How to get into B-schools: A road map for MBA entrance exams

Do you want to get to the top of the corporate ladder? A degree in Management Studies can help you achieve your dream, enabling you to develop a strong awareness of business, economics and people management skills. By being a Management graduate, you will have had a thorough grounding in how to become a more effective manager in a wide range of sectors.

What is Management Studies

Management Studies deals with the theory and practice of management, covering areas like consulting, entrepreneurship, human resources, general management, operations and information systems, and strategic planning. As a management student, you’ll study how to forecast, plan, organise, command, coordinate and control organisational processes.

What skills can you gain

You’ll pick up key management skills like leadership and teamwork, which are essential in understanding organisational culture and good business practices. Your specialisation in Management Studies will help you get your ideas across more clearly to others, boosting your confidence in making decisions and leading projects.

How to go for Management Studies

The most common way to get into management is through the Master of Business Administration (MBA) course, which is a two-year management degree programme. You have to clear national-level tests for admission to top B-schools across the country.

Top MBA specialisations in India:

• Finance
• Marketing
• Human Resource Management
• International Business
• Big Data Analytics/Data Science/Business Analytics
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Banking and Financial Services
• Rural Management
• Healthcare Management
• Pharmaceutical Management
• Agri-Business Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Sustainability Management

MBA entrance exams:

You can get admission to a top B-school after cracking the MBA entrance exam. While CAT is the most popular MBA entrance exam in India, you can also opt for other such exams to increase your chance of admission to a good college.

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has approved six nationalised management entrance tests:

• CAT
• GMAT
• MAT
• ATMA
• NMAT
• XAT
• CMAT

Eligibility: You need 50% marks in BA/BSc/BCom/BTech/BE to appear for national-level MBA entrance tests. You can also come from a BBA/BMS/BCom background with the required cut-off marks.

CAT (Common Admission Test)

CAT is India’s most popular MBA entrance exam. This annual exam is conducted to screen students for admission to flagship business management programmes at 20 IIMs. Over 100 B-schools accept CAT scores for admission to their MBA and PGDM programmes. The application process begins in August, and the exam is held in November.

Some top B-schools that accept CAT scores

• Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), all locations
• Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar
• BITS School of Management, Mumbai
• Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi (University of Delhi)
• SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai
• Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad
• International Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi
• Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon
• KJ Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai
• SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai

MAT (Management Aptitude Test)

MAT is conducted by the All India Management Association four times in every academic year. It is held in both computer-based and paper-based format. You can write the exam in both modes during the same session. Nearly 300+ B-schools accept the MAT exam score when screening students for admission to MBA programmes.

Some top B-schools that accept MAT scores

• Vijay Patil School of Management (VPSM), DY Patil University, Mumbai

• Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore

• Jagdish Sheth School of Management (JAGSoM), Bengaluru

• SIES College of Management Studies, Mumbai

• International School of Business and Media (ISB&M), Pune

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

The Graduate Management Admission Council conducts GMAT throughout the year. You can write the test any number of times. GATE scores are accepted by more than 1,000 B-schools for admission to their MBA and PGDM programmes.

Some top B-schools that accept GMAT scores

• Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad

Programmes: PGP, YLP

• IIM Calcutta, Kolkata

Programme: PGPEX

• IIM Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad

Programme: PGPX

• IIM Bangalore, Bengaluru

Programme: EPGP

• Xavier School of Management (XLRI), Jamshedpur

Programme: GMP

CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)

CMAT is a computer-based test conducted by the National Testing Agency for management programmes at AICTE-affiliated participating institutes. CMAT scores are accepted by over 1,000 B-schools for admission to their MBA and PGDM programmes.

Some top B-schools that accept CMAT score

• Jagdish Sheth School of Management (JAGSoM), Bengaluru
• Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai
• Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Nagpur
• Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai
• SIES College of Management Studies, Navi Mumbai

XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)

The Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI), on behalf of the Xavier Labour Relation Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur, conducts this exam. Apart from XAMI, nearly 150+ B-schools use XAT scores to select students for their MBA/PGDM programmes.

Through this test, students are screened and shortlisted for admission to postgraduate management degree programmes at XLRI, XIM, XISS, LIBA and other B-schools.

Some top B-schools that accept XAT score

• XLRI Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
• Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIM), Odisha
• Alliance School of Business, Bangalore
• Amity Business School, Noida
• Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad

Apart from these, other higher educational institutes like the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) conduct its own entrance exam for admission to MBA courses at the institute.

Some job roles with a degree in Management Studies

• Business analyst: They analyse and understand the needs of a business domain or company and accordingly come up with cost-effective solutions. They also perform planning, monitoring, management and communication, and requirement analysis.

• Administrative manager: These professionals ensure the smooth administration of a business. They supervise staff and are responsible for putting in efficient administrative systems.

• Human resource manager: They strategise the effective management of people in the organisation. Recruitment, training, career development, compensation and benefit, industrial relations, employee relations, labour law, compliance and grievances are some of areas they specialise in.

• Operations manager: They are in charge of overseeing the organisational activities of businesses, government agencies and non-profit organisations. Operations managers supervise, hire and train employees. They also manage quality assurance programmes and perform process improvements.

• Project manager: These professionals are in charge of project planning, monitoring, execution and control as they lead the team when it comes to project planning and execution.

• Chartered management accountant: They prepare periodic financial statements, negotiate project and loan agreements, analyse a company's financial performance, and interpret and communicate financial data to other stakeholders.

• Risk manager: These people identify, monitor and evaluate possible risks that may affect a company. After identifying a risk, they formulate strategies to eliminate the risk or reduce its impact.

• Financial manager: They create short and long-term financial goals, devising data-driven strategies to achieve them. They collaborate with other managers to make critical financial decisions like budgeting, resource allocation and investment plans.

• Public relations manager: These people work to create and maintain a positive public image for their client or employer. They plan, create and manage campaigns and content to this end.

• Marketing manager: They conduct market research and study consumer behaviour to formulate a successful marketing strategy. It's their job to create brand awareness to gain new customers and retain the old ones, driving revenue growth.

• Investment banker: These people help their clients, including top companies and governments, raise capital and pursue growth opportunities through securities and other types of financial products, corporate restructuring, and mergers and acquisitions.