Many of India's top Business Schools, including XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, IMI Delhi, FORE Delhi, GIM Goa, and TAPMI Manipal, are currently accepting applications for MBA Admission 2026. The deadline for applications to FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR, and IIFT is November 28, 2025.
Refer to the post below for the MBA admission dates for 2026. The IIT Delhi will begin its MBA Admission 2026 process from January 2026. This guide offers a comprehensive, current summary of MBA Admission 2026, including application dates, anticipated cut-offs, approved entrance examinations, placements, direct MBA admission, and fees for each of India's top 100 B-schools.
Additionally, it has links to official MBA application forms for each school, so you may apply right away. This page is updated frequently to provide you with the most recent Live Updates, including new application forms opened this week, approaching deadlines, extended deadlines, and other crucial admission information, since MBA admission dates are constantly changing.
Thus, this guide will assist you in choosing wisely. Make well-informed decisions that will influence your MBA journey by carefully reading each section of this guide to prevent costly MBA admission errors.
Current Information on MBA Admission 2026: Crucial Dates
Every college has a separate start and end date for the MBA admission 2026 process. MBA Entrance Exams acceptance, application deadlines, and application links for India's top MBA schools are included in the table below.
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MBA College
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Exam Accepted
|
Last Date to Apply
|
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XLRI Jamshedpur and Delhi
|
XAT 2026
|
December 5, 2025
|
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FMS Delhi
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CAT 2025
|
November 28, 2025
|
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SPJIMR Mumbai
|
CAT 2025
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November 28, 2025
|
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MDI Gurgaon
|
CAT 2025
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November 28, 2025
|
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IIFT New Delhi
|
CAT 2025
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November 28, 2025
|
|
KCC Institute of Technology and Management
|
CAT/XAT/MAT
|
December 30, 2025
|
|
IMI Delhi
|
CAT 2025, XAT 2026
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December 12, 2025
|
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XIM University Bhubaneswar
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CAT 2025, XAT 2026
|
December 10, 2025
|
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GIM Goa
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CAT 2025, XAT 2026
|
November 27, 2025
|
|
FORE New Delhi & Gurgaon
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CAT 2025, XAT 2026
|
December 15, 2025
|
|
TAPMI Manipal
|
CAT 2025, XAT 2026
|
December 28, 2025
|
An Overview of MBA Admission 2026
Here is a quick rundown of the MBA admission 2026 process before we get into college-specific information. The following six steps make up the MBA admissions process.
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Take Entrance Exam: Applicants must take one or more MBA entrance exams, such as MAH MBA CET 2026, CAT 2025, XAT 2026, CMAT 2026, NMAT 2025, and MAT 2025. High percentile and score requirements apply to elite universities. Exam cut-offs by college are listed here.
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Apply to a Few B-Schools: You should choose and apply to MBA schools that fit your requirements, including placements, fees, cut-offs, and more, in addition to taking the entrance exam. The cost of an MBA application ranges from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000. Thus, exercise caution when choosing which colleges to apply to. This post below contains links to the official MBA admission forms for 2026 as well as a PDF download.
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Show up in both the personal interview (PI) and the group discussion (GD): You will be shortlisted for the final admission process if your profile (pre-MBA coursework, work experience, and CAT/XAT scores) meets the college's prerequisites and cut-offs. Participating in group discussions and personal interviews is part of the final selection process.
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Obtain Final Admission Confirmation & Pay Fees: MBA schools will make offers for MBA admission 2026 between January and May. You must be prepared to complete your admission and pay the fees.
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Direct MBA Admission: Students can apply for MBA admission without entrance exam through direct MBA admission at private colleges.
MBA Admission 2026 Requirements and Procedure
Although there are differences in MBA eligibility and admission requirements, applicants should generally fulfil the following prerequisites:
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Academic Requirement: A minimum aggregate score of 50% (45% for reserved categories) for a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited university.
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Work Experience: In India, MBA programs do not require this. However, B-schools favour individuals with 12 months to 24 months.
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MBA Entrance Exam marks: A key need for MBA eligibility is having high marks on MBA entrance exams such as the CAT, XAT, and CMAT.
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Age: There is no upper age limit for MBA admission 2026. Students of 21–30 years of age usually apply for the full-time MBA admission.
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Work Experience: Work experience is required for the executive/online MBA programs, but not for full-time programs.
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MBA admission without entrance exam: It is determined by graduation marks, counseling/interview performance, and seat availability.
Application Submission and Documentation
Candidates are required to submit their online form available on the college/university website for the MBA Admission 2026. The following are the documents required for admission:
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An academic mark sheet, like an undergraduate score card, and, if applicable, a certificate for graduation.
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Entrance exam score card (if needed)
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Government IDs like Aadhaar, PAN, and passport
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Passport-size photographs
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CV and work experience certificates (optional)
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SOP-Statement of Purpose or essays
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Recommendation letter (only required for executive/online programs)
Rounds of Group Discussion and Personal Interview
After shortlisting of candidates through entrance exams or merit scores evaluation, students will be called for the group discussion and a personal interview.
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Group Discussion: GD is mostly done in offline mode. Candidates are required to report to the college where they are tested for their soft skills, like communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
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Personal Interview (PI): PI is mostly done in offline mode; sometimes, a few colleges go for online mode too. Candidates’ motivation, goals, and academic and professional history are evaluated in this round.
Candidates will then be sent an offer letter after final selection through email, after evaluating their performance in the group discussion and personal interview by the college.
Admissions Confirmation
After the conclusion of the selection process, candidates need to confirm their seats after submitting the course fees. There is a significant variation in fee structure depending on the type of institution and program mode:
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Sr. No.
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Institute Type
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Typical Fees (INR)
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|
1
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Government colleges/ state government colleges/government-affiliated colleges
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50,000–2,00,000
|
|
2
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Private Colleges
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6,00,000–15,00,000
|
|
3
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Online MBA
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68,000–21,80,000
|
|
4
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Direct Admission
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3,00,000–12,00,000
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Modes of MBA Admission 2026
Students can apply for the MBA admission 2026 in a wide range of methods in India:
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Full-Time MBA: It offers a foundation in management across the entire major departments, like marketing, finance, HR, operations, and information technology.
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Specialized MBA: It focuses on single domains like business analytics, healthcare, entrepreneurship, digital marketing, international business, and more.
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Executive MBA: It is tailored for working professionals with 2 plus work experience. It has fewer classes, often on weekends or online.
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Online MBA admission 2026: It is delivered through digital platforms. An online MBA is best suited for candidates seeking flexibility and for working professionals.
MBA Entrance Exams 2026
MBA entrance exams can be used to get admission to nationally recognized universities in India in 2026. To improve their chances of being admitted into prestigious Indian MBA schools, prospective MBA students should prepare ahead of time and dedicate a substantial amount of study time to these exams.
The top MBA entrance exams that are approved for admission to different B-schools are listed below, along with the important dates:
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Entrance Exams
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Exam Date
|
Registration Fees
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CAT
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30 Nov '25
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General – 2600
Reserved - 1300
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CUET PG
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March-April 2026
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General – 1400
(OBC, NCL, EWS) – 1200
(SC/ST) – 1100
(PWD) – 1000
|
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ATMA
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February 2026
July 2026
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General – 2000
Candidates from North Eastern States – 1000
Women – 1500
|
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CMAT
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25 January 2026
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General Male – 2500
Women/SC/ST/PWD/OBC/EWS/NCL Transgender – 1250
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MAT
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February, May, August, December 2026
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One Session – 2100
Two Sessions – 3300
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XAT
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4 Jan 2026
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For all Candidates - 2200
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IBSAT
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27-28 Dec 2025
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For all Candidates – 1800
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KMAT
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Phase 1 on January 10-11, 2026;
Phase 2 on April 10-12, 2026;
Phase 3 on May 9-10, 2026;
Phase 4 on June 13-14, 2026;
Phase 5 on July 25-26, 2026
|
General – 1000
Reserved – 500
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MAH CET
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April – May 2026 (tentative)
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General – 1200
Reserved – 1000
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Top MBA Admission 2026: Colleges, Procedure, Dates, Deadlines, and Costs
MBA Admission 2026: In addition to the IIMs, there are highly regarded and globally recognized MBA/PGDM schools that accept CAT/XAT scores. The table below lists some of the prestigious MBA schools, excluding IIMs, that will admit applicants with a CAT/XAT score percentile of 90 or higher. Below are direct links to these universities' MBA application forms.
List of Top MBA Admission 2026, Colleges, Fees, Salary, Dates
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MBA College
|
MBA Fee (in Lakhs)
|
Avg. Placement (in Lakhs)
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XLRI Jamshedpur
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Rs. 30.60 Lakhs
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Rs. 31.08 LPA
|
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FMS New Delhi
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Rs. 2.32 Lakhs
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Rs. 34.10 LPA
|
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SPJIMR Mumbai
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Rs. 26.50 Lakhs
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Rs. 32.10 LPA
|
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MDI Gurgaon
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Rs. 30.60 Lakhs
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Rs. 31.08 LPA
|
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IIFT Delhi
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Rs. 21.87 Lakhs
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Rs. 27.30 LPA
|
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IMI Delhi
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Rs. 23.54 Lakhs
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Rs. 16.73 LPA
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XIM University Bhubaneswar
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Rs. 24.60 Lakhs
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Rs. 19.53 LPA
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FORE New Delhi & Gurgaon
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Rs. 23.40 Lakhs
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Rs. 16.80 LPA
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KCC Institute of Technology and Management
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Rs. 2.60 lakhs
|
Rs. 12 LPA
|
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GIM Goa
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Rs. 21.45 Lakhs
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Rs. 15.13 LPA
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TAPMI Manipal
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Rs. 19.50 Lakhs
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Rs. 13.84 LPA
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Other Reputable MBA Schools with Fees, Pay, and MBA Admission Dates for 2026
Check out the list of reputable MBA schools that will be accepting applications in 2026.
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MBA College
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MBA Fee (in Lakhs)
|
Avg. Placement (in Lakhs)
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IFMR GSB, KREA University
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Rs. 19.50 Lakhs
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Rs. 12.04 LPA
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Welingkar Mumbai
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Rs. 16.20 Lakhs
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Rs. 11.70 LPA
|
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JAGSOM Bangalore
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Rs. 17.50 Lakhs
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Rs. 10.32 LPA
|
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ICFAI Business School (IBS) Hyderabad
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Rs. 17.01 Lakhs
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Rs. 9.81 LPA
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Woxsen University Hyderabad
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Rs. 20.54 Lakhs
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Rs. 9.90 LPA
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Delhi School of Business, Delhi
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Rs. 10.95 Lakhs
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Rs. 9.40 LPA
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Jaipuria Institute of Management
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Rs. 15.75 Lakhs
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Rs. 11.12 LPA
|
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Jaipuria School of Business Ghaziabad
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Rs. 9.20 Lakhs
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Rs. 8.61 LPA
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IPE Hyderabad
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Rs. 9.20 Lakhs
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Rs. 7.02 LPA
|
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MICA Ahmedabad
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Rs. 23.00 Lakhs
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Rs. 19.21 LPA
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Great Lakes Chennai
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Rs. 21.63 Lakhs
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Rs. 15.00 LPA
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SDA Bocconi Asia Center
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Rs. 20.75 Lakhs
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Rs. 14.10 LPA
|
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K J Somaiya Institute of Management
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Rs. 22.32 Lakhs
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Rs. 12.79 LPA
|
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MDI Murshidabad
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Rs. 16.19 Lakhs
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Rs. 12.75 LPA
|
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BIMTECH Greater Noida
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Rs. 14.00 Lakhs
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Rs. 11.10 LPA
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LM Thapar School of Management
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Rs. 15.00 Lakhs
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Rs. 9.78 LPA (Top 50%)
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Government MBA Admission 2026
Government MBA schools offer affordable admission and high placement rates. The list of government schools that accept MBA entrance exams, and their fee are shown below:
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Govt. MBA College
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Exam Accepted
|
MBA Fees for 2 Years
|
|
FMS Delhi
|
CAT 2025
|
Rs.2,35,000
|
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IIFT Delhi
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CAT 2025
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Rs. 21.87 Lakhs
|
|
JBIMS Mumbai
|
MAH MBA CET 2026
|
Rs.6,00,000
|
|
PUMBA Pune
|
MAH MBA CET 2026
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Rs.1,30,000
|
|
UBS Chandigarh
|
CAT 2025
|
Rs. 49,000
|
MBA Admission without Entrance Exam
Certain MBA colleges in India also offer MBA Admission without entrance exam. These universities administer their own tests or grant admission depending on a candidate's profile. Find out which colleges offer direct MBA admission without requiring an entrance exam.
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Eligibility: Candidates need to acquire a graduation degree from any stream, usually with 50% marks.
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Selection: The selection process involves the assessment of academic performance from 10th to graduation, group discussion, and an interview, along with work experience.
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Institutes: Private MBA colleges, including KCC-ITM, Amity University, LPU, Chitkara, and Venkateshwara, offer MBA admission without entrance exam.
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Fees: Direct admission MBAs generally cost INR 2.6–25 Lakhs for the full-time MBA program.
This flexibility allows working professionals and learners to join MBA programs who have refrained from taking an entrance exam. Mentioned below are the top colleges that accept MBA admission without entrance exam:
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College Name
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Location
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Average Fee (Per Year)
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Eligibility Criteria
|
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KCC Institute of Technology and Management
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Greater Noida
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1.30 Lakh
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Direct merit-based admission with an interview
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|
Amity University
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Noida
|
5 Lakh
|
Graduation with a solid academic record + Interview
|
|
Christ University
|
Bangalore
|
4.2 Lakh
|
50% in graduation + a personal Interview
|
|
Lovely Professional University
|
Punjab
|
2.6 Lakh
|
Direct Merit-based admission
|
|
NMIMS University
|
Mumbai
|
5 - 6 Lakhs
|
Graduation and Interview
|
To maintain high standards, such colleges take MBA admission without entrance exam only after ensuring graduation scores and assessing the candidate’s interview performance.
How Do I Pick an MBA College?
You might be unsure about how to choose the best college for MBA admission 2026, given the abundance of MBA programs. The following criteria can be used to systematically assess MBA programs:
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Exam Accepted & Cut-offs: Check if the college accepts your entrance exam score (CAT, XAT, NMAT, etc.) and whether your score matches their cut-off. Admission prospects are directly impacted by meeting or surpassing these standards.
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Budget & Fees: Determine how much the program will cost overall, taking into account living expenses, housing, and tuition. Only those that are inside your budget should be on your shortlist.
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Placements: Examine the highest offers, average salary, and variety of recruiters throughout the last three to five years. Strong industry relationships suggest greater placement prospects.
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Ranking and Accreditation: For quality control, look at rankings (NIRF, reliable private lists) and accreditations (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA, NBA).
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Faculty: Examine the credentials, work history, and publications of the faculty. Learning is enhanced by a combination of academics and practitioners.
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Location: Regardless of location, choose between top-ranked universities or top cities for industrial exposure. Being close to corporate centres can help with placements and internships.
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Alumni Network: Long after graduation, a robust alumni network can offer business contacts, employment prospects, and mentorship. Examine alumni accomplishments and involvement to determine the trustworthiness of the brand.
In Summary
Please be aware that by August 2025, MBA admission 2026 at top B-schools will be closed. The deadline for admission to all reputable MBA programs in 2026 will be released by individual colleges. Therefore, we advise applicants to concentrate on applying for MBA admission 2026 at the aforementioned universities.
FAQs for MBA Admission 2026
Q1: Is an entrance exam for MBA admission 2026 in India mandatory?
No, it is not mandatory for affiliated government colleges like KCC-ITM. They offer direct/merit-based admission in various full-time MBA programs.
Q2: Are scholarships available for MBA admission without entrance exam?
Yes, scholarships are available on the basis of graduation score, category, and institution-specific criteria.
Q3: What documents are required for MBA admission 2026 in India?
Documents like 10th, 12th, and graduation certificates, mark sheets, ID proof, photos, entrance exam scores (where relevant), work experience certificate (for executive MBAs), and SOP/essays are required for MBA admission 2026.
Q4: Are expensive MBA colleges better than budget-friendly MBA colleges?
No, based on the fee structure, no one can decide which college is better. Colleges like KCC-ITM, Delhi School of Economics (DSE DU), and Jamia Millia Islamia come under budget-friendly colleges, but they also provide excellent placement opportunities.