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MBA Colleges in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) 2026-27
6 institutes, the exams they accept and NIRF 2025 ranks, checked against official sites.
Thiruvananthapuram has no NIRF 2025 management-ranked institute, but the capital still offers public MBA seats at the University of Kerala's Institute of Management in Kerala (Kariavattom) and at CET's School of Management. Private options include the Asian School of Business in Technocity, whose MBA is awarded by CUSAT, and Lourdes Matha's LIMS, along with niche programmes such as KITTS' MBA in Travel and Tourism. Nearly every institute admits on KMAT, CMAT or CAT, and Technopark (540+ companies) is the city's main corporate hiring base.
State admission route in Thiruvananthapuram
KMAT Kerala (Kerala Management Aptitude Test). Office of the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala hosts the KMAT 2026 portals (Session 1 opened 07-02-2026, Session 2 opened 16-05-2026); CUSAT's admission page names the CEE as the conducting body. No centralised state counselling verified; each institute admits on its own rank list from KMAT/CMAT/CAT scores plus GD-PI
Which exam gets you into which Thiruvananthapuram college
The same Thiruvananthapuram college often accepts several exams. Here is the city grouped by exam, so you can see what one score opens up.
Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK), School of Management, Asian School of Business (ASB), Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), Lourdes Matha Institute of Management Studies (LIMS), Kerala Institute of Co-operative Management (KICMA)
Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK), School of Management, Asian School of Business (ASB), Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), Lourdes Matha Institute of Management Studies (LIMS), Kerala Institute of Co-operative Management (KICMA)
Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK), School of Management, Asian School of Business (ASB), Lourdes Matha Institute of Management Studies (LIMS), Kerala Institute of Co-operative Management (KICMA)
MBA and PGDM colleges in Thiruvananthapuram
6 institutes in and around Thiruvananthapuram, with the exams each accepts and its NIRF 2025 management rank. Every name links to the official website.
| Institute | Type | Exams accepted | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK), University of KeralaKariavattom | state university department | KMAT, CMAT, CAT | – |
| School of Management, College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET)Sreekaryam | government college department (APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University affiliated) | CMAT, CAT, KMAT | – |
| Asian School of Business (ASB)Technocity, Pallipuram | private institute (CUSAT-awarded MBA) | KMAT, CMAT, CAT | – |
| Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS)Thycaud (Residency Compound) | state-government institute (University of Kerala affiliated) | KMAT, CMAT | – |
| Lourdes Matha Institute of Management Studies (LIMS)Kuttichal (Lourdes Hills) | private college (APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University affiliated) | CAT, CMAT, KMAT | – |
| Kerala Institute of Co-operative Management (KICMA)Neyyar Dam (outskirts) | state co-operative institute (University of Kerala MBA) | KMAT, CMAT, CAT | – |
What sets the top Thiruvananthapuram B-schools apart
Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK), University of Kerala
Established in 1991 as a University of Kerala department; the rank list weights the entrance score at 80%, the GD at 10% and the interview at 10%.
Official programme page ↗School of Management, College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET)
Publishes 2026 rank lists for both its full-time MBA and its evening Shift II MBA. The exam list comes from the 2020 admission notification.
Official programme page ↗Asian School of Business (ASB)
Founded in 2005; the merit list combines the entrance score, the interview and the GD in a 70:15:15 ratio.
Official programme page ↗Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS)
The tourism MBA adds international certificates in German and French and gives students hands-on experience organising events.
Official programme page ↗Lourdes Matha Institute of Management Studies (LIMS)
Founded in 2004; MBA students do an immersion stint at the XIME campus.
Official programme page ↗Kerala Institute of Co-operative Management (KICMA)
Run under the State Co-operative Union. the details come from an Onmanorama report from March 2023.
Official programme page ↗No Thiruvananthapuram institute appears in the NIRF 2025 Management list (top 100 or the 101-125 band). Kerala's ranked entries are IIM Kozhikode (3), CUSAT Kochi (82), NIT Calicut (85) and Rajagiri Business School Kochi (91).
IIM Kozhikode (NIRF 2025 rank 3). Its new Kochi campus, which runs only the executive MBA, is closer to Thiruvananthapuram than the main campus.
MBA careers in Thiruvananthapuram
What the local economy means for summer internships and final placements:
- Technopark - founded 1990 by the Kerala government as India's first IT park; 768 acres, 540+ companies, 84,000+ professionals (self-reported); tenants include UST, Infosys, TCS, Oracle, Accenture, EY, IBS Software
- Tourism and travel (KITTS, the state tourism-education institute, runs a dedicated MBA in Travel and Tourism)
Working in Thiruvananthapuram? The online MBA route
If you can't leave your job, a UGC-entitled online MBA lets you study from Thiruvananthapuram without an entrance exam at most universities, from ₹52,000 for the full programme. Find your match in 4 questions or compare all fees.
Deadlines coming up
MBA in Thiruvananthapuram: questions students ask
Does any MBA college in Thiruvananthapuram have an NIRF 2025 rank?
No. None appears in the NIRF 2025 Management list. Kerala's ranked management institutes are in Kozhikode (IIM Kozhikode, NIT Calicut) and Kochi (CUSAT, Rajagiri Business School).
Which are the government MBA options in Trivandrum?
The University of Kerala's Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK) at Kariavattom, the School of Management at College of Engineering Trivandrum, and KITTS (MBA Travel and Tourism, a state tourism institute). All admit on KMAT/CMAT/CAT scores; KITTS lists KMAT or CMAT.
Can I do an evening MBA in Thiruvananthapuram?
Yes. IMK lists an MBA (Evening - Regular) and CET runs an MBA Shift II, both aimed at candidates who need classes outside working hours.
How does IMK select MBA students?
IMK builds a provisional rank list from a valid KMAT, CMAT or CAT score (80%), a group discussion (10%) and a personal interview (10%), then allots programmes by rank and the candidate's choice.
Nearby and related
Sources
- nirfindia.org/Rankings/2025/ManagementRanking.html
- nirfindia.org/Rankings/2025/ManagementRanking150.html
- imk.keralauniversity.ac.in/
- imk.keralauniversity.ac.in/admission/
- imk.keralauniversity.ac.in/category/admission-2/
- cet.ac.in/
- cet.ac.in/admissions-2/
- mba.cet.ac.in/
- cet.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NOTIFICATION-MBA-ADMISSION-2020-.pdf
- asb.ac.in/
- asb.ac.in/selection
- asb.ac.in/eligibilty
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