National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the IIFT entrance test on 24th January 2021 for candidates seeking admission in MBA (International Business) programme at different campuses of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). The IIFT registration/application process for the entrance test began from 6th November 2020 and the deadline for which has been set for 20th December 2020. Interested and eligible candidates would compete for 480 seats across all the three campuses of IIFT, namely:
- IIFT Delhi
- IIFT Kolkata
- IIFT Kakinada
NTA allocates 200+ test centres across India to conduct the IIFT entrance test. Candidates can enlist a maximum of four IIFT test city preferences while filling the IIFT entrance test application form 2021. Candidates holding a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks are eligible for taking IIFT entrance test 2021.
The two-hour entrance exam for IIFT admission is conducted through online computer-based mode. Candidates can answer a maximum of 110 questions segregated into four sections – Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (LR-DI), Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Quantitative Ability (QA) and General Awareness (GA). Read this article to gain comprehensive knowledge about IIFT entrance test 2021 including its eligibility, test pattern, application process, result, selection process, etc.
IIFT Entrance Test – Key Highlights
- The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been entrusted with the responsibility to conduct the IIFT entrance test 2021
- IIFT entrance test is conducted in online mode only
- IIFT entrance test 2021 will play a key role in admission to all the three IIFT campuses – Kolkata, Delhi and Kakinada
- IIFT admissions are purely based on IIFT entrance test scores and performance in the further selection process. No other MBA entrance exam is accepted for admission in IIFT (except international candidates who are given admission on the basis of GMAT score)
- After qualifying the IIFT selection process, candidates will be able to pursue MBA in International Business from any of the three IIFT campuses
IIFT Entrance Test – Important Dates
All the events throughout the IIFT admission process are subject to end within a stipulated time frame. Candidates must, therefore, keep a track of important dates related to IIFT entrance test schedule 2021.
Event Calendar of IIFT Entrance Test 2021
| Events | Important Dates |
| IIFT entrance test registration | 6th November 2020 |
| Last date to pay the application fee | 20th December 2020 |
| IIFT application form correction window | Yet to be announced |
| IIFT application form filling for NRI/Foreign nationals | – |
| Issuance of IIFT entrance test hall ticket | Yet to be announced |
| IIFT entrance test date | 24th January 2021 |
| Release of IIFT answer key | Last week of January 2021 |
| Declaration of IIFT entrance test result | 1st week of February 2021 (expected) |
| Display of shortlisted candidates after GD, PI and WAT | 2nd week of February 2021 (expected) |
IIFT Entrance Test – Courses Offered
National Testing Agency conducts the university-level IIFT entrance exam for admission into various campuses of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. Through this entrance test, IIFT offers admission to the MBA – International Business programme. The basic features of the MBA (IB) programme at IIFT are:
- Duration of Course – 2 years
- Course cycle – 6 trimesters
IIFT Entrance Test – Who all are eligible for admission in IIFT?
Candidates are required to fulfil the eligibility criteria for IIFT entrance test before the submission of the application form. Ineligible applicants will get their candidature rejected in later stages of the admission process. The eligibility criteria for taking the IIFT entrance test 2021 are as follows.
FOR DOMESTIC CANDIDATES
- Qualifying degree – Candidates holding a bachelor’s degree of a minimum 3-year course in any discipline are eligible to take the IIFT entrance test
- Minimum score requirements – All the candidates belonging to the unreserved categories are eligible if they score a minimum of 50% aggregate in the qualifying degree. Candidates who belong to SC, ST and PwD are given a relaxation of 5% in the minimum score. This means they need to possess a graduation degree with 45% marks
- Age requirements – There is NO age restriction including minimum or maximum age limit for candidates to take IIFT entrance test.
Candidates who are in the final year of graduation are also eligible to apply for the IIFT entrance test. However, in such a case, candidates will be granted provisional admission. Their admission is confirmed only if they fulfill the documental needs within the predefined admission deadlines of IIFT.
FOR FOREIGN NATIONAL/NRI CANDIDATES
1. Qualifying degree – Candidates who have completed their bachelor’s degree of a minimum 3-year duration are eligible to apply for the IIFT entrance test 2021. Final year graduation students can also apply for admission.
2. Minimum score requirements – Foreign candidates securing 50% are marked eligible for IIFT admission
3. Residentship status – A candidate aspiring for admission as a foreign national or under NRI category is eligible if:
- he/she has been a resident of a foreign country from more than or equal to 18 months continuously as on December 31, 2020
- he/she is an Indian national who has been living abroad for a period of not less than 18 months as on December 31, 2020
4. Travel document – Foreign nationals are eligible to apply only if they hold a valid passport/travel document from a country other than India
5. Admission criteria – A valid GMAT scorecard
Candidates who are not eligible under the category of foreign nationals/NRIs
- NRI sponsored (seats reserved for NRIs under management quota) candidates are ineligible under the foreign national category admission
- Foreign candidates who have appeared for any other management entrance exam(s) in the same academic year cannot sit for the IIFT entrance test
Note – Foreign nationals who are present in India at the time of the IIFT entrance exam are required to appear for the IIFT entrance test only and are deemed ineligible if they appear for any other management exam.
IIFT Entrance Test – Registration
National Testing Agency, on behalf of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, will release the IIFT entrance test application form 2021 in online mode on its official website. Knowing the registration steps beforehand will help the candidates in completing the process at the last minute without any hassles.
Stepwise procedure to complete the IIFT entrance test application form 2021
1. Visit the official website of NTA for IIFT entrance test, i.e iift.nta.nic.in and click on the ‘fill application form’ button
2. Click on ‘new registration’ and proceed to enter some basic details including name, date of birth, gender, mobile number, etc.
3. After entering all the details asked during the online registration, create a strong password and choose a security question which will help in the recovery of credentials, if needed
4. Click the ‘submit’ button to generate the application number
5. Proceed to fill the details in the IIFT entrance test application form. The details to be filled include:
- Personal details
- Test centre preference details
- Academic qualification
- Employment details
6. Upload the scanned images of documents including passport size photograph, signature and category/sub-category certificates in the prescribed format and size
7. Pay the application fee (based on the category chosen) in online mode
8. Print the IIFT entrance test application confirmation page for future references
Application Process for International Candidates
Candidates who are eligible to take admission under the foreign national/NRI category will have to fill an application form. However, there will be no entrance test for such candidates. The NTA will host a separate window to conduct the online application form submission process for the foreign nationals. The entire process of filling the application form will remain similar to that of domestic candidates. The only difference would lie in the documents to be uploaded.
International candidates will have to upload the following documents while filling the application form:
- Filled-in CV form
- GMAT scorecard/certificate
- Scanned copies of class 10th, 12th and graduation mark sheets
- Scanned copy of all pages of the Passport containing official entries
- An undertaking stating that the candidate is not appearing for any other management entrance exam in the current academic year
- Letter of recommendation from two different authorities
- For Indian nationals living abroad for 18 months or more, a certificate is to be produced, issued by the Indian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate of the country where the candidate is currently based, stating that the candidate has been a resident in that particular country from not less than a period of 18 months
Note – The Letter of Recommendation (LOR) written by a current supervisor or manager or from someone who is in a position to evaluate the applicant’s professional performance as well as his/her managerial and leadership potential (other than a family member), will have a higher chance of being shortlisted for PI.
IIFT Entrance Test – What is the application fee?
Candidates will have to pay a non-refundable application fee for submission of the IIFT entrance test application form. The amount of fee depends on the category chosen by the candidate. The table below mentions the category-wise application fee applicable for IIFT entrance test 2021
IIFT Entrance Test Registration Fee 2021
| Category | IIFT Entrance Test Fee |
| General/Gen-EWS/OBC (NCL) | INR 2000 |
| SC/ST/PwD/Transgender | INR 1000 |
| Foreign Nationals/NRIs | USD 150 |
IIFT Entrance Test – Application Form Correction
There can be instances when applicants make mistakes while filling in their details in IIFT entrance test application form. NTA facilitates all the applicants with a login window to edit and make rectification in the application form. Candidates will be able to access the application form correction window using their unique application number and password. Candidates who will be using the facility to make modifications in the application form might have to pay an additional fee for the same.
Although the candidates will have the opportunity to make corrections in the application form, some details are not subject to any kind of modification. Thus, it is advisable to ensure that all the details are correct before the final submission of the IIFT application form.
IIFT Entrance Test – Admit Card
NTA will release the admit card for IIFT entrance test on its official website. All the candidates who complete the IIFT registration will be able to download the admit card as per the schedule. Candidates can either use their application number and date of birth or their application number and password to login and download the IIFT entrance test admit card.
The candidates’ identity will be verified on the examination day with the help of the admit card and a valid photo ID proof. Thus, the test-takers must not forget to carry the relevant documents on the examination day. Candidates will not be allowed to take the examination if they fail to produce the IIFT entrance test admit card on the examination day.
IIFT Entrance Test – Exam Centres
NTA will allocate around 225 test centres across all the major Indian cities for conducting the IIFT entrance test 2021. Candidates can enlist four IIFT test centre preferences while filling the application form. The table below mentions all the test cities designated to conduct IIFT entrance test 2021.
IIFT Entrance Test Cities 2021
| Udaipur | Itanagar/ Naharlagun | Palampur / Kangra | Betul |
| Gangtok | Dibrugarh | Shimla | Bhopal |
| Agartala | Guwahati | Solan | Chhindwara |
| Hyderabad/Secunderabad/Ranga reddy | Jorhat | Mandi | Gwalior |
| Karimnagar | Silchar | Una | Indore |
| Khammam | Tezpur | Kullu | Jabalpur |
| Mahabubnagar | Port Blair | Ambala | Rewa |
| Nalgonda | Anantapur | Faridabad | Sagar |
| Warangal | Bhimavaram | Gurugram | Satna |
| Chennai | Chirala | Hisar | Ujjain |
| Coimbatore | Chittoor | Karnal | Ahmednagar |
| Cuddalore | Eluru | Kurukshetra | Akola |
| Kanchipuram | Guntur | Panipat | Amravati |
| Kanyakumari/Nagercoil | Kadapa | Sonipat | Aurangabad |
| Madurai | Kakinada | Yamuna Nagar | Chandrapur |
| Namakkal | Kurnool | Bokaro Steel city | Dhule |
| Salem | Nellore | Dhanbad | Jalgaon |
| Thanjavur | Ongole | Jamshedpur | Kolhapur |
| Thoothukudi | Rajahmundry | Ranchi | Latur |
| Tiruchirappalli | Srikakulam | Hazaribagh | Mumbai/Navi Mumbai |
| Tirunelveli | Tirupathi | Baramulla | Nagpur |
| Tiruvallur | Vijayawada | Jammu | Nanded |
| Vellore | Visakhapatnam | Samba | Nashik |
| Virudhunagar | Vizianagaram | Srinagar (J and K) | Pune |
| Dehradun | Narasaraopet | Belagavi (Belgaum) | Raigad |
| Haldwani | Proddatur | Bellary | Ratnagiri |
| Haridwar | Surampalem | Bengaluru | Sangli |
| Nainital | Bhagalpur | Bidar | Satara |
| Pantnagar | Darbhanga | Devanagari | Solapur |
| Roorkee | Gaya | Gulbarga | Thane |
| Agra | Muzaffarpur | Hassan | Wardha |
| Aligarh | Patna | Dharwad/Hubli | Aizawl |
| Allahabad | Purnea | Mangaluru (Mangalore) | Dimapur |
| Bareilly | Arrah | Mysore | Kohima |
| Bulandshahr | Durg / Bhilai Nagar | Shimoga | Balasore |
| Faizabad | Bilaspur | Tumakuru | Berhampur – Ganjam |
| Ghaziabad | Raipur | Manipal / Udupi | Bhubaneswar |
| Gorakhpur | Chandigarh Mohali | Mandya | Cuttack |
| Jhansi | Daman | Alappuzha/Chengannur | Dhenkanal |
| Kanpur | DIU | Ernakulam/Angamaly/Muvattupuzha | Rourkela |
| Lucknow | Delhi/New Delhi | Idukki | Sambalpur |
| Mathura | Dadra and Nagar Haveli | Kannur | Amritsar |
| Meerut | Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar | Kasaragod | Bhatinda |
| Moradabad | Anand | Kollam | Jalandhar |
| Muzaffarnagar | Bhavnagar | Kottayam | Ludhiana |
| Noida/Greater Noida | Jamnagar | Kozhikode | Patiala/Fathegarh Sahib |
| Sitapur | Junagarh | Malappuram | Pathankot |
| Varanasi | Mehsana | Palakkad | Sangrur |
| Asansol | Rajkot | Pathanamthitta | Puducherry |
| Bardhaman | Surat | Thiruvananthapuram | Ajmer |
| Durgapur | Vadodara | Thrissur | Alwar |
| Hooghly | Valsad/Vapi | Kavaratti | Bikaner |
| Howrah | Himatnagar | Leh | Jaipur |
| Kalyani | Panaji/Madgaon | Shillong | Jodhpur |
| Kolkata | Bilaspur | Imphal | Kota |
| Siliguri | Hamirpur | Balaghat | Sikar |
| Sriganganagar | – | – | – |
IIFT Entrance Test – Exam Pattern
Knowing the exam pattern can help in making a good preparation plan for the IIFT entrance exam. NTA has provided an outline of the IIFT entrance test pattern to help the candidates.
IIFT Exam Pattern 2021
| Particulars | Details |
| Mode of examination | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Duration of the exam | 2 hours (120 minutes) |
| Medium of question paper | English only |
| Type of questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) |
| Number of questions | 110 |
| Maximum obtainable marks | 300 |
Section-wise IIFT Entrance Exam Pattern
Candidates can check the table below to know the section-wise exam pattern of IIFT entrance exam 2020. The section-wise exam pattern of IIFT entrance test 2021 is expected to be the same. Section-wise IIFT Entrance Exam Pattern
| Sections | No. of Questions | Total Marks | Marks per Question | Negative marking per incorrect response |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 35 | 105 | 3 | -1 |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 30 | 90 | 3 | -1 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 25 | 75 | 3 | -1 |
| General Awareness | 20 | 30 | 1.5 | -0.5 |
| Total | 110 | 300 |
IIFT Entrance Test – Syllabus
The IIFT question paper is divided into four major sections. All the sections comprise questions from different topics. Major topics to be covered during the IIFT entrance test preparation are as follows:
Syllabus for IIFT Entrance Exam 2021
| Sections | Topics |
| Logical Ability & Data Interpretation |
|
| Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension |
|
| Quantitative Aptitude |
|
| General Awareness |
|
IIFT Entrance Test – Preparation Tips
Here are some of the preparation tips suggested by IIFT toppers in past years to ace the IIFT entrance test 2021.
- Prepare for the weaker sections first as you need to qualify the IIFT sectional cutoff for each section.
- Learn time management for maximum utilization of 120 minutes given for IIFT entrance exam.
- Prepare a plan by allocating each day for particular topics. Make sure to reserve adequate time for practising mock tests and past years’ question papers.
- IIFT will also have a General knowledge and Current Affairs section. Candidates must have the awareness of the events held in the past year. Thus, we advise you to watch news channels during your break time.
- Practice the previous years’ IIFT question papers as it will help you in analysing the exam pattern trends.
- Attempt as many mock tests as possible. This will help in increasing your speed and accuracy of taking the IIFT entrance test 2021.
- Read English newspapers like ‘The Hindu’ or ‘The Asian Age’ on a daily basis. Not only does it help in making you familiar with the latest global happenings but also enriches your vocabulary.
IIFT Entrance Test – Important Books
Here are some of the books recommended by the IIFT toppers and experts.
Best Books to Prepare for IIFT Entrance Test 2021
| Name of the Book | Author |
| Quantum CAT | Sarvesh K Verma |
| Verbal Ability and Comprehension for CAT/XAT/IIFT | Bharat Patodi and Aditya Choudhary |
| IIFT solved paper and mock test | Arihant Experts |
| MBA Solved Papers (XAT|IIFT|NMAT|SNAP|CMAT) | Gautam Puri |
| TARGET IIFT | Disha Experts |
| Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations | Abhijit Guha |
IIFT Entrance Test – Answer Key
The NTA will release the provisional answer key for IIFT entrance test 2021 prior to result declaration. Candidates will be able to view the answer key by visiting the official website of NTA for IIFT entrance test (iift.nta.nic.in). Along with the official answer key, NTA also releases the response sheet for all the candidates. Candidates can use the IIFT entrance test answer key and response sheet to evaluate their probable score by themselves.
Candidates can raise objections against the provisional answer key after paying a requisite amount of fee. After considering all the objections raised by candidates, the final answer key will be released by NTA along with IIFT entrance test result.
IIFT Entrance Test – Result
Soon after the release of the answer key, NTA will release the result for IIFT entrance test 2021. IIFT entrance test results will be released in online mode on the official website (iift.nta.nic.in). Based on the incorrect and the correct responses, NTA will evaluate the performance of all the test takers. Candidates can download their IIFT scorecards by accessing the login dashboard, using their application number and password/date of birth.
IIFT Entrance Test – Cutoff
Right after the release of the IIFT entrance test result, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade will prepare a sectional cutoff and overall cutoff list for different categories of candidates. Candidates who qualify as per both the sectional cutoff and category-wise cutoff will be shortlisted for further rounds i.e. Writing Assessment (WA), Personal Interview (PI) and the Group Discussion (GD). IIFT entrance test cut off 2021 is yet to be released. Candidates can check the table below to know about the previous years’ cut offs for IIFT entrance test
IIFT Entrance Test Sectional Cutoff 2020
| Section | Name of Section | Cut off (General) | Cut off (SC/ST/PwD) |
| 1 | Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability | 34 | 28 |
| 2 | Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation | 22 | 20 |
| 3 | Quantitative Analysis | 15 | 12 |
| 4 | General Awareness | 5 | 4.5 |
| Overall Cutoff | 138 | 89 |
IIFT Entrance Test – Selection Process
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) will shortlist the candidates (who qualify the entrance exam) for the subsequent selection process. The list of shortlisted candidates for the selection process is released on the official website of the institute (tedu.iift.ac.in). The IIFT selection process after the entrance exam will include the following rounds:
- Writing Assessment (WA)
- Group Discussion (GD)
- Personal Interview (PI)
IIFT Selection Process for International Applicants
Candidates who are eligible to take admission as a foreign national, as per the eligibility criteria, are exempted from appearing in IIFT entrance test 2021. The admission of the foreign candidates will be based on their valid GMAT score and performance in the personal interview. Candidates have to appear at the IIFT campus for the Personal Interview round on their own travel expenses. In case a candidate is not able to be physically present for the PI round, an Skype interview shall be arranged.
IIFT Admission – Final Merit List
After conducting all the rounds of the IIFT selection process, a final merit list will be prepared to provide admission into the MBA (IB) programme of IIFT. The weightage for the final merit list preparation is as follows.
Weightage for IIFT Final Merit List Preparation
| Selection Rounds | Weightage |
| IIFT entrance test 2021 | 65% |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 20% |
| Essay Writing (EW) and Group Discussion (GD) | 15% |
| Total | 100% |
IIFT Admission – Seat Intake Capacity
IIFT will offer admission in its different campuses based on the intake capacity in each campus. The table below presents the campus-wise expected seat intake for IIFT MBA (IB) admission.
Seat Intake Capacity at IIFT
| Name of Campus | Intake for MBA (IB) 2021-23 |
| IIFT Delhi | 220 |
| IIFT Kolkata | 200 |
| IIFT Kakinada | 60 |
IIFT – Fee Structure
Selected candidates will have to pay the admission fee for the MBA (IB) programme offered by IIFT. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade provides a 50% fee concession to candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD categories.
Indian candidates will be able to pay the tuition fee in three instalments whereas the international candidates will have to pay the admission fee for the current academic year in one shot. The table below mentions the break-up of fee at IIFT.
IIFT Fees Structure 2021
| Category | Tuition Fees | Other Fees |
| Indian Students (General) | INR 16,70,000 | Rs 55,000 |
| International Students | USD 60,000 | Rs 55,000 |
IIFT – Placement Statistics
Placements at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade are truly phenomenal. Candidates can check the placement statistics of the past three years in the table below.
IIFT Placement Statistics
| Year of Placement | Average Salary (Overall) | Average Salary (Domestic) | Highest Salary (Overall) |
| 2020 | Rs. 20.48 LPA | – | Rs. 75 LPA |
| 2019 | Rs. 20.07 LPA | Rs. 18.89 LPA | Rs. 1 Crore + |
| 2018 | Rs. 19.23 LPA | Rs. 18.27 LPA | Rs. 1 Crore |
IIFT Entrance Test – Frequently Asked Questions
✔️ Can I apply for the IIFT entrance test 2021 if I am in the final year of the graduation?
Yes. Candidates appearing for their graduation final year exams can apply for the IIFT entrance test 2021. Candidates, if qualified in the selection process, will get a provisional admission initially. Once they present all the required documents within the specified IIFT admission deadline, their admission shall be confirmed.
✔️ Is the IIFT entrance test conducted in a pen and paper mode?
No. The IIFT entrance test was conducted in an offline mode before the examination process was handed over to the National Testing Agency. From 2019 onwards, the mode of the IIFT entrance test has been changed to online mode (Computer Based Test) by NTA.
✔️ Does qualifying as per the IIFT cut off secures my admission in the MBA (IB) programme at IIFT?
No. The candidates are first shortlisted for the further selection rounds at IIFT based on their IIFT entrance test scores. The selection rounds include Writing Assessment, Group Discussion and a Personal Interview. Based on the combined performance of the candidate, the admission into MBA (IB) will be offered at IIFT.
✔️ I am an Indian national currently living in India and I have a valid GMAT score. Do I need to appear for the IIFT entrance test 2021?
Yes, candidates with Indian citizenship have to appear for the IIFT entrance test 2021 for the MBA (IB) admission. GMAT score is set as the admission criteria only for the candidates who are living in any country other than India for not less than 18 months.
✔️ When will the National Testing Agency conduct IIFT entrance test 2021?
The NTA will conduct the IIFT 2021 entrance test on 24th January 2021.
✔️ Will I be able to fill the application form for IIFT entrance test 2021 in offline mode?
No. The application form for IIFT entrance test 2021 will be released by NTA in online mode on its official website i.e. iift.nta.nic.in. The entire application process, from the registration to the payment of fee is subject to be completed online.
✔️ When will stage 2 of IIFT selection process i.e. GD, PI and WA take place?
The Group Discussion, Personal Interview and Writing Assessment rounds are expected to start in the month of February. Candidates who qualify the IIFT entrance test 2021 will receive an email notifying them about the schedule of IIFT selection process 2021.
