Common Admission Test (CAT) is the most reputed exam in India that has been the entrance examination that has been the passport to the entry of most Business schools around India. Having more than 1000+ colleges accepting CAT scores as an MBA admission, it is important to have knowledge about the CAT colleges as per your percentile and career preferences to make right and wrong decisions. This is your ultimate guide to read about the best colleges accepting CAT scores, their cut off ranges, fees and admission requirements to understand how to complete your MBA studies. Be it the list of top CAT colleges in India or the full list of CAT colleges, this is the only guide one would require in the process of getting over with CAT colleges fees to the requirements of CAT exam colleges.
Understanding CAT Cutoffs: Score vs. Percentile
It is important to find out how CAT cutoffs operate before plunging into the discussion about particular colleges under CAT. The scores that are reflected in CAT are in the form of percentile and not raw scores. In the case of CAT exam colleges, there is a tendency of having a cut-off of 97-99+ in old IIMs and in the top CAT colleges. In case of new and baby IIMs the cut offs will be 85-99+.
The percentile shows how you got along with the rest. Just as an example the 99 percentile implies that you ranked higher than 99 percent of all the candidates. In the colleges where CAT score is accepted, you need to beat a reasonable overall and sectional CAT cut off so that you can reach WAT-PI round.
IIM Colleges Accepting CAT Scores
All 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) accept CAT scores as their primary admission criteria. Here’s a breakdown of IIM categories and their typical cutoff ranges:
Top-Tier IIMs (Old IIMs)
| IIM | Location | General Category Cutoff | OBC Cutoff | SC/ST Cutoff |
| IIM Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad | 80+ | 75+ | 70+ |
| IIM Bangalore | Bangalore | 85+ | 75+ | 70+ |
| IIM Calcutta | Kolkata | 75+ | 75+ | 60+ |
| IIM Lucknow | Lucknow | 90+ | 82+ | 65+ |
| IIM Kozhikode | Kozhikode | 85+ | 75+ | 65+ |
| IIM Indore | Indore | 90+ | 80+ | 60+ |
New IIMs
| IIM | Location | General Category Cutoff | OBC Cutoff | SC/ST Cutoff |
| IIM Rohtak | Rohtak | 94+ (estimate) | 83+ | 60+ |
| IIM Raipur | Raipur | 94+ (estimate) | 81+ | 65+ |
| IIM Ranchi | Ranchi | 94+ | 81+ | 66+ |
| IIM Trichy | Trichy | 94+ | 81+ | 66+ |
| IIM Udaipur | Udaipur | 94+ | 81+ | 66+ |
Top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta require 99+ percentiles, making them highly competitive, while newer IIMs offer excellent opportunities with relatively lower cutoffs.
Top Non-IIM Government Colleges
Several prestigious government institutions outside the IIM network also accept CAT scores:
| College | Location | General Category Cutoff | Program |
| FMS Delhi | New Delhi | 99+ | MBA |
| SP Jain Institute of Management and Research | Mumbai | 85+ | MBA |
| IIT Delhi (DoMS) | New Delhi | 90+ | MBA |
| IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) | Mumbai | 90+ | MBA |
| IIT Kanpur | Kanpur | 80+ | MBA |
| IIT Madras | Chennai | 96+ | MBA |
| IIT Roorkee | Roorkee | 90-96+ (range) | MBA |
| IIT Kharagpur | Kharagpur | 90+ | MBA |
| IIT Guwahati | Guwahati | 70+ | MBA |
CAT 2023 scores are also accepted by 8 IITs to offer admission to MBA/ PGDM programmes. These institutions offer excellent ROI with lower fees compared to IIMs.
Top Private MBA Colleges Accepting CAT
Top ranked B-Schools such as FMS, SPJIMR, MDI, IITs, IIFT, GIM, GLIM, LIBA, GIM and many more accept CAT scores for admission.
| College | Location | General Category Cutoff | Program |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | Mumbai | 99+ | PGDM |
| MDI Gurgaon | Gurgaon | 95+ | PGDM |
| IIFT Delhi | New Delhi | 94+ | MBA |
| GIM Goa | Goa | 90+ | PGDM |
| IMT Ghaziabad | Ghaziabad | 90+ | PGDM |
| GLIM Chennai | Chennai | 85+ | PGDM |
CAT Percentile-Wise Colleges in India 2024
Understanding CAT colleges based on percentile requirements helps candidates create a strategic college list. Here’s a detailed breakdown of colleges accepting CAT score across different percentile ranges:
CAT Colleges with 99 Percentile and Above
These top CAT colleges in India represent the pinnacle of management education:
- IIM Ahmedabad
- IIM Bangalore
- IIM Calcutta
- FMS Delhi
- IIM Lucknow
- IIM Indore
- IIM Kozhikode
- SPJIMR Mumbai
- IIM Mumbai
- IIT Delhi (DoMS)
CAT Colleges with 94 Percentile and Above
These CAT exam colleges offer excellent opportunities with slightly lower cutoffs:
- IIM Udaipur
- IIM Trichy
- IIM Jammu
- IIM Raipur
- TISS Mumbai
- IIM Kashipur
- IIT Bombay (SJMSOM)
- IIM Rohtak
- Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi
- IIM Shillong
- MDI Gurgaon
- IIM Ranchi
- IIT Kanpur
CAT Colleges with 90 Percentile and Above
These colleges under CAT provide strong placement records and industry connections:
- BITS School of Management (BITSoM), Mumbai
- IMT Ghaziabad
- MICA, Ahmedabad
- TAPMI, Manipal
- Delhi School of Economics (DSE)
- IIM Amritsar
- IIM Visakhapatnam
CAT Colleges with 85 Percentile and Above
Good options for CAT 70 percentile colleges and above:
- GIM Goa
- KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research
- IMT Hyderabad
- IMI, New Delhi
- Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA)
- GLIM Chennai & Gurgaon
- IMT Nagpur
- University Business School, Chandigarh
CAT Colleges with 80 Percentile and Above
These colleges accepting CAT score offer value education:
- Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research
- Jaipuria Institute of Management
- LBSIM (Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management)
- Management Development Institute (MDI) Murshidabad
- IIFT Kakinada
- IFMR, Chennai
- Amity University, Noida
- Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
CAT Colleges with 70 Percentile and Above
Entry-level CAT colleges list for moderate scorers:
- Acharya Institute of Technology
- AIMS Institute of Management Studies
- DSI (Dayananda Sagar Institutions)
- Amity Business School
- GIBS Business School
- ICFAI Business School (IBS)
- Manipal University
What is a Good CAT Score?
A good CAT score depends on your target colleges under CAT and category. For CAT exam colleges, here’s what constitutes a good score:
- 99+ percentile: Excellent for top CAT colleges like IIM ABC
- 95-99 percentile: Good for new IIMs and top CAT colleges
- 85-95 percentile: Suitable for tier-2 colleges accepting CAT score
- 70-85 percentile: Acceptable for regional CAT colleges
The CAT exam pass percentage varies by college, with top institutions accepting less than 1% of candidates.
CAT Score Validity
For how many years is the CAT score valid? CAT scores are typically valid for one year from the date of result declaration. This means you can use your CAT 2024 score for MBA admissions in 2025. However, some colleges accepting CAT scores may accept previous year scores during supplementary rounds.
Do All IIMs Have Sectional Cutoffs?
Yes, all IIMs implementing the CAT exam have sectional cutoffs. These top CAT colleges require minimum percentiles in each section (Quantitative Ability, Verbal Ability, and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning) along with overall cutoffs.
Top MBA Colleges Without CAT Sectional Cut offs
While most colleges accepting CAT score have sectional cutoffs, some CAT colleges focus primarily on overall percentile:
- Some tier-2 private colleges consider overall CAT percentile
- Regional management institutes may waive sectional requirements
- Specific quota admissions in certain colleges under CAT
Factors Affecting the CAT Exam Percentile
Several factors influence your CAT exam percentile and admission to CAT colleges:
- Number of test-takers – More candidates mean higher competition
- Difficulty level – Affects overall percentile distribution
- Sectional performance – Important for colleges accepting CAT score
- Normalization process – Ensures fairness across different slots
- CAT exam pass percentage – Typically around 1-2% for top colleges
Private CAT Colleges List Accepting CAT Score 2025
Top private institutions in the CAT colleges list:
- SPJIMR Mumbai – Premier private college
- MDI Gurgaon – Excellent placement record
- GIM Goa – Unique location advantage
- IMT Ghaziabad – Industry connections
- GLIM Chennai – South India’s top choice
Top Government Colleges Accepting CAT Score 2025
Government colleges under CAT with affordable fees:
- FMS Delhi – Lowest fees among top colleges
- All IIMs – Government-funded institutions
- IITs offering MBA – Technical management focus
- State government colleges – Regional opportunities
- University departments – Affiliated with central universities
MBA College Without CAT Exam 2025
For those seeking alternatives to CAT colleges, several options exist:
- SNAP accepting colleges – Symbiosis group institutions
- XAT accepting colleges – XLRI and associates
- NMAT accepting colleges – NMIMS and others
- MAT accepting colleges – Numerous private institutions
- CMAT accepting colleges – State and private colleges
- GMAT accepting colleges – International programs
List of IITs Accepting CAT Exam Scores
Eight IITs are part of the CAT colleges list:
- IIT Delhi (DoMS)
- IIT Bombay (SJMSOM)
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Madras
- IIT Roorkee
- IIT Kharagpur
- IIT Guwahati
- IIT Hyderabad
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the top colleges in India that accept CAT scores for MBA admission?
The top colleges accepting CAT score include all 21 IIMs, 8 IITs, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, XLRI Jamshedpur, and over 1000 other CAT colleges across India. These top CAT colleges in India represent the best management education opportunities.
2. Do all IIMs accept CAT scores for their MBA/PGP programs?
Yes, all 21 IIMs accept CAT scores as their primary admission criteria for MBA/PGP programs. CAT is mandatory for IIM admissions.
3. Apart from IIMs, which non-IIM institutes accept CAT scores?
The top non-IIM colleges accepting CAT score include FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, SJMSoM IIT Mumbai, and DoMS IIT Delhi. These CAT exam colleges offer excellent alternatives to IIMs with competitive placements and lower CAT colleges fees.
4. What is the typical CAT cutoff for top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta?
CAT cutoff 2024 is 98 to 100 percentile for top IIMs. Specifically, IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta typically require 99+ percentile for general category candidates.
5. Which private colleges accept CAT scores for MBA admissions?
Top private colleges in the CAT colleges list include SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, GIM Goa, IMT Ghaziabad, and GLIM Chennai. These colleges accepting CAT score offer diverse specializations and strong industry connections.
6. What are the top government colleges (non-IIMs) that consider CAT scores?
FMS Delhi, all IITs offering MBA programs, and various state government colleges accept CAT scores for their management programs.
7. Do IITs accept CAT scores for their MBA programs?
Yes, 8 IITs accept CAT scores for their MBA programs, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati, and IIT Hyderabad.
8. What is the minimum CAT percentile required to get into top B-schools in India?
For 2024, the IIM CAP cutoff was 95%ile. Generally, 95+ percentile is required for admission to top B-schools in India.
9. Are there any colleges accepting CAT scores with a percentile below 80?
Yes, several colleges under CAT accept scores below 80 percentile, including IPE Hyderabad, PSGIM Coimbatore, CIMP Patna, and various regional management institutes. These CAT 70 percentile colleges provide good opportunities for moderate scorers.
10. How many MBA colleges in total accept CAT scores in India?
Over 1000+ colleges accepting CAT scores operate across India, including 21 IIMs and numerous private and government institutions. This extensive CAT colleges list provides multiple options for candidates across different percentile ranges.
Conclusion
Choosing from the numerous colleges on the list of CAT colleges? It can be a daunting task. Keeping in mind all the considerations – cutoffs for the college entrance exam, CAT colleges fees, location of the college, specialization of the college program, and your future goals – can weigh heavily. Although there are IIMs, which are considered the gold standard of colleges accepting scores sent with the CAT score, there is a considerable number of non-IIM CAT exam colleges that provide a quality education with good placement opportunities.
The secret is to have a balanced list of colleges under CAT criteria, spread across all cutoff ranges, to give you the best chance were put on the list of admissions. Whether just targeting the top cat colleges in India or considering regional cat colleges in other areas of India, understanding the college landscape of colleges accepting CAT engenders better decision making.
Admittance to the ‘top’ cat colleges does not solely depend on cutoffs and percentiles, which are important to gain entry into spectrum colleges, but also on academic performance, work experience, and performance at the interview stage. Each college in the list of CAT colleges, include as much information about the college as possible, its entry requirements, and then prepare for the complete selection process underway.
