When should I start my MBA applications for the 2027-28 batch?

Now. The cycle for the 2027-28 batch effectively opens in August 2026: NMIMS's application window runs 20 August to 10 October 2026, KMAT Karnataka registration closes 31 August 2026, and XAT 2027 registration opened 15 July 2026 for the 5 January 2027 exam. Waiting for CAT results in January before starting applications means missing the windows that close in autumn.

What is the correct order to take the MBA entrance exams?

Backwards from your target list. If NMIMS matters, your first NMAT attempt is the only one that counts there, so prepare before booking it. CAT in late November anchors the IIM route; XAT on 5 January 2027 covers XLRI and the XAT associates; MICAT-I in December serves MICA; the state CETs (MAH CET, TANCET, TG ICET) and CUET PG run in spring. Sequence attempts so a bad day on one exam never collides with another.

Which MBA exams are still open in August 2026?

Verified as of 20 August 2026: KMAT Karnataka registration (closes 31 August, exam 13 September), the NMIMS application window (20 August to 10 October), XAT 2027 registration (exam 5 January 2027), and ATMA sessions on the AIMA calendar. NMAT by GMAC registration opens ahead of its November-December window. CAT 2026 registration is expected to open around July-August on iimcat.ac.in.

What happens between the exams and admission?

Each school runs its own stages after the score: shortlists, written ability tests, group exercises, interviews, merit lists, offer letters and fee payment — most of it between January and April. The state-quota routes run centralised counselling in summer instead. Our document checklist covers the paperwork you should assemble before the interview season starts.

If I miss this cycle, when does the next one start?

The same seasons repeat annually: registrations for the big winter exams open between July and October, the exams run November to February, state CETs and CUET PG follow in spring, and counselling closes by early summer. Missing a window costs a year, not a career — but the cheapest mistake in MBA admissions is a deadline learned one day late.

MBA Application Timeline India 2027-28: Full Calendar

The short answer

In August 2026, the MBA admission calendar for the 2027-28 batch is already moving: NMIMS applications opened 20 August and close 10 October 2026, KMAT Karnataka registration ends 31 August, XAT 2027 registration is open for the 5 January 2027 exam, and CAT 2026 is expected in late November. The sequence below keeps every route open.

Most MBA aspirants plan their year around one exam and discover the calendar too late: the application that closed in October, the registration window they assumed ran to December, the counselling round nobody mentioned. The admission cycle for an Indian MBA is a year-long sequence of windows that open and close independently — and the families who get the offers they want are simply the ones who saw all the windows. This is the 2027-28 batch calendar as it stands on 20 August 2026, with every date tied to its official source.

August to September 2026: the cycle is already open

NMIMS applications are open right now. The official NMAT 2026 admission handout sets the window at 20 August to 10 October 2026, with a ₹3,000 non-refundable application charge. Register at nmat.org with GMAC first, then complete the NMIMS registration before the day preceding your NMAT exam date — the handout makes that sequence mandatory.
KMAT Karnataka closes 31 August 2026 (exam 13 September), the recognised route into the management share of seats at KPPGCA member colleges — the last common MBA entrance of this cycle.
XAT 2027 registration is open (it opened 15 July 2026) for the exam on 5 January 2027, admit cards from 26 December.
ATMA sessions continue on AIMA’s calendar for candidates building a score for ATMA-accepting schools.
CAT 2026: registration is expected around July-August on iimcat.ac.in, with the exam traditionally on the last Sunday of November. The notification lands on the official site first — not on aggregator calendars.

The August trap: assuming nothing starts until CAT results. By the time CAT scores arrive in January, NMIMS’s window, KMAT and several university applications have already closed.

October to December 2026: the application crunch

10 October 2026: NMIMS application closes. Your NMIMS registration must also precede your NMAT exam date, so book the exam date and the application together.
NMAT by GMAC test window runs through November-December (GMAC publishes the exact window on mba.com; NMIMS counts only your first attempt).
CAT 2026 exam: expected late November. One Sunday, three sections, the IIM system’s gate.
MICAT-I: MICA’s first window falls in December on its published twice-a-year pattern, for candidates targeting the 2027 intake.
CUET PG registration for the next cycle opened in mid-December last cycle (14 December 2025 to 14 January 2026) — treat that as the planning frame and confirm on the NTA portal when the bulletin drops.
XAT admit cards from 26 December.

January to March 2027: scores, shortlists, interviews

XAT 2027 exam: 5 January 2027 (confirmed on xatonline.in).
CAT and XAT results arrive through January, and the shortlist season begins: IIM interview calls, the standalone PGDM schools’ shortlists, NMIMS’s second stage (competency test and personal interview, per its handout).
MICAT-II in February for second-attempt MICA candidates; MICA’s GE-PI rounds run in March.
CUET PG exam falls in March (the 2026 paper ran across 6-27 March).
This is also document season. The candidates who lose offers in March usually lose them to paperwork, not percentiles — our MBA document checklist exists for exactly these weeks.

April to June 2027: state CETs, merit lists, decisions

State CET season: MAH MBA CET in Maharashtra and TANCET in Tamil Nadu run in spring (the 2026 editions ran in April-May); TG ICET in Telangana follows with summer counselling. These are the quota-route gates — our state pages carry each system’s rules.
Merit lists and offer letters land across March-May. Read every offer letter’s fee declaration against the published fee before paying; our NMIMS offer-letter checklist shows how.
Decision deadline discipline: comparing two offers is a method, not a mood — run the payback math from our specialisations-and-ROI guide before you commit a deposit anywhere.

The five rules that keep every route open

Register before you feel ready. Application windows do not wait for preparation to finish; you can always withdraw, you cannot reopen a closed window.
Sequence exams so no two high-stakes days collide. CAT in late November, MICAT-I in December, XAT on 5 January, NMAT across its window — the calendar is designed to be layered.
Watch official pages, not aggregator calendars. KMAT’s deadline moved mid-cycle this year (15 July to 31 August); the candidates who caught it were watching kmatindia.com, not a roundup.
Keep one low-barrier exam in the mix. MAT, ATMA or a state CET keeps a real option alive whatever happens in the big three.
Track everything in one place. Our deadlines tracker carries every verified window with its official source; the .ics download puts confirmed dates on your phone’s calendar.

The cycle rewards the organised, not the brilliant. Start the registrations that are open this week, and message us on WhatsApp if you want the calendar mapped to your specific list of schools.

Good to know

Questions, answered

When should I start my MBA applications for the 2027-28 batch?: Now. The cycle for the 2027-28 batch effectively opens in August 2026: NMIMS's application window runs 20 August to 10 October 2026, KMAT Karnataka registration closes 31 August 2026, and XAT 2027 registration opened 15 July 2026 for the 5 January 2027 exam. Waiting for CAT results in January before starting applications means missing the windows that close in autumn.
What is the correct order to take the MBA entrance exams?: Backwards from your target list. If NMIMS matters, your first NMAT attempt is the only one that counts there, so prepare before booking it. CAT in late November anchors the IIM route; XAT on 5 January 2027 covers XLRI and the XAT associates; MICAT-I in December serves MICA; the state CETs (MAH CET, TANCET, TG ICET) and CUET PG run in spring. Sequence attempts so a bad day on one exam never collides with another.
Which MBA exams are still open in August 2026?: Verified as of 20 August 2026: KMAT Karnataka registration (closes 31 August, exam 13 September), the NMIMS application window (20 August to 10 October), XAT 2027 registration (exam 5 January 2027), and ATMA sessions on the AIMA calendar. NMAT by GMAC registration opens ahead of its November-December window. CAT 2026 registration is expected to open around July-August on iimcat.ac.in.
What happens between the exams and admission?: Each school runs its own stages after the score: shortlists, written ability tests, group exercises, interviews, merit lists, offer letters and fee payment — most of it between January and April. The state-quota routes run centralised counselling in summer instead. Our document checklist covers the paperwork you should assemble before the interview season starts.
If I miss this cycle, when does the next one start?: The same seasons repeat annually: registrations for the big winter exams open between July and October, the exams run November to February, state CETs and CUET PG follow in spring, and counselling closes by early summer. Missing a window costs a year, not a career — but the cheapest mistake in MBA admissions is a deadline learned one day late.

Sources

Page updated 20 August 2026. Rules, fees and dates change; confirm with the institution and the official authority before acting.

MBA Application Timeline in India: The 2027-28 Calendar, Month by Month