Top Colleges Through CAT Exam

Over 2 lakh candidates appear for the CAT exam every year.  It is India’s top MBA entrance test. The exam opens doors to 21 IIMs and 1000+ B-schools.  Top colleges consider high percentiles for MBA admission. For example, IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta usually need 85-95+%ile.

But here’s the best part. A good MBA is not just from IIMs anymore. Colleges like FMS Delhi and SPJIMR offer strong ROI with lower fees. Read ahead to know the top colleges through the CAT exam. It covers the cutoffs, fees, and placements of top CAT colleges. 

Top Colleges Through CAT 2026

Some of the top colleges through CAT 2026 are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, FMS Delhi, etc. Here are the top colleges you can target through CAT:

College	CAT Cutoffs (Approx, Expected)	Fees	Average Package
IIM Ahmedabad	95+	INR 27 Lakhs+	INR 35.22 LPA
IIM Bangalore	85+	INR 26 Lakhs+	INR 34.88 LPA
IIM Calcutta	≥85	INR 27 Lakhs+	–
IIM Kozhikode	85+	INR 23 Lakhs+	INR 28.18 LPA
IIM Lucknow	90+	INR 20 Lakhs+	INR 32.3 LPA
SPJIMR, Mumbai	85+	INR 25 Lakhs+	INR 32 LPA
FMS Delhi	98+	INR 2.32 Lakhs+	INR 30.1 LPA
MDI Gurgaon	95+	INR 25 Lakhs+	INR 25.6 LPA

CAT Cutoff for Top MBA Colleges

IIM typically releases the CAT cutoff percentile to shortlist candidates for further admission process. It is released category-wise and subject-wise. Those who clear this cutoff will only be invited for WAT-GD-PI stages. The CAT Cutoffs for top MBA colleges in India are:

CAT Exam Cutoff for IIMs

IIM	GEN	EWS	OBC	SC	ST
IIM Ahmedabad	95+	95+	90+	85+	75+
IIM Bangalore	85+	75+	75+	70+	65+
IIM Trichy	90	75	75	50	30
IIM Calcutta	≥85	≥75	≥75	≥70	≥65
IIM Lucknow	90+	82+	82+	65+	60+
IIM Vishakhapatnam	82+	72+	72+	50+	40+
IIM Kozhikode	85+	75+	75+	65+	55+
IIM Mumbai	85+	75+	75+	70+	65+
IIM Rohtak	97+	93+	83+	60+	50+
IIM Amritsar	90+	90+	80+	55+	40+
IIM Kashipur	90	75	75	50	30
IIM Indore	90+	90+	80+	60+	45+
IIM Sirmaur	95	81	81	66	42
IIM Udaipur	94	81	81	66	42
IIM Raipur	90	75	75	50	30
IIM Bodhgaya	95	81	81	66	42
IIM Ranchi	90	75	75	50	30
IIM Sambalpur	90+	80+	75+	55+	40+
IIM Nagpur	95	85	85	65	40

CAT Exam Cutoff for Non-IIMs

Institute	CAT Cutoff Expected)
JBIMS Mumbai	97-98+
MDI Gurgaon	95+
IIT Kharagpur	90+
SPJIMR	85+
IMT Ghaziabad	71-72+
FMS	97-98+

Admission Process Through CAT

The admission process of top colleges through the CAT is simple. However, it varies from institute to institute. But it is mandatory to appear in the CAT exam to be eligible for admission.  The CAT admission process has multiple stages. This includes:

1. Register and Appear for the CAT Exam
2. Apply to colleges
3. Get shortlisted based on the CAT scores and other factors.
4. Appear in WAT/GD/PI rounds
5. Final admission

IIM Selection Criteria Through CAT

The IIM selection criteria involve various factors. CAT score is not the sole factor. IIMs shortlist candidates based on their CAT scores. But the final selection depends on composite scores. The composite score includes the following factors:

• CAT scores
• 10th Marks
• 12th Marks
• Graduation Score
• Work experience, if any
• Gender Diversity
• Academic Diversity
• WAT-GD-PI performance, etc

Eligibility Criteria for CAT Colleges

Candidates should fulfil all the eligibility criteria before applying for admission to CAT colleges. If they are found ineligible at any stage, they will be disqualified. Each institute has its own set of eligibility requirements. Check the overview of eligibility criteria for CAT colleges:

• Bachelor’s Degree from any recognised University.
• Must secure at least 50% marks (45% marks for the reserved category) in a bachelor’s degree.
• Final-year students can apply
• Must have appeared in the CAT exam.

Courses Offered by Top Colleges Through CAT

The CAT exam is for admission to postgraduate management programs. The MBA course duration is 2 years. This includes MBA, PGP, PGDM, etc. Candidates must check the official website to know about the management programs. Here is the list of courses offered through CAT in IIM colleges shared below:

Institutes	Programmes	Website Addresses
IIM Ahmedabad	PGP, PGP-FABM	www.iima.ac.in
IIM Amritsar	MBA, MBA-Business Analytics, MBA-HRM	www.iimamritsar.ac.in
IIM Bangalore	PGP, PGPEM, PGPPM	www.iimb.ac.in
IIM Bodh Gaya	MBA	www.iimbg.ac.in
IIM Calcutta	MBA	www.iimcal.ac.in
IIM Indore	PGP	www.iimidr.ac.in
IIM Jammu	MBA	www.iimj.ac.in
IIM Kashipur	MBA	www.iimkashipur.ac.in
IIM Kozhikode	PGP	www.iimk.ac.in
IIM Lucknow	MBA	www.iiml.ac.in
IIM Mumbai	MBA	www.iimmumbai.ac.in
IIM Nagpur	MBA	www.iimnagpur.ac.in
IIM Raipur	MBA	www.iimraipur.ac.in
IIM Ranchi	MBA	www.iimranchi.ac.in
IIM Rohtak	PGP	www.iimrohtak.ac.in
IIM Sambalpur	MBA	www.iimsambalpur.ac.in
IIM Shillong	PGP	www.iimshillong.ac.in
IIM Sirmaur	MBA	www.iimsirmaur.ac.in
IIM Tiruchirappalli	PGPM (MBA)	www.iimtrichy.ac.in
IIM Udaipur	MBA	www.iimu.ac.in
IIM Visakhapatnam	PGP	www.iimv.ac.in

Fees of Top Colleges through CAT

Candidates should be aware of the fees of the top MBA colleges accepting CAT. This helps select an institute that suits their budget. Knowing the fees early gives them time to explore education loans and scholarship options. The fees of top colleges accepting the CAT score are around INR 25 Lakh+. The program duration is 2 years. Here are the fees of the top colleges accepting CAT scores below:

College	Fees
IIM Ahmedabad	INR 27 Lakhs+
IIM Bangalore	INR 26 Lakhs+
IIM Calcutta	INR 27 Lakhs+
IIM Kozhikode	INR 23 Lakhs+
IIM Lucknow	INR 20 Lakhs+
SPJIMR, Mumbai	INR 25 Lakhs+
FMS Delhi	INR 2.32 Lakhs+
MDI Gurgaon	INR 25 Lakhs+

Placement Statistics of Top CAT Colleges

Placement data plays a crucial role. It provides insights into the institute’s brand value and industry links. It helps them understand which colleges offer better ROI and decide accordingly. Here is the average package by top MBA colleges during placements:

College	Average Package
IIM Ahmedabad	INR 35.22 LPA
IIM Bangalore	INR 34.88 LPA
IIM Calcutta	–
IIM Kozhikode	INR 28.18 LPA
IIM Lucknow	INR 32.3 LPA
SPJIMR, Mumbai	INR 32 LPA
FMS Delhi	INR 30.1 LPA
MDI Gurgaon	INR 25.6 LPA

Colleges Accepting CAT Scores Below 90 Percentile

There is a plethora of colleges accepting a CAT score below 90 percentile. Some of them are listed below:

• KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research
• FORE School of Management, Delhi
• Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA)
• Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Hyderabad
• Indian Management Institute (IMI), New Delhi
• Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur
• University Business School, Chandigarh
• Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa
• Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM)
• Jaipuria Institute of Management
• Institute of Management Studies (IMS), Noida
• Amity University, Noida, etc

Conclusion

Choosing the right MBA college can shape your career. The options are numerous. But you must consider your budget, interest, and other preferences. Most students struggle with CAT preparation, shortlisting colleges or understanding cutoffs. That’s where the right guidance helps.

MBA Karo helps you at every step. They offer structured CAT courses, mentorship, mocks, doubt-solving, etc. Are you serious about getting into a top MBA college? Don’t prepare randomly. Prepare smart. Join MBA Karo’s CAT course and get one step closer to your dream B-school.