Following the release of the Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) 2025 results last Friday, the focus has shifted to the institute-level shortlisting process. As of today, several constituent institutes of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), including the prestigious SIBM Pune and SCMHRD, have begun the process of identifying candidates for the next phase of the 2026-28 MBA admission cycle. Approximately 1.5 lakh aspirants who appeared for the entrance tests in December are now tracking individual institute portals for their call status.

Institute-wise Cutoffs and Shortlisting Trends

The shortlisting process at Symbiosis is decentralized, meaning each of the 17 institutes releases its own cutoff based on the number of applicants and the difficulty level of the three exam slots. Early data indicates that the competitive nature of the exam has kept the benchmarks high for the flagship programs.

• Top-Tier Cutoffs: For SIBM Pune, the expected percentile for the General category is hovering between 98.0 and 98.5. SCMHRD follows closely, with an estimated cutoff range of 96–97 percentile.
• Specialized Institutes: Mid-tier institutes such as SIIB and SIBM Bengaluru are expected to shortlist candidates in the 90–93 percentile bracket.
• Normalized Scores: Since the exam was conducted across three dates—December 6, 14, and 20—the university has applied a normalization process to ensure fairness. The shortlisting is strictly based on the best performance across the sessions attempted by the candidate.
• Notification System: Candidates are being notified through the official SIU portals. Unlike the common result, candidates must log in to each specific institute's website they applied for to verify their eligibility for the GE-PI rounds.

Key Metrics for SIU MBA Admissions 2026

The following table highlights the expected shortlisting benchmarks for the primary Symbiosis institutes based on current SNAP 2025 performance data:

Selection Parameters and Assessment Rounds

Once the shortlisting is finalized, candidates must prepare for the second stage of the admission process. This year, the university has maintained a rigorous assessment structure that looks beyond entrance scores to evaluate the holistic profile of the applicant.

• Composite Score Weightage: The SNAP score, scaled down to 50 marks, accounts for half of the total weightage. The remaining 50 marks are divided between the Group Exercise (GE) and Personal Interaction (PI).
• GE-PI Schedule: The face-to-face assessment rounds are tentatively scheduled to begin in the third week of February and will continue through March.
• Slot Booking: Shortlisted candidates are required to book their slots for the GE-PI rounds on a first-come, first-served basis through the respective institute portals starting this week.
• Document Verification: A mandatory digital check of academic transcripts, work experience certificates (if applicable), and the SNAP scorecard is being integrated into the portal for all shortlisted aspirants.

Conclusion

The shortlisting phase marks a significant milestone in the Symbiosis MBA admission journey, transitioning from a competitive entrance test to a personality-driven selection process. With the first set of calls being released today, candidates are moving into a high-pressure environment where communication skills and profile strength will dictate their final entry into SIBM and other premier SIU institutes. The university is expected to conclude the selection rounds by late March, with final merit lists anticipated in early April 2026.

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