Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges

Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges via Management Quota or NRI Quota seats, no matter how you performed in the management entrance exams like CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP, MAT, etc.

In this article, we would discuss in-depth about Top Private MBA Colleges in India, Programmes available, Admission process, Entrance Exams, Fee Structure for Top Private MBA Colleges, and lastly, Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges via Management Quota or NRI Quota or NRI Sponsored whichever applicable.

If you’re a young MBA aspirant currently scrolling through the internet trying to find the top MBA college for yourself, then this article is for you! MBA Programs come in a wide variety of formats and choosing any one can be quite overwhelming. Especially if you’re determined to find the one that is most suitable for your interests.

MBA Colleges in India

More than 5800 MBA Colleges are available in India, with over 90 of them ranking among the top MBA colleges in India. Among these leading MBA colleges, the majority of those colleges, more than 50 MBA Colleges are run privately, while the government manages around 40 MBA Colleges, and one is under semi-government ownership.

Aspiring MBA students typically gain admission to these esteemed top MBA colleges in India by excelling in competitive entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, MAT, SNAP, NMAT, CMAT, MAH-CET and ATMA among others.

We will discuss more about the same later in this article, keep on reading and make sure you go through to the end of this article, you will get all answers to your queries here.

What is an MBA?

An MBA (Master of Business Administration) remains one of the most popular postgraduate programs in India. Every year, thousands of students aim to secure admission into the top private MBA colleges in India to build a strong foundation in management and leadership. With excellent placements, global exposure, and world-class faculty, these institutes shape future business leaders.

An MBA degree typically takes two years to complete if you’re able to attend full-time. However, many students are working professionals, and they cannot attend full-time, there are part-time and online programs available to consider that offer more flexibility and take three years or more to complete.

Types of MBA Programmes

When it comes to advancing in your career, an MBA is one of the most valuable degrees. It makes accessing leadership roles and industry expertise way more easily and it almost guarantees a bigger salary.

With an extensive selection of MBA programs available, doing your due diligence in researching which MBA type is right for you is key when it comes to accelerating your career.

Full-Time

A Full-Time MBA program takes two years to complete; you’ll gain a strong foundation of business knowledge with the freedom to explore new areas of study.

Apply for Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges in India for Full-Time MBA program under Management Quota or NRI Quota.

Part-Time or Online

A part-time MBA involves evening or weekend in-person classes, while an online MBA is fully virtual with the flexibility of online lectures and resources. The best choice depends on your career goals and learning style; a part-time MBA provides more direct classroom interaction and networking opportunities, whereas an online MBA offers maximum flexibility for working professionals and often uses technology for a dynamic learning experience. 

Apply for Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges in India for Part-Time or Online MBA program under Management Quota or NRI Quota.

Executive MBA

An Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) is an advanced degree for experienced working professionals who want to advance their careers, earn more, and gain leadership skills without quitting their jobs.

Apply for Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges in India for Executive MBA program under Management Quota or NRI Quota.

Top Private MBA Colleges in India

All MBA Colleges in India is ranked by a government authority, The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).  List of the top MBA colleges in India is dominated by public schools such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

Public MBA colleges in India generally boast a long history of producing impressive alumni and may offer lower fees thanks to subsidies from the government.

However, private MBA colleges in India also have a lot to offer, including links to multinational corporations and up to 100% placement rates for their graduates.

Now, we would break down the 10 top private MBA colleges in India according to the NIRF ranking, including details on their entry requirements, curriculum, and post-MBA salaries.

1. XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur

XLRI – Xavier School of Management (formerly Xavier Labour Relations Institute), is an oldest private business school, was founded in 1949 and managed by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), located in Jamshedpur (Jharkhand).

A new campus of XLRI has started in Jhajjar Delhi-NCR, the foundation stone was laid on 16^th January 2017 by Om Prakash Dhankar, Cabinet Minister, Government of Haryana. XLRI Jhajjar Delhi-NCR commenced its academic session in August 2020.

Academic Programs

XLRI offers full-time residential management programs in Business Management, Human Resource Management and General Management, in addition to these it also offers programs for varied segments of students by way of part-time and virtual interactive learning.

Residential Programs

• PGDM – BM (Business Management)
• PGDM – HRM (Human Resource Management)
• PGDM – GM (General Management)
• PGDM – IEV (Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Venture Development)
• PGDM – LSCM (Logistics & Supply Chain Management)

Online Programs (Postgraduate Diploma Programmes)

• PGDBM
• PGDM (HRM)
• PGDF
• PGDM (HRM) for Emerging CHROs

Online Programs (Postgraduate Certificate Programmes)

• PGCBM (Business Management)
• PGCHRM (Human Resource Management)
• PGCBA (Business Analytics)
• PGCCSRL (CSR Leadership)
• PGCSL (Senior Leadership)
• EDABS (Executive Diploma in Advanced Business Strategies for CXOs)

Admission Process

XLRI offers admission to its programs through XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test), followed by interview and other selection process activities. NRI/Foreign national/PIO & OCI national can be gained admission through GMAT.

For PGDM-BM, and PGDM-HRM interested candidates would be shortlisted through XAT score. If someone is interested in PGDM – GM can apply through XAT/GMAT or GRE

Fee Structure

• PGDM – BM and PGDM – HRM: 15.30 per annum
• PGDM – GM: 25.9 (For Entire Program)
• PGDM – LSCM: 15.00 per annum
• PGDM – IEV: 15.00 per annum
• XOL (XLRI Online Learning Programmes): 14.00

2. Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon

Management Development Institute (MDI) is a private business school, started in 1973 by Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), located in Gurgaon. Initially the institute was established to train executives and managers of development banks.

MDI started their 2^nd campus in Murshidabad (West Bengal) on 24^th August 2014, in the presence of the then Honorable President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

Academic Programs

MDI Gurgaon offers a wide range of management programs for both aspiring management students and working professionals. Its flagship programme Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) makes students ready to work in responsible positions in a global environment.

Post Graduate Programmes

• PGDM
• PGDM – BA (Business Analytics)
• PGDM – HRM (Human Resource Management)
• PGDM – IB (International Business)
• PGDM – Online

Executive Post Graduate Programmes

• PGDM – BM (Business Management)
• PGDM – PPM (Public Policy and Management)
• PGDM – BA (Business Administration)

Placements

The Placement Stats of MDI Gurgaon are continuously outstanding and attaining another milestone year-by-year. Total 147 companies participated in the placement process, 67 among them participated as first-time recruiters, offered 25.60 as average package whereas 53.6 as the highest package.

Admission Process

Admission to PGDM Programmes in MDI Gurgaon and MDI Murshidabad is done through CAT for Indian students. If NRI or Foreign Nationals wants to apply for PGDM Programmes at MDI can be apply through GMAT score.

Fee Structure

• PGDM / PGDM-HRM / PGDM-BA: 25,99,300 (all inclusive)
• PGDM-IB: 32,54,000 (all inclusive)

3. SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) Mumbai

SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), is a leading business school, started in the year 1981 by the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Institute for Master of Management Studies (MMS), located in Andheri – Mumbai (Maharashtra).

In 1992, SPJIMR got autonomous status and the institute got separated from the University of Mumbai, and the MMS programme was rebranded as PGDM.

Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Association of MBAs (AMBA) (UK), and EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), SPJIMR is part of an elite group of institutions globally to achieve the prestigious ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditations, placing it among the top 1% of global business schools.

Academic Programs

SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai offers wide range of management programs as full-time and part-time basis for regular aspiring management students as well as working professionals.

Full-Time Programs

• PGDM
• PGDM – BM (Business Management)
• PGPM
• GMP

Part-Time Programs

• PGEMP (Post Graduate Executive Management Programme)
• PGPGM (Post Graduate Programme in General Management)
• PGPDM (Post Graduate Programme in Development Management)
• PGPMBM (Post Graduate Programme in Marketing & Business Management)

Placements

India’s leading and most admired companies across all major sectors recruit from SPJIMR, and the results are outstanding! SPJIMR achieves 100% placements every year and consistently ranks amongst the top B-schools in India in terms of compensation after graduation.

Admission Process

Admission to SPJIMR Mumbai for PGDM Programmes can be done through CAT and GMAT/GMAT (Focus). In addition to entrance exam score, SPJIMR Mumbai also considers candidate’s overall profile like academic profile, work experience, achievements, etc.

Fee Structure

• PGDM & PGDM – BM: 26.50 (Indian), 35.94 (International)
• PGPM: 22.66
• GMP: 8.70 (at SPJIMR for 6 months) and International Partner Fee
• PGEMP: 9.95
• PGPGM: 9.50
• PGPMBM: 4.70

4. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) Mumbai

Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) comes among top private premier business school in India with AACSB and EQUIS accreditation, was established in the year 1981, by one of the leading educational charitable trust, Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM), located in Mumbai.

Initially, NMIMS Mumbai was offering management programs like Masters in Management Studies, Diploma in Management Studies, Masters’ Program in Marketing Management, Human Resources Management and Finance Management under Mumbai University.

On 13^th January 2003, the Central Government of India declared NMIMS Mumbai, as Deemed-to-be-University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 and then NMIMS SBM (School of Business Management) has been operating as a school under NMIMS Deemed-to-be University.

Academic Programs

NMIMS Mumbai offers various management programs at postgraduate level as well as executive level for working professionals on part-time or online mode.

Full-Time Programmes

• MBA
• MBA – HRM
• MBA – Pharmaceutical Management
• MBA – Digital Transformation
• MBA – Business Analytics
• MBA – Healthcare Management

Executive Programmes

• MBA – NEx
• MBA – Social Entrepreneurship
• Diploma in Entrepreneurship

Placements

NMIMS SBM Mumbai has witnessed great placements track records. More than 150 companies visited the campus for the recruitment process, 52 among them have been participated as first-time recruiters and 80+ Fortune 500 companies also participated, which made an average package of 25 lakhs and 67 lakhs as the highest package.

Admission Process

NMIMS Mumbai conducting NMAT entrance exam in association with GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) for selecting prospect students for the management programs offered in NMIMS Mumbai.

NMIMS has reduced the NMAT cutoff marks and the overall weightage to 20% and added another selection process aspect as Competency Assessment with 50% weightage, followed by Personal Interview.

Fee Structure

• MBA: 13.50 per annum
• MBA – HR: 12.75 per annum
• MBA Pharmaceutical Management: 9.00 per annum
• MBA BA and MBA DT: 11.50 per annum

5. Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM) Pune

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), is one of the premier business schools in India, established in 1978 by Dr. SB Mujumdar, president and founding director of Symbiosis Society. Symbiosis Society is registered under the Society Registration Act 1860 and the Bombay Public Trust 1950.

SIBM Pune is consistently ranked among the top 10 management institutes in the country, recognized for its excellence in academics and its valuable contributions to industry and society and students.

Academic Programs

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM) Pune offers wide range of management programs at different levels for aspiring regular management students as well as working professionals as weekend classes.

Full-Time Programmes

• MBA
• MBA Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Executive Programme

• Executive MBA
• MDPs (Management Development Programmes)

Placements

SIBM Pune has a good reputation for producing managers of the highest calibre built over the last 47 years. More than 100 companies in a wide range of industries like Automotive, BFSI, Consulting, FMCG/FMCD, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, IT/ITES, and Manufacturing have been participated in the placement process.

The placement highlights include the highest package of 53.58 lakhs, an average package of 28.83 lakhs, and a median package of 26.04 lakhs, underscoring the institute’s consistent success.

Admission Process

Admission to SIBM Pune and other Symbiosis Campuses can be done through SNAP entrance exam followed by Personal Interview and Group Exercise. Although Symbiosis offers Direct MBA Admission to its all management institutes under special category that is called Discretionary Quota, into which appearing into SNAP exam is compulsory and the academic fee would be double.

Fee Structure

• MBA: 24.90
• MBA Innovation and Entrepreneurship: 17.72

6. MICA Ahmedabad

MICA (formerly Mudra Institute of Communication Ahmedabad), is a private business school, started in the year 1991 by AG Krishnamurthy of Mudra Communications. MICA is the only residential institute in the country dedicated to creating leadership in Strategic Marketing and Communication.

Academic Programs

MICA offers a wide range of academic programmes at different levels like full-time residential for regular management students and online programs for working professionals.

Full-Time Programmes

• PGDM
• PGDM-C (Communication)

Fellow Programme

• FPM (Fellow Programme in Management)

Certificate Programme

• CCC (Crafting Creative Communication)

Besides these, MICA also conducts a host of Online Programmes, Leadership and Management Development Programmes (LMDPs), and Training Programmes and Workshops.

Placements

Placements are the reflection of any college, that shows how much you are industry-connected. MICA has once again achieved a stellar placement record, reinforcing its legacy of academic excellence and industry relevance.

Over 92 companies have been participated, students were presented with a wide array of opportunities, reflecting the trust the industry places in MICA talent, which made an average package of 19.22 lakhs and 40.9 lakhs as the highest package.

Admission Process

Admission to PGDM Programmes into MICA can be done through MICAT (conducting twice in a year), a compulsory entrance exam along with candidate can appear either among CAT / XAT / GMAT followed by Personal Interview and Group Exercise.

Fee Structure

• PGDM and PGDM-C: 26.00
• FMP: 1.25
• CCC: 12.00

7. Xavier Institute of Management (XIM) Bhubaneswar

Xavier Institute of Management (XIM), is one of the premier business schools of India located in Bhubaneswar, established in the year 1987 as a social contract between the Government of Odisha and the Jesuits in Odisha, with Fr. Romuald D’Souza SJ.

Xavier University (XIM University) was established on July 6, 2013 as per the provisions of the Xavier University, Odisha Act, 2013.

Academic Programs

Xavier University offers wide range of management education at different levels like Post Graduate, Executive and Doctoral level.

Post Graduate Programmes

• MBA – Business Management
• MBA – Human Resource Management
• MBA – Rural Management
• MBA – Sustainability Management
• MBA – Urban Management & Governance
• MBA – Public Policy & Management
• MBA – Business Innovation & Artificial Intelligence
• MMS – BF

Executive Programmes

• MBA – Business Management
• EPGDM – Virtual Interactive Learning

Placements

XIM Bhubaneswar witnessed outstanding track records year by year, around 99 companies were participated in the placement process for 2024 batch, which results an average package of 19.53 lakhs and 30 lakhs as the highest package.

Admission Process

Admission to MBA Programs at Xavier Institute of Management (XIM) Bhubaneswar and other School of Management under XIM University Bhubaneswar can be done through XAT, CAT, GMAT and XGMT (XIM General Management Test) conducted by XIM University followed by Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

Fee Structure

• MBA – BM: 22.00
• MBA – HRM: 21.00
• MBA – RM: 14.00
• MBA – SM: 12.20
• MBA – UMG: 12.20
• MBA – PPM: 12.20
• MMS – BF: 12.20
• EMBA – BM: 14.00

8. Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad

Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), established in the year 1980, is a premier AACSB accredited business school with a distinct focus on grooming leadership through Innovation, Execution and Social Responsibility. IMT Ghaziabad has been set up under the umbrella of Lajpat Rai Educational Society (LES), a society duly registered under Societies Act 1860, Government of India.

Academic Programs

IMT Ghaziabad offers wide range and industry standard management programmes in full-time as well as part-time mode and executive levels.

Post Graduate Programmes

• PGDM
• PGDM Marketing
• PGDM Financial Management
• PGDM DCP (Dual Country Program – 1^st year in Dubai and 2^nd year in Ghaziabad)
• PGDM BFS

Executive Programme

• PGDM ExP

Placements

IMT Ghaziabad has been released placement report for 2023-25 batch, it has been witnessed significant package growth, leading recruiter participation, and remarkable student performance.

Admission Process

Admission for PGDM Programs at IMT Ghaziabad and other IMT Campuses (Nagpur and Hyderabad) would be done through a common application, where you can select campuses and programs as per your choice. Candidates would be shortlisted on the basis of overall profile alongwith entrance exam score (CAT / XAT / GMAT).

Fee Structure

• PGDM: 21.53
• PGDM DCP: 87,675 (AED) + 10.03

9. International Management Institute (IMI) Delhi

International Management Institute (IMI) Delhi is a private business school, was set up in the year 1981 as India’s first corporate sponsored management institute in the collaboration with IMD Lausanne (then called as IMI).

The corporate sponsors included RPG Enterprises (lead sponsor), ITC, Nestle, Tata Chemicals, British Oxygen, SAIL, and Williamson Magor. In the last several years, IMI New Delhi has been consistently ranked in the top 10-15 Business Schools in the country and among the top 5 private Business Schools.

Academic Programs

IMI Delhi offers wide range of management programmes at post graduate and executive level. The programme is approved by AICTE and accredited by National Board of Accreditation (NBA) and internationally by the prestigious Association of MBA’s (AMBA).

Post Graduate Programmes

• PGDM
• PGDM HRM
• PGDM B&FS

Executive Programme

• 18-Month PGDM

Fellowship Programme

• FPM (Fellow Program in Management)

Online Programme

• PGDM

Placements

IMI Delhi didn’t release Placement report for 2025 batch yet; however, it has offered 70 lakhs as the highest package ever for 2024 batch. More 175 leading companies have been participated for the placement process, 70+ companies among them has be participated first-time.

Admission Process

Admission for PGDM Programs at IMI Delhi can be done through CAT / XAT / GMAT Exam score alongwith academic records followed by Essay writing and Personal Interview.

Although IMI Delhi offers admission under Corporate Sponsored Quota as well as NRI / Foreign Nationals but they cannot participate in the placement process conducted by the institute, and have to higher tuition fee.

Fee Structure

10. Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai

Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai is among India’s leading business schools, established in the year 2004 by Padmashree Awardee – Dr. Bala V Balachandran, Professor Emeritus at Kellogg School of Management.

In the year 2004, Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai was started from a rented building in Chennai with 123 students for the first batch of flagship Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM).

In 2012, Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai started full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) with a clear intention on emerging economics and their growth.

Academic Programs

Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai offers full-time management programs as well as executive programs approved by AICTE and accredited by AACSB, AMBA, SAQS and NBA.

Post Graduate Programmes

• PGPM
• PGDM
• PGPM – FBE (Family Business and Entrepreneurship)

Executive Programme

• PGXPM

Besides these, Great Lakes Chennai also offer doctoral and corporate learning and development programs.

Placements

Great Lakes Institute of Management’s PGDM Class of 2025 celebrated a stellar placement season with robust participation from esteemed marquee recruiters like Accenture, Deloitte, EY, Nestlé, Gartner, HCL, JP Morgan Chase, PwC, Wells Fargo, ITC and many others.

The average package offered to the Class of 2025 was 15 lakhs and the highest package offered was 39.3 lakhs per annum by a leading multinational FinTech firm.

The PGPM Class of 2025 had an excellent placement season with participation from recruiters across industries. Esteemed marquee recruiters such as Accenture, Deloitte, Cognizant, FedEx, Infosys Consulting, Incedo, ADP, HCL, Tiger Analytics, etc. made a large number of offers.

The average package for PGPM increased to 17.8 lakhs per annum and the highest package offered was 30.8 lakhs per annum. The average outgoing package for the batch is 2.7x of the average incoming CTC, testifying the exceptional outcomes and career growth that our PGPM students have achieved in 1 year.

Admission Process

Admission for PGPM and PGDM at Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai can be done through CAT / XAT / GMAT and NMAT (for PGPM only) entrance exams. Aspiring candidate must have 2+ years of working experience; else they can apply for their PGDM Program.

Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) Chennai would evaluate candidates for PGDM and PGPM based on their profile like academic, work experience and awards & achievements, followed by essay writing and personal interview.

Fee Structure

Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges

Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges in India can be possible via Management Quota, or NRI Quota seats, or through some recommendations. In order to avail yourself of those Management Quota seats or NRI Quota seats you just need to be eligible for the process like 50%+ marks in graduation and must appeared for the respective college’s entrance exam.

Fees for Direct Admission in Top Private MBA Colleges under Management Quota or NRI Quota would me 1.5x to 2x times of the normal academic fee and also you have to shell out some extra for the direct admission process.