Top 5 OMET Exams in India, Exam Dates, Registration Last Date

Top 5 OMET Exams:  When you think about an MBA from a top MBA colleges in India, you think of CAT. But other than CAT, there are OMETs (Other management entrance tests) which can also pave your way to a top MBA college other than CAT. Therefore, you should not solely focus on CAT. Rather, start preparing for OMET 2026 also to increase your chances and enhance your options. In this article, we will talk about the top 5 2026 OMET exams that every CAT aspirant must take along with the CAT exam. We will also discuss what are their schedules, registration dates etc.

Read Complete Details on, OMET Syllabus

TOP 5 OMET Exams 2026 In India

OMET full form is the Other Management Entrance test. Although there are 10+ OMET exams in India we will discuss only the top 5 OMET 2026 exams that every CAT aspirant must give. The list is as below:

XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)

XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) is a national-level OMET exam held every year in the first week of January. XLRI conducts this test for the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI) and some other private colleges. Its scores are used for students to get into top MBA schools in the country like XLRI, IMT Ghaziabad, XIMB, SP Jain, KJ Somaiya, and TAPMI. Other than the 11 XAMI member schools, 150+ other famous schools accept XAT scores for their management programs. More than 1,000 business schools accept XAT scores for MBA, PGDM, and Executive MBA programs.

XAT 2027 - Important Dates

Also Check, XAT Mock Test 2027

SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test)

SNAP i.e. Symbiosis National Aptitude Test is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU) for admission to management programmes offered by its affiliated institutes. It is another one of the popular MBA entrance exams. It is usually held thrice a year in the month of December. There are more than 85,000 candidates who appear for SNAP every year. SNAP is a comparatively easier OMET exam. It is designed as a speed-based test exam to assess the candidate’s time management and decision-making skills. Since 2017, SNAP has been held in online mode at test centres. 

SNAP 2026 - Important Timelines

Also Check, SNAP Mock Test 2026

NMAT (Narsee Monjee Aptitude Test)

NMAT's full form is the Narsee Monjee Aptitude Test. It is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). NMAT exam another OMET exam which is used for admissions to leading graduate business programmes in many nations including India, South Africa, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Morocco. This exam assesses the candidate's skills based on how they answer questions that are made to match their current skill level.

This exam is accepted by top MBA institutes like NMIMS Mumbai, VIT Vellore, K J Somaiya Mumbai, XIM University Bhubaneswar, SDA Bocconi, 9 ICFAI Business Schools, IFMR Krea University etc in India.

NMAT 2026 - Important Timelines

CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)

CMAT, or the Common Management Admission Test, is another well-known OMET exam for getting into MBA programs in India. Each year, more than 70,000 people take this exam, hoping to join top business schools. Famous colleges like JBIMS, SIMSREE, KJ Somaiya, Welingkar, PUMBA, accept CMAT scores.

It is a 3-hour test with multiple-choice questions, organized by the National Testing Agency. It has 100 questions covering Quantitative Techniques, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Your score on this test will determine which management colleges you can get into for an MBA or similar programs because each college has a cut-off of the CMAT percentile.

CMAT 2026 - Important Timelines (Expected)

Also Check, CMAT Mock Test 2026

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

The Full form of GMAT is the Graduate Management Admission Test. It is an essential examination for admission to business schools. Moreover, thousands of graduate business programs use it to support their admissions decisions. Additionally, the GMAT helps you establish your eligibility for and commitment to the MBA or business master's degree you're applying for by showcasing your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Thus, business schools place a high priority on the GMAT since it is a good measure of a candidate's work ethic and program readiness.

Most business schools choose to use the GMAT over other exams. This allows them to compare applicants from different areas and backgrounds because it is standardized. It also enables you to fairly compete with other applicants who have quite different career and academic backgrounds.

GMAC organizes the GMAT exam in over 100 countries for those who aim for postgraduate business degrees. Recently, GMAC which is the conducting body of GMAT has unveiled a new version of the GMAT exam i.e. GMAT Focus Edition. The new exam version focuses on higher-order critical reasoning skills and data literacy which is very much relevant to tomorrow’s business environment. 
GMAT exam scores are accepted by over 7000 programs across 2300 colleges and universities. You can take the GMAT exam throughout a year therefore this exam doesn't have a fixed timeline.