Kashmir Migrant Seats | 1 seat above sanctioned intake per institute | ||
SC | 15% | NA | |
ST | 7.5% | ||
DAC (Differently-Abled Candidates) | 3% | ||
Wards of Defence Personnel | 5% (in select courses only) | ||
Kashmiri Migrants | 2 seats per course | ||
International Candidates | 15% above the sanctioned intake | ||
SC | 15% | Self-attested latest proof of “Below Poverty Line (BPL)” status that has been issued by the appropriate authority | |
ST | 7.5% | ||
NC-OBC | 27% | ||
DA | 3% | ||
| MAT 2023 | SC | 15% | NA |
| ST | 7.5% | ||
| OBC | 27% | ||
| PH Category | 3% | ||
| IIFT Exam | Replaced by CAT exam | ||
Additionally, there are a number of exams which do not offer any reservation based on the category of candidates. Some of these MBA exams are mentioned below.
MBA Entrance Exam Application Fee For Reserved Category Candidates
Given below is the MBA entrance exam fee for the reserved category candidates
Exam | Application Fee for Reserved Categories |
CAT |
|
CMAT |
|
MAH MBA CET |
|
SNAP | INR 1,950 for all candidates |
IRMASAT |
|
MAT | INR 1,850 for all candidates |
ATMA |
|
XAT | INR 2,000 for all candidates |
MICAT | INR 2,100 for all candidates |
IBSAT | INR 1,800 for all candidates |
NMAT by GMAC | INR 2,300 for all candidates |
Popular MBA Colleges in India
The table below contains some of the colleges in India that are popular for their MBA courses.
| College | Location | Course Fee (in Rs.) |
| Poddar Group of Institutions (PGI) | Jaipur | 1,80,000 - 5,50,000 |
| Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) | Delhi | 2,00,000 |
| GITAM Deemed University | Bangalore | 4,97,000 (1st year fee) and 5,21,800 (2nd year fee) |
| Management Development Institute (MDI) | Gurgaon | 8,70,000 - 24,70,000 |
| KIIT School of Management (KSOM) | Bhubaneswar | 16,90,000 |
| SRM University Delhi NCR | Sonepat | 1,75,000 per year |
| Lovely Professional University (LPU) | Jalandhar | 2,00,000 per semester |
| Bangalore Institute of Management Studies (BIMS) | Bangalore | 5,40,000 |
| Amity University Manesar | Gurgaon | 8,64,000 |
| The ICFAI University | Ranchi | 2,64,000 |
Candidates aspiring for admission to the MBA colleges in India can take advantage of the student counselling services offered by CollegeDekho absolutely free of cost. Just fill our Common Application Form (CAF) or reach out to us on 1800-572-9877.
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