Since its inception in 1953, the GMAT has undergone numerous transformative changes, shaping it into the globally renowned exam it is today. Let's take a chronological journey through its major milestones:
1953: The test was first introduced as the Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business, a collaborative effort between the Educational Testing Service and nine prestigious U.S. business schools, including Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, and others.
1961: GMAT introduced data sufficiency questions, which would later become a crucial part of the Quantitative section, testing candidates' abilities to assess information effectively.
1970: The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) was established, and it brought together thirty graduate business schools, further solidifying the GMAT's significance as the primary exam for MBA admissions.
1976: The test underwent a name change, transitioning from the Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business to its current designation, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
1994: The GMAT evolved once more, adding the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section to evaluate candidates' critical thinking and communication skills.
1997: The year marked a significant technological advancement as the GMAT became one of the first computer-adaptive standardised tests, optimising the testing experience for candidates.
2007: The GMAC's global presence was further established with the opening of its office in London, marking the first international location for the organisation.
2010: Graduate Management Admission Council (India) Private Limited was incorporated in Delhi, emphasising the growing international influence of the GMAT.
2012: The GMAT introduced the Integrated Reasoning (IR) section, designed to assess candidates' ability to analyse complex data, thereby expanding the test's evaluative scope.
2017: The year brought about the introduction of the Select Section Order, granting test-takers the ability to choose the order of test sections from three alternative options, offering greater flexibility.
2018: The GMAT underwent further refinement with a reduction in the number of questions and the overall test duration, aiming to enhance the testing experience for candidates.
2023: The GMAT Focus Edition is launched.