GMAT Exam: Check Pattern, Preparation, Registration, Top Colleges Accepting GMAT in India

GMAT full form is Graduate Management Admission Test. GMAT is the gateway to international MBA. Its scores are accepted by more than 2400 B-schools for admission to their management programs worldwide. Conducted by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) for more than 60 years, the GMAT exam has been the test of choice by the world’s business leaders to get into the world’s leading business schools. 

GMAT is a ‘computer-adaptive’ entrance examination. This is different from being merely a ‘computer-based’ test. In a computer-adaptive test, candidates will receive questions one at a time and the difficulty level and score of the GMAT will depend on the accuracy of the previous answer of the candidate. GMAT is fast gaining popularity in India. In addition to International B-schools, the colleges accepting GMAT score in India are more than hundred. Top MBA colleges in India accepting GMAT include IIMs, ISB, XLRI, SPJIMR and many other B-schools. GMAT Exam scores will continue to remain valid for five years from the candidate’s appointment date.  

The GMAT exam is designed to test skills that are highly important to business and management programs. It assesses analytical writing and problem-solving abilities, along with the data sufficiency, logic, and critical reasoning skills that are vital to real-world business and management success. Key highlights of GMAT Exam are:

The GMAT exam pattern is developed to primarily test a candidate’s Reasoning Skills. The exam is conducted round the year and you can apply and appear in GMAT five times a year to improve your GMAT score and percentile. Below is shared the Sectional composition and score range for GMAT Exam Pattern.

GMAT exam syllabus is clearly defined for each of its sections. Shared below is the GMAT section wise syllabus:

a) Quantitative Reasoning

This section assessed algebraic and arithmetic foundational knowledge and how you apply this knowledge to solve problems. It is composed of 21 Problem Solving questions. These types of questions require some knowledge of arithmetic and elementary algebra. Answering these questions correctly relies on logic and analytical skills, not the underlying math skills. You cannot use a calculator while working on this section.

b) Verbal Reasoning

This section measures your ability to read and comprehend written material and to reason and evaluate arguments. It is composed of 23 Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions. 

The question types you'll find on this section are:

• Reading Comprehension questions measure your ability to understand words and statements, understand logical relationships between significant points, draw inferences, and follow the development of quantitative concepts. Specifically, the following reading skills will be tested: main idea, supporting idea, inference, application, logical structure, and style.
• Critical Reasoning questions measure your ability to make arguments, evaluate arguments, and formulate or evaluate a plan of action. Critical Reasoning questions are based on a short reading passage, usually fewer than 100 words. Typically, the short text comes with a question that asks you which of the five answer options strengthens or weakens an argument, tells why the argument is flawed, or strongly supports or damages the argument. You will not need specialized knowledge of the subject matter to answer the questions.

c) Data Insights

The Data Insights section measures candidates’ ability to analyze and interpret data and apply it to real-world business scenarios. It also measures digital and data literacy—one of the most relevant and in-demand skills in business today.  

It is composed of 20 questions that ask you to assess how multiple sources and types of information – including graphic, numeric, and verbal – relate to one another and can be leveraged to make informed decisions. Questions may require math, data analysis, verbal reasoning, or all three. You can use an on-screen calculator while working on this section.

The question types you'll find on this section are:

• Data Sufficiency: Measures your ability to analyze a quantitative problem, recognize which data is relevant, and determine at what point there is enough data to solve the problem.
• Multi-Source Reasoning: Measures your ability to examine data from multiple sources including text passages, tables, graphics, or some combination of the three—and to analyze each source of data carefully to answer multiple questions. Some questions will require you to recognize discrepancies among different sources of data, while others will ask you to draw inferences, or require you to determine whether data is relevant.
• Table Analysis: Measures your ability to sort and analyze a table of data, similar to a spreadsheet, in order to determine what information is relevant or meets certain conditions.
• Graphics Interpretation: Measures your ability to interpret the information presented in a graph or other graphical image (scatter plot, x/y graph, bar chart, pie chart, or statistical curve distribution) to discern relationships, and make inferences.
• Two-Part Analysis: Measures your ability to solve complex problems. They could be quantitative, verbal, or some combination of both. The format is intentionally versatile to cover a wide range of content. Your ability to evaluate trade-offs, solve simultaneous equations, and discern relationships between two entities is measured.

The GMAT is administered by Pearson VUE under the guidance of the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a US headquartered organization. Pearson VUE organizes the test in India throughout the year at Test Centers as well as Online Test. You should be clear about what is your GMAT goal? A good GMAT score is 700+, from a total of 800. But if you want to get into IVY League B-schools like Harvard Business School, Chicago Booth, Wharton etc…then you must target 720+. You can achieve this with a 12-weeks of GMAT study plan for GMAT preparation which involves thorough understanding of GMAT Question Pattern, Preparing as per GMAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus, Opting the best GMAT Coaching, Reading right GMAT Books and practicing with GMAT official Guide, taking as many as GMAT Mock tests and attempting previous GMAT question papers. 

GMAT Preparation Tips by Experts:  

• Check Section wise GMAT preparation guide and tips
• Get Right GMAT Study Material
• Join Best GMAT Coaching like TIME, CL among others
• Read online from best GMAT websites like MBA.com, Kaplan, GMAT Club among others
• Read official GMAT guide and attempt with practice and previous GMAT questions
• Attempt as many GMAT Mocks as possible
   

GMAT Registration process and GMAT exam fees for different services is shared below:
 
6.1 GMAT Registration: Step by Step Process
The step by step process for GMAT Registration and to fill in GMAT application form is explained below:

• Step-1: Login to GMAT official website MBA.com and click on ‘Register for GMAT’ 
• Step-2: Create a GMAT Account on MBA.Com:  You are required to submit the Information like your First Name, Last Name, e-mail id, password
• Step-3: Enter Personal Information, Profile Details and verify them: After logging into the official GMAC Account, candidate is required to submit Personal Information such as Contact & Postal Address Information, Academic details, Work Experience among others
• Step-4: Schedule Your GMAT exam date and centre or GMAT Online Exam Date: Make sure to allow sufficient time and check appointment availability for the test date
• Step-5: Check & Confirm GMAT exam Registration details: Please note to check that all the details you have entered are correct. You can edit the same also at this stage
• Step-6: Make payment of GMAT exam fees: The GMAT Exam Fees is notified in US Dollar, you will need to pay the GMAT Exam Fees in Rupees equivalent to USD fees
• Step-7: Confirmation on Mail: You will receive confirmation via email on completion of GMAT registration
• Step-8: Verify All Details: You need to verify that your name, date of birth, citizenship, and gender should match the details as per the identification proof that you will present on the GMAT exam day.
• Step-9: Select Programmes: Check & Choose maximum 5 Programmes where you wish that GMAC should send your GMAT score. Enter the details of Management Degree, interested locations for pursuing the management course & type of Management Course Interested in.
• Step-10: Confirmation of Submission: Check the confirmation letter for the GMAT exam to ensure that all the details are correct.

6.2 GMAT Registration & Application Fees
GMAT application process will remain incomplete till the GMAT Exam Fee Payment is made. You need to pay for GMAT Registration and exam fees for the various services offered by Graduate Management Admission Council like GMAT registration, Exam Rescheduling, Cancellation among others as below:
 
GMAT Exam Registration Fee 

GMAT exam eligibility criteria would not discriminate based on nationality, religion, sex, background, history and will be based on following parameters:

• GMAT Academic Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor's degree from a recognized institute/university. Students in the final year of graduation or working professionals with bachelor’s degree can write the GMAT exam.
• Passport: Applicants must hold a valid passport at the time of the GMAT exam.
• Minimum Age for GMAT Eligibility: The applicant should be of 18 years and above age to be eligible to appear for the GMAT. If a candidate is under 18, he/she has to submit written proof from parents/guardians to appear for the GMAT exam. There is no upper age limit for the GMAT exam.
• GMAT Accepting College Eligibility Criteria: Candidates appearing in GMAT should check and ensure their GMAT eligibility criteria for the preferred B-schools. Qualifying for the GMAT exam may not get admission in the respective management institute

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is fast gaining popularity in India as a prominent exam for MBA admission in top Indian B-schools. Top MBA colleges in India accepting GMAT Exam Scores for Admission 2025 include IIMs (One Year MBA), ISB PGP, XLRI, SPJIMR, MDI and many other B-schools. Read the Table of Contents below to know which B Schools in India accept GMAT scores; which are the programs offered by the Colleges Accepting GMAT for MBA Admission and more  
 
8.1. MBA Programs and Top Colleges in India Accepting GMAT
If you are an Indian MBA applicant, you can use your GMAT score to apply for MBA Admission 2025 in India as well as in foreign B-schools. Similarly, Foreign students, NRI students and the Persons of Indian origin (PIO) can apply to all the MBA programs in India on the basis of GMAT scores.

8.2 GMAT Score Validity for Indian MBA Applicants in India
The good thing about GMAT exam is that exam score validity is generally 3 years, while the validity of CAT is only year. GMAT scores are valid for MBA admission in India for 2-3 years from the date of taking the test. Also, in one year a candidate can appear upto 5 times in GMAT exam. However, GMAT is an expensive exam. GMAT Exam Fee is USD 300 which is Rs. 25,064.
 
Although GMAT score for MBA admission are universally accepted from Foreign Nationals, Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin; for MBA applicants in India, GMAT exam scores are valid for One Year MBA equivalent programs at top Indian B-schools like ISB, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore, XLRI and others. Many top MBA colleges in India also accept GMAT scores for admission to their 2 years flagship programs from Indian applicants. 

8.3 Top GMAT Accepting Colleges Abroad
Below are shared some of the top business schools in the world, including Asian B-schools that accept GMAT score for MBA admission to their flagship programs. Approximate Average GMAT cut off 2025 for these B-schools is also mentioned:

8.4 Top 10 GMAT Accepting Colleges in India for One Year MBA
Almost all the one year MBA colleges accept GMAT score for admission 2025. GMAT is the most widely used test for admissions to One Year MBA equivalent programs in India. The top ten 1 year MBA colleges accepting GMAT score are shared below with the program name and duration for their One Year MBA Programs in India

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8.5 Top MBA Colleges in India Accepting GMAT Score for Two Year MBA Programs
MBA admission to the flagship 2 year MBA/PGDM programme is also open for Indian students with GMAT entrance exam scores in more than 100 MBA colleges in India. Some of the top 2 year MBA colleges accepting GMAT score for Indian students for admission to their flagship 2 year MBA programme include SPJIMR Mumbai, IMI Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, Xavier University Bhubaneswar, Great Lakes, TAPMI among others. These are only some of the top Business Schools in India Accepting GMAT Score for Freshers as well as for candidates with work experience. These top business schools in India accepting GMAT score for Indian students have GMAT cut off in a score range of 650 to 750 or GMAT percentile score range of 80 to 95.  

However, the pre-condition to apply for 2 year flagship MBA/PGDM programme in these top 2 year MBA colleges accepting GMAT score for Indian applicants is the GMAT score validity period which should not be more than two years old.   

Apart from the above few top 2 year MBA colleges accepting GMAT score for Indian Students, there are other 100+ MBA colleges accepting GMAT score in India from Indian applicants for admission to their flagship 2 year MBA programmes at a moderate GMAT score of 550 to 600.

8.6 Two Year MBA Colleges Accepting GMAT Score for Foreign Students
Almost all the 500+ best two year MBA colleges in India accept GMAT score for Foreign Students admission. These foreign students include students of Foreign Origin, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO).

Among the top two Year MBA Colleges accepting GMAT score for foreign students include IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow and all other 16 IIMs; XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, Xavier University Bhubaneswar, IMI New Delhi, Management departments of IITs, IMT Ghaziabad and others. Following are the brief details of these top 2 year MBA colleges  accepting GMAT Score for foreign students and the programme offered by them:

GMAT exam is conducted in more than 115 countries and in each country there are many cities where GMAT exam is conducted. GMAT exam centers in India are spread across the country and the exam is conducted in more than 50 cities in India located in almost each state as below:

GMAT exam result with score card is made available on your mba.com account in 7 business days from the date of taking the exam. However, it may take up to 20 business days to process. You will be notified via email once your Official GMAT Score Report is available.

GMAT Result Score Card: Key Highlights

• Your GMAT Score card includes your exam appointment details, some personal data that was provided at registration, individual section scores, Total Score, and percentile rankings
• Your GMAT Official Score Report that you receive will include all GMAT exams that you have taken within the past five years
• Any GMAT scores cancelled by you will not be included in the score report. 
• While your GMAT score will be sent to 5 preferred programs/ B-schools, you can send your Official Score Report to as many additional programs as you like, as long as your score is no more than five years old.
• Additional score reports can be purchased for US $35 each from your mba.com account.
• Please note that Score reporting fees are non-refundable.

GMAT exam dates are available from January to December.  Therefore, the GMAT Exam dates in India are available throughout the year and the candidates as per their convenience can choose the GMAT Exam Date. Besides, if not satisfied with the GMAT score, you can also choose the preferred GMAT exam date to appear again in GMAT.