XAT- Xavier Aptitude Test 2026
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Master of Business Administration (MBA) is one of the most prestigious postgraduate programs across the world. The course duration is for 2 years, and students from any background who pass the minimum eligibility criteria can apply for MBA admissions. The primary MBA entrance exams held in India for MBA admissions are CAT, XAT, SNAP, CMAT, and IIFT. Around 1164 colleges in India accept CAT scores; among them, 1026 colleges are private, and 138 colleges are public. The average fees range from Rs. 0.20 lakh to Rs. 23.00 lakhs. The list of MBA colleges in India in the major cities features colleges that are divided into three tiers based on the CAT cut-off percentile.
The CAT 2026 will consist of three sections:
CAT is a national-level MBA entrance exam held by IIM, Indore. This exam is conducted online once a year, and the test duration would be 2 hours. The general topics covered in the test are verbal ability and reading comprehension, data interpretation, logical reasoning, and quantitative ability. The questions would mostly be in multiple-choice question (MCQ) format. Students are required to gain scores between 80-95 to achieve admission in any of the top MBA colleges in India accepting CAT. However, those who have scored lower ranks can also seek MBA admissions in either colleges accepting low CAT scores or the colleges with a direct admission process.
The primary MBA entrance exams held in India for MBA admissions are CAT, XAT, SNAP, CMAT, and IIFT. The following is a list of the most common MBA admission examinations that students must take:
Although the top MBA colleges in India prefer students with a high CAT score, sometimes students fail to meet these criteria, and this often lets them down. A lower CAT score would not determine someone’s ability and skills; hence students can surely find B-schools in India that offer admissions to students with a low CAT score. Students should be aware of the fact that admission procedures at the best MBA colleges in India involve several other eligibility factors and is not solely based on CAT cut off scores. Some of them are as given below: -
The aggregate percentage scored in 10+2 education.
The aggregate marks scored in a four-year undergraduate degree program or a 10+2+3 equivalent education program.
A student’s performance in Group discussion, written test conducted by the college, and personal interview are evaluated.
Candidates with work experience are given preference in some of the MBA colleges in India.
The eligibility cut-off marks can vary based on the reserved and unreserved categories in India.
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Here is a list of MBA colleges in India accepting students with low CAT scores along with critical information required for making a final decision: -
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 |
Many Indian universities consider CAT scores as a factor for admission to many MBA programmes. You might want to consider the following top destinations in India for some of the best MBA colleges:
Students who wish to apply to top MBA colleges in India should attempt CAT exams, without bothering about the test results. The MBA application can proceed further with a valid CAT score. An overview of the admission procedures for the best MBA colleges in India accepting CAT scores are as given below: -
Register for CAT exams on the official CAT website and give the best efforts for scoring a good cut-off percentile
Once the CAT scores are out, candidates should login to the official college website for attaining the login credentials
Students need to submit mandatory documents, and reservation proofs, if any along with the college options preferred in a higher to lower order
Students are required to make payments via an online or offline mode
After the verification process, students would start receiving call letters from the colleges of their choice, considering the order of CAT scores as well
Students need to attend counselling process and proceed with the payment of the fee at a time allocated to them, without any delay
Apart from IIMs, which give good job placement after graduation, students attend a variety of management colleges that also provide admission with low CAT scores. We've listed MBA colleges in India that accept the CAT score, as well as their placement details, in the table below.
Name of the College | Average salary package (INR) |
Rs. 3.00 Lakhs | |
Rs. 4.60 Lakhs | |
GITAM, Visakhapatnam | Rs. 7.80 Lakhs |
Rs. 6.80 Lakhs | |
Rs. 4.00 Lakhs | |
Rs. 6.30 Lakhs | |
Rs. 4.66 Lakhs | |
Rs. 5.33 Lakhs | |
International School of Business and Media, Kolkata | Rs. 5.00 Lakhs |
Rs. 6.00 Lakhs |
The variety of specialisations offered in the MBA programme is one of the reasons for its popularity. Marketing management, finance, human resource management, rural management, and a variety of other fields are also available. In the table below, you'll find a list of other specialisations.
MBA programmes are amongst the most preferred options for students interested in advancing their careers. It's not a big deal if you didn't perform well in CAT; many institutions will accept you despite the score. Some of the lowest-ranking top MBA colleges are mentioned in table below.
CAT percentile is calculated using the formula (1 - All India Rank (Total Candidates in the Exam) * 100%).
Yes, those who wish to take a break from studies can do that prior to joining MBA and attempting CAT exam for the same. Moreover, CAT exams are conducted for students with 10+2+3 or a four-year equivalent bachelor’s degree and there is no age bar for students who wish to take CAT tests.
MBA colleges/ Universities should be affiliated by AICTE, NAAC, or UGC in order to be ranked as a recognized institute for higher studies.
Yes, Students from the reserved category can qualify for MBA admissions with a comparatively low cut-off percentile than those from the General category. However, the selection criteria are based on several other factors as well, and this could vary every year.
Yes, many MBA colleges offered admission to students based on scores of other entrance exams like XAT, MAT, SNAP, IIFT and several others.
Hi!
Common Admission Test (CAT) is the most popular management aptitude test among candidates seeking admission to elite management colleges in India. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) only accepts the percentile obtained by candidates in the CAT for their MBA programme. Apart from the IIMs, some other top business schools such as FMS Delhi , MDI Gurgaon, IIFT Delhi , SPJIMR, etc. accept only the scores of the CAT.
However, there are some MBA colleges in India that offers admission to their MBA programme without accepting the CAT scores. To get admission to these colleges, candidates are required to appear for the entrance examinations conducted by these institutions. Candidates must appear for the XAT to get admission to XLRI, SNAP to get admission to Symbiosis Colleges, NMAT to get admission to NMIMS campuses, and SRCC GBO exam to get admission to Shri Ram College of Commerce.
There are many colleges in the country which accept the scores of various other entrance examination along with the CAT, such as, IMI Delhi , FORE School of Management, TAPMI , Goa Institute of Management, etc. Appearing for the entrance examination is a pre-requisite condition to get admission to any good MBA college.
Check these various college predictors to predict the MBA college based on the score and percentile obtained in various entrance examinations.
Hi dear candidate,
The score of your CAT exam is valid for one year from the date of exam.
For example: If your CAT exam was held on 24th November 2024 then your score is valid till 31st December 2025 meaning that you can take admission in the academic year 2025 - 27.
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With a Telangana EWS state rank of 2000 in NEET 2025, you have a decent chance of getting an MBBS seat under Category A (Convener quota) in government or semi-government medical colleges, especially during the later rounds of counselling. Your chances are higher in newer or peripheral colleges.
CAT ( Common Addmission Test ) is for those students who want to study MBA or other post-graduation program in mangement field. Who have Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% recognised university can apply for CAT .final year graduation students are also eligible to apply for CAT exam .
The CAT exam for mainly those students who want to study MBA or other business related courses.This exam is an entrance exam for getting admission into top mangement colleges.the exam tests skills like English,Maths and logical thinking. CAT exam is important because scoring well in CAT it's helps to students get into best college .
If there's a slight variation in your name between your government ID and school marksheets, it's best to use the name exactly as it appears on your 10th or 12th marksheet while filling out the CAT form, since academic records are the primary documents used for verification during admission. However, ensure that the variation isn’t too major if it is, you might consider getting an affidavit or correction done in the future. For now, stay consistent with your academic records to avoid any mismatch during document verification after the exam.
A career as Marketing Director is also known as a marketing expert who is responsible for the overall marketing aspect of the company. He or she oversees plans and develops the company's budget. The marketing Director collaborates with the business team to plan and develop the marketing and branding strategies for the company's products or services.
A Business Development Executive identifies and pursues new business opportunities to drive company growth. They generate leads, build client relationships, develop sales strategies, and analyse market trends. Collaborating with internal teams, they aim to meet sales targets. With experience, they can advance to managerial roles, playing a key role in expanding the company’s market presence and revenue.
Content Marketing Specialists are also known as Content Specialists. They are responsible for crafting content, editing and developing it to meet the requirements of digital marketing campaigns. To ensure that the material created is consistent with the overall aims of a digital marketing campaign, content marketing specialists work closely with SEO and digital marketing professionals.
A Sales Manager leads a sales team to meet targets, formulates strategies, analyses performance, and monitors market trends. They typically hold a degree in management or related fields, with an MBA offering added value. The role often demands over 40 hours a week. Strong leadership, planning, and analytical skills are essential for success in this career.
A marketing manager is a person who oversees a company or product marketing. He or she can be in charge of multiple programmes or goods or can be in charge of one product. He or she is enthusiastic, organised, and very diligent in meeting financial constraints. He or she works with other team members to produce advertising campaigns and decides if a new product or service is marketable.
A Marketing manager plans and executes marketing initiatives to create demand for goods and services and increase consumer awareness of them. A marketing manager prevents unauthorised statements and informs the public that the business is doing everything to investigate and fix the line of products. Students can pursue an MBA in Marketing Management courses to become marketing managers.
An SEO Analyst is a web professional who is proficient in the implementation of SEO strategies to target more keywords to improve the reach of the content on search engines. He or she provides support to acquire the goals and success of the client’s campaigns.
Digital marketing is growing, diverse, and is covering a wide variety of career paths. Each job function aids in the development of effective digital marketing strategies and techniques. The aims and objectives of the individuals who opt for a career as a digital marketing executive are similar to those of a marketing professional: to build brand awareness, promote company services or products, and increase conversions. Individuals who opt for a career as Digital Marketing Executives, unlike traditional marketing companies, communicate effectively through suitable technology platforms.
Individuals who opt for a career as a business analyst look at how a company operates. He or she conducts research and analyses data to improve his or her knowledge about the company. This is required so that an individual can suggest the company strategies for improving their operations and processes.
In a business analyst job role a lot of analysis is done, things are learned from past mistakes and the successful strategies are enhanced further. A business analyst goes through real-world data in order to provide the most feasible solutions to an organisation. Students can pursue Business Analytics to become Business Analysts.
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