Why CAT Is India's Most Powerful MBA Gateway

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India's most competitive and well-known MBA entrance exam. It is held once a year by one of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) on a rotating basis. More than 3.3 lakh people signed up for CAT 2025, and the results were announced in December 2025.

After getting your CAT results, the most important thing to do is to find out which colleges accept your percentile and what each one offers in terms of fees, placement rates, and brand value. This complete guide includes all of the major schools, from the top IIMs and IIT management schools to the best non-IIM B-schools and government colleges. It is organised by percentile tier so you can make smart, informed decisions.

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How CAT Score & Percentile Work for College Admissions

CAT Score vs. CAT Percentile: Key Differences

Many aspirants confuse their raw CAT score with their percentile. Your raw score is the total marks you earn out of the maximum available. Your percentile, however, reflects your performance relative to all other test-takers that year. A 99 percentile does not mean you scored 99%; it means you outperformed 99% of all candidates.

Sectional Cutoffs

A critical point many aspirants overlook is that meeting only the overall percentile cutoff is not enough. Every IIM and top B-school also mandates minimum sectional cutoffs in all three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Failing even one sectional cutoff can disqualify you from a PI call, regardless of a high overall score.

 

Top IIMs Accepting CAT Scores

All 21 Indian Institutes of Management exclusively accept CAT scores for their MBA/PGP admissions. No other entrance exam can substitute CAT at any IIM.

Tier 1: The Old IIMs (IIM BLACKI)

The six original IIMs Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, and Indore represent India's most prestigious management institutions and are universally referred to as BLACKI. For the General category, these institutes typically require 99+ percentile overall.

1. IIM Ahmedabad

Established: 1961 | PGP Fees: Approx. Rs. 25 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 32-35 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 99+ percentile

Widely considered the Harvard of India, IIM Ahmedabad is ranked among India's best MBA institutes. Its PGP selection process is distinctly holistic while the qualifying CAT cutoff has recently been raised to 95 percentile for General candidates, the actual shortlisting considers 10th, 12th, and undergraduate academic performance alongside CAT scores through its Application Rating Score (AR Score) system.

Official Website: https://www.iima.ac.in

2. IIM Bangalore

Established: 1973 | PGP Fees: Approx. Rs. 24 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 30-33 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 99+ percentile

Known for its strong emphasis on holistic development and a diverse cohort, IIM Bangalore has higher sectional cutoffs (80 percentile per section) compared to IIM Ahmedabad. The institute particularly values work experience and gender diversity.

Official Website: https://www.iimb.ac.in

3. IIM Calcutta

Established: 1961 | PGP Fees: Approx. Rs. 26 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 36 LPA (2026 Placements) | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 99+ percentile

IIM Calcutta achieved an impressive average package of Rs. 36 LPA in its 2026 final placements, with 100% placement for its batch. The institute attracted 202 recruiters including 61 new ones.

Official Website: https://www.iimcal.ac.in

4. IIM Lucknow

Established: 1984 | PGP Fees: Approx. Rs. 19 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 28-30 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 97-99 percentile

IIM Lucknow is known for its strong placement record in FMCG and consulting and its Rural Management program.

Official Website: https://www.iiml.ac.in

5. IIM Kozhikode

Established: 1996 | PGP Fees: Approx. Rs. 20 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 25-28 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 95-98 percentile

IIM Kozhikode conducted CAT 2025 and officially announced results on December 24, 2025.

Official Website: https://www.iimk.ac.in

6. IIM Indore

Established: 1996 | PGP Fees: Approx. Rs. 21 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 24-27 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 95-98 percentile

IIM Indore is one of the fastest-improving IIMs and also offers India's only five-year Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) for Class 12 graduates.

Official Website: https://www.iimidr.ac.in

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Tier 2: Second-Generation IIMs

For the second generation IIMs in Shillong, Rohtak, Ranchi, Raipur, Tiruchirappalli, Udaipur, and Kashipur, general category candidates usually need to be in the 90–95 percentile.

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Tier 3: Newer / Baby IIMs

The newest cohort of IIMs including Amritsar, Bodh Gaya, Sirmaur, Sambalpur, Nagpur, Jammu, and Visakhapatnam typically accept 85-92 percentile for General category candidates.

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Top Non-IIM Colleges Accepting CAT Scores

Finding and seriously thinking about top non-IIM B-schools is one of the most underrated parts of preparing for the CAT. Some of these schools offer jobs that are just as good as those at mid-tier IIMs but for a lot less money, or they have specialisations that IIMs don't have.

Government Colleges Accepting CAT Scores

Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi University

City: New Delhi | Annual Fees: Approx. Rs. 21,000 (one of India's cheapest) | Average Package: Rs. 32-36 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 98-99.3 percentile

FMS Delhi is arguably India's best ROI B-school.

Official Website: https://www.fms.edu

Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi

City: New Delhi | MBA Fees: Approx. Rs. 4.5 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 22-26 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 95-98 percentile

Official Website: https://dms.iitd.ac.in

Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), IIT Bombay

City: Mumbai | MBA Fees: Approx. Rs. 9 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 24-28 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 95-98 percentile

Official Website: https://www.som.iitb.ac.in

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Top Private B-Schools Accepting CAT Scores

SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai

City: Mumbai | PGDM Fees: Approx. Rs. 20 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 30-33 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 90+ percentile

Official Website: https://www.spjimr.org

Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon

City: Gurgaon, Haryana | PGPM Fees: Approx. Rs. 22 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 25-28 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 94-97 percentile

Official Website: https://www.mdi.ac.in

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi

City: New Delhi (and Kolkata campus) | MBA IB Fees: Approx. Rs. 16 Lakhs | Average Package: Rs. 22-26 LPA | CAT Cutoff (Gen.): 95-97 percentile

Official Website: https://www.iift.edu

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The IIM Admission Process

Stage 1: CAT Examination

Every year in November, more than 170 cities in India hold the CAT. The test has three parts: VARC, DILR, and QA.

Stage 2: PI/WAT/GD Shortlist

IIMs make their shortlist for the Personal Interview and Written Ability Test (WAT)/ Group Discussion (GD) based on CAT scores, academic records, gender diversity, and work experience.

Stage 3: Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI)

WAT typically involves a 20-30 minute essay writing task on a current affairs or management topic.

Expert Guidance for GD-PI: You need to get ready for the WAT-PI stage in a different way than you do for the CAT exam itself. This is where platforms like CATKing (https://catking.in) have helped hundreds of people turn their IIM calls into final admissions by giving them structured interview preparation, mock PI sessions with IIM alumni, and current events dossiers.

Stage 4: Final Admission & Waitlist

After the PI rounds, the IIMs put out merit lists and waitlists.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How many colleges accept CAT scores in India?

More than 1,200 MBA colleges in India will accept CAT scores for their MBA and PGDM programs.

Q2. What is the minimum CAT percentile required for a good MBA college?

The best IIMs need students to be in the 99th percentile or higher, but many good B-schools will accept students in the 70th to 85th percentile.

Q3. Can I get into an IIM with 90 percentile?

If you get a 90 percentile, you can apply to newer IIMs, also known as "Baby IIMs."

Q4. Which is the best college accepting CAT scores for low fees?

FMS Delhi offers MBA education at approximately Rs. 42,000 in total fees with placements averaging Rs. 33 LPA.

Q5. Does XLRI accept CAT scores?

XLRI Jamshedpur's main entrance exam for its top BM and HRM programs is the XAT.

Q6. Is CAT score valid for more than one year?

No. CAT scores are only good for one admissions cycle.

Q7. What is the difference between MBA and PGDM? Are both accepted at CAT colleges?

Universities give out the MBA degree, while independent schools like IIMs give out the PGDM degree. Both are widely accepted.