Generic CAT : Key National MBA Entrance Exams to Target - 2026

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Year
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MBA Exam

Conducting Body

Expected Exam Date

Expected Registration Window

Top B-Schools Accepting Score

CAT 2026

IIM Indore 

November 29, 2026

August – mid-September 2026 

All IIMs, FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR, and 1,000+ B-schools across India

XAT 2027

XLRI Jamshedpur  

January 3, 2027

July – December 2026 

XLRI, XIMB, IMT, TAPMI, LIBA and 250+ XAT-accepting institutes

NMAT 2026

GMAC   

Nov 5 to Dec 19, 2026

July – October 2026 

NMIMS Mumbai, KJ Somaiya Mumbai and 50+ B-schools

SNAP 2026

Symbiosis University

Dec 5, 13 & 19, 2026

August – November 2026

SIBM Pune, SCMHRD and 15+ Symbiosis B-schools 

CMAT 2027

Symbiosis University

Jan 25, 2027

 November- December 2026

K J Somaiya Mumbai, BIMTECH, Welingkar, IFMR GSB, IMI Kolkata 


Why You Must Prepare for National MBA Exams 

  • Wider B-school access: State entrance exams are accepted only by select state institutes. CAT 2026 unlocks the IIMs and FMS; XAT 2027 unlocks XLRI; NMAT 2026 unlocks NMIMS; SNAP 2026 unlocks the Symbiosis institutes.
  • Higher placement ROI: Top national MBA colleges deliver average placement packages of ₹20–35 LPA, significantly higher than most state-level institutes.
  • Direct syllabus overlap: State exam preparation in Quant, Verbal Ability and DI/LR is a good preparation for CAT, XAT, NMAT and SNAP, so your efforts will be low.
  • Multiple attempts cushion: NMAT 2026 allows up to three attempts in one cycle, and SNAP 2026 offers three test dates, so the risk per attempt is minimal.

Start your national MBA exam preparation now. Begin with the CAT 2026 Complete Guide, take a Free CAT Mock Test and download the CAT 2026 Preparation Plan on MBAUniverse.com, India's most trusted portal for MBA aspirants.

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Key National MBA Entrance Exams to Target
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