BIMTECH PGDM Admissions 2026
AACSB Accredited | Highest CTC: 22 LPA | Last Date: 31st December 2025
Top Colleges in India Accepting CAT Score: The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most popular management entrance exams. Around 1000+ MBA colleges in India accept CAT 2025 scores for MBA admission. There are 21 IIMs at present, and all IIMs accept CAT 2025 scores. Every year, around 3 lakh students register and appear for the CAT exam. Apart from IIMs and IITs, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Delhi, FMS Delhi, and SPJIMR Mumbai are the top colleges accepting CAT scores in India. Check this complete article to know more than score-wise top colleges accepting CAT 2025 scores, programme fees, intake capacity, average salary packages, and much more.
IIM Kozhikode will retain its three-stage admission process for the MBA (PGP) 2026–28 batch, with CAT 2025 scores carrying a final weightage of 35 percent. The minimum overall CAT cut-off for general category candidates remains at 85 percentile, with sectional qualifying scores required in VARC, DILR, and QA. Shortlisting of candidates will be based on CAT performance, academic record, and personal interview rounds.
This Story also Contains
Having a CAT scorecard is mandatory for candidates seeking admission to postgraduate management programmes of IIMs. Moreover, there are more than 1000 MBA colleges through CAT scores where candidates with valid CAT scores apply. There are also good colleges that admit candidates with low CAT scores. The CAT percentile-wise colleges listed here will help to choose the right B-school based on the CAT score. The article lists the accepted CAT colleges' percentiles in the tables below.
The list of top MBA colleges accepting CAT scores as per the NIRF ranking 2025 is given below. Check the list of IIMs that offer admission based on CAT 2025 along with their fee structure:
A list of top MBA colleges in India with fees is mentioned in the table below. While the IIM Seats mentioned here are based on the 2024-2026 season, the IIM Fees are for the 2025-2027 IIM Admission Season.
CAT colleges | Number of Seats | Programmes Fee (in Rs.) |
402 | Rs. 27.5 lakh | |
535 | Rs. 26.00 lakh | |
475 | Rs. 27.00 lakh | |
497 | Rs. 20.75 lakh | |
497 | Rs. 23.50 lakh | |
489 | Rs. 21.15 lakh | |
363 (2023-2025) | Rs. 21 lakh | |
262 | Rs. 21.50 lakh | |
240 | Rs. 17.9 lakh | |
348 | Rs. 17.90 lakh | |
316 | Rs. 21.01 lakh | |
297 | Rs. 20.00 lakh | |
225 (2023-2025) | Rs. 22.8 lakh | |
250 | Rs. 19.2 lakh | |
327 | Rs. 20.30 lakh | |
474 | Rs. 17.30 lakh | |
395 | Rs. 26.18 lakh | |
343 | Rs. 21.33 lakh | |
356 | Rs. 21.50lakh | |
| IIM Mumbai | 505 | Rs. 21. 00 Lakh |
344 | Rs. 20.51 lakh |
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will begin its admission process after the declaration of the CAT result. IITs have proved themselves to be the premier institutes in terms of both studies and placement. Check the list below where you can apply:
CAT colleges | Name of the Department | Total Seat Intake |
Department of Management Studies | 115 | |
Shailesh Jha Mehta School of Business | 152 | |
Vinod Gupta School of Management | 200 | |
Department of Management Studies | 70 | |
Department of Management Studies | 95 | |
Department of Management Studies | 92 | |
Department of Management Studies | 78 |
Not only the IIMs, but there are also other highly ranked and internationally accredited MBA/PGDM colleges among the non-IIMs accepting CAT scores. Some of the prominent MBA colleges, excluding IIMs, will accept the score of CAT 2025 below.
Other than IIMs, the list of colleges accepting the 90-100 percentile of CAT scores is:
Best colleges accepting CAT percentile 90-100 | Course Fees |
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi | Rs. 12 lakhs |
IIT Bombay | Rs. 14.07 lakh |
Rs. 20,960 | |
Rs. 24.16 lakh | |
Institute of Management Technology (Ghaziabad) | Rs. 19.53 lakh |
Rs. 20 lakh | |
Rs. 2 lakh | |
Rs. 24 lakh | |
SDA Bocconi Mumbai | Rs. 20 lakh |
Students scoring between 80-85 percentile must not lose hope, as the list below will inform you about the top colleges in India accepting CAT exam scores:
Best colleges accepting CAT percentile 80-85 | Course Fees | Average Salary Package |
Rs. 14 lakhs to Rs. 16 lakhs | Rs. 18.10 LPA | |
Rs. 17 lakhs | Rs. 15 LPA | |
Rs. 17 lakhs | Rs. 15 LPA | |
Rs. 18 lakhs | Rs. 15 LPA | |
Rs. 12 lakhs to Rs. 15 lakhs | Rs. 15 LPA | |
Rs. 10 lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs | Rs. 17 LPA | |
Rs. 6 lakhs to Rs. 9 lakhs | Rs. 7 LPA | |
Rs. 13 lakhs | Rs. 14 LPA |
Checkout: MBA Colleges Accepting 80-90 Percentile in CAT Exam
With most of the colleges considering the cutoff, below is the list of colleges that shortlist candidates based on their academic performance and profile. These colleges help students to hold admission into MBA programmes through other components as well. Some of the colleges are:
| Top Colleges in India Accepting CAT Score of 70-80 percentile | Course Fees | Average Salary Package |
| Rs. 12 lakhs | Rs. 10 LPA | |
| Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 16 lakhs | Rs. 10 LPA | |
| Rs. 9 lakhs | Rs 8.6 LPA | |
| Rs. 14 lakhs | Rs. 10 LPA | |
| Rs. 14 lakhs | Rs. 11 LPA | |
| Rs. 9.5 lakhs | Rs. 8.25 LPA | |
| Rs. 9.25 lakhs | Rs. 8.10 LPA | |
| Rs. 9.5 lakhs | Rs. 7.80 LPA | |
| Rs. 12 lakhs | Rs. 9.5 LPA | |
| Rs. 11.5 lakhs | Rs. 8.65 LPA | |
| Rs. 14 lakhs | Rs. 13.3 LPA | |
| Rs. 11.9 lakhs | Rs. 7.5 LPA | |
| Rs. 27 lakhs | Rs. 18 LPA | |
| Rs. 14 lakhs | Rs. 9.15 LPA | |
| Rs 6.5 lakhs | Rs. 9.68 LPA | |
| Rs. 11 lakhs | Rs. 8.5 LPA |
Highest Package 27.25 LPA | Top 100 Average package 16.65 LPA | AACSB Accredited | Ranked 52 by QS International
400+ Recruiters | Highest CTC 21 LPA | Average CTC 8 LPA | 92% Placements in 2025 | Ranked as Platinum Institute | Awarded Best Business School of the Year
Also Check: Browse all MBA Colleges in India Accepting 70-80 Percentile in CAT Exam
MBA aspirants who failed to reach the good percentile in the CAT exam can also apply to the MBA colleges through a CAT score of 50 to 60 percentiles. Some of the best MBA colleges for 50 to 60 percentile in the CAT exam are mentioned below.
Name of MBA Colleges Accepting Low CAT Score | Percentile Needed | Fees Needed |
50 | 6.97 Lakhs | |
50+ | 8.00 Lakhs | |
50+ | 5-12 Lakhs | |
50+ | 10.60 Lakhs | |
55 | 8.50 Lakhs | |
55 | 4.81 Lakhs | |
55 | 3.42 Lakhs | |
50-60 | 1.10 Lakhs | |
60 | 6.35- 9.25 Lakhs | |
60 | 1.60 Lakhs | |
60 | 24 Lakhs | |
60 | - | |
Shri Ram Murti Smarak International Business School, Lucknow | 60 | 2.90 Lakhs |
NTPC School of Business, Noida | 60 | - |
MIT School of Telecom Management, Pune | 60 | 7.25 Lakhs |
60 | - | |
60 | 4.90 Lakhs | |
60 | 6.00 Lakhs | |
60 | 9.90 Lakhs | |
60 | - | |
60 | - | |
60 | 8.15 Lakhs | |
60 | 9.15 Lakhs |
MBA is the most demanded and expensive management course offered in India. Candidates who are looking for the best MBA colleges with low fees can check out the below table.
Name of the College | CAT cut-off (percentile) | Fees Avg (INR) |
70 | Rs. 0.66 lakhs | |
70 | Rs. 8.00 Lakhs | |
70 | Rs. 7.20 Lakhs | |
70 | Rs. 3.80 Lakhs | |
70 | Rs. 6.97 Lakhs | |
70 | Rs. 10.25 Lakhs | |
70 | Rs. 5.32 Lakhs | |
60-70 | Rs. 4.99 Lakhs | |
60-70 | Rs. 8 Lakhs | |
50 + | Rs. 8.71 Lakhs |
Now that we have a clear image of the institutes accepting CAT exam scores for different percentiles, check the links below to know the top colleges in India accepting low CAT scores in various states:
Students must note that the list of colleges mentioned not only accepts the CAT score, but a few of them also accept other entrance exam scores, such as:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, CAT score is valid for 1 year only. CAT 2025 score will be valid till December 31, 2026.
There are many CAT colleges including all IIMs and other B-schools that accept CAT scores. Over 1000 MBA colleges in India accept CAT scores which include MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, IITs, and IMI and others.
As Symbiosis Institute accepts only SNAP scores, CAT is not applicable.
Candidates can get admission to MBA programmes with the CAT score. More than 1000 MBA colleges in India accept CAT scores which include MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, IITs, IMI and others accept CAT score in India.
90-100 percentile can be considered to be a good CAT exam percentile.
Yes, the CAT exam is the key to getting admission to top IIMs of the country and other reputed B-schools.
There are many top CAT exam colleges apart from the IIMs such as MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, IITs, and others.
The CAT 2023 entrance exam was held on November 26. Around 2.88 lakh candidates appeared for the exam out of 3.28 lakh registered eligible candidates. The overall attendance was approximately 88%.
No. 1000+ MBA colleges in India accept CAT scores including MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, IITs, IMI, and others. However, some Bschools conduct their own entrance test.
Over 1000 MBA colleges in India accept CAT scores.
On Question asked by student community
HELLO,
With an overall 98.54 percentile ( QA/DILR 97.55, VARC 94.89) and strong academics 9/9/0, you have a good profile. As a B.Tech candidate you can expect calls from :-
Hope this will help you !
Hello aspirant,
Your kid has a good profile even in the general category with a BTech from IIT Delhi, three years of excellent job experience in a leading industry, and a 96 percentile in the CAT. He has a strong chance at reputable MBA schools like IIM Shillong, IIM Udaipur, IIM Trichy, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and others, depending on interview performance and profile match, even though the top IIMs often require higher percentiles.
Thank you
Hope it helps you
With an overall CAT percentile of 82.71 in CAT 2025 as a general category candidate, along with section-wise percentiles of 80.56 in VARC, 75.81 in DILR and 84.56 in QA, your chances at top IIMs are limited, as most older IIMs usually shortlist general category candidates at much higher percentiles. However, this percentile still keeps you eligible for admission calls from several Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges across India, especially those that consider overall performance, academic background and work experience along with CAT scores. You can expect calls from institutes such as IMT Nagpur, IMI Bhubaneswar, FORE School of Management (some programs), TAPMI Manipal (borderline), Great Lakes Institute of Management (Chennai or Gurgaon for PGPM/PGDM variants), K J Somaiya (depending on cut-offs), GIM Goa (through CAT or other exams), and state-level universities that accept CAT scores. Additionally, many good private universities and autonomous B-schools consider candidates in the 80–85 percentile range and conduct their own GD-PI rounds. To improve your chances, you should apply widely, prepare well for interviews, and highlight your academics, work experience, certifications and extracurricular achievements, as final selection is not based on CAT score alone.
All the best.
With an overall CAT 2025 percentile of 82.71, you are unlikely to get calls from the IIMs (including new or baby IIMs), as most of them generally shortlist candidates at 90+ percentile, even after considering category and profile factors. However, this percentile is still quite decent and opens doors to many good Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges in India that offer solid academics, reasonable placements, and good industry exposure.
At around 80–85 percentile, you have a strong chance of getting shortlisted by institutes such as IMI Bhubaneswar, IMT Nagpur, IMT Hyderabad, XIME Bangalore/Chennai, TAPMI Manipal (borderline, profile-dependent), IFMR GSB Krea University, FORE School of Management (certain programs), GIM Goa (specialised programs), LIBA Chennai (borderline), K J Somaiya Institute of Management (profile-based), Great Lakes Chennai/Gurgaon (PGDM – profile matters a lot), and Welingkar Mumbai (especially through profile + GDPI). Many reputed state universities and private institutes like PUMBA Pune, Delhi School of Management (DTU – if accepting CAT that year), BIMTECH (some programs), NDIM Delhi, ITM Navi Mumbai, and Jaipuria Institute of Management campuses are also realistic options.
Your sectional percentiles (VARC 80.56, DILR 75.81, QA 84.56) are fairly balanced, which works in your favor, as several colleges apply sectional cut-offs around 60–70 percentile. Final selection will depend not only on CAT score but also on academic background, graduation marks, work experience, diversity factors, and GD-PI performance. If you have work experience, it significantly improves your chances at colleges like Great Lakes, FORE, IFMR, and Welingkar.
In summary, while top IIMs are not achievable at 82.71 percentile, you can still secure admission into reputed mid-tier MBA colleges that provide good ROI and career growth if you perform well in the GD-PI process. It is advisable to apply broadly, focus on profile-based institutes, and prepare seriously for interviews to convert the best possible calls.
With 84.91 percentile in CAT (General, male, no work experience), top colleges like IIMs, IITs, FMS, MDI, etc. are not possible. You may get calls from private institutes such as IMT Nagpur/Hyderabad, IMI Bhubaneswar, XIME, SDMIMD, Welingkar (some programs) and similar colleges. Universities like Amity or LPU are also options.
It’s better to choose carefully, as placements and ROI may be average. Reattempting CAT or trying XAT/CMAT could improve options.
Ranked among top 10 B-Schools in India by multiple publications | Top Recruiters-Google, MicKinsey, Amazon, BCG & many more.
Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.8 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2025
Highest Package 27.25 LPA | Top 100 Average package 16.65 LPA | AACSB Accredited | Ranked 52 by QS International
Phase 02 Applications Window Closing on 23rd January 2026 | 100% Placement Record | Average CTC 12.75 LPA | Highest CTC 40.31 LPA | Median CTC 12.49 LPA
Ranked #36 amongst institutions in Management by NIRF | 100% Placement
Application Deadline 15th Jan’26 | UGC Approved Programs | Near 100% Placement Record | Up to 100% Scholarships | Highest CTC 21.32 LPA