MBA Colleges in Odisha Accepting Low CAT Score (2026): Fees, Cutoffs & NIRF Ranks
8 MBA and PGDM colleges in Odisha admit students in the 40–92 CAT percentile range for the 2026-28 batch, 5 of them NIRF 2025 top-100 (best: IIM Sambalpur at rank 34). Fees start at ₹5.5 L (IMIS Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar) and the highest reported average placement is 18.3 LPA at XIMB. The lowest CAT floor in the state is 50 percentile.
This is the full working list of MBA and PGDM colleges in Odisha that actually admit candidates below the IIM cutoff — 8 institutes, sorted by NIRF 2025 rank, with the CAT band each one admits in, its total two-year fee and its reported average placement. 3 of them take students at 60 percentile or below.
All 8 MBA colleges in Odisha
| NIRF 2025 | College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | IIM SambalpurIndian Institute of Management Sambalpur | Sambalpur | 90–94 %ile | ₹21 L | 15.7 LPA | CAT only |
| 45 | XIMBXIM University | Bhubaneswar | 90–93 %ile | ₹26 L | 18.3 LPA | XAT, GMAT |
| 66 | SOA BhubaneswarSiksha O Anusandhan IBCS | Bhubaneswar | 50–70 %ile | ₹5.5 L | n/a | XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA |
| 68 | KSOM BhubaneswarKIIT School of Management | Bhubaneswar | 70–80 %ile | ₹18 L | 9.5 LPA | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT |
| 94 | IMI BhubaneswarInternational Management Institute Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | 70–80 %ile | ₹15 L | 12.7 LPA | XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| — | IMIS BhubaneswarInstitute of Management and Information Science | Bhubaneswar | 50–60 %ile | ₹5.5 L | 5.8 LPA | XAT, MAT, CMAT |
| — | XSRM BhubaneswarXavier School of Rural Management XIM University | Bhubaneswar | 85–90 %ile | ₹17.4 L | n/a | XAT, GMAT |
| — | BGU BhubaneswarBirla Global University | Bhubaneswar | 50–67 %ile | ₹12.8 L | n/a | MAT, XAT |
Sorted by NIRF 2025 rank, unranked institutes last. CAT band is the percentile range in which the institute actually admits for 2026-28.
The Odisha entrance-exam route most candidates miss
Odisha’s MBA market is concentrated almost entirely in Bhubaneswar, and it is CAT/XAT-driven rather than state-test driven. XIMB runs its own XGMT alongside CAT and XAT; KIIT accepts KIITEE; the rest take CAT, XAT, CMAT and MAT.
The band structure is clean here: XIMB and IIM Sambalpur at 90+, IMI Bhubaneswar and KSOM at 70–80, and IMIS, SOA and Birla Global at 50–70. IMI Bhubaneswar reporting 100 per cent placement since inception at a 70-percentile floor is the one most low-CAT candidates miss.
Across these 8 colleges the most widely accepted alternatives to CAT are XAT (7 colleges), GMAT (4 colleges), CMAT (4 colleges), MAT (4 colleges) and ATMA (1 colleges). Sitting one of them is usually cheaper than a CAT retake and the results land in time for the same admission rounds.
Fees vs placement: best ROI in Odisha
Divide the reported average placement by the total fee. In Odisha the spread runs from ₹5.5 L at IMIS Bhubaneswar to ₹26 L at the top of the market, so the ratio matters more here than the brand name does.
| College | City | Total fee | Avg CTC | CTC ÷ fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMIS Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | ₹5.5 L | 5.8 LPA | 1.05 |
| IMI Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | ₹15 L | 12.7 LPA | 0.85 |
| IIM Sambalpur | Sambalpur | ₹21 L | 15.7 LPA | 0.75 |
| XIMB | Bhubaneswar | ₹26 L | 18.3 LPA | 0.70 |
| KSOM Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | ₹18 L | 9.5 LPA | 0.53 |
NIRF 2025 ranked colleges in Odisha
5 Odisha institutes appear in the NIRF 2025 Management top 100. These carry the most weight with recruiters and are worth an application even if you are at the bottom of their published band.
| NIRF 2025 | College | City | CAT band | Total fee | Avg CTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | IIM SambalpurIndian Institute of Management Sambalpur | Sambalpur | 90–94 %ile | ₹21 L | 15.7 LPA |
| 45 | XIMBXIM University | Bhubaneswar | 90–93 %ile | ₹26 L | 18.3 LPA |
| 66 | SOA BhubaneswarSiksha O Anusandhan IBCS | Bhubaneswar | 50–70 %ile | ₹5.5 L | n/a |
| 68 | KSOM BhubaneswarKIIT School of Management | Bhubaneswar | 70–80 %ile | ₹18 L | 9.5 LPA |
| 94 | IMI BhubaneswarInternational Management Institute Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | 70–80 %ile | ₹15 L | 12.7 LPA |
MBA colleges in Odisha by city
Open a city for its full list, local recruiter mix and fee spread: Bhubaneswar (7) and Sambalpur (1).
Frequently asked questions
Which MBA colleges in Odisha accept a low CAT percentile?
3 of the 8 colleges on this page admit at 60 percentile or below, the lowest floor in the state being 50 percentile. IMIS Bhubaneswar, SOA Bhubaneswar and BGU Bhubaneswar are the most accessible.
What is the cheapest MBA college in Odisha?
Institute of Management and Information Science in Bhubaneswar at ₹5.5 L total for the two-year programme, reporting 5.8 LPA average placement. 2 colleges in the state charge under ₹10 lakh in total.
Which is the best MBA college in Odisha by NIRF ranking?
Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur at NIRF 2025 rank 34, admitting in the 90–94 percentile band with a ₹21 L fee and 15.7 LPA average placement.
Can I get an MBA in Odisha without CAT?
Yes. The band structure is clean here: XIMB and IIM Sambalpur at 90+, IMI Bhubaneswar and KSOM at 70–80, and IMIS, SOA and Birla Global at 50–70. Beyond that, most private institutes here accept XAT, GMAT, CMAT and MAT, so a CAT score is one route among several rather than a requirement.
More ways to compare. Rank this state’s colleges by cost with the lowest-fee MBA list, see which entrance exams are still open, and check that a college is AICTE-approved before you pay.
Before you pay anything: check that the college is AICTE-approved and know the refund rules.
Sources & methodology
Cutoffs are the published shortlisting percentile where the institute publishes one, and otherwise the band in which it actually admits, taken from institute disclosures and the portals below. Fees are total two-year programme fees excluding hostel unless stated; placement figures are the latest institute-reported averages. Cross-checked against NIRF 2025 on 4 September 2026. Always confirm against the institute’s current admission brochure before paying any fee.