Top MBA Colleges Accepting CAT 2026 : CAT 2025 just took place. I am sure you are excited or may be some of you are nervous thinking about what all colleges would accept CAT 2025 scores, right? Picture this now.. It’s January 2026. You’ve just opened your CAT 2025 scorecard. Your hands are literally shaking. 94… 98… 99.xx… whatever that number is, the next big question hits you: “What should I do now? Which all colleges accept this score?
Let me sort that out for you in a simple manner. This article is your chill. This is a walkthrough of top MBA colleges accepting CAT 2025 scores. I will also guide you how to think about these colleges which I shall mention, in a smart and realistic way.
Let us first quickly have a clarity on CAT 2025 vs CAT 2026. You have written CAT 2025 on 30th November, 2025. The scores of CAT 2025 will be used for MBA/PGP/PGDM admissions for the 2026-2028 batch. So when people say ‘CAT 2026 colleges’, it means MBA colleges where you will be joining in 2026 for the batch of 2006-2008 on the basis of your CAT 2025 scores. Every year, the list of IIMs and other participating institutes is listed on the official CAT website i.e. iimcat.ac.in. Different B schools also release their own admission and cut off criteria , so I would advise that along with the official CAT website, you also check the websites of different colleges you are targeting.
1. Old IIMs (A, B, C, L, I, K):
This is the dream league. IIMs Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore and Kozhikode are the Mount Everest of CAT. These colleges accept the scores CAT 2025 for admission in 2026 for the batch of 2006-2008.
- IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) : IIM Ahmedabad offers a flagship program called PGP/MBA.
- IIM Bangalore (IIMB): IIM Bangalore is known for its academic rigour, quant heavy environment, and strong consulting and technical roles. It has been consistently at the top in national rankings and global visibility.
- IIM Calcutta (IIMC) : IIM Calcutta is famously known as the ‘Finance Campus’ of India. The course of IIM Calcutta is great for roles in IB, high end finance and markets. It is also great for consulting and general management.
- IIM Lucknow (IIML) : IIM Lucknow is a big brand. It has a strong alumni network. It is an awesome mix of consulting, FMCG and product roles.
- IIM Indore & IIM Kozhikode (IIMI, IIMK): Both the IIMs have grown massively in their brand value. Indore’s flagship PGP is a good target. Kozhikode is known for its campus and definitely its booming consulting/finance profile.
To be realistically in the game for an old IIM, you generally need your overall percentile in the mid 90s and above, often 97-99 plus depending on your profile and the intitute. This is a typical CAT range. I am talking about this for general category.
2. New & Baby IIMs:
These are the rising stars in the game. Do not under estimate these baby IIMs at all. They are really growing fast in corporate perception, placement figures and alumni base. The B schools like IIM Trichy, IIM Udaipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Nagpur, IIM Vizag are among the baby IIMs. These baby IIMs are the smart bet. These have the IIM tag and are improving in placements. These baby IIMs have better return on investment compared to some expensive private colleges. So, if you are in a 88-96 percentile zone, these baby IIMs are your prime hunting ground.
3. Top Non-IIM Government Colleges :
There are various non IIM government colleges which are using CAT scores. So, if you come at the situation where you feel that “what if I do not get the IIM”, and you think that there is no use of pursuing MBA now is a myth. Let me break this myth by giving you some amazing news and awesome facts. Some non IIM government colleges are absolute gems.
a) FMS Delhi (Faculty of Management Studies, DU):
Faculty of Management studies, also known as FMS Delhi uses CAT scores for shortlisting. Fees is very low compared to IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta. But, return on investment is insane, trust me. So, if you are a fan of Delhi university, or you want some crazy return on investment, then, FMS should be in your top 3 dream colleges.
b) IIT B-Schools (MBA/Management Departments):
Many IITs use CAT scores for their management programmes. Colleges like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Chennai, IIT Roorkee and IIT Kanpur have strong technology and management blend. These colleges are good for operations, analytics , technology strategy and product management roles. These colleges have solid brand in engineering and management circles.
4. Top Private Colleges :
There are lot of private colleges accepting CAT scores. So, a lot of aspirants target these colleges along with IIMs.
a.) The college like MDI Gurgaon has flagship programs like PGDM, PGDM-HRM, PGDM-IB etc which accept CAT 2025 scores, XAT 2026 scores and GMAT scores for its 2026-2028 PGDM intake. MDI Gurgaon is known for its strong consulting and FMCG roles. It has great peer group and location advantage because Gurgaon is a great corporate hub.
b) The college like SPJIMR Mumbai offers PGDM and PGDM (Business Management), accepts CAT and GMAT scores. Applications for SPJIMR, Mumbai opened in September 2025, for its 2026-2028 batch. It accepts scores of CAT or GMAT. SPJIMR is famous for value-based leadership focus and early specialisations in marketing, finance, operations etc. It has amazing consulting and FMCG profiles.
c) Other private B-schools: There are some other notable CAT accepting private B schools like IMT Ghaziabad, Fore school of management, Delhi, LBSIM, Delhi, XIM University Bhubaneswar (for some of its programmes along with its own tests). These are the great options if you get 85-95 percentile and want strong placements with awesome metro exposure.
5. How to Decide Your Target Colleges (Not Just “Top”) :
Instead of asking, which the top college is, try deciding your target colleges instead of just the top colleges. And for that, I am going to tell you if your percentile match the realistic range, about So, 99 plus percentile might get you old IIMs, FMS, top IITs, SPJIMR, MDI etc. Percentile in the range of 95-98 might get you into new IIMs, some IITs, IMT Ghaziabad etc. A percentile of 88-95 can get you into new or baby IIMs, good IITs, and some strong private institutions. A percentile of 80-88 might get you into some IITs and university departments and good mid-tier B schools.
2. Fees vs ROI :
Government institutes like FMS, some IITs, new IIMs often have lower fees but strong placements. Some private Business schools may have higher fees. But, it is recommended to check their average CTC and role quality, not just highest package.
3. Location & Industry Connect:
Cities like Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore are the hotspots of consulting, finance, product and startups. So, check whether the college has a solid corporate network in the industry you want to get in to or not. That is an important point to take care.
4. Specialisation & Culture Fit:
If you love finance, then look at IIM Calcutta, IIM Ahmedabad, FMS, some IITs, SPJIMR and some top new IIMs. If you want to go for product, technology or analytics, then you must aim for IIT B schools, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode and new IIMs with analytics tracks. You can also look for clubs which different B schools have, what kind of exchange programmes they have, live projects, or for that matter, case competition track record.
5. Batch Size & Peer Group:
This is another factor which you might look into. Huge batch is generally not preferred by students. But, you also need to understand competition for placements. More attention and better peer learning will be the strong part in smaller batch with strong incoming profile.
STOP! Please understand that your CAT score is a key, not a verdict. If you have read so far, here is the truth which I am going to reveal which probably no one is going to say loudly. Top college is not just IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore or IIM Calcutta. It is the place where your percentile, your finances, your dreams and your profile intersect smartly.
So, if you are aiming for 99plus percentile, aim high. Target old IIMs, FMS, SPJIMR, top IITs, MDI etc. If you are in your mid 90s, then target new IIMs and some strong private colleges. This decision can completely change your career trajectory. Even if your score is below this, then plan making some smart choices and concentrate on your profile building, because these two things can still land you an excellent B school.
For now, do these two things:
- Make a three-tier list: Dream, Target, Safe colleges.
- Bookmark the official CAT website and your favourite B-schools’ admission pages.
Trust me, the day you see your percentile, you’ll be glad that you already knew exactly which doors your CAT 2025 score can unlock for 2026 admissions.
All The Best!