Best MBA colleges in India without CAT exam: Many MBA aspirants face this dilemma, if CAT exam the only way to gain admission to the top MBA colleges in India,? The CAT exam is not the ultimate way of getting into top MBA colleges in India. Some of the best MBA colleges in India without CAT scores include XLRI, SIBM, KIIT School of Management, JBIMS, ISB Hyderabad and many others. Many top B-schools in India have their own MBA entrance exams and a selection process that doesn't involve having a CAT score. Many top MBA colleges in India offer direct admission to MBA programmes without an entrance exam. MBA aspirants can check out the list of MBA colleges without CAT exam in India.
Candidates can use the Careers360 CAT College Predictor tool to check their chances of securing admission to MBA and other management programmes for the 2026–28 academic session. The tool also provides details on courses offered, placement data, fee structure, and related information.
IIM CAT 2025 college predictor. (Image source: Official)
The best MBA colleges without CAT are XLRI Jamshedpur, Symbiosis International University (SIU), ISB Hyderabad, NMIMS, etc. Some top MBA colleges in India offer direct admission without CAT exam. Some of them conduct their management entrance exams.
XLRI, Jamshedpur
The first name on this list of top MBA colleges without CAT exams is XLRI. Every year, XLRI conducts the Xavier Aptitude Test or XAT, a national-level entrance exam to offer admissions to PGDM and MBA programmes. This top MBA college is known for its excellence and has several alumni working in significant positions in not only the Indian industries but also abroad. Students who are exclusively looking for the best MBA college without CAT 2025 can opt for this MBA college and shape their bright future.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) can be considered a good option to pursue a PG programme. TISS discontinued TISSNET MBA exam for admission to its PG programmes and has started accepting the score of CUET PG MBA for the academic year 2025-2027. TISS offers good placement packages in top companies in various public and private sectors. All interested and eligible candidates must first apply to CUET PG MBA for admission to the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, one of the Top MBA colleges in India without CAT exam.
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The two-year full-time MBA is SIBM Pune's flagship programme, spread across four semesters and offering specialisations in marketing, human resource management, finance, operations and supply chain management and data analytics. Interested candidates must appear for SNAP exam to gain admission in this MBA college without CAT.
KIIT School of Management (KSOM)
KIIT School of Management (KSOM) is one of the top B Schools in India without CAT with a ranking of 32 as per NIRF, MHRD, Government of India, 2020. It offers a two-year full-time MBA programme. For admission to KSOM MBA and super MBA programmes candidates must take KIITEE management exam which is a national-level entrance exam. Candidates who meet the minimum KIITEE cutoff are called for the GD/PI round for final selection.
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute Of Management Studies
JBIMS offers a two-year management programme in Master in Management Studies equivalent to an MBA programme offering specialisation in Finance, Marketing, Operations, System and Human resource. Candidates wishing for admission to JBIMS must appear for MAH MBA CET exam. JBIMS cutoff for MMS admission ranges from 98 to 99+ percentile. This top MBA college without CAT exam offers excellent placement packages up to Rs. 35.75 LPA in top companies like KPMG, Deloitte, McKinsey and Company, etc.
Indian School of Business, Hyderabad
ISB, Hyderabad offers a one-year postgraduate programme to all eligible candidates. The eligibility criteria for admission to ISB, Hyderabad includes minimum 24 months of full-time work experience, a valid GMAT/GRE score and a bachelor's degree. The final selection criteria for ISB admissions will include shortlisting candidates based on their academics, work experience, awards and activities, GMAT/GRE scores, essay and recommendations if any.
Symbiosis International University offers vibrant and dynamic learning opportunities to MBA aspirants across 4 states and 6 cities in India. Candidates shall appear for the Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP Test) for admission to MBA programmes offered in information technology, business analytics, banking and finance, and many more instead of the CAT exam. SNAP test takers also have to appear for the Personal Interaction (PI), Written Ability Test (WAT), and Group Exercise (GE) to be selected for admission.
IBS Hyderabad
Candidates who are looking for an MBA college without CAT exam in India can go with ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad. IBS Hyderabad enrolls candidates on the basis of the IBSAT exam. It is an online aptitude exam conducted by the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education for admission to the MBA programmes of IBS Bengaluru and IBS Hyderabad. This MBA college also considers CAT scores. However, candidates who have not scored well or have not appeared in the CAT exam can go for this exam smoothly.
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies
NMIMS can be your dream MBA school. This MBA college has a legacy of over 41 years where it has shown credibility in the corporate world, with several alumni establishing themselves as successful entrepreneurs. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies has been offering MBA programmes in several disciplines, such as HR and healthcare management. NMAT is the required MBA entrance exam to get into NMIMS. With NMAT, candidates can attempt the entrance test three times to crack this MBA exam, too, with no negative marking scheme.
Best MBA colleges in India Without CAT exam- Eligibility criteria
Check out the basic eligibility criteria of the best MBA colleges without CAT in India.
Candidates should have completed their graduation in any discipline with at least 50% marks in total aggregate. There is a relaxation of 5% for those who belong to the reserved category.
Some of the institutes accept other competitive exam scores such as MAT, XAT, NMAT, GMAT, SNAP, ATMA, etc.
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Best MBA colleges in India Without CAT exam- Documents required
At the time of MBA admission to the colleges, candidates need to produce the following documents.
Class 10th certificate (Original and Photocopy)
Class 12th certificate (Original and Photocopy)
Graduation certification (Original and Photocopy)
Photo ID proof
Transfer certificate (If required)
Two passport-size photographs
Best MBA colleges in India without CAT exam- Placements
MBA aspirants who wish to apply for MBA admission without the CAT exam may have doubts regarding the MBA placements and salary packages offered on these campuses. Check out the table below to get insights on the top MBA colleges in India without CAT scores that offer MBA placements.
CAT exam is one of the most demanding and competitive entrance exams in India, taken by lakhs of MBA aspirants every year. Through this exam, it opens doors to the elite institutions like IIMs. However, not all students prefer CAT as the scope of admission to top B-schools. Many prefer admission without CAT, following are the factors:
Excessive stress and extensive preparation time
Availability of other exams
Preference for different specialisations or locations
Interest in direct admission or flexible learning opportunities
Interestingly, with the competition rising, an increasingly large number of MBA courses in India either accept alternative test scores or offer direct admission based on one's academic performance and interviews.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can we get direct admission in MBA without CAT?
A:
Yes, there are many more MBA entrance exams apart from CAT such as XAT, SNAP, MAT, and so on.
Q: Can I join IIM without CAT?
A:
No, candidates need to appear in the CAT exam in order to join IIM.
Q: Is MBA possible without entrance exam?
A:
Yes, there are some institutions that take students directly into MBA programmes without any entrance exams.
Q: Which college is best MBA without CAT?
A:
SIBM, XLRI, Taxila Business School, ISB, MICA, TAPMI, and IMT are some of the renowned colleges offering MBA admission without a CAT exam.
Q: Is MBA good without a CAT?
A:
Yes, you can get an MBA degree without taking the CAT exam. There are several top business schools which accept admission based on other entrance exams, such as XAT, MAT or even direct admission based on one's academic record and work experience.
Q: Is 70% good in MBA?
A:
Yes, 70% is acceptable for pursuing an MBA degree for admission to top private institutions. It shows that you are academically competent and ready to pursue management training.
The results for the CAT 2025 entrance, which is conducted on November 30, 2025, were declared on December 22, 2025. Candidates can download and see their results on the official IIM CAT website. On the website, click on the "CAT 2025 Result/Scorecard" link to download the result by entering the required details.
The link to the website where you can check the published result is attached herewith. The result will be out soon. You can also check the cutoffs on the website of Careers360.
CAT does not restrict eligibility based on stream. Candidates from commerce, arts, science, engineering or any other background can appear for CAT and apply to MBA programmes offered by IIMs and other top B-schools.
The basic eligibility criteria for CAT are:
You must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university with at least 50 percent marks (45 percent for SC, ST and PwD categories). Final-year graduation students are also eligible to apply.
Being a commerce graduate can actually be an advantage in areas such as accounting, finance, economics and business studies, especially during MBA coursework in finance, marketing and operations.
After qualifying CAT, admission depends on multiple factors including CAT percentile, academic background, work experience (if any), performance in GD, WAT and personal interview rounds. Many IIMs and B-schools follow a diverse academic background policy, which means non-engineering candidates, including commerce graduates, often receive additional weightage.
Apart from IIMs, several reputed institutes such as FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, and many state and private universities also accept CAT scores for MBA admissions.
So, as a commerce graduate, you are fully eligible to appear for CAT and pursue an MBA, provided you meet the minimum academic requirements and perform well in the selection process.
If you want, I can also help you with realistic CAT percentile targets based on your academic profile or suggest suitable MBA colleges.
With a CAT 2025 raw score of 84 and strong sectionals, your expected percentile may fail in the high 98 range , depending on scaling. Your excellent academics and 2 years of work experience strengthen your profile .IIM Lucknow calls are possible but competitive for EWS engineers , while FMS Delhi looks mainly at CAT score and VARC , so you have a reasonable chance there . Final calls depend on cutoffs and composite score.
For a raw score of 56 in CAT 2025 Slot 3, your expected overall percentile is likely to be in the range of the 90th-95th percentile. The exact percentile can vary slightly on the final normalization process and the process and performance of all test-takers. In this
article
you'll find more about the CAT result.
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