Mumbai: When it comes to management education in India, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are the place to be in, so says CNBC-TV18's The A List of B-Schools.

The rankings were dominated by the IIMs as IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow followed next. MDI, XLRI, NITIE and FMS broke this monopoly as they took up the next four positions. NITIE made significant gains along with IIM Kozhikode to break into the Top 10. XLRI and FMS saw a minor drop in their rankings this year. IIM, Ahmedabad has been ranked the top B-school in India, but it came in second, after FMS, Delhi, on placement records. Amongst the private B-schools XLRI, Jamshedpur was placed in the first position followed by SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai.

CNBC-TV18's The A List of B Schools is an annual guide to management education in India. B-schools were evaluated against five broad parameters - intellectual capital, placement performance, infrastructure and facilities, industry interface and international linkages. These rankings were developed using a detailed dual methodology which surveyed key stakeholders in management education including B-School institutions, Faculty and Recruiters.

Speaking the rankings Suresh Venkat, executive editor, CNBC-TV18 said "These rankings are an attempt to provide insights on which prospective students can make effective decisions on their B-School journey as they navigate an increasingly complex set of choices today. Through The A-List of B-School handbook and TV series we hope to address all the key stakeholders across the spectrum of management education in India and offer useful information on approaching a MBA, choosing the right school, getting in to the right school and life beyond MBA education."

For the 2011 edition CNBC-TV18 partnered with the market researchand consulting firm Cfore and has contributions from leading names in management education including TopMBA.com, CareerLauncher, Harsha Bhogle, Sidin Vadukut and Rashmi Bansal. Premchand Palety, chief executive of Centre for Forecasting & Research (C-fore) said "One unique feature of the survey is that it is based primarily on objective data. The weightage to perceptual data has never exceeded 25 per cent. The prime objective of ranking is to elevate the standard of business education in the country. The purpose of ranking is not to perpetuate brand myth but to evaluate the actual performance of a B-school against different parameters. We recognize the leadership role B-schools can play in creating new knowledge. So, we give substantial weightage to the research output of an institute. This year, six broad parameters and 54 sub parameters were used to assess a B-school."

Beyond the rankings, the book contains expert advice on how best to approach and prepare for an MBA, insights into key issues and trends emerging in and around the B-school landscape, as well as a view into life at B-school and beyond.

The 2011 edition of The A-List of B-Schools is the third edition of the book and it is set hit stores soon.