With a variety of reputable public and private universities offering MBA/PGDM programs, Punjab has become one of North India’s major centers for management education. This is a thorough comparison of the state’s best MBA schools based on important criteria.
Top MBA Colleges in Punjab – Overall Rankings 2026
| Rank | College Name | City | NIRF/Outlook Ranking 2025 | Accreditation |
| 1 | Lovely Professional University (LPU) | Phagwara | NIRF 2024: 38 | NAAC A++, UGC |
| 2 | Chandigarh University (CU) | Mohali | NIRF 2024: 36 | NAAC A+, UGC |
| 3 | Thapar School of Management (TSM) | Patiala | NIRF 2024: Top 75 | NBA, AICTE |
| 4 | Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) | Ludhiana | Not Ranked | ICAR, UGC |
| 5 | Chitkara Business School | Rajpura | Outlook 2024: Top 75 | NAAC A+ |
| 6 | Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) | Amritsar | NIRF 2024: 85 | NAAC A++ |
| 7 | IKG Punjab Technical University (PTU) | Kapurthala | State-level Ranking | AICTE, UGC |
| 8 | DAV Institute of Management | Jalandhar | Regional | UGC Recognized |
Accepted Entrance Exams
| College Name | Accepted Exams |
| LPU | LPUNEST, CAT, MAT, XAT, NMAT |
| Chandigarh University (CU) | CUCET, CAT, MAT, CMAT |
| Thapar School of Management (TSM) | CAT, XAT, NMAT, CMAT |
| Chitkara Business School | CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| GNDU | GNDU Entrance, CAT |
| Punjab Agricultural University | PAU-MET |
| PTU | PTU-CET, CAT, MAT |
| DAV Institute of Management | MAT, CMAT |
MBA Fees Structure (2-year program)
| College Name | Fees (INR) |
| LPU | ₹5.00 Lakh |
| Chandigarh University (CU) | ₹3.80 Lakh |
| Thapar School of Management (TSM) | ₹6.00 Lakh |
| Chitkara Business School | ₹5.50 Lakh |
| GNDU | ₹1.40 Lakh |
| Punjab Agricultural University | ₹1.60 Lakh |
| PTU | ₹1.20 Lakh |
| DAV Institute of Management | ₹2.00 Lakh |
MBA Placements – Average & Highest Package
| College Name | Avg. Package | Highest Package |
| LPU | ₹6.50 LPA | ₹21.00 LPA |
| Chandigarh University (CU) | ₹6.00 LPA | ₹18.00 LPA |
| Thapar School of Management (TSM) | ₹7.00 LPA | ₹17.00 LPA |
| Chitkara Business School | ₹5.80 LPA | ₹16.00 LPA |
| GNDU | ₹4.50 LPA | ₹8.00 LPA |
| Punjab Agricultural University | ₹3.80 LPA | ₹7.00 LPA |
| PTU | ₹3.20 LPA | ₹6.00 LPA |
| DAV Institute of Management | ₹3.50 LPA | ₹6.50 LPA |
Eligibility Criteria
| College Name | Eligibility |
| LPU | 50% in UG + LPUNEST or other scores |
| Chandigarh University | 50% in UG + CUCET/CAT/MAT |
| Thapar School of Management | 50% in UG + CAT/XAT/CMAT |
| Chitkara Business School | 50% in UG + MAT/XAT/CMAT |
| GNDU | 50% in UG |
| Punjab Agricultural University | UG in Agri or Science disciplines |
| PTU | 50% in UG + Entrance Test |
| DAV Institute of Management | 50% in UG + MAT/CMAT |
Specializations Offered
| College Name | Specializations Offered |
| LPU | HR, Finance, Marketing, IB, Operations, Analytics |
| Chandigarh University | HR, Finance, Logistics, IB, Business Analytics |
| Thapar School of Management | HR, Marketing, Finance, Sustainability, Data Science |
| Chitkara Business School | HR, Retail, Marketing, Finance, Analytics |
| GNDU | HR, Marketing, Finance, Production |
| Punjab Agricultural University | Agribusiness |
| PTU | HR, Marketing, Finance |
| DAV Institute of Management | HR, Marketing, Finance |
Scholarships & Financial Aid
| College Name | Scholarships Offered |
| LPU | LPUNEST Merit, Sports, Defense quota |
| Chandigarh University | CUCET-based, Merit, Alumni Scholarships |
| Thapar School of Management | CAT/XAT-based scholarships, Need-based aid |
| Chitkara Business School | Limited Merit Scholarships |
| GNDU | Govt. SC/ST/OBC scholarships |
| Punjab Agricultural University | ICAR Scholarships, Govt. schemes |
| PTU | National & State Merit-based Scholarships |
| DAV Institute of Management | Tuition Fee Waivers on Merit Basis |
Top Recruiters
| College Name | Major Recruiters |
| LPU | Amazon, KPMG, HDFC, Capgemini, Cognizant, Infosys |
| Chandigarh University | Deloitte, Flipkart, IBM, HCL, Wipro |
| Thapar School of Management | EY, PwC, Nestle, Zomato, TechM |
| Chitkara Business School | Airtel, Fortis, ICICI, HDFC Life, Berger Paints |
| GNDU | TCS, Axis Bank, SBI Life |
| Punjab Agricultural University | NABARD, Agro-Industries, FMCG |
| PTU | Mid-size Corporates, Regional Banks, IT Startups |
| DAV Institute of Management | Local MSMEs, ICICI Bank, Federal Bank |
Conclusion
With a variety of reputable public and private universities offering MBA/PGDM programs, Punjab has become one of North India’s major centers for management education. This is a thorough comparison of the state’s best MBA schools based on important criteria.
FAQs
Which is the best MBA college in Punjab in terms of ROI?
With affordable tuition and respectable placements, GNDU Amritsar and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) provide outstanding return on investment.
- Do LPU and Chandigarh University have good placement records for MBA?
Indeed, both are positioned consistently. With average packages of about ₹6.5 LPA, LPU has placed students at companies like Amazon, KPMG, and others.
- What are the most popular MBA specializations in Punjab?
The most popular fields are finance, marketing, human resources, and business analytics; PAU offers agribusiness as a speciality.
- Is CAT mandatory for all MBA colleges in Punjab?
No, although prestigious universities like Thapar favor CAT/XAT, others, like LPU, CU, PTU, and PAU, accept MAT/CMAT or have their own entrance exams.
- Are scholarships available for MBA students in Punjab?
Indeed, practically all universities provide entrance- or merit-based scholarships; the most generous are offered by LPU, CU, and Thapar.
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