IFMR GSB KREA University to accept CMAT Scores for MBA Admission 2023; Issues guidelines for CMAT Test Takers; Last Date to Apply – May 29, 2023

IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University, one of the top ranked universities as per Government of India, NIRF Rankings 2022, has assured the CMAT 2023 aspirants that it will keep its MBA admission process open till the CMAT exam result is declared. Confirming the information, Prof Amit Das, Chairperson, MBA Admissions and Area Chair - Data Science & Information Systems at IFMR GSB said, “We want to assure CMAT takers that we will keep our admissions process open to give them a fair shot at applying to IFMR GSB once their results are declared. We will have to close our process very soon - in approximately two days - after CMAT results are announced, so that we can go through the applications and shortlist the top candidates for personal interview” and added further, “We will re-open the forms for updating of CMAT scores (and uploading of scorecard) as soon as test results are declared.”

IFMR GSB recognizes CMAT as a major B-school admission test, along with CAT, XAT, NMAT, GRE and GMAT. Over the years, it has admitted a significant number of students with CMAT score. It may be noted that the NTA conducted the CMAT exam on May 4 and is expected to release the CMAT 2023 exam result by the last week of May, 2023.

IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University MBA admission 2023 Open: Apply Now

IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University has completed 86% of its final placement 2023 for the MBA 2021-23 batch with highest ever average salary at Rs.13.5 LPA and is set to complete the 100% placement soon.

IFMR GSB is open with its application process for MBA admission 2023. In a unique selection process, with a view to further improve the batch quality and diversity, IFMR GSB will accept scores of CAT 2021 and 2022; XAT 2022 and 2023; CMAT 2023; NMAT 2022; GMAT 2021-23; GRE 2021-23. Besides, IFMR GSB has exempted the graduates, placed within the top 20 ranks of their degree program, from the top 200 universities ranked in NIRF Rankings 2022 from submitting their competitive examination scores.

IFMR ​GSB offers a multi-dimensional approach to learning with strong placements and has a consistent record of 100% placements. IFMR Chennai - the Institute for Financial Management & Research has rebranded itself with IFMR Graduate School of Business (IFMR-GSB) at KREA University. IFMR GSB now offers Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree under the auspices of the KREA University, instead of Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM). In addition to the 2 years full time MBA, IFMR also offers an executive MBA program and a full-time PhD program, besides custom and open executive education programs in different fields of management are also offered.

IFMR GSB offers multiple application rounds. The final round of application process is open now and the last date to apply is May 29, 2023. Read this article to know the IFMR key USPs, Fee, Placement, selection process and more.

Table of Contents
In this article we shall cover

1. IFMR GSB Krea University Key Highlights and USPs
2. IFMR GSB Krea University Programmes Offered
3. IFMR MBA Fees
4. IFMR MBA Seats
5. IFMR MBA Placements 2023 & 2022
6. IFMR MBA Admission Eligibility Criteria 2023
7. How to Apply for IFMR MBA Admission? IFMR GSB Application Process 2023
8. IFMR Krea University MBA Admission Dates 2023
9. IFMR KREA University MBA Admission 2023: Criteria & Step by Step Process
10. IFMR MBA Cutoff

So, let us start with why you should consider and apply for IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University MBA admission 2023 along with other top B-schools.

1. IFMR Graduate School of Business at Krea University: Key Highlights and USPs
Key Highlights and USPs of IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University, Sri City are as below

• 1.1 Highly Ranked: IFMR GSB Krea University, Sri City is ranked # 60 among top 125 management institutes in India in Govt of India, MHRD NIRF Ranking 2022. IFMR GSB was placed #44 in MBAUniverse.com Ranking 2022 for top B-Schools in India.
• 1.2 Accreditation & Approvals: Institute for Financial Management & Research (IFMR), Sri city, India has earned International Accreditation from SAQS (South Asian Quality Assurance System), a globally benchmarked system for Mentoring, Quality Improvement, Quality Assurance and Accreditation. SAQS accreditation is awarded by The Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA). IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University MBA is UGC recognized 2 years full time programme.
• 1.3 Krea University GC & BoM with Eminent Leaders: The Governing Council, Executive Committee, and Board of Management at Krea University include eminent leaders from the world of finance and economics such as N Vaghul (former Chairman of ICICI Bank Ltd), Raghuram Rajan (the 23rd RBI Governor), R Seshasayee (former Chairman of IndusInd Bank), Raghu Sundaram (Dean of NYU Stern School of Business), S Mahalingam (Former Chief Finance Officer. & Executive Director. Tata Consultancy Services), and Esther Duflo (Nobel Laureate and Co-Founder and Co-Director at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), among others.
• 1.4 IFMR MBA Fees Lower than Many Top B-Schools: IFMR KREA University MBA Fees
• for 2 years inclusive of hostel charges is only Rs.14.56 lakhs which is lower than the MBA fees in many new IIMs and private top B-schools and universities 
• 1.5 Strong IFMR MBA Placements 2023 & 2022: IFMR GSB KREA University has completed 86% Placements for the MBA 2021-23 batch in mid December 2022 with 20% rise in average salary at Rs.13.5 LPA and highest salary of Rs.20 LPA. IFMR GSB MBA Placements 2022 had registered an increase of 10% in average salary from last year while the highest salary had gone up at Rs.18 LPA.   
• 1.6: Top Recruiters: Some of the top recruiters at IFMR Placements include CRISIL, EY, Accenture, Credit Suisse, Deloitte, JPMC, Barclays, SocieteGenerale, KPMG, Wells Fargo, Citi Corp, HDFC Bank, Ford Mobility, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, HCL, Infosys and more
• 1.7 Industry Relevant Curriculum & Pedagogic Approach: With support from its strong industry network, IFMR updates its curriculum as per industry demand. IFMR pedagogy is based on experiential learning with case studies, industry visits, summer internships. The business school hosted over 50 interactive sessions with leading practitioners from various domains. Students are provided a vibrant intellectual foundation of theory, knowledge, skills and perspectives that is further enriched by unique interwoven approach. The primary objective of the IFMR MBA program is to facilitate students to become successful managers.
• 1.8 Highly Qualified & Experienced Faculty: IFMR has diverse faculty pool. The faculty is trained at reputed universities in India (IIMs, IITs, and others) and abroad (US, UK and Europe). 75% of the faculty hold PhD degrees, and many others have rich industry experience and offer experiential learning to the students. The student to faculty ratio of the MBA Program is 12:1
• 1.9 Student Committee: The committee is a perfect blend of freshers and students with industry experience. Students have various educational background and cultural diversity
• 1.10 Summer Internship Mandatory: During the Summer break between the first and second year, students undergo a Summer Internship in a private or public organization for 8-10 weeks

2. IFMR GSB Krea University Programmes Offered
IFMR at Krea University, Sri City offers flagship 2 years full time MBA programmes. IFMR also offers Executive MBA and Ph.D programs in Management. The MBA degree is awarded by the UGC recognized Krea University

IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University MBA admission 2023 Open: Apply Now

2.1 IFMR GSB MBA Programme Specializations

• Full-time MBA program at IFMR GSB provides quality management education with a strong foundation in Finance.
• IFMR GSB offers 22 core and approximately 55 elective courses during the two-year program, spanning 8 disciplines.
• The MBA specializations offered at IFMR GSB, include Business Analytics, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, OB & HR, Operations, Quantitative Finance and Strategic Management. These are offered jointly with the support of the industry professionals in curriculum design and delivery.
• The Finance, IT and Operations streams prepare students to work as Analysts, Consultants, and Managers for IT, Banking and Financial Services.
• Human Resources and Marketing students find attractive opportunities in the corporate and banking sectors.
• The Quantitative Finance specialization prepares students for a career in investment banking, securities trading, quantitative modeling, risk management, financial consulting, and applied research.

3. IFMR MBA Fees
IFMR GSB KREA University MBA Fees for 2023-25 batch is shared below:

• IFMR GSB MBA Fees mentioned above is inclusive of tuition fee, provision of course materials, library services.
• Medical insurance charges are part of the living fee.
• IFMR MBA fees as detailed above does not include any laptop charges. Student is required to bring his/her own laptop.
• The MBA Programme is residential and hence staying in hostel is mandatory. The hostel is located inside the Krea University campus in Sri City.
• Fee payment should be made through online only.

4. IFMR MBA Seats
IFMR GSB KREA University MBA Seats for 2023-25 batch are as below.

However, in regard to offering admission for all the IFMR MBA seats, the B-school has shared,

5. IFMR MBA Placements 2023 & 2022
IFMR has a consistent record of strong placements year after year. IFMR GSB KREA University MBA Placements 2023 so far have been stronger than placement 2022 with 20% increase in average salary. 158 students of the 184 students in the MBA 2021-23 batch have been placed till mid December 2022 in the leading global and Indian consulting, finance and technology companies, while other students have been hired for roles in strategy, marketing and operations.

Sharing the key highlights of IFMR GSB Placements 2023, the Dean Lakshmi Kumar said, “Our placement has always been near 100%. Over the last 22 years the average has been increasing year on year. As of mid-December, 86% of our students have been placed with an average of Rs 13.5 lakhs” and added further, “We have been able to attract international companies like J P Morgan, Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Societe Generale, and so many more, and excellent roles like risk management, consulting, analytics, regulatory reporting among others. With a focus on quantitative finance, data science, fintech and sustainability we are sure to attract more companies and larger roles in the years to come.” Key Placement highlights are:

5.1 IFMR MBA Placements 2023: Highlights
Key highlights of IFMR GSB placement season 2023 are:

• Average salaries up by 20 percent at Rs.13.5 LPA
• 158 out of 184 students in the MBA 2021-23 batch placed by Mid December 2022
• Highest salary offered is Rs 20 lakhs per annum
• 39 recruiters have so far participated in Placement process 2023
• Some of the prominent recruiters include JPMC, Deloitte, Wells Fargo, EY, HSBC India, Morgan Stanley, NOMURA, TVS NEXT, Societe Generale, Axis Bank among others
• Leading Consulting, Finance, Technology companies have offered new-age roles across Risk Management, Consulting, Analytics and Regulatory Reporting

5.2 IFMR GSB MBA 2022-24 Batch Summer Placements
MBA 2022-24 batch is set to kick off promising summer internships. Key highlights are

• 60 students already offered niche roles
• Highest stipend offered is Rs 1 lakh per month
• For internships, the roles were offered across the sectors in IT, BFSI, FMCG, HR and Consulting
• Top recruiters for summer placement 2022-24 batch include Dell Technologies, D E Shaw, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, JPMC, HSBC, Wells Fargo, Tata International, EY India, TeamLease, SBI Capital, Vivriti Capital, Rolandlam and Barclays to name a few.   

5.3 IFMR MBA Placements 2022: Highlights
Key highlights of IFMR GSB placement season 2022 are:

• Average salaries up by over 10 percent across the top 25%, 50% and overall
• Highest salary offered is Rs 18 lakhs per annum
• 78 recruiters have participated in Placement process 2022
• 34 were new recruiters
• Some of the prominent recruiters included Barclays, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse, Accenture, Société Générale, CRISIL, Temenos, Tiger Analytics, ZS Associates, Cognizant, Infosys, Wipro, Oracle, HCL Technologies, Genpact, Philips, Tata International and Northern Arc, to name a few.
• Consulting, Finance and Technology companies hire big

6. IFMR MBA Admission Eligibility Criteria 2023
IFMR GSB KREA University MBA Eligibility Criteria 2023 have following salient points

6.1 IFMR MBA Age Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should have been born on/after 1st January 1996 and on/before 31st December 2003.

6.2 IFMR GSB Academic Eligibility Criteria:

• A candidate must hold a bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years duration, with a consistent good academic record with 60% marks or equivalent CGPA in class 10, 12 and graduation
• The candidate should be registered for CAT 2021/XAT 2022/CMAT 2022/NMAT 2021 or GMAT/GRE (GMAT & GRE (taken on / after 1st January 2019).
• A candidate appearing for the final year bachelor's degree/equivalent qualification examination and those who have completed the degree requirements and are awaiting results is also eligible to apply for IFMR GSB Admission 2023.
• It is mandatory for a final year student, who is provisionally considered eligible by IFMR GSB and offered admission, to submit the mark-sheet and degree certificate of the final year bachelor's degree examination by the date prescribed by IFMR GSB.
• Graduates of full time degree course and candidates in the final year of the undergraduate degree can apply. Candidates from ODL (Open and Distance Learning) institutions are also eligible to apply as per the UGC policy and notification

6.3 IFMR MBA Admission Eligibility for Work Experience:

• Work experience is NOT mandatory
• Fresh graduates as well as candidates with work experience are eligible.
• Those with work experience should have less than or equal to 3 years of experience as on 1st December 2022.
• The Full-time work experience up to 36 months ONLY will receive credit during evaluation of application.

6.4 IFMR Krea University Eligibility for MBA Entrance exams
Applicants are required to take any of the following competitive exams - CAT 2021/2022; XAT 2022/2023; CMAT 2023; NMAT 2023; GMAT 2021-23; GRE 2021-23.

6.5 University Toppers Exempted from Submitting Competitive Exam Score
Graduates of the top 200 universities recognised by the NIRF, who have been placed within the top 20 ranks of their degree program are exempted from submitting their competitive examination scores.

IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University MBA admission 2023 Open: Apply Now

7. How to Apply for IFMR MBA Admission? IFMR GSB Application Process 2023
IFMR GSB Krea University MBA application process for admission 2023 is as below

• IFMR MBA Application for Admission 2023 should be submitted online.
• The application fee at IFMR GSB is Rs.1500/- and is non-refundable
• Application fee should be paid through Debit Card / Credit Card / Internet Banking
• The Application form is available at IFMR GSB website and is an applicant friendly form

7.1 Multiple Application Rounds
IFMR GSB offers multiple opportunities to the candidates to apply for MBA admission. For the first application round, IFMR MBA Last Date to apply is December 30, 2022. After the close of round-1 of IFMR Krea University application process, the next round will open. Before you submit your application, check for the respective time line. Round-wise IFMR MBA last date to apply is as below:

7.2 Four Stages to Fill up IFMR GSB Application Form
IFMR GSB admission 2023 application form can be completed in four parts as below:

• You need to create login, fill application form, pay the application fee and upload the documents as required before application submission
• Apart from filling in the application form, the applicant is required to upload mark sheets, certificates and other supporting documents in the application portal while applying for admission
• Please note that after each deadline, applicants will be shortlisted for interviews.

8. IFMR Krea University MBA Admission Dates 2023
IFMR Krea University MBA application process is open from October 25, 2022. The last date to apply, interview registration date, interview dates and other Important dates for IFMR Krea University MBA Admission 2023 are as below

9. IFMR KREA University MBA Admission 2023: Criteria & Step by Step Process
IFMR MBA Admission Criteria is based on more qualitative aspects. IFMR GSB admits students with a proven calibre to perform. IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University MBA admission 2023 is through a rigorous selection process. The 5 stages of IFMR MBA Admission Process for the two year full time MBA Programme is as follows:

• Step-1: Submit Application to IFMR GSB
• Step-2: Take CAT/XAT/NMAT/CMAT/GRE
• Step-3: Check IFMR Shortlist on the basis of Accepted Exam Score
• Step-4: Participate in Final Selection WAT & PI Round
• Step-5: Check Final Merit List. IFMR MBA Selection criteria at Final stage is based on Exam Score, Performance in selection process, academic performance & work experience

Let us understand in detail each step of IFMR MBA admission process

9.1 Step-1: Apply for IFMR Admission 2023

• The candidate should apply Online and complete the IFMR Application Form
• More than one Exam IDs can be submitted
• The applicant is required to fill the IDs of the test scores he/she wishes to submit
• Submit the application form in time i.e. before the last date with requisite application fee.

9.2 Step-2: Appear in Acceptable MBA Entrance Exam
You need to apply and appear in at least one of the following MBA entrance exams for MBA admission 2023 at IFMR Graduate School of Business at Krea University

• Must have taken CAT 2021 or appear in CAT 2022 on November 27, 2022
• NMAT 2022 (On any date from October 10 to December 19, 2022)
• XAT 2022 or XAT 2023 on January 8, 2023
• CMAT 2023
• GMAT/GRE (The Score should be of a test taken from 1st January 2021 onwards)

9.3 Step-3: IFMR MBA Shortlist Criteria: Check Short-list on the basis of Exam Score
IFMR will shortlist the candidates for Personal Interview (PI) & Writing Ability Test (WAT)  from among the eligible candidates who have a valid entrance exam score and have applied to the MBA programme of IFMR Graduate School of Business. IFMR MBA shortlist criteria is based on following parameters:

• The admissions committee shortlists applicants for the selection process, taking into consideration, the applicant’s past academic performance, entrance test scores, and a passion for excellence demonstrated even in non-academic endeavor such as sports (represented country, state or district/ University/ College/ School), Debate, Drama, Moot Court, NCC (but not NSS) volunteering, activism etc.(of a corresponding level). Those with track record in these areas get a relaxation with regard to cut off scores, provided they are otherwise eligible, and capable
• There is no exemption from the requirement of a valid score in, at least one of CAT/XAT/CMAT/NMAT/GRE/GMAT regardless of any achievements.
• Graduates of the top 200 universities recognised by the NIRF, who have been placed within the top 20 ranks of their degree program are exempted from submitting their competitive examination scores and are shortlisted on other parameters.

9.4 Step-4: IFMR MBA Selection Criteria: Participate in PI-WAT

• The PI-WAT process will be conducted from January 2023 to May 2023, depending upon your application submission date and shortlist status.
• You need to check the IFMR website, your registered mail, messages in your mobile to ascertain your call and to know the date, time and venue of your final selection round.
• The writing skills of applicants will be assessed using their scores on the relevant sections of the qualifying examination (CAT/XAT/NMAT/CMAT/GRE/GMAT) as well as the quality of writing displayed in their application forms.

9.5 Step-5: Check Final Merit List

• After the PI round, admission offers are made by IFMR GSB to successful candidates.
• The final selection is based on a diverse set of attributes which includes performance in entrance exam, performance in PI round, academics, Work Experience among others
• Final Admission Offer will be made to the candidates in May 2023 on the basis of Final Score arrived after awarding the weightage scores on all the components.

10. IFMR MBA Cutoff
The following parameters are considered while screening the application to shortlist candidates for WAT and PI round:

10.1 IFMR MBA Cutoff for Shortlisting
IFMR applies cut off in academics as well as in competitive exams to shortlist best fit candidates for final selection round as below

10.1.1 IFMR MBA Cutoff in Academics

Source: IFMR GSB

10.1.2 IFMR MBA Cut off for Entrance Exams

The KREA University, promoted by IFMR Society, aims to provide liberal arts education to the students so that they would learn to create positive and catalytic impact in a dynamic and diverse world. MBA at IFMR GSB prepares the students to be ethically grounded, be highly skilled in integrated reasoning and be effective leaders of enterprises. Backed by the 50-year history of the Institute for Financial Management & Research (IFMR) and the agility of the new Krea University, IFMR GSB has evolved from a research-based institution to a full-fledged business school. IFMR GSB has a balanced mix of candidates with industry experience and freshers.

IFMR GSB’s new state-of-the-art campus is at the heart of the fast-growing Sri City, a 5,000-acre Special Economic Zone (SEZ) situated 70 km north of Chennai. It is fast becoming a hub for India’s large and medium scale industries. A trading floor, a well-stocked library, a well-established mentoring scheme, opportunities to learn and earn via live projects and ongoing research collaborations with MIT and Harvard offer a learning environment for the holistic manager of the future.

There are many young students who wish to apply for IFMR Graduate School of Business at Krea University MBA admission 2023 but they may not be eligible this year. For last 3-4 years IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University has not much changed its admission criteria. It is expected that IFMR MBA Admission 2024 criteria will remain same as it is now.

Hope you found this article useful while looking for the most suitable B-school for MBA admission 2023 with all the details on IFMR USPs, Fee, Cut offs, Placements, selection process and others. Application process is open and you can Apply Now

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on IFMR Graduate School of Business at KREA University