Leading management institutes have commenced the NMAT 2025–26 score-based shortlisting process for the 2026–28 academic batch. Flagship campuses like NMIMS Mumbai have released their PI call status, with the score-validity of candidates now being verified against final cut-offs. Aspirants who appeared in the main or additional testing windows must log in to the individual institute portals to check their selection status. The current phase involves mandatory slot booking for the Competency Assessment and Personal Interview rounds scheduled throughout February. Ensure you download your final official scorecard from the GMAC portal to complete the document verification required by participating colleges.

As of January 29, 2026, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has finalized the results for the current testing cycle, allowing participating B-schools to initiate their second-stage selection rounds. Following the conclusion of the additional test window earlier this month, the focus has shifted from exam delivery to candidate-profiles evaluation. High-ranking institutes like NMIMS, TAPMI, and K J Somaiya have started issuing interview calls based on the score-validity of the applicants. For thousands of students, this period marks the transition from test-taking to personality assessment, as colleges begin to screen the diverse candidate-profiles submitted during the registration phase.

NMIMS Mumbai and Regional Campus Shortlists

The SVKM’s NMIMS group remains the primary destination for test-takers, having released its first set of shortlists on January 21.

• Cut-off Trends: The Mumbai campus has maintained a competitive threshold, with the score-validity for MBA Core typically requiring a total scaled score above 230.
• Competency Assessment: Shortlisted students are now required to register for a specialized competency test, which carries a significant 60% weightage in the final selection matrix for the candidate-profiles under review.
• Slot Booking: Aspirants must book their interview slots by the end of this week to participate in the offline and online interaction rounds scheduled for February.

Participating Institutes and Selection Criteria

Beyond the flagship NMIMS campuses, various other NMAT-accepting colleges are actively processing applications for the 2026 session.

• Holistic Evaluation: Many Tier-2 and Tier-3 institutes are prioritizing professional experience and academic consistency alongside the NMAT result. This approach ensures that balanced candidate-profiles receive fair consideration even if the test score is marginally lower than the top percentile.
• Score Verification: Institutes are currently cross-referencing the score-validity of candidates by accessing the GMAC database directly to prevent discrepancies during the admission process.
• Interview Window: The majority of participating business schools have slated their Group Discussions (GD) and Personal Interviews (PI) between late January and mid-March.

Conclusion

The NMAT 2025–26 shortlisting phase is a critical juncture where the score-validity of an applicant is finally put to use for securing interview calls. As premier B-schools delve into the analysis of candidate-profiles, students must remain proactive by checking their dashboards daily. With the interview window fast approaching, the emphasis now lies on converting these initial calls into final admission offers through rigorous preparation for the upcoming competency and personality assessments.