Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Scores 2025 with Low Fees and High Placements in India

Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Scores 2025 with Low Fees and High Placements in India

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Team Careers360Updated on 31 Oct 2025, 12:58 PM IST
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The pursuit of an MBA can significantly enhance career prospects, but the financial burden of tuition fees can be daunting. Fortunately, many reputable colleges in India accept the Common Admission Test (CAT) scores and offer MBA programs at relatively low fees. This article provides a detailed overview of some of the top colleges that fit this criterion, highlighting their fee structures, expected CAT percentiles for admission, average placement packages, and other relevant details.

LiveCAT 2025 Admit Card (Out) LIVE: IIM MBA mock test link active; download hall ticket at iimcat.ac.inNov 12, 2025 | 8:17 PM IST

CAT 2025 | The last 5 years' trends for average, median, and highest salary packages secured by PGP students of IIM Ahmedabad are as follows. 

Batch / Year

Highest package

Median Package

Average Package

2023

Rs 1,14,19,300

Rs 31,58,720

Rs 34,45,386

2022

Rs 61,48,640

Rs 31,49,910

Rs 32,79,923





2021

Rs 55,00,000

Rs 27,60,000

Rs 27,54,721

2020

Rs 55,88,000

Rs 25,00,003

Rs 26,12,600

2019

Rs 70,00,000

Rs 24,00,000

Rs 25,83,126

Read More
Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Scores 2025 with Low Fees and High Placements in India
Top Colleges with Low Fees Accepting CAT Scores

Understanding CAT and Its Importance

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to various management programs in India, primarily at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). The exam assesses candidates on quantitative ability, verbal ability, and logical reasoning. A high CAT score can open doors to prestigious institutions; however, many colleges also accept lower scores, making them accessible to a wider range of students.

Top Colleges with Low Fees Accepting CAT Scores

1. Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi University

  • Program Fees: Rs. 2 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 95+
  • Average Placement Package: ₹23.2 LPA
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FMS is one of the premier management institutes in India, known for its rigorous academic curriculum and excellent placement record. The low fee structure combined with high average salary packages makes it highly sought after. Companies like Goldman Sachs, Hindustan Unilever, and IBM actively recruit from FMS.

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2. Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai

  • Program Fees: Rs. 6 Lakhs -7 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 85+
  • Average Placement Package: ₹6.43 LPA
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JBIMS is affiliated with the University of Mumbai and offers a strong alumni network and industry connections. The college's focus on practical learning ensures that students are well-prepared for the corporate world.

3. Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE), Hyderabad

  • Program Fees: Rs. 4,55,000
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 60-70
  • Average Placement Package: ₹8 LPA

IPE focuses on developing managerial skills through practical exposure and has strong ties with public sector enterprises, making it a great choice for students interested in this sector.

4. Christ University, Bengaluru

  • Program Fees: Rs. 5.80 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 80+
  • Average Placement Package: ₹9.12 LPA

Christ University is known for its holistic approach to education and offers various specialisations in its MBA program. The university has a vibrant campus life and strong placement support from top companies like Accenture and Deloitte.

5. KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai

  • Program Fees: Rs. 21.3 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 75-80
  • Average Placement Package: ₹12 LPA

KJ Somaiya is recognised for its robust curriculum and industry-oriented programs that prepare students well for the corporate environment.

6. Goa Institute of Management (GIM)

  • Programme Fees: Rs. 18.31 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 80-85
  • Average Placement Package: ₹14.87 LPA

GIM emphasises ethical leadership and social responsibility while providing a strong foundation in management principles.

7. Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bangalore

  • Programme Fees: Rs. 12.90 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 75-80
  • Average Placement Package: ₹10.23 LPA

XIME focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation, preparing students to tackle real-world business challenges effectively.

8. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani

  • Programme Fees: Approximately between Rs. 4.5 Lakh to Rs. 12.69 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: Varies by program
  • Average Placement Package: Varies by program

BITS Pilani is well-respected for its engineering programs but also offers quality management education with a focus on technology management.

9. Doon Business School (DBS), Dehradun

  • Programme Fees: Between Rs. 5.81 Lakhs to Rs. 13.9 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 70+
  • Average Placement Package: ₹8.15 LPA

DBS emphasizes experiential learning and has a diverse student body that enhances the learning experience through various perspectives.

10. Sairam Institute of Management Studies (SIMS), Chennai

  • Programme Fees: Rs. 5 Lakhs
  • Expected CAT Percentile: 70+
  • Average Placement Package: ₹3 LPA

SIMS offers affordable MBA programs focusing on developing leadership skills among students while being affiliated with Anna University.

11. Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University (IMS BHU)

  • Programme Fees: Approximately Rs. 50,000
  • Expected CAT Percentile: Varies
  • Average Placement Package: Varies

IMS BHU provides a well-rounded MBA program with a focus on holistic development, making it an attractive option for students looking for affordable education.

CAT Colleges with Best placement: What is CAT Exam?

CAT (Common Admission Test) is a computer-based national-level test which is conducted every year by IIMs. This is a qualifying exam to get shortlisted for the IIMs and other Top B-Schools. All the top management schools, like IIMs and non-IIMs, have their cut-offs, and students who are selected have to undergo other rounds of tests, which include the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). However, the cut offs for IIM and non IIM B-Schools depends each year and institutions.

CAT Colleges with Best placement: Importance of CAT in MBA Programs

Though prominent IIMs only accept the CAT scores, candidates can get into other B-Schools apart from IIMs without clearing CAT. There are several other ways to get into an MBA course without appearing for the CAT examination. They can get into the B-Schools either by direct admission or by clearing other admission tests. Clearing CAT or Commons Admission Test is regarded as one of the much talked about processes to get into the B-Schools for the MBA or PGDM courses. Getting into IIMs after clearing CAT not only enhances the chances to procure a good salary but at the same time when one clears CAT, the acceptance in institutions like IIMs also widens the network opportunity for a candidate. While not clearing CAT does not hamper the candidates chance to have an MBA degree, clearing CAT heightens the careers prospects in the longer term.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Which IIM has the lowest fees?
A:

IIM Sirmaur and IIM Bodh Gaya offer the cheapest MBA programme, starting at Rs 16 lakh. 

Q: Is 70 a good score in CAT?
A:

A 70 percentile in the Common Admission Test (CAT) is considered a moderate score, and candidates can apply to Tier-2 and Tier-3. But it is not enough for the top-tier management institutes. 

Q: Is a CAT easy to crack?
A:

Like any other competitive examination CAT is not a very easy exam to crack. However with dedication and proper guidance and training as well as preparations one can crack it.

Q: What is the highest package in IIM?
A:

The highest package in IIM varies from IIMs to IIMs and depending on the courses . However the couple of years witnessed the highest package going more than 100LPA in some of the IIMS. 

Q: Is there 100% placement after an MBA?
A:

Yes, according to the official brochures there has been 100% placement in some of the institutions after an MBA.

Q: Does IIT accept CAT score?
A:

Yes, the Indian Institutes of Technologies (IIT) accept CAT scores for admission in MBA programs. 

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

Hi there,

You have to apply separately for each symbiosis college, like SIBM Pune, as they as not automatically included. The CAT form automatically includes many IIMs, but the SNAP exam is a separate test that is given for admission to Symbiosis Institute, which requires its own separate application and fee.

Hope it helps!!!

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Hello,

To get admitted to the Institute of Management Studies (IMS), BHU, for an MBA in 2026, you must clear the CAT entrance exam. For that you need to fill out the application form of the CAT in August 2026, which you can get on the Official CAT website

I hope it will clear your query!!

Hello

You can get all the papers on the Careers360 website. To access the paper and download it for practice, just visit here:

https://design.careers360.com/articles/nift-cat-2024-question-paper-with-solutions

Hope it will help you!!

Hello dear candidate,

Yes, you have a very good chance of getting a BPT seat with 488 out of 600 and TS EAMCET rank of 14,000 under the ST category.

As the cut off of BPT for ST category students are generally between 25,000 to 45,000 ranks, depending upon the college and you have TS EAMCET rank of 14,000.

Thank you.