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Author : Arnould Joseph – Product Marketing Manager
MBA admissions are not a single event. They are a sequence of decisions that unfold over several months. After the entrance exams, candidates move into a complex phase of applications, shortlists, interviews, and deadlines that rarely follow a single timeline.
For aspirants appearing for CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, and CMAT, exam performance is only one part of the equation. The months that follow demand coordinated action across multiple institutes, document readiness, and timely decision-making. This blog provides a structured guide to planning MBA applications and tracking deadlines effectively for the 2026 admission cycle.
Key Takeaways:
The major MBA application deadlines for the 2026 admission cycle for all major entrance exams and top Indian universities are listed in the section below.
Institutions that accept CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT, and specialized MBA programs are listed in the table. Deadlines are listed from official institute websites wherever announced. Institutes that have not yet published official deadlines are marked accordingly.
Institute name | Exam accepted | Program type | Application deadline |
IIT Delhi (DMS) | CAT | MBA | Closed |
Shailesh J Mehta School of Management IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) | CAT | MBA | 31 January 2026 |
IIM Ahmedabad | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Bangalore | CAT | PGP two year | Closed |
IIM Calcutta | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Lucknow | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Kozhikode | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Indore | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Shillong | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Udaipur | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Indore | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Trichy | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Ranchi | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Rohtak | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Kashipur | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Nagpur | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIM Visakhapatnam | CAT | PGP two year | To be announced |
IIT Kharagpur Vinod Gupta School of Management (VGSoM) | CAT | MBA | To be announced |
IIT Kanpur DoMS | CAT | MBA | To be announced |
Institute name | Exam accepted | Program type | Application deadline |
XLRI Jamshedpur | XAT | PGDM and specializations | Closed |
XLRI Delhi (NCR campus) | XAT | PGDM | To be announced |
XIM Bhubaneswar | XAT, CAT | MBA | To be announced |
IMT Ghaziabad | CAT, XAT, GMAT | PGDM | To be announced |
TAPMI Manipal | XAT, CAT | PGDM | To be announced |
GIM Goa | XAT, CAT | MBA | To be announced |
FORE School of Management | XAT, CAT | PGDM | To be announced |
LBSIM Delhi | XAT | MBA | To be announced |
XLRI associated programs | XAT | Various | To be announced |
Institute name | Exam accepted | Program type | Application deadline |
SIBM Pune | SNAP | MBA | To be announced |
SCMHRD Pune | SNAP | MBA | To be announced |
SIIB Pune | SNAP | MBA | To be announced |
SIMS Pune | SNAP | MBA | To be announced |
SIBM Bengaluru | SNAP | MBA | To be announced |
SIOM Nashik | SNAP | MBA | To be announced |
Institute name | Exam accepted | Program type | Application deadline |
NMIMS Mumbai | NMAT | MBA | To be announced |
NMIMS Bengaluru | NMAT | MBA | To be announced |
NMIMS Hyderabad | NMAT | MBA | To be announced |
NMIMS Navi Mumbai | NMAT | MBA | To be announced |
SPJIMR Mumbai | CAT, NMAT acceptance for some programs | PGDM | To be announced |
Great Lakes Institute of Management | NMAT, CAT, XAT | One year and two year programs | To be announced |
Institute name | Exam accepted | Program type | Application deadline |
JBIMS Mumbai | CMAT, other routes | MMS | To be announced |
SIMSREE Mumbai | CMAT | MMS | To be announced |
KJ Somaiya Institute of Management | CMAT, CAT | MMS MBA | To be announced |
Welingkar Mumbai | CMAT, other exams | MMS PGDM | To be announced |
PUMBA Pune | CMAT | MMS | To be announced |
Institute name | Exam accepted | Program type | Application deadline |
Indian School of Business Hyderabad | GMAT GRE and executive routes | PGP and executive programs | To be announced |
ISB Mohali | GMAT | PGP | To be announced |
IIM Ahmedabad PGPX | GMAT | One year PGPX | To be announced |
IIM Bangalore EPGP | GMAT | One year EPGP | To be announced |
Institute of Product Leadership | IPSAT (TM)/ GMAT / CAT / KMAT | MBA in Technology Management | Open until 15 March 2026 |
IIT Madras DoMS | CAT | MBA | To be announced |
SPJIMR Global MBA GMP | GMAT/CAT | GMP | To be announced |
TAPMI postgraduate programs | CAT/ XAT | PGDM | To be announced |
XIM Bhubaneswar | CAT/ XAT | MBA | To be announced |
IMT Ghaziabad | CAT/ XAT/ GMAT | PGDM | To be announced |
FMS Delhi | CAT | MBA | Application closed for certain intakes currently; executive windows updated |
Many admission cycles are lost due to simple planning errors made after the entrance exams. Such errors are typical, preventable, and usually realised when it is too late and one full year has passed.
In most admission seasons, success does not come from intelligence alone. It comes from discipline. Strong candidates lose seats when they fail to track deadlines, documents, and interview schedules consistently. A simple personal tracking system prevents most of these losses.
Every aspirant should maintain a personal application tracker with a few essential fields:
Institute name I Application status I Documents needed I Interview date I Offer status
This small habit creates a clear view of the entire season. It shows which forms are pending, which interviews are upcoming, and which offers are active. More importantly, it removes uncertainty from decision-making.
MBA admissions reward planning more than guessing. Candidates with good tracking skills convert more opportunities, make fewer mistakes, and miss fewer deadlines.
Planning should begin as soon as entrance exam registrations open. Waiting for final results often leads to missed deadlines and rushed applications.
Most candidates should apply to eight to twelve institutes across different cutoff ranges to balance reach, target, and backup options.
No. Many private and non-IIM institutes open applications before CAT results are declared and close forms early.
Yes. Institutes may extend or revise deadlines. Always check the official admissions portal before submitting the form.
No. Relying on only one exam increases risk. Applying through multiple exams improves final admission chances.
No. Executive and one-year programs follow separate calendars and often have multiple rounds across the year.
