MBA Colleges Accepting 60–70 Percentile in CAT 2026 (MBA 2027): List, Fees, Cutoffs & Placements
A 60–70 percentile in CAT 2025 opens nine NIRF top-100 B-schools — IMI Bhubaneswar, Christ University, BIMTECH (PGDM-IBM/Retail), Jaipuria Lucknow, TSM Madurai, PSGIM, PDEU, Rajagiri and NDIM — plus a central-university MBA at University of Hyderabad for under ₹5 lakh. Typical fees are ₹8–15 lakh with average placements of ₹7.5–12.7 LPA. IIMs remain out of reach unless you are in the SC/ST/PwD category.
Crossing 60 percentile is the first point at which brand-name, NIRF-ranked colleges start appearing on your list. This page gives you the verified 2026-28 picture: which colleges genuinely admit at 60–70, what they cost, what graduates earn, how they weigh the interview against the score, and where a category reservation changes the answer.
MBA colleges accepting 60–70 percentile in CAT: comparison table
| College | City | CAT cutoff (approx.) | Total fee (2 yr) | Avg placement | NIRF 2025 | Also accepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMI Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | 65–70 | ₹14.3–15 L | ₹12.7 LPA | NIRF 94 | XAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| Christ University (MBA) | Bangalore | 60+ | ₹9.4–12 L | ₹7.7 LPA | NIRF 57 | MAT, XAT, CMAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| BIMTECH – PGDM (IBM / Retail) | Greater Noida | 60 | ₹14.0 L | ₹10.1–10.6 LPA | NIRF 61 | XAT, GMAT, CMAT, MAT |
| Jaipuria Institute of Management | Lucknow | 55–70 | ₹14.8 L | ₹8.8 LPA (Lucknow campus) | NIRF 67 | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT |
| Thiagarajar School of Management (TSM) | Madurai | 50–60 | ₹14.5 L | ₹6.4 LPA | NIRF 80 | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT, ATMA |
| PSG Institute of Management | Coimbatore | 60 | ₹11.5 L | ₹7.6 LPA | NIRF 84 (PSG CT) | MAT, TANCET, ATMA |
| School of Management, PDEU | Gandhinagar | 45–60 | ₹9.5–12.3 L | ₹9.2 LPA | NIRF 89 | XAT, NMAT, MAT |
| Rajagiri Business School | Kochi | 50–60 (XAT 60) | ₹7.9 L | ₹7.5 LPA (median) | NIRF 91 | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT, KMAT |
| NDIM | New Delhi | 60–70 | ₹12.75–13.75 L | ₹9.5–10 LPA | NIRF 86 | XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| Delhi School of Business (VIPS-TC) | Delhi | 65 | ₹10.95 L | ₹9.4 LPA | — | XAT, CMAT, MAT, NMAT, GMAT |
| FIIB | New Delhi | 60 | ₹11.55 L | ₹8.5 LPA | — | XAT, CMAT, MAT, GMAT, ATMA |
| IPE Hyderabad | Hyderabad | 60 | ₹8–9.2 L | ₹7.0–7.4 LPA | NIRF 101–125 | XAT, CMAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT |
| SIES School of Business Studies | Navi Mumbai | 60–70 | ₹10.0 L | ₹9.1–9.3 LPA | — | XAT, CMAT, MAT, MAH-CET, GMAT |
| University of Hyderabad – SMS (MBA) | Hyderabad | 50 (all categories) | ≈₹4.7 L | n/a | — | CAT only |
| Army Institute of Management | Kolkata | ≈65 | ₹9.7 L (₹7.4 L army wards) | ₹8.0 LPA | — | CAT only |
| FLAME University (MBA) | Pune | 65–70 | ₹14.4 L | ₹9.5–11 LPA | — | XAT, NMAT, CMAT, GMAT |
| Doon Business School | Dehradun | 50–65 | ₹9.1 L | ₹8.2 LPA | — | NMAT, GMAT, CMAT, XAT, GRE |
| Lovely Professional University (MBA) | Phagwara | 60+ | ₹5.8–8 L | varies | NIRF 44 | MAT, CMAT, XAT, NMAT, LPUNEST |
How 60–70 percentile colleges select you
| Institute | Entrance score | PI / GD / WAT | Academics | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIMTECH | 35% | 30% (extempore + PI) | 9% (+8% engineering bonus) | 8% work-ex, 5% region, 5% gender |
| IPE Hyderabad | 35% | 45% (PI) | 15% | 5% |
| Jaipuria (all campuses) | 45% | 25% PI + 10% case analysis | 15% | — |
| XIME Bangalore (70–75 band) | 35% | 35% (GD + PI) | 20% | 10% extracurricular / diversity |
| Typical tier-2 private PGDM | 20–35% | 30–45% | 10–20% | 5–15% |
The pattern is consistent: CAT is 20–45% of the composite and the interview stage carries equal or more weight. That is why sub-cutoff candidates with strong academics and work experience still get calls — FLAME, SIES and Jaipuria say so explicitly in their admission criteria.
Fees vs placement: ROI ranking
| College | Fee | Avg placement | Placement ÷ fee | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hyderabad SMS | ≈₹4.7 L | n/a | — | Cheapest credible MBA in the band; CAT only |
| Rajagiri Kochi | ₹7.9 L | ₹7.5 LPA (median) | 0.95 | Excellent value; NIRF 91 |
| PDEU Gandhinagar | ₹9.5–12.3 L | ₹9.2 LPA | 0.75–0.97 | Strong; NIRF 89 |
| SIES SBS | ₹10.0 L | ₹9.1–9.3 LPA | 0.92 | Strong for Mumbai |
| Delhi School of Business | ₹10.95 L | ₹9.4 LPA | 0.86 | Good; NCR recruiters |
| IMI Bhubaneswar | ₹14.3–15 L | ₹12.7 LPA | 0.85 | Best brand + salary in band |
| Army Institute of Management | ₹9.7 L | ₹8.0 LPA | 0.82 | Good; cheaper for army wards |
| IPE Hyderabad | ₹8–9.2 L | ₹7.0–7.4 LPA | 0.80 | PSU-heavy recruiter base |
| Christ University | ₹9.4–12 L | ₹7.7 LPA | 0.64–0.82 | Brand + Bangalore location |
| NDIM | ₹12.75–13.75 L | ₹9.5–10 LPA | 0.73 | NIRF 86; fee rising |
| BIMTECH PGDM-IBM/RM | ₹14 L (+₹5.8 L hostel) | ₹10.1–10.6 LPA | 0.75 | AACSB; check all-in cost |
| FIIB | ₹11.55 L | ₹8.5 LPA | 0.74 | Fair |
| PSGIM | ₹11.5 L | ₹7.6 LPA | 0.66 | Fair; strong Coimbatore recruiters |
| Jaipuria Lucknow | ₹14.8 L | ₹8.8 LPA | 0.59 | Campus-level figure, verified Sep 2026 |
| TSM Madurai | ₹14.5 L | ₹6.4 LPA | 0.44 | NIRF 80 but weakest ROI in this band |
| FLAME | ₹14.4 L | ₹9.5–11 LPA | 0.66–0.76 | Placement data conflicting — verify |
Reserved-category candidates: your IIM window is open
This is the band where category reservation flips the answer. For CAT 2025, the IIM CAP 2026 (Bodh Gaya, Jammu, Sirmaur and partners) shortlisted SC candidates at 66 percentile and ST/PwD candidates at 42, with sectional cutoffs of 45 (SC) and 25–30 (ST/PwD). In the previous cycle IIM Amritsar and Sambalpur took SC at 55 and IIM Visakhapatnam at 50; IIM Mumbai took ST at 65 and Raipur at 55. If you are an SC candidate at 66–70 or any ST/PwD candidate above 42, apply through CAP and to the non-CAP new IIMs before accepting a private seat.
Alternate exams that open the same doors
XAT (January) is accepted by IMI-B, BIMTECH, Jaipuria, TSM, Rajagiri, PDEU, NDIM, DSB, FIIB, IPE, SIES and FLAME — typically at the same or a slightly friendlier floor than CAT. NMAT works for PDEU, DSB, FLAME and Doon. State tests remain the shortcut: MAH-CET for SIES, TANCET for PSGIM, KMAT for Rajagiri. See direct MBA admission without CAT.
City-wise shortlist at 60–70 percentile
- Delhi-NCR: BIMTECH (IBM/RM), NDIM, Delhi School of Business, FIIB — all Delhi-NCR options.
- Bangalore: Christ University, PES — all Bangalore options.
- Mumbai / Pune: SIES SBS, ITM, FLAME, ISB&M — Mumbai · Pune.
- Hyderabad: IPE, University of Hyderabad. South: TSM Madurai, PSGIM Coimbatore, Rajagiri Kochi. East: IMI Bhubaneswar, Army IM Kolkata. West: PDEU Gandhinagar.
Key dates for the 2026-28 batch
- CAT 2025 result: 24 Dec 2025. IIM CAP shortlists (SC/ST/PwD relevant): from 8 Jan 2026.
- Private-college deadlines seen in 2026: BIMTECH 31 Jan; IMI Bhubaneswar ~10 May; SIES ~13 May; NDIM, Jaipuria, IPE rolling to June.
- CAT 2026: registration till 25 Sep 2026, exam 29 Nov 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which colleges can I realistically get with 65 percentile in CAT?
Shortlist calls are likely from IMI Bhubaneswar (NIRF 94), Christ University Bangalore (57), BIMTECH’s PGDM-IBM/Retail (61), Jaipuria Lucknow (67), TSM Madurai (80), PSGIM Coimbatore (84), PDEU Gandhinagar (89), Rajagiri Kochi (91), NDIM Delhi (86), Delhi School of Business, FIIB, IPE Hyderabad and University of Hyderabad’s MBA. That is nine NIRF top-100 colleges in one band.
Is 60–70 percentile in CAT good enough for any IIM?
For General, EWS and OBC candidates — no. CAP 2026 (the newest IIMs) shortlisted General at 95 and OBC/EWS at 81. SC candidates, however, were shortlisted from 66, and ST/PwD from 42, so a 66–70 percentile SC candidate and any ST/PwD candidate in this band should apply to the IIMs through CAP.
Should I take MAT or CMAT instead of relying on a 62 percentile CAT?
Usually not. At most 60–70 band colleges the CMAT/MAT floor is higher in percentile terms — Delhi School of Business wants CAT 65 but CMAT/MAT 85; IPE wants CAT 60 but CMAT/MAT 70. Your 62 CAT is already the easier ticket. The exceptions where MAT is comparatively lenient are Christ University (MAT 600+) and TSM (MAT 70).
Are 60–70 percentile colleges worth the fee?
Check average placement ÷ total fee. IMI Bhubaneswar (0.85), PDEU (0.75–0.97), Rajagiri (0.95), Delhi School of Business (0.86), Christ (0.64–0.82) and PSGIM (0.66) are defensible. Be careful with fees above ₹15 lakh unless the campus-level (not group-level) placement average is above ₹11 LPA.
What matters more than my percentile at this level?
Interview, GD and WAT carry 30–45% and academics 10–20% at these colleges. At BIMTECH the composite is 35% test, 30% extempore + PI, 9% academics with an 8% bonus for engineers, 8% work experience and 10% for regional and gender diversity. A 65-percentiler with 75%+ academics and 1–2 years of work experience regularly beats a 72-percentile fresher.
Just above 70? Read the 70–80 percentile list — IMI Kolkata, BIMTECH PGDM, LM Thapar and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad enter the picture. Just below 60? The 50–60 percentile list has 15 more options.
Planning around a lower score or a tight budget? See the lowest-fee MBA colleges accepting CAT, the cheapest colleges you can enter without CAT and every MBA entrance exam still open after CAT 2026. Still waiting on your form? Check the CAT 2026 correction window and the admit card date.
Before you pay anything: check that the college is AICTE-approved and know the refund rules.
Sources & methodology
Cutoffs are published shortlisting percentiles or the band in which the institute actually admits students; fees are total 2-year programme fees (hostel excluded unless stated); placement figures are the latest institute-reported averages. Cross-checked against NIRF 2025 and the portals below on 4 September 2026. Always confirm with the institute’s current admission brochure before paying any fee.
- NIRF 2025 Management Rankings (Ministry of Education)
- Careers360 — CAT 2025 colleges with low percentile
- MBAUniverse — CAT accepting colleges & cutoffs
- Collegedunia — Top MBA colleges accepting low CAT scores
- IIM CAT official site
- AICTE approved institutions search
- Careers360 — CAT 2025 colleges accepting 60–70 percentile
- CollegeDekho — MBA colleges accepting 60–70 percentile
- Careers360 — IIM CAP 2026 cutoffs
- Careers360 — BIMTECH admission 2026 weightage
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