Master in Business Administration is one of the top choices of graduates all around the world. In India alone, around 2.5lac graduates apply for various entrance exams like CAT, MAT, XAT, etc.
But only a handful of them get into the top-notch B-schools. In a nutshell, the competition for seats is at an all-time high at present. There are some top favorite colleges that have the best administration, faculty, and education.
In this article, we will talk about the top 20 MBA colleges in India that offer exceptional education and even better placements.
There are high chances that you too, as an MBA aspirant, want to enter these colleges. But unfortunately, the selection rate of these colleges is very low. To get an idea, the acceptance rate can get as low as 0.25%. Can you believe that?
Without explaining further, let's jump right into the list of colleges that are the ‘dream colleges’ of millions of young Indians.
The list I am going to mention here is based on the NIRF 2020 rankings. It contains IIMs, IITs, Private colleges, and colleges as old as the British empire. Are you ready to get into them?
IIM Ahmedabad
NIRF ranking- 1
Established- 11 December 1961
City- Ahmedabad
Total seats- PGP-398 and PGP FABM- 47
Fees- 28 lac
Cutoff percentile- 80 and above
Eligibility criteria
The eligibility criteria are quite simple. All the bachelor’s degree holders (three years or more), with at least 50% marks, are eligible for admission.
To know more, check this page on the official website.
Entrance exams- CAT and GMAT
Admission process
As the topmost college when it comes to MBA, IIM Ahmedabad has stepwise selection criteria.
- First, candidates get a call based on their CAT percentile.
- Conduction of Analytical Writing Test (AWT) and Personal Interview (PI).
- Shortlisting of individuals based on different scores.
To know more, visit this page.
IIM Bangalore
NIRF ranking- 2
Established- 1973
City- Bangalore
Total seats- MBA-412
Fees- Rs.23 lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 and above
Eligibility criteria
All the bachelor’s degree holders, with at least 50% marks for general and 45% marks for SC/ST/PD are eligible to apply.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is similar to the other B-schools.
- First, individuals are selected on the basis of their CAT scores.
- After that, they are summoned to appear for the WAT and Personal interview round.
- A significant weightage is given to the academic background while shortlisting the candidates.
To find out more, check out the official admission portal of IIM Bangalore.
IIM Calcutta
NIRF ranking- 3
Established- 28 November 1961
City- Kolkata
Total seats- MBA- 480 or more
Fees- Rs.27 lac
Cutoff percentile- 85
Eligibility criteria
A bachelor’s degree in a recognized field with a minimum of 50% marks. Professions with at least 5 years of professional experience can also apply for the MBA program.
To know more, check this out.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is similar to any other top IIMs. the steps in the admission process include-
- Shortlisting based on CAT percentile.
- Calling candidates for WAT and PI.
- Candidates are evaluated on the basis of CAT percentile, class 10th marks, class 12th marks, bachelor’s degree marks, and gender diversity factor.
- All the above-mentioned parameters contain some weightage, after all the process is done, the final selection of candidates is done.
IIM Lucknow
NIRF ranking- 4
Established- 1984
City- Lucknow
Total seats- 495 (including all management courses)
Fees- Rs.19 lac
Cutoff percentile- 90
Eligibility criteria
The minimum requirement for admission in MBA or PGDM is 50% marks in bachelor’s degree for general category. For SC/ST/PD, the minimum required percentage is 45%. Final year students of any bachelor’s program can also apply. In such a case, their 2nd or 3rd-year marks (depending upon the degree duration) will be taken into consideration.
Know more about eligibility.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is divided into several steps that ultimately lead to a candidate’s selection. The steps are-
- Shortlisting candidates on the basis of CAT percentile (60%), academics(20%), work experience(10%), and diversity factor(10%). Female candidates are given an extra 5 points while considering them for admission.
- After shortlisting, candidates are called to appear for the WAT and PI.
- Final selection is done based on academics, CAT score, work experience, and diversity factor. All of them contain a certain weightage and the admission depends on these factors only.
IIT Kharagpur
NIRF ranking- 5
Established- 18 August 1951
City- Kharagpur
Total seats-
Fees- Rs.22 lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 for general, 75 for SC/ST/PD
Eligibility criteria
- A bachelor’s degree of 4-year duration or more in technology, engineering, medicine, or other similar disciplines.
- Master’s degree (with maths/statistics as subjects in bachelors) in commerce/science/economics.
- Minimum 60% or 6.5 CGPA for general and OBC students.
- Minimum 55% or 6.0 CGPA for SC/ST candidates.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
After qualifying the written aptitude test, there will be a personal interview for which candidates have to qualify in order to get admission. Know more about the admission process and eligibility criteria here.
IIM Kozhikode
NIRF ranking- 6
Established- 1996
City- Kozhikode
Total seats- 360
Fees- Rs.17 lac
Cutoff percentile- 85
Eligibility criteria
The eligibility criteria for admission is-
- A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% marks.
- 10th and 12th class with minimum 60% marks in both.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is like any other IIM. it consists of different stages-
- Online registration. The candidates will be selected on their CAT percentile and other factors.
- After that, they will be called for the WAT and PI.
- Apart from that, candidates will be selected on parameters like gender diversity, academic diversity, work experience, etc.
Know more about the admission process.
IIM Indore
NIRF ranking- 7
Established- 1996
City- Indore
Total seats- 451
Fees- Rs.16 lac
Cutoff percentile- 90
Eligibility criteria
All the bachelor’s degree holders, with minimum 50% marks(45% in case of SC/ST/PD). The bachelor’s degree’s duration could be three or more years. Candidates in the final year of their graduation are also eligible to apply. In such cases, they should score at least 50% marks on their latest marksheet.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is divided into three steps-
- Eligible candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of CAT percentile(90 for general, 80 for OBC, and 60/50 for SC/ST candidates)
- Shortlisted candidates will appear for the WAT and Personal Interview (PI) stage.
- The final selection of candidates will take place. Further, candidates’ evaluations will take place based on 10th and 12th marks and diversity factors.
IIT Delhi
NIRF ranking- 8
Established- 1961
City- New Delhi
Total seats- 115
Fees- Rs.18 Lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 for general, 75 for SC/ST/PD
Eligibility criteria
- Bachelor’s degree with 60% or 6.0 CGPA for general candidates and 55% or 5.5 CGPA for SC/ST candidates.
- For MBA-Telecom, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, architecture, pharmacy, or agriculture engineering.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is simple and divided into the following steps-
- After the results, candidates can apply for MBA via the official website.
- Shortlisted candidates will be eligible to attend WAT and PI.
- The final list of selected candidates will be launched.
Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI)
NIRF ranking- 9
Established- 1949
City- Jamshedpur
Total seats- 470
Fees- Rs.24 lac
Cutoff percentile- 96 (XAT percentile)
Eligibility criteria
All the bachelor's degree holders (3 years or more) are eligible to apply for XLRI.
Entrance exams
XLRI only accepts via the XAT entrance examination. This is an aptitude test that, apart from XLRI, is accepted by 160 other institutions. Foreign students can also apply for XLRI via GMAT score.
Admission process
The admission process is different for the different PGDM programs the institute offers. The common process can be summarized as-
- Online registration after filling the XAT examination form.
- Shortlisted candidates will be called.
- Personal interview process.
- Final admission.
Know more about the admission process.
Management Development Institute
NIRF ranking- 10
Established- 1973
City- Gurugram
Total seats-
Fees- Rs.25 lac
Cutoff percentile- 93 and above
Eligibility criteria
The eligibility for admission at MDI Gurgaon is-
- Minimum 50% marks in both 10th and 12th.
- Bachelor’s degree with minimum 50% marks.
- Final year students of any undergraduate degree are also eligible to apply.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is somewhat similar to other B-schools. The admission process starts when CAT marks are announced.
- Apply online on the official website and pay the enrolment fee.
- Shortlisted candidates will appear for the Group Discussion and finally the Personal Interview round.
- No work experience is needed in some courses but other courses will require at least 1 year of full-time personal experience.
IIT Bombay
NIRF ranking- 11
Established- 1958
City- Mumbai
Total seats- 120
Fees- Rs.17 Lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 for general, 75 for SC/ST/PD
Eligibility criteria
- A bachelor’s degree (4 years) with a minimum of 55%(6 CGPA) for SC/ST and 60%(6.5CGPA) for general candidates. The same applies to a master’s degree.
Entrance exams- IIT Bombay accepts CAT and GMAT scores.
Admission process
- Shortlisting candidates based on CAT percentile.
- WAT test to test the written ability.
- Personal interview stage.
IIT Roorkee
NIRF ranking- 12
Established- 1847
City- Roorkee
Total seats- 95
Fees- Rs.16 Lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 for general, 75 for SC/ST/PD
Eligibility criteria
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline related to engineering, technology, or related fields.
- Master’s(MA or MSC) degree in any discipline.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process consists of-
- Shortlisting candidates based on the CAT percentile.
- Written Ability Test followed by the Personal Interview.
- Final selection of candidates.
National Institute of Industrial Engineering(NITIE)
NIRF ranking- 13
Established- 1963
City- Mumbai
Total seats- 47
Fees- Rs.8 lac (know more about the fee structure)
Cutoff percentile- 86
Eligibility criteria
All candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 60% marks. Final year students of engineering and technology can also apply.
Entrance exams- CAT
Admission process
The admission process includes-
- Online application via the official website.
- Candidates will be shortlisted based on their CAT percentile.
- Candidates will be summoned for the Group Discussion and Personal Interview round.
- The final list of the candidates will be revealed.
IIT Madras
NIRF ranking- 14
Established- 1959
City- Chennai
Total seats- 68
Fees- Rs.16 Lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 for general, 75 for SC/ST/PD
Eligibility criteria
- General candidates- minimum 60% aggregate in undergraduate
- SC/ST/PD- minimum 55% aggregate in undergraduate
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
- Online application process.
- Announcement of shortlisted candidates.
- WAT and PI
- Final admission of candidates.
IIM Tiruchirappalli
NIRF ranking- 15
Established- 9 January 2011
City- Tiruchirappalli
Total seats- 260
Fees- Rs.14 lac
Cutoff percentile- 94
Eligibility criteria
All the candidates with a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% are eligible to apply. Final year students of various bachelor’s courses can also apply.
Know more about eligibility here.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process starts as soon as the CAT percentile is announced. The admission steps include-
- Shortlisted candidates will be called based on their CAT marks.
- They will undergo WAT and PI rounds.
- Apart from that, the candidates will be judged based on their vocabulary, general knowledge, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.
- The final list of selected candidates will be announced.
IIT Kanpur
NIRF ranking- 12
Established- 1959
City- Kanpur
Total seats- 78
Fees- Rs.10 Lac
Cutoff percentile- 85 for general, 75 for SC/ST/PD
Eligibility criteria
- A bachelor’s degree in engineering, maths, architecture, or technology.
- A master’s degree in maths(MSC Maths) or economics with maths(MA Economics).
- A minimum of 65% or 6.5 CGPA for general candidates and 55% or 5.5 CGPA for SC/ST candidates.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process starts as soon as the CAT results are announced. The steps are-
- Online application via the official website.
- After that, the shortlisting of individuals happens.
- Usually, there is a GD followed by PI. in the case of the pandemic, the candidates will be evaluated based on their experiences, academic background, work experience, etc.
To know more about the admission process, read this.
IIM Udaipur
NIRF ranking- 17
Established- 2011
City- Udaipur
Total seats- 325
Fees- Rs.13 lac
Cutoff percentile- 90
Eligibility criteria
- A bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks in any field. Final year students can also apply.
To know more, check out this page on the official website.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
IIM Udaipur is a fairly young IIM in this list. It is undoubtedly one of the best options if you are looking for a B-school. The admission process has the following rungs-
- CAT examination cutoff
- Shortlisting candidates for Personal Appearance evaluation. It is made of a WAT and personal interview.
- The CAT score makes up 55% of weightage while 21% goes to WAT and PI. the rest 24% depends on the personal profile of an individual which is made up of work experience, achievements, etc.
SP Jain Institute of Management and Research
NIRF ranking- 18
Established- 1981
City- Mumbai
Total seats- 240
Fees- Rs.17 lac
Cutoff percentile- minimum percentile is 85
Eligibility criteria
SP Jain Institute is one of the oldest institutes that offer a world-class platform to management students. The college accepts CAT and GMAT scores of the present year (or the last three years) of the individuals with a bachelor’s degree from a recognized college in India.
To know more about eligibility, check out the official brochure of the college.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process starts when a candidate gets the minimum required cutoff. Candidates have to apply for admission on the website itself. The profile is evaluated on the basis of academic background, work experience, entrance score, versatility, achievements, and overall profile.
To know more, check the official requirements on the website.
IIM Raipur
NIRF ranking- 19
Established- 2010
City- Raipur
Total seats- more than 260
Fees- Rs.14 lac
Cutoff percentile- 94
Eligibility criteria
The basic eligibility criteria of IIM Raipur is-
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with 50% or above.
- Master’s degree in any discipline.
To know more about eligibility and other details, check this official brochure by the college.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process is divided into several parts-
- After the cutoff percentile, the candidates are called upon for the WAT and PI (Personal Interview).
- Candidates are evaluated on the basis of CAT score, WAT, PI, academic profile, work experience, academic diversity, and gender diversity.
- After the evaluation, the final list comes out.
IIM Ranchi
NIRF ranking- 20
Established- 2010
City- Ranchi
Total seats- more than 200
Fees- Rs.15 lac
Cutoff percentile- 95
Eligibility criteria
To qualify for admission, the candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in any field. The score should be 50% or 45% in the case of SC/ST/PD candidates.
Entrance exams- CAT (GMAT for foreign students)
Admission process
The admission process consists of different stages, just like for any other IIM. Each stage has its weightage. In the end, students will get a final score that will decide if they have got admission or not.
- The shortlisting of candidates based on CAT percentile
- The WAT (Written Ability Test), for testing the critical writing skills of students.
- The final step- the personal interview. Candidates clearing the WAT will be called to give a PI.
- Candidates then will wait for the final merit list.
To know the process in detail, check the official brochure of IIM Ranchi.
How to get into top MBA colleges in India?
Getting into top MBA colleges in India requires utmost hard work and an incessant zeal to pass through all the barriers that come between you and your dream B-school.
Only the top students, with exceptional problem-solving skills, are able to secure a seat in these colleges. In this article, you got familiar with the top colleges and how to apply for them.
I hope it added some value to your life. If you are a CAT aspirant, you should set your eyes on the above-mentioned colleges. MBA colleges in India not only offer exceptional education but also offer an amazing salary package too.
Pass the exam, clear the group discussion or the written ability test, and nail the personal interview. That’s how you will pave the way to your dreams.
