MBA has been one of the most popular professional courses for students for many years now, and it will remain a top choice in the coming years as well. The impact of the degree is so great that students from not only a commerce background but other backgrounds desire to complete an MBA. Not only in India, but this reputed degree has a good weightage worldwide. There is so much information about the top MBA colleges in India for aspiring students that it generally confuses them. And, there are lots of criteria to judge these institutions.
Keeping this thing in mind, we have created a list of the top 10 MBA institutes in India for students aspiring to take admission in 2022. This list has been prepared after the completion of deep research, taking into account the ranking given by NIRF (National institution ranking framework), a ranking standard that is very much trustable and can be used why students to make up their minds and choose an institution to get admission into MBA program 2022.
Specializations in MBA offered Top MBA Colleges
The Best MBA institutes in India offer MBA degrees in various specializations. Mentioned below are some of the most noteworthy ones:
- MBA Finance
- MBA Sales and Marketing
- MBA Operations
- MBA HR (Human Resources)
- MBA IT & Systems
- MBA Business Analytics
- MBA International Business
- MBA Entrepreneurship
- MBA Rural Management.
- MBA Banking & Financial Services
- MBA Healthcare Management
- MBA Logistics & Supply Chain
- MBA Insurance Business
MBA Exams Accepted by Top Management Colleges in India
Admission to Top 10 MBA colleges in India is conducted based on the merit scored in the entrance exams.Aspirants looking to pursue this degree or diploma course must participate in one of the national-level MBA entrance exams, which include:
- CAT (Common Admission Test)
- XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)
- GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
- CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)
- ATMA (AIMS Test for Management Admissions)
- NMAT (NMIMS Management Aptitude Test)
- SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Online Test)
There are also a few state-level MBA entrance exams, which are instrumental in getting admission into top MBA colleges in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc.
- MAH CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test)
- TANCET (Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test)
- PGCET (Post Graduate Common Entrance Test)
- KMAT (Karnataka Management Aptitude Test)
Eligibility Criteria – Top MBA Colleges in India
- The basic eligibility criteria to pursue a full-time MBA course include graduation in any discipline from a recognized university.
- The minimum score criteria in the graduation course must comply with AICTE (50% aggregate), along with a 5% score relaxation for students from the reserved category.
- MBA is also an eligible course for professional degree holders such as CA, CS, MBBS, ICWAI etc.
Top MBA Colleges in India – NIRF Ranking 2021
Here is the list of top 10 MBA colleges in India based on NIRF ranking:
Rank | Name of College |
1 | IIM Ahmedabad |
2 | IIM Bangalore |
3 | IIM Calcutta |
4 | IIM Kozhikode |
5 | IIT Delhi DoMS |
6 | IIM Indore |
7 | IIM Lucknow |
8 | XLRI, Jamshedpur |
9 | IIT Kharagpur |
10 | SJMSOM, IIT Bombay |
1. Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad)
When it comes to top management colleges in India, the name of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad cannot be ignored. Established in 1961, IIM Ahmedabad was accorded the Institute of National Importance by the Ministry of Indian Human Resources, Govt. Of India, in 2017. It is situated in Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, and the campus is spread across 102 acres.
IIMs always inspire and motivate students to get admission to this institute, as it is a known fact that once you are part of IIM, your careers skyrocket in the upward direction. It has been the top management college in India for many years now and has consistently produced professionals for many years. It has been the darling of top companies not only from India but also abroad, and each year we hear about a student from IIM Ahmedabad who receives an astonishingly high package from a big company. For many years, not just in India, but also all over the world, IIM Ahmedabad has been recognized as one of the most prestigious management schools. Under the latest rankings of Quacquarelli Symonds world university rankings, it was ranked 46th in the latest ranking of the world’s top MBA colleges in 2022. In fact, it happened to be the best entry from India in 2022.
Average Annual Fee: INR 23 Lacs.
2. Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore)
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) is considered as one of the top management institutes not only in India but in Asia. This prestigious institution is recognized as the ‘Institute of National Importance’ under the IIM Act of 2017. Established in 1973, it is sprawled over 99-acres and is located in Sundar Ram Shetty Nagar, Bilekahalli, Bengaluru. There is a full-time faculty staff of 110 professionals, while about 1200 students get engaged in different programs every year, and about 5000 students enrol for Executive Education.
Among the top 100 B-schools in India, IIMB has secured second ranking by NIRF 2021. The institute has been accredited by the EQUIS and is renowned as the only Indian MBA college in Global Network for Advanced Management.
IIMB offers admission in 6 courses including, MBA General Management, MBA Business Analytics, M.M.S Public Policy, and various other doctoral and certificate level management courses like PGP, EPGP, and PhD. Among these courses, a 2-year MBA is the flagship programme of the institution. The institute offers admissions based on merit scores in CAT/GRE/GMAT exams.
Average Annual Fee: INR 23 Lacs.
3. Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta)
Indian Institute of Management Kolkata was established in 1961, and it is another IIM with a stellar reputation all over the world. It is a public business school and has been accorded an Institute of national importance by the government of India in 2017. It is one of the 3 business schools in India that has triple accreditation. According to the Financial Times’ ranking of the best MBA institutes worldwide in 2020, the institute ranked 21st overall.
IIM Kolkata opened the program in MBA and postgraduate diploma business analytics and a one-year program in the field of management. Just like other IIMs, it accepts a student based on CAT and GD, where the cut-off percentile can cross 95% or even more than that. It has got 3rd rank for the second consecutive year in the NIRF survey. Needless to say, it is a great and prestigious institute with a rich history.
It also focuses on the student exchange program with top business schools from the United States and Europe. Students from the different universities and colleges from abroad come and learn at IIM Kolkata, and students from IIM Kolkata visit different parts of the world to get exposure to modern management programs and techniques.
IIM Calcutta’s campus is spread across 135 acres of land in Joka, Kolkata. It has a world-class infrastructure that includes an auditorium, library, State of the art teaching blocks, hostels, and a sports complex.
Average Annual Fee: INR 23 Lacs.
4. Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM Kozhikode)
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode was founded in 1966. This IIM institution was founded by the Government of India with an association with the Kerela state government. Situated in Calicut, Kerela, the institute is sprawled over a land area of 112.5 acres. This institute has secured 4th by NIRF 2021 in the management category.
There is a wide range of activities in the management education field, which includes teaching, training, research, consulting, intellectual development and more. IIM Kozhikode was the first one to conduct the Interactive-Learning (I-L) Programme for working professionals. The institute has more than 120 faculty members and offers PhD and PG degrees in various specializations.
MBA Courses offered at IIM Kozhikode include Post Graduate Programme in Finance (PGP-Finance), Post Graduate Programme in Business Leadership (PGP-BL), Post Graduate Programme in Liberal Studies & Management (PGP-LSM). There are also 7 executive programmes, which include PhD in Management (Practice Track), Master of Business Administration – Kochi Campus, Executive Post Graduate Programmes – Interactive Learning Mode (EPGP), Management Development Programme (MDP), and Faculty Development Programmes (FDP).
Candidates looking to get admission to this one of the top MBA colleges in India, the aspirants must appear in one of these entrance exams – CAT, GMAT, GRE, UGC JRF, GATE, and IIMB Test.
Average Annual Fee: INR 20 Lacs.
5. IIT Delhi DMS (Department of Management Studies)
Department Of Management Studies IIT Delhi is a prestigious MBA college that came into being in 1993. Although it started as an engineering college, it introduced its management program in 1997. SDMS is located in the heart of the capital and has a reputation for offering quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. DMS offers lucrative placements for its students each year where the packages go in between 20 LPA to 50 LPA. DMS currently offers 2 year and 3-year MBA programs that focus on Telecommunication Systems, Management Systems and Telecom Technologies.
Students need to have 3 years of work experience and require a CAT percentile to get admission to this MBA college in India. The competition is so tough that the CAT percentile normally touches 99% each year to get admission in DMS. It has been ranked 5th among the best business schools in India by NIRF in 2020. According to the survey conducted by India Today, it ranks 9th among the top management institutes in India in 2020.
Average Annual Fee: INR 9.6 Lacs
6. Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore)
Founded in 1996, the Indian Institute of Management Indore is the second IIM on this list of top 10 MBA colleges in India. It has been a world-class institute since then. Situated in Madhya Pradesh, this B-school has been accorded the status of the “Institute of National Importance” along with other IIMs. It is the only second IIM in India to have received accreditation from AMBA, UKAACSB, USA, and EQUIS, European Union, which means triple accreditation.
As far as the programs go, IIM Indore offers a 2-year MBA program, 5-years integrated management program. Postgraduate program in Human Resource Management and Executive MBA. It also offers a PhD program in management.
Students applying to IIM Indore must take the CAT test before enrollment, and the cutoff can reach 95 to 99%, so the competition is fierce. The campus is spread out over 193 acres, and there are all the modern facilities that a world-class business school should have, such as a sauna bath, squash court, gym, and sports facilities. It provides exposure to multiple world colleges under student exchange programs with institutions from France, Germany, Finland, Latvia, and Taiwan. Currently, 20 to 25 percent of total MBA students from here can expect to spend at least 1 term abroad.
Average Annual Fee- INR 15 Lacs
7. Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow)
Indian Institute of Management Lucknow is the fourth established member of the IIM chain. This government-owned B-school is recognized as an Institution of Excellence by the Ministry of HRD. Established in 1984, it is considered as one of the top MBA colleges in India, which is currently serving as a mentor institute for IIM Jammu, IIM Rohtak and IIM Kashipur. Located in Mubarakpur, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the land area of this institute is spread over 200 acres; plus, it has a 20-acre satellite campus in Noida dedicated to executive education.
With 95+ faculty members, IIM Lucknow institute aims to enhance and upgrade the management system, concerning industry and public services following excellence in management education, research, consultancy and training.
The institute offers 7 programmes at the doctorate and post-graduate level, which include PGP Marketing, PGP Finance and Accounting, PGP Strategic Management, PGP Agribusiness Management, F.P.M, PGPWE (WMP), IPMX, EFPM etc. The institute accepts the admissions based on the merit obtained in GRE/GMAT/GATE/CAT/XAT.
Average Annual Fee – INR 19 Lacs
8. XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur, known as the Steel City of India, is home to XLRI, an IT private business school founded in 1949. It is on the 8th spot in the latest NIRF ranking of best management institutions in India. It has improved its position by one spot from last year. It offers a two-year MBA program in the field of business management and human resource management. Also has got a postgraduate diploma in business management that lasts for 3 years and a fellowship program (FPM). Apart from this, it also offers some really good short-term management development programs and many other online programs.
The XLRI has consistently received really good reviews and high rankings from various media outlets and survey organizations from India and abroad as well. XLRI was the top school in the outlook India ranking in 2020. It was the third sport in the business today ranking of 2019 that speaks volumes about the quality of the education it offers. The institute conducts a competitive exam called XAT (Xavier aptitude test) and takes into account scores of GD and work experience.
Average Annual Fee – INR 23 Lacs
9. IIT Kharagpur
Vinod Gupta School of Management, IIT Kharagpur, located in West Bengal is a government-owned business school. IIT Kharagpur is the first business management institute to introduce the course in the chain of IIT institutes in 1993. VGSoM offers top PGP, PhD, and Executive programs for the aspirants, including MBA Post Graduation Program (2-year flagship program), Executive MBA (3-year Executive Programs for working professionals), and PhD programme in Management. Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics (PGDBA) [a two-year full-time programme collaboratively offered by IIM Calcutta, IIT Kharagpur and ISI], Management Development Programmes (MDPs), and Research and Consultancy programmes.
IIT Kharagpur will start its application process in the first week of January for MBA 2022-2024 batch and the last date to apply is 31st January 2022. To be eligible for the selection process to this top MBA institute in India the candidates must appear for the national-level entrance exam CAT. The admissions will be offered based on the scores acquired in the exam.
Average Annual Fee: INR 10 Lacs
10. SJMSOM, IIT Bombay
Shailesh J Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), a member of IIT Bombay was established in 1995. The institute enjoys the reputation of one of the leading management schools in Mumbai and is ranked 10th by NIRF 2021. This public management school offers various PG and PhD programmes in the management niche.
The institute has also been recognized as Institute of Eminence’ by the Indian Government. Furthermore, several leading organizations like the Ministry of Education, Hindustan Lever Ltd, Hindi Vidya Bhavan, ICICI, and Larsen & Toubro Ltd and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research are supporting the institute in terms of training programmes, placement opportunities and even scholarships.
The courses offered at SJMSOM include a 2-year flagship MBA programme in various specializations (Operations and Technology Management, Quantitative Techniques, Accounting and Finance, Marketing, General Management), Executive programmes, and PhD programmes (Economics, Financial Management, HRM, IT, International Business).
For admissions into the PG programme, the candidates must appear for the CAT exam. Candidates with valid scores are then called for Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).