India outclasses US in GMAT scores

India has reasons to cheer when it comes to GMAT- one of the world's most popular exams for MBA - as it has one of the highest GMAT scores in the past five years.

According to a study, the GMAT score of Indians has shot up over the past five years. The score was 568 in 2007-08, but fell to 565 in the next year. In the next three years, it was 578, 581 and 582 respectively.

China, with a population similar to that of India, had a score of 588 in 2011-12 and, therefore, is one of India's biggest competitors.  Belgium (597), Argentina (595), Australia (598), Hungary (585), South Korea (586) and Britain (587) have a better GMAT score than India's. However, the US is far behind with 533.

China is the top contributor in South Asia to the increasing number of students joining MBA, followed by India. While the candidates joining the course from Business-Commerce background went up at average annual growth rate of 5.1% and that of Social Sciences 2.5%, other streams like that of engineering, humanities and Science have dropped by 1% to 2%.

East and Southeast Asia, the region to which India belongs, showed the highest growth rate in sending applicants, almost doubling the number to 77,800 in five years.