Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
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CAT Admit Card Date:05 Nov' 25 - 30 Nov' 25
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are the most sought management institute for every CAT aspirant, but as per IIMs competitiveness, not many aspirants make into it. But there are several prestigious non-IIMs also known as top B-schools like XLRI, MICA, and TISS also accept CAT scores for admission to their management programs. Knowing the expected cutoffs for these institutions is crucial for aspirants aiming to secure a seat in these reputed MBA colleges. Below, we explore the expected CAT cutoffs for these top non-IIMs in 2024, along with admission tips and insights.
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XLRI Jamshedpur conducts its own entrance test, XAT, but it accepts CAT scores for specific programs. For admission to its PGDM programs through CAT, the expected overall cutoff is 95+ percentile, with sectional CAT cutoffs are as follows:
VARC: 80+ percentile
DILR: 75+ percentile
QA: 75+ percentile
XLRI places a significant emphasis on academics, work experience, and performance in the Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds.
MICA Ahmedabad is renowned for its flagship program, PGDM-C (Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications). Candidates must appear for CAT and MICAT (MICA’s entrance test). The expected CAT cutoff for MICA is around 80 percentile for the general category. However, clearing MICAT and excelling in the personal interview is equally crucial.
MICAT performance
CAT score (used as a qualifying criterion)
Group Exercise (GE) and PI performance
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) accepts CAT scores for admission to its HRM and LR programs at the Mumbai campus. The expected cutoff is 85+ percentile for the general category.
TISS also conducts its own entrance exam, TISSNET, and candidates must excel in this test to secure admission. CAT scores are used as a supplementary factor in the selection process.
Overall CAT Cutoff: 85+ percentile (Profile-based selection) or 95+ percentile (Score-based selection)
Overall CAT Cutoff: 99+ percentile (extremely competitive)
Overall CAT Cutoff: 90+ percentile
Overall CAT Cutoff: 93+ percentile
Overall CAT Cutoff: 85+ percentile
Understand the Selection Criteria: Institutions like XLRI and MICA consider factors beyond CAT scores, such as profiles, essays, and personal interviews. Research the specific requirements.
Ace the Sectional Cutoffs: Balance your preparation across all sections to meet the individual sectional cutoffs.
Prepare for GD/PI: Most non-IIMs emphasize group discussions and personal interviews. Start preparing early.
Leverage Your Strengths: Institutes like SPJIMR offer profile-based selections. Highlight your achievements and strengths.
Stay Consistent: Practice mock tests regularly to improve your overall and sectional scores.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
GD/PI is crucial for most non-IIMs, as they focus on holistic evaluation beyond CAT scores.
Institutions like KJ Somaiya, TISS, and TAPMI accept CAT scores around 85 percentile.
No, TISS also conducts TISSNET, which is mandatory for admission. CAT scores are supplementary.
No, MICA also requires candidates to appear for MICAT, along with CAT, XAT, or GMAT scores.
XLRI’s CAT cutoff is expected to be around 95+ percentile, with sectional cutoffs of 75+ percentile for DILR and QA, and 80+ percentile for VARC.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Here are some top MBA colleges in India with fees under Rs. 2 lakh and their exam/cutoff details:
SIMSREE, Mumbai – Fee around Rs. 1.3–1.4 lakh for 2 years. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, MAT, ATMA. Cutoff is very high, usually 99+ percentile in CAT/CMAT.
PUMBA (Dept. of Management Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University) – Fee around Rs. 1.2–1.3 lakh. Accepts CAT, CMAT, MAH-CET, ATMA. Cutoff approx. 75+ percentile in CAT, 90–95+ percentile in CMAT, high scores in MAH-CET.
TISS, Mumbai (MA HRM & other management-related programmes) – Fee around Rs. 1.7–1.9 lakh. Accepts CAT for some courses. Qualifying cutoff is around 60–70 percentile, but final selection cutoffs are higher.
These are the main government institutes where the full MBA/PG programme fee is within Rs. 2 lakh. Cutoffs vary slightly each year and by category, but SIMSREE and PUMBA generally need high scores, while TISS has its own process along with CAT shortlisting.
Hope it helps !
Hey! With a NEET score of 344 in the ST category, it is highly unlikely to get admission in any government BDS college in Delhi through the All India Quota. The cutoff for government BDS seats in Delhi usually falls around 400–450 for ST category, so your score is below that range.
You can consider private dental colleges, state quota seats in other states, or reattempt NEET next year to improve your chances.
Hello dear candidate,
YES, with NEET score 344in the ST category you have high chances of getting admission in a BDS College in J&K through JKBOPEE counselling.
check the seat availability and next participate in JKBOPEE Counselling with all the necessary documents.
Thank you.
Hey! With an All India Rank (AIR) of 302,821 in NEET and belonging to the BCE category, it is highly unlikely to get a BDS seat in Telangana under the state quota, as the closing ranks for BCE are usually below 50,000. You may consider applying to private colleges under management quota or explore BDS seats in other states, but the chances remain very limited with this rank.
At KIMS Amalapuram, the internship stipend for MBBS students is generally reported to be around 20,000 per month, though some students have mentioned that in certain years no stipend was provided at all, which means it can vary depending on the policies in place at the time of your internship. To get the most accurate and updated information, it is always best to confirm directly with the college administration or recent interns, but on average, you can expect a stipend in the range of 18,000-20,000 per month during the compulsory rotating internship.
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