SIBM Pune is the flagship business school of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) and ranks 11th in the NIRF 2025 Management ranking. It suits candidates who want a large, well-networked MBA in Pune with a strong record in consulting, BFSI and FMCG hiring. Admission is through SNAP, the Symbiosis National Aptitude Test, not CAT. A CAT score on its own will not get you in.
At a glance
| NIRF 2025 Management rank | 11 (score 67.90) |
| Established | 1978 |
| Type | Private; constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 |
| Location | Lavale, Mulshi taluka, Pune, Maharashtra |
| Flagship programme | Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
| Duration | Two years (four semesters), full-time, residential |
| Intake | 240 for the MBA (SIBM Pune website); 300 sanctioned for 2-year PG programmes in 2023-24 (NIRF 2025 data) |
| Admission test | SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test), not CAT |
| Programme fee | Academic fees of Rs 6,55,000 per instalment, four instalments, for the 2026-28 batch; hostel, mess and deposits extra (official fee page) |
| Median salary | Rs 25 lakh a year for the batch graduating in 2023-24 (NIRF 2025 data) |
| Website | sibm.edu |
About SIBM Pune
According to the institute, SIBM Pune was the first institute set up under the Symbiosis Society, founded by Dr S. B. Mujumdar, in 1978. It started on Senapati Bapat Road in Pune. In 2007 it moved to the hills of Lavale on the city's western edge, where its campus earned the nickname "hilltop heaven". It is a constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), which the university says is re-accredited by NAAC with an A++ grade.
The institute calls itself "student driven", with a ten-team students' council running much of its event calendar.
In NIRF 2025 it ranked 11th in Management with a score of 67.90. Its strongest parameters were graduation outcomes (94.56, the highest among the schools ranked 11 to 15) and teaching, learning and resources (78.53). The NIRF data lists 599 students in its two-year PG programmes, 207 of them women.
Programmes
SIBM Pune lists these programmes:
- MBA (flagship): two years, full-time and residential. Specialisations include Marketing, Finance, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Data Analytics and, per the programme page, Human Resource Management.
- MBA (Innovation and Entrepreneurship): two years, full-time, through SNAP.
- MBA (Human Resource Management – Integrated AI Analytics): two years, full-time, through SNAP.
- MBA (Executive): a weekend programme for working professionals.
- MBA (Leadership and Strategy): listed in the institute's programme menu.
- Doctoral studies: the NIRF 2025 data shows 19 full-time and 51 part-time PhD students.
Each SNAP programme has its own shortlist and selection process.
Admissions and eligibility
The test is SNAP, not CAT. SNAP is the common entrance test for Symbiosis postgraduate management programmes, run by Symbiosis International (Deemed University). SIBM Pune does not consider CAT, XAT or GMAT scores for its MBA.
Eligibility, per SIBM Pune and the SNAP 2026 bulletin:
- a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or Institution of National Importance with at least 50% marks or an equivalent grade (45% for SC and ST);
- final-year students may apply, subject to meeting the same minimum.
SNAP 2026, for admission to the 2027-28 academic year:
| Registration closes | 25 November 2026 |
| Test dates | 13, 19 and 26 December 2026 (up to three attempts; your best score counts) |
| Format | Computer-based, 60 minutes, 60 questions |
| Sections | General English (10), Analytical and Logical Reasoning (20), Quantitative, Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency (20), Ethics, Morality and Values (10) |
| Negative marking | 25% of the marks for a wrong answer |
| Fees | Rs 2,550 per test, plus Rs 1,000 for each programme you apply to (taxes extra) |
| Results | 12 January 2027 |
You must pay both fees. Paying only the SNAP fee will not get you shortlisted for any programme.
Seat reservation, per the institute's eligibility page:
- within the intake: SC 15%, ST 7.5% and persons with disabilities 3%;
- above the intake: two seats per programme for Kashmiri migrants and 25% for international students, who apply through the Symbiosis Centre for International Education.
Selection process
The SNAP 2026 bulletin sets out the process for admission in 2027:
- Shortlisting for the Group Exercise and Personal Interaction (GE-PI) is based on your overall SNAP percentile. Each programme sets its own cut-off.
- GE-PI: you must attend every component. Missing any part makes you ineligible for all of the university's MBA programmes in that cycle.
- Merit list:
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| SNAP score (out of 60, scaled to 50) | 50 |
| Group Exercise (GE) | 10 |
| Personal Interaction (PI) | 40 |
| Total | 100 |
Category-wise cut-offs for the merit and wait lists are published on the institute's website after the process.
SIBM Pune's admissions page says the GE-PI is held online. In 2025 it also used an "Immersive Assessment" of emotional intelligence, personality, focus and conflict management, whose insights fed into the GE-PI. Check the institute's site for the 2027 format and dates.
Fees and financial aid
SIBM Pune's official fee page for the MBA 2026-28 batch (Indian students):
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Academic fees | Rs 6,55,000 per instalment, four instalments over two years (Rs 26.2 lakh in total) |
| Refundable institute and hostel deposits | Rs 20,000 each, at admission |
| First-year hostel (three sharing) | Rs 1,57,300 |
| First-year mess | Rs 59,800 per instalment |
| First instalment (at admission) | Rs 9,12,100 |
| Second instalment (by 25 November 2026) | Rs 7,14,800 |
Second-year hostel and mess fees are announced later and can rise by up to 15% a year; taxes are extra. The 2025-27 batch paid Rs 6,22,500 per instalment.
For financial aid, the institute points to Symbiosis International University's scholarship schemes, funded by the Symbiosis Society Foundation, and to education loan arrangements with several banks.
Placements
NIRF 2025 data (two-year PG programme)
| Graduating year | Students graduating | Placed | Median salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 180 | 180 | Rs 20.8 lakh |
| 2022-23 | 180 | 180 | Rs 24 lakh |
| 2023-24 | 247 | 239 | Rs 25 lakh |
Campus Recruitment Programme 2025 report (MBA batch 2024-26)
The report does not say whether it was audited. Highlights:
- More than 110 recruiters took part, including 60 legacy and 52 new recruiters.
- Highest CTC Rs 74.84 lakh, average Rs 28.18 lakh, median Rs 27 lakh.
- The top 10% averaged Rs 39.76 lakh.
- 132 pre-placement offers.
PPOs came through programmes including ITC KITES, Marico STAMP and the Airtel Young Leaders Program; new recruiters included Alvarez & Marsal, Apple India and SAP Labs India.
Placement figures vary by year and role; read the official report before drawing conclusions.
Campus and student life
The Lavale campus sits on a hilltop outside Pune, with a white statue of the goddess Saraswati as one of its landmarks. The student-run events calendar includes:
- Coffee with SIBM
- Arcturus
- Imperio
- the National Alumni Meet
- Transcend
- The Blueprint
- an Entrepreneurship Summit
- a Sports Conclave
- PRoelio
In 2025-26 the institute hosted five industry conclaves, including Genesis (product management), Manthan BFSI and Senate, its flagship management conclave. The placement report also lists student wins in several national corporate case competitions.
How to prepare for SIBM Pune
- Prepare for SNAP specifically, not just CAT. SNAP gives you 60 minutes for 60 questions, about a minute each, so speed and accuracy matter more than in CAT. The core skills overlap: reading comprehension, logical reasoning puzzles such as seating arrangements and arithmetic-heavy quant all carry over. Use our CAT question bank for timed practice.
- Plan for the Ethics section. SNAP 2026 includes a 10-question section on ethics, morality and values. Read the official bulletin for its scope.
- Mind the negative marking and use your attempts. Each wrong answer costs a quarter of a mark, and you can sit SNAP up to three times with your best score counting.
- Prepare for GE-PI. It carries half the merit score. Practise group exercises for teamwork and reaching consensus, keep up with business news, and be ready to explain your goals and fit in the PI.
No preparation plan guarantees a shortlist or admission. Always check the latest SNAP bulletin and SIBM Pune's admissions pages.
Frequently asked questions
Does SIBM Pune accept CAT scores?
No. Admission to the SIBM Pune MBA is through SNAP. You need a SNAP score and must register separately for the SIBM Pune programme while registering for SNAP.
What is the SIBM Pune MBA fee for 2026-28?
The official fee page lists academic fees of Rs 6,55,000 per instalment over four instalments (Rs 26.2 lakh in total). First-year hostel (Rs 1,57,300 on three sharing), mess and refundable deposits are extra. The first instalment at admission is Rs 9,12,100.
What SNAP percentile is needed for SIBM Pune?
The institute does not publish a fixed minimum in advance. Shortlisting is based on your overall SNAP percentile, with a separate cut-off for each programme, and category-wise merit cut-offs are posted on the institute's website after selection.
What is the average package at SIBM Pune?
The Campus Recruitment Programme 2025 report for the 2024-26 batch gives an average CTC of Rs 28.18 lakh and a median of Rs 27 lakh. In the NIRF 2025 data, the median salary for the batch graduating in 2023-24 was Rs 25 lakh.
Is SIBM Pune a good option alongside the IIMs?
It ranked 11th in NIRF 2025, just behind XLRI Jamshedpur and ahead of IIT business schools such as IIT Kharagpur VGSoM. Its fees are higher than those of the IIT schools and IIM Raipur covered on this site, so weigh cost against placement data. Many candidates take both CAT and SNAP to keep more options open.
Sources
- NIRF 2025 Management Ranking: rank, score and parameter scores (accessed 22 October 2026)
- NIRF 2025 data submitted by SIBM Pune (IR-M-C-19343): sanctioned intake, student strength, PhD numbers, graduates placed and median salaries (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SNAP 2026 Bulletin: test dates, pattern, fees, eligibility, shortlisting and merit-list weights (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune MBA Fees Structure: 2026-28 and 2025-27 fees (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune MBA Eligibility: eligibility, intake and reservation (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune How to Apply: SNAP route, GE-PI and international admissions (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune Admission Process: description of the 2025 selection process (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune Financial Scholarships: scholarship and loan information (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune Campus Recruitment Programme 2025 report: placement highlights for the 2024-26 batch and conclaves (accessed 22 October 2026)
- About SIBM Pune: history, campus, programmes and student activities (accessed 22 October 2026)
- SIBM Pune MBA programme and admissions overview: specialisations (accessed 22 October 2026)
Researched from official sources on 22 October 2026. Admissions policies, fees and placement figures change every year: confirm them on the institute’s website before applying.