Once you have shortlisted the colleges that you want to apply to, you must start gathering information about the different entrance examinations that are essential to secure seats in the B-Schools that you have selected.
Common Admission Test (CAT)
Common Admission Test (CAT) is a computer based entrance test conducted every year by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission to the business administration programs offered by the premier Indian B-Schools. Apart from the IIMs, a valid CAT score opens the gate to more than 100 management institutes across India. CAT is a yearly exam which is conducted every year for eligible graduates and students studying in their final year of graduation.
Pattern:
CAT exam comprises of three sections and the distribution of questions is as follows:
Section | No. of Questions | Duration |
Verbal Reasoning and Reading Comprehension | 34 | 60 minutes |
Quantitative Aptitude | 34 | 60 minutes |
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning | 32 | 60 minutes |
For every correct answer, the candidate is awarded 1 mark and for every incorrect answer, 0.25 marks are deducted.
Performance in CAT exam plays an essential role in getting a seat in one of the IIMs, however, each IIM shortlists candidates for the second stage of selection that may be independently analyzed. The procedure of shortlisting includes Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussions (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI).
Apart from this, IIMs may also consider throughout academic performance of the candidates, their work experience and other similar inputs for selecting candidates. This procedure may vary across different IIMs.
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT)
The Xavier Aptitude Test is organized by the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI) for admission to the post graduate management programmes offered by some of India’s best management institutes including XLRI, XIME, GIM and XIMB. It is a paper based aptitude test and general awareness test. The exam also has a subjective writing test for which the candidate has to write an essay.
Pattern:
The XAT entrance test can be segregated into the following four sections:
Section | No. of Questions | Duration |
Decision-Making | 23 | 50 minutes |
Verbal and Logical Ability | 26 | 60 minutes |
Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation | 29 | 60 minutes |
35 minutes are given for the Essay and General writing awareness as well.
The candidate is awarded 1 mark for every correct answer whereas for every incorrect answer 0.05 marks are deducted.
NMAT
NMAT is another entrance exam that allows MBA aspirants to contend for business programmes offered in some of the leading B-Schools in India. It is a computer-based test that is conducted by GMAC. A valid score in NMAT is accepted by reputed business schools such as NMIMS University, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad campuses among others.
Pattern:
NMAT is a 2 hours test that has 120 multiple choice questions. There are three sections each of which has a time limit. The candidates can opt for either of the following sections in the order of their preference:
Section | No. of Questions | Duration |
Language Skills | 32 | 22 minutes |
Quantitative Skills | 48 | 60 minutes |
Logical Reasoning | 40 | 38 minutes |
There is no negative marking in NMAT.
SNAP
Symbiosis National Aptitude (SNAP) is an entrance test conducted in pen-paper mode for the admission to all the Post-Graduate Institutes of Symbiosis International (Deemed) University. Although there is a single application form, the candidate needs to apply separately for each institute within Symbiosis International University, as per the details provided on the respective website of each institute.
Pattern:
There are four sections in SNAP and the duration of the test is two hours. The structure of the exam can be understood with the help of the following table:
Section | No. of Questions | Duration |
English: Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Ability | 40 | 20 minutes |
Quantitative, Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency | 40 | 50 minutes |
Current Affairs (past 2 years) | 30 | 20 minutes |
Analytical & Logical Reasoning | 40 | 30 minutes |
Cat
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