South India, renowned for its rich heritage of higher education, also leads the way when it comes to the best MBA colleges in India. It’s true! When you look at the top 10 business schools in the country, many institutions from the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh are well-represented.
To gain admission to top MBA colleges in South India, students typically need to meet specific criteria related to entrance exam scores, cutoff marks, and academic performance. A graduation grade point average of at least 50% is generally required for MBA eligibility. However, some universities, such as IIM and IIT, may require candidates to hold a 3-year bachelor’s degree. Some MBA colleges may also require candidates to be at least 21 years old.
MBA Entrance Exams
- TANCET MBA: An important entrance exam for MBA admission in Tamil Nadu. Only a limited number of institutes consider CAT/ XAT/ MAT/ GMAT/ CMAT scores for MBA admission.
- CAT (Common Admission Test): Conducted by the IIMs for admission to their MBA programs and accepted by over 1,300 other MBA colleges.
- MAT (Management Aptitude Test) AIMS IBS (Indian Business School) accepts MAT for MBA admissions.
- XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) AIMS IBS (Indian Business School) accepts XAT for MBA admissions.
- GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) AIMS IBS (Indian Business School) accepts GMAT for MBA admissions.
- CMAT (Common Management Admission Test) Many private B-schools keep their admission window open till September on the basis of CMAT.
Other Factors for MBA Admission
- Entrance exam results, performance in group discussions and personal interviews, and work experience Additional requirements vary depending on which MBA college a student is aiming for.
- 12th-grade test scores, graduation grades, and portfolio When evaluating the likelihood of receiving MBA Admission in IIMs, these factors matter.
- Domicile rules Only Tamil Nadu residents are eligible to appear for the TANCET MBA entrance exam. However, domicile rules do not apply to institutes that accept the score of national-level MBA entrance exams apart from TANCET MBA
Top MBA Colleges in South India in 2025, as per IIRF Ranking
| Sr. No. | Institute Name | Location |
| 1 | Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 2 | Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai | Chennai |
| 3 | WOXSEN School of Business, Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 4 | T.A.PAI Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal | Manipal |
| 5 | IFIM Business School/Jagdish Sheth School of Management, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 6 | Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 7 | Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai | Chennai |
| 8 | VIT Business School, Vellore | Vellore |
| 9 | Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore | Coimbatore |
| 10 | Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 11 | Bharath Institute of Higher Education And Research (BIHER), Chennai | Chennai |
| 12 | ICFAI Business School (IBS), Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 13 | Dr. MGR Educational And Research Institute, Chennai | Chennai |
| 14 | AIMS Institute, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 15 | SDM Institute For Management Development (SDMIMD), Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 16 | Manipal Institute of Management/ Manipal University, Manipal | Manipal |
| 17 | Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education And Research (MAHER), Chennai | Chennai |
| 18 | ABBS School of Management, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 19 | REVA University (School of Management Studies), Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 20 | PES University, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 21 | Justice KS Hegde Institute of Management, NITTE/Udupi | Udupi |
| 22 | Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 23 | RV Institute of Management, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 24 | Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering (Dept. of Management), Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 25 | Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 26 | GIBS Business School, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 27 | Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli |
| 28 | CMR Institute of Management Studies, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 29 | SCMS Cochin School of Business, Kochi | Kochi |
| 30 | CHRIST University, Institute of Management, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 31 | SDM PG Centre For Management Studies And Research, Mangaluru | Mangaluru |
| 32 | Global Business School And Research Centre, Pune | Pune |
| 33 | Rajagiri Centre For Business Studies, Kochi | Kochi |
| 34 | MYRA School of Business, Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 35 | Presidency University, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 36 | Dayananda Sagar University (School of Commerce & Management), Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 37 | KLE Technological University (School of Management Studies And Research), Hubli | Hubli |
| 38 | Indus Business Academy, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 39 | Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 40 | St. Joseph’s Institute of Management, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 41 | KLS Institute of Management Education And Research, Belgaum | Belgaum |
| 42 | JSS Centre For Management Studies, Mysuru | Mysuru |
| 43 | PSG Institute of Management, Coimbatore | Coimbatore |
| 44 | Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies, Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 45 | Gitam School of International Business, Visakhapatnam | Visakhapatnam |
| 46 | Siva Sivani Institute of Management (SSIM), Hyderabad | Hyderabad |
| 47 | Hindustan Institute of Technology, Coimbatore | Coimbatore |
| 48 | International School of Management Excellence (ISME), Bengaluru | Bengaluru |
| 49 | Hindustan College of Arts And Science (Department of Management Studies), Coimbatore | Coimbatore |
