Lakhs of aspirants participate in the CAT exam every year. They aim for MBA admissions in IIMs and leading business schools. Many wonder which are the top MBA colleges to target for CAT 2026. The best MBA colleges are those that offer quality education, outstanding faculty and high-paying jobs through placements. The top MBA colleges accepting CAT scores are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, MDI Gurgaon, etc. The cost of studying in these institutes is between INR 23 Lakh and INR 26 Lakh. However, their average placement package ranges between INR 30 PA to 32 LPA+. Continue reading to know the top MBA colleges to target for CAT 2026.
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Top MBA Colleges to Target for CAT 2026- NIRF Ranking
NIRF Ranking 2025 for the Management category have been released on the official website. IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Kozhikode are the top 3 colleges in the ranking list. It reflects the institute’s reputation, academic achievements, and popularity. Knowing the ranking of MBA institutes is crucial. It helps you determine the top MBA colleges to target for CAT 2026:
| Name | City | Rank |
| Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad | 1 |
| Indian Institute of Management Bangalore | Bengaluru | 2 |
| Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode | Kozhikode | 3 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi | New Delhi | 4 |
| Indian Institute of Management Lucknow | Lucknow | 5 |
| Indian Institute of Management, Mumbai | Mumbai | 6 |
| Indian Institute of Management Calcutta | Kolkata | 7 |
| Indian Institute of Management Indore | Indore | 8 |
| Management Development Institute | Gurugram | 9 |
| XLRI – Xavier School of Management | Jamshedpur | 10 |
| Symbiosis Institute of Business Management | Pune | 11 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | Kharagpur | 12 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras | Chennai | 13 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | Mumbai | 14 |
| Indian Institute of Management Raipur | Raipur | 15 |
| Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli | 16 |
| Indian Institute of Foreign Trade | New Delhi | 17 |
| Indian Institute of Management Ranchi | Ranchi | 18 |
| Indian Institute of Management Rohtak | Rohtak | 19 |
| S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research | Mumbai | 20 |
Top MBA Colleges to Target for CAT 2026
Candidates should check the top MBA colleges to target for CAT 2026. It will help them to choose the institutes that fit their budget and career goals. We have shared below the top MBA institutes accepting CAT scores. Check CAT cutoff, admissions, fees, and placements.
IIM Ahmedabad
IIM Ahmedabad is the top MBA colleges to target for CAT 2026. It offers a two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP). Students secure admission in these institutes based on their CAT/GMAT exam scores, academic records and analytical writing test and personal interviews. Look at the IIMA CAT cutoff, fee structure, and placement statistics.
IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cutoff Percentile
Aspirants should clear the IIMA CAT cutoffs outlined by IIMA to get shortlisted for the further admission process. Check the minimum Cut-offs of the CAT percentile ranks by IIMA.
| Category | Overall percentile rank (PT) | Sectionwise percentile rank (VARC, DILR, QA) |
| General / EWS | 95 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 90 | 80 |
| SC | 85 | 75 |
| ST | 75 | 65 |
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IIM Ahmedabad MBA Fees
The IIMA MBA fees have been specified by the institute. It does not include personal expenses on travel, boarding, laptop computer, clothes, laundry, stationery, etc. Students should have their own computer. The IIMA MBA fee structure is as follows:
| Domestic Applicants | INR 27,50,000 (INR 20,10,000) |
IIM Ahmedabad MBA Placements 2025
IIMA releases the placement report for the PGP batch every year on its official website. Their MBA placement report 2025 states that 178 firms participated with around 261 different roles. Check the average, median, and highest salary offered during the final placements:
| Average Salary | INR 35.22 LPA |
| Median Salary | INR 34.53 LPA |
| Highest Salary | INR 1.10 crore per annum |
IIM Bangalore
IIM Bangalore is the leading MBA college in India. It offers a two-year full-time Post Graduate Programme in Management which leads to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. The MBA admissions in these institutes depend on CAT scores, personal interview, academic records, work experience/professional course, etc. Check IIMB CAT cutoff, fee structure, and placement statistics.
IIM Bangalore CAT Cutoff Percentile
| Category | Section 1 (VARC) | Section 2 (DILR) | Section 3 (QA) | Aggregate |
| General | 80 | 75 | 75 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| EWS | 70 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| PWD | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
IIM Bangalore MBA Fees
| Fees for 2 years | Rs. 26,00,000 |
| Caution Deposit (General) | Rs. 30,000 |
IIM Bangalore MBA Placement 2025
| Number of Students | 606 |
| Number of Offers | 601 |
| Median Salary | INR 33.1 LPA |
| Mean Salary | INR 35.5 LPA |
IIM Kozhikode
IIM Kozhikode is the best MBA college in India that offers a 2-year Post Graduate Programme (PGP). They are known for excellent faculty, high-quality education and impressive placement records. The admission depends on CAT scores, PI, WAT, Resume scores, etc. Check IIMK CAT cutoff, fee structure, and placement statistics.
IIM Kozhikode CAT Cutoffs
| Category | CAT Score Percentile | Sectional Percentile |
| GEN | 85 | 75 |
| OBC-NCL/EWS | 75 | 65 |
| SC | 65 | 55 |
| ST/PwD | 55 | 45 |
IIM Kozhikode MBA Fees
| Term | First Year (in Rs.) | Second Year (in Rs.) |
| I/IV | 4,75,000 | 4,75,000 |
| II/V | 3,50,000 | 3,50,000 |
| III/VI | 3,50,000 | 3,50,000 |
| Total | INR 23,50,000 | |
IIM Kozhikode MBA Placements 2024
| Mean CTC | INR 28.05 LPA |
| Mean CTC (Females) | INR 29.20 LPA |
| Median CTC | INR 27 LPA |
| Highest CTC | INR 72.02 LPA |
MDI Gurgaon
MDI Gurgaon is the top B-schools that offers a two-year full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM). They are among the top MBA colleges to target for CAT 2026. The admissions depend on CAT scores, WAT-GD-PI, Behavioural Assessment test, academic records, Academic diversity, professional experience, and social diversity, etc. Look at the MDI admission process, fee structure and placement statistics to make an informed decision.
MDI Gurgaon MBA Admission Criteria
| Component | Weightage |
| CAT Score | 35% |
| Behavioural Assessment Test (BAT) | 5% |
| Written Analysis Test (WAT) | 5% |
| Group Discussion (GD) | 10% |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 20% |
| Graduation | 5% |
| Academic Diversity (Engineer / Non-Engineer) | 2.50% |
| Gender Diversity (Male / Female) | 2.50% |
| Regional Diversity (North-East & J&K) | 2.50% |
| Sports (National/International level) | 2.50% |
| Work Experience | 10% |
MDI MBA Fee Structure
The MDI Gurgaon MBA Fees are approximately 26 lakhs for 2 years. Check the official website for the latest information on the fee structure.
MDI Gurgaon MBA Placements 2025
| Year | Average Package | Median Package | Highest Package |
| 2025 | INR 25.6 LPA | INR 25.0 LPA | INR 53.6 LPA |
| 2024 | INR 25.5 LPA | INR 24.2 LPA | INR 63.3 LPA |
| 2023 | – | INR 26.13 LPA | INR 60 LPA |
FMS Delhi
The Faculty of Management Studies is the top MBA colleges in India accepting CAT scores. They offer admissions based on CAT scores, academic records, Discussion on Statement of Purpose, Extempore, and Personal Interview. Learn more about FMS Delhi in terms of admissions, fees and placement statistics shared below.
FMS MBA Admissions
| Component | Weightage |
| Weighted CAT 2024 Score | 50% |
| Marks obtained in Class X | 10% |
| Marks obtained in Class XII | 10% |
| Discussion on Statement of Purpose | 10% |
| Extempore | 5% |
| Personal Interview | 15% |
FMS MBA Fees
The FMS MBA course charges Rs 57,350 for the current semester. It covers all academic costs such as tuition and campus facility usage.
FMS MBA Placement Statistics
| Particulars | 2022 | 2023 |
| Batch Size | 269 | 273 |
| Highest Salary | INR 58 LPA | INR 1.23 Cr |
| Average Salary | INR 32.4 LPA | INR 34.1 LPA |
| Median Salary | INR 30 LPA | INR 31 LPA |
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Top MBA Colleges to Target for CAT 2026 – FAQs
The top MBA colleges accepting CAT scores are IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, MDI Gurgaon, etc.
The MBA admission process depends on factors like CAT scores, academic records, PI-WAT, diversity, etc.
