Take a detailed look into the methodology and process followed for the BT-MDRA India’s Best B-schools Survey 2025

The 13th edition of BT-MDRA ranking of India’s best business schools—the 26th overall—has been completely re-imagined and refreshed. New lists have been added to the ranking like the Top Executive Programs, Top Advanced Management Programs, Top Executive Fellow Programs in Management, Top Fellow Programs in Management, Top online MBAs in the country, along with listing of Top global B-Schools.

This is the country’s most rigorous and methodical ranking.

Methodology: Full-Time MBA/PGDM Ranking

A comprehensive list of B-schools offering full-time classroom management programme (PGDM/MBA) and established at least five years ago with a minimum of three passed-out batches was updated. The objective questionnaire was fine-tuned to obtain latest and relevant information based on latest data on as many as 127 attributes. More than 2,000 B-Schools, fulfilling the qualification criteria for participation, were contacted to participate in the objective survey, clearly mentioning the deadline and no participation fees. Of these, 275 submitted their data within the timeline, and 271 were ranked.

After receiving the objective data, the four steps of data cleaning, logical checks and validation, back-checks and audits were conducted. In the first stage, the details provided by B-schools was examined through available information and MDRA’s database. In the second stage, verification and physical audits of participating B-schools were conducted by MDRA researchers to ensure the accuracy of the data submitted. Some irregularities that came up during validation and audits were corrected.

The five key parameters of evaluation were: Learning Experience; Living Experience; Placement Performance; Selection Process, Governance and Establishment; and Future Orientation. The scores of these parameters were summed up to get the total objective score of each institute. The final ranks were assigned based on objective data after various levels of cross-validation through multiple sources and physical audits.

Methodology for Other Rankings

Executive Programmes: Executive programmes vary in terms of target groups, themes, curriculum, pedagogy, programme delivery, quality of faculty, alumni benefits, and fees. As these rankings are intended for the benefit of a wider audience, the criteria for rankings were only general management programmes from the top institutes. These programmes were ranked based on objective data collected through secondary research. Parameters such as programme fees, institute reputation, course sustainability, number of interactions per week, eligibility criteria, number of online/offline classes, pedagogy, etc, were considered and the Top 15 were ranked.

Advanced Management Programmes (AMPs): The ranking of AMPs was carried out based on objective data gathered through secondary research. Only programmes that specifically cater to senior working professionals with a minimum of 10 years of work experience were included to ensure comparability and relevance. The programmes typically range between 10 and 12 months in duration, with the exception of the Global Advanced Management Programme by ISB, which runs for five months. The assessment and ranking were based on the following parameters: program fees, duration, delivery mode, faculty quality and strength, institutional reputation, eligibility criteria (minimum work experience), course sustainability, alumni profile, and type of delivery.

Online MBAs: The ranking was conducted through an objective evaluation based on secondary research data. Only two-year online or blended programmes offered by recognised B-schools that lead to a Master’s or Post-Graduate Degree/Diploma have been considered.

The ranking was determined using multiple parameters, including programme fees, campus immersion, degree recognition, eligibility criteria, faculty quality, institutional reputation, course sustainability, alumni network, placement outcomes, and mode of delivery.

 The ranking of EFPMs was based on objective, data-driven parameters sourced from verified secondary data. Key evaluation parameters included programme fees, recognition as valid PhD or equivalent, entrance exam requirements, work experience, institutional reputation, faculty quality, research output, and research and consultancy projects.

 FPMs/PhD in management: The FPM/PhD ranking was developed entirely through secondary research using credible public sources such as institute websites, admission brochures, annual reports, and official notifications.

These programmes were evaluated on parameters including programme fees, degree eligibility and minimum score required, and exams required for admission. Research and institutional strength were assessed using the number of PhD students pursuing and graduated up to 2023-24, total sponsored projects and amount received, total consultancy projects and amount received, and total number of faculty. All indicators were normalised and weighted to compute a composite score.

A large team comprising researchers, statisticians, econometricians and analysts worked on this project. The MDRA core team, led by Abhishek Agrawal (Executive Director), comprised Abnish Jha (Senior Project Director), Vaibhav Gupta (Deputy Research Manager), Manveer Singh (Assistant Manager EDP), Robin Singh (Assistant Research Executive) and Rishav Sharma (Assistant Research Executive).