There was a rise in the number of Indian students taking the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) in 2023. The organisation responsible for overseeing the GMAT reported that around 35,000 Indians took the test in 2023, representing a substantial 20% growth compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, there was an increase in the number of Indian students taking the NMAT in 2023, with a total of 75,000 tests conducted. This represents a growth rate of 35% compared to 2022.
India currently contributes to about 30% of global GMAT tests. Globally, the US, India and China are the top three countries in the GMAT race.
The GMAT, which has been around for more than 50 years, is considered the leading international entrance exam for business schools. It is an important part of the application process for graduate business programmes, such as MBA. The exam is carefully designed to assess candidates' skills in analysis, verbal communication, quantitative reasoning and writing.
Analysing the course-wise distribution of GMAT test-takers from India, it was found that 75% opted for MBAs, while 17% pursued Master in Management (MIM) courses, with the remaining 8% going for other categories.
Gaurav Srivastava, the regional director of South Asia for the organisation in charge of conducting the GMAT, told the Free Press Journals that their focus edition numbers are doing better than what they had forecasted for India. The introduction of the focus edition may have been another factor that motivated students to choose the GMAT exam.
According to a report released by Open Doors, the number of international students from India has risen by 35%, reaching a record-breaking high of 268,923 students in the academic year 2022-23.
