Low Percentile in CAT? Best Colleges for Direct MBA Admission.

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📌 First, let’s understand what a CAT exam is and its importance

The CAT is a national-level exam that is highly competitive. Most of the top and leading management colleges will accept this exam, and it is given higher priority. The CAT exam is designed to assess a candidate’s knowledge in areas like quantitative ability, verbal ability, and logical reasoning. Securing higher CAT scores will significantly increase the chances of getting shortlisted for admission to some of the top management colleges. The CAT selection process includes group discussions (GD), written ability tests (WAT), and personal interviews (PI) rounds.

Low Percentile in CAT? Best Colleges for Direct MBA Admission.

📈 What do you do if you have a low CAT Score in 2025?

There is no need to lose all hope if candidates have a low score in the CAT exam. Here are some of the alternatives to the CAT exam for MBA admissions discussed in brief for better understanding:

1. Appear for other entrance exams:

Several top B-schools accept scores from other entrance exams apart from CAT. Some of them are GMAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT/ATMA, etc. The pattern and format of these examinations may differ from CAT. Candidates can opt for these exams based on their interests and suitability.

XAT: This is conducted by XLRI. Many institutes accept valid XAT scores. After understanding the pattern and type of exam, candidates can opt for it if it suits their interests.

GMAT: This is a widely accepted entrance exam for MBA admissions at top institutes. It is especially accepted by top B-schools or international management institutes. This exam is very flexible as it will be held multiple times in a year.

MAT and CMAT: One of the best alternatives to CAT would be MAT or CMAT. These are moderate in their difficulty level as compared to CAT. Also, it is commonly accepted by many reputed and recognized management institutes.

2. Prepare for Institute-level Entrance Exams:

Other than national-level examinations, candidates can also prepare for entrance exams that will be conducted at the university level. Even these scores will help the candidates secure admission to reputed B-schools. Some of them are SNAP, NMAT, IIFT, etc.

1️⃣ NMAT: This is for MBA admissions to NMIMS. The exam will be conducted three times within the given time frame.

2️⃣ SNAP: is an entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International University. It is accepted by various of management institutes.

3️⃣ IIFT: The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade will conduct this entrance exam to provide MBA admissions.

Note: Many other universities conduct their entrance exams to provide admission.

3. Direct Admission

Direct admission is a process where a student can secure a spot in a college or university without going through competitive entrance exams, based on academic merit, such as GPA, high school performance, or other criteria. This can provide advantages like avoiding stressful exams and securing a place early, but it may also limit opportunities compared to traditional, more holistic application processes. Availability varies by institution and program, with common routes including management quota, institute-level counselling, or specific eligibility criteria being met.

Finding details regarding Best Colleges for Direct MBA Admission. Contact Ace Guru Education Services or Visit our Website- management-quota.com or you can send us email at – queries@ace-guru.com Call @ 9742479101 Ankit Mishra, and 9742886036 Anis.

🔑 Key Factors for Direct Admission

Individual Selection Process: Some colleges have their own entrance exams or direct selection processes.

🧩 Management Quota: Certain colleges set aside seats for direct admission based on management quota, which may have different criteria from general admission.

🧩 Work Experience: A strong professional background and work experience can significantly improve your chances of direct admission.

🧩 Profile-Based Admission: Colleges may evaluate candidates based on their academic and extracurricular profiles.

🧩 Location: Some colleges might have a limited number of direct admission seats or a different admission process depending on the location of the campus.

⚙️How it works

Key Point	Description
Based on merit	Admission is granted based on academic records such as GPA, class rank, or standardized test scores rather than performance on a single entrance exam.
Alternative pathways	Often used by private colleges and some public programs, may be offered through management quota, NRI quota, or institute-level counselling.
Faster and less selective	In some cases, the process is quicker and less selective, with decisions made using simpler criteria.
Not universally available	Not applicable to all courses; availability and eligibility criteria vary across institutions and programs.

⭐ Advantages

Benefit	Description
Avoids entrance exams	Students do not have to take entrance exams like JEE, NEET, or CUET, which reduces stress and saves time.
Secures a place early	Allows students to secure their college placement early in the process, providing relief and clarity.
Reduces barriers	Direct admission removes certain barriers to higher education, making it accessible for students who face challenges in traditional processes.

🌟 CAT 2025 cutoff for Non-IIMs (Expected)

A list of non-IIMs accepting the CAT 2025 score is mentioned below. The CAT 2025 cutoff for non-IIM ranges from 70-99 and more.

Non-IIMs Accepted CAT 2025 score	CAT Cutoff 2025 (Expected)
SPJIMR CAT 2025 cut off	95
FMS Delhi CAT cut off 2025	99+
IMT Ghaziabad CAT 2025 cut off	90+
MDI Gurgaon CAT cut off 2025	93+
KJ Somaiya CAT cut off 2025	85+
IMI Delhi CAT cut off 2025	88-90
Great Lakes Institute of Management CAT cut off 2025	85-95
BIMTECH CAT 2025 cut off	75-80
GIM Goa CAT cut off 2025	90
IIT Kanpur CAT 2025 cut off	94
SOIL Institute Gurgaon CAT 2025 cut off	75-80
T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) CAT cut off 2025	90+
XIM Bhubaneshwar CAT 2025 cut off	91
XIME Bangalore CAT cut off 2025	75-82
IIT Delhi CAT cut off 2025	98
Fore School of Management CAT cut off 2025	85
BHU Varanasi CAT cut off 2025	85
Jamnalal Bajaj CAT 2025 cut off	92-95
ABBS Bangalore CAT 2025 cut off	70
IMS Ghaziabad CAT 2025 cut off	75-80
GITAM Visakhapatnam CAT 2025 cut off	70
VIT Vellore CAT 2025 cut off	70-75
Loyola Institute of Business Management (LIBA) CAT cut off 2025	80
Christ University CAT 2025 cut off	80-85

📖 Table of Contents

Best MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 60-70 Percentile
Best MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 50-60 Percentile
MBA Colleges use Other Parameters in Admission along with CAT Scores

1. MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score: Cut-off Percentile

MBA colleges accepting CAT percentile in the range of 60-70 have a moderate fee structure and good placements. These colleges have deliberately kept the CAT cut off moderate as they award greater weightage to the profile of the applicants than only to the CAT percentile. The list of some of the prominent MBA colleges is shared below:

B-School	Program Fee (in Lakhs)	Avg. Placement (in lakhs)
ICFAI Business School (IBS) Hyderabad	Rs. 17.01 lakhs	Rs. 9.71 LPA
SDMIMD Mysuru	Rs. 12.70 lakhs	Rs. 10.00 LPA
FLAME University Pune	Rs. 14.40 lakhs	Rs. 11.00 LPA
Amrita Bangalore	Rs. 12.00 lakhs	Rs. 10.56 LPA
Welingkar Bangalore	Rs. 14.00 lakhs	Rs. 10.36 LPA
NIA Pune	Rs. 11.00 lakhs	Rs. 12.30 LPA
XIME Chennai	Rs. 12.50 lakhs	Rs. 8.97 LPA
NDIM New Delhi	Rs. 11.50 lakhs	Rs. 7.00 LPA
FIIB New Delhi	Rs. 11.55 lakhs	Rs. 8.50 LPA
IMT Hyderabad	Rs. 14.27 lakhs	Rs. 12.00 LPA
Jaipuria Institute of Management Jaipur	Rs. 13.75 lakhs	Rs. 11.29 LPA
IPE Hyderabad: Institute of Public Enterprise	Rs. 8.00 lakhs	Rs. 7.02 LPA
Jaipuria School of Business Ghaziabad	Rs. 8.20 lakhs	Rs. 7.50 LPA
Delhi School of Business Delhi	Rs. 9.75 lakhs	–
Jaipuria Institute of Management Indore	Rs. 12.75 lakhs	Rs. 11.29 LPA
Apeejay School Of Management	Rs. 9.35 lakhs	Rs. 7.45 LPA
SSN School of Management Chennai	Rs. 7.00 lakhs	Rs. 6.84 LPA
NSB Bangalore	Rs. 9.10 Lakhs	Rs. 7.10 LPA
IMS Unison University Dehradun	Rs. 5.87 Lakhs	Rs. 6.00 LPA
SCMS Cochin School of Business	Rs. 7.95 Lakhs	Rs. 7.80 LPA

2. Best MBA Colleges Accepting CAT Score 50-60 Percentile

MBA colleges accepting CAT percentile in the range of 50-60 have a moderate fee structure and good placements. These colleges have deliberately kept the CAT cut-off moderate as they award greater weightage to the profile of the applicants than only to the CAT percentile. The list of some of the prominent MBA colleges is shared below:

B-School	Program Fee (in Lakhs)	Avg. Placement (in lakhs)
Jaypee Business School Noida	Rs. 8.50 Lakhs	Rs. 7.39 LPA
St. Wilfred’s College of Management School	Rs. 7.90 Lakhs	Rs. 7.00 LPA
Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Hyderabad	Rs. 8.97 Lakhs	Rs. 6.98 LPA
GNIOT Institute of Management Studies, Greater Noida	Rs. 8.37 Lakhs	Rs. 6.50 LPA
IMS Unison University Dehradun	Rs. 5.87 Lakh	Rs. 6.00 LPA
Globsyn Business School, Kolkata	Rs. 7.80 Lakhs	Rs. 7.39 LPA
RV Institute of Management	Rs. 11.50 Lakhs	Rs. 6.80 LPA
AIMS School of Business, Bangalore	Rs. 9.06 Lakhs	Rs. 8.00 LPA

3. MBA Colleges Use Other Parameters in Admission along with CAT Scores

MBA colleges accepting 50 to 60 percentiles in CAT 2024 have relaxed the weightage for CAT score in the final selection process and have increased the weightage on other parameters. So while zeroing in on the MBA college with your CAT percentile, please remember that the following components also play an important role in securing a final admission offer:

🟡 Your Academic Profile: 90 percent & above marks from class 10 onwards can get you a weightage of 20-30 percent

🟡 Work Experience: A weightage of 5 to 10 percent is awarded for relevant work experience of 2-3 years, in the final selection process

🟡 Non-Engineering Background: Academic diversity also helps you to get an additional weightage of 2 to 5 percent in getting a final admission offer

🟡 Gender Diversity: If you are a female, all the top MBA colleges will award you a weightage between 3 and 5 percent over and above other parameters in the final admission process.

All the above components can help you to get MBA admission in a top B-school, even if your CAT score is below the actual cut-off.

🔍 What is the admission process for MBA colleges that accept low CAT scores?

Candidates must register for the CAT exam using the official website. They need not worry about the results even before taking the exam.
After the results are out, candidates must visit the college website and get the login credentials to apply.
Candidates can apply for preferred colleges from higher priority to lower one.
Here, the applicants are required to enter all the necessary information, along with the documentation needed for verification.
The process will be completed only after the form fees are paid. The mode of payment can be accepted online or offline, as specified by the colleges.
After the verification process is done, the shortlisted candidates will begin to get call letters from their preferred universities, which also consider their CAT scores.
Further, they are required to attend counselling rounds and pay the fees within the given period.

🔏 Wrap-up

Scoring between 50–60 percentiles in CAT 2025 may not secure admission into IIMs, but it definitely does not close the door to quality MBA education. Many well-established Tier-2 and Tier-3 institutes accept students within this range and offer valuable programs with good ROI, practical learning, and strong industry connections. With the proper research and focus on factors like recognition, specialisation, placements, and affordability, aspirants can still build a rewarding management career. Stay motivated, assess your options wisely, and take confident steps toward your MBA journey.

🏷️ Also Read:

Low Percentile in CAT? Best Colleges for Direct MBA Admission