Got a low academic score? Have you been constantly wondering whether you can obtain a 99%ile in the CAT 2026? Well, you are on the right page! Even low academics can still get you a 99 Percentile in CAT 2026. How’s it possible? You have to follow a well-balanced preparation plan, revise every topic consistently, appear for mocks and review your performance throughout. To achieve this goal, you can enrol for iQuanta’s CAT preparation courses 2026, which have been specifically designed to guide the candidates who aspire to appear next year. Every section has a detailed live session where experts explain the topic to the enrolled students with appropriate examples. 

To boost your theoretical knowledge, we also conduct practical classes where you will have to solve multiple questions from Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. All this is the perfect roadmap to get a 99%ile in the CAT 2026 even with a low academic score. Additionally, you also need to adhere to a self-preparation schedule, which will level up your chances of delivering a spectacular performance in the CAT exam 2026 without any hindrance. 

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How Low Academics Can Still Get You a 99 Percentile in CAT 2026?

We agree that you might have endless questions in your mind on how low academics can still get you a 99 Percentile in CAT 2026. Well, everything is possible at iQuanta and with iQuanta. Let us clear out the dilemma for you. We provide online preparation courses for the top competitive exams like CAT, XAT, NMAT, SNAP, etc. Many students appear every year for these management-level exams to crack them and pursue a 2-year full-time residential MBA programme for a progressive career from an elite management institute. 

Take a look at some of the main reasons below that will ultimately make you believe that low academics can still get you a 99 Percentile in CAT 2026, if you decide to join iQuanta. From offering a one-year focused study plan, conducting live classes, practical sessions, full-length and sectional mocks, to sharing an AI performance analysis, we do it all. Some of the key course features of the CAT 2026 online preparation course are below.

Engineers VARC Module: The majority of engineering students face challenges while preparing for the VARC section. Hereby, we have created a special module for them which includes 100 different videos on important concepts and strategies. In this module, you will come across strategies to locate the main idea of the passage, vocabulary-building tips, etc. 

Quant’s Golden Book for Non-Engineers: If you have been a weak student in mathematics, you can still clear the sectional cut-off in the QA CAT 2026 by studying from this informative module. iQuanta experts have created conceptual videos on every topic for students who lack a strong foundation in mathematics. 

Attempt Topic-Wise Mock Tests: We design sectional tests and full-length mocks similar to the CAT 2023 exam pattern. You will have to appear for the sectional tests on an AI-based platform, which will provide you with an overall performance report. Through this report, you can analyse your weak concepts, work on them and increase your chances of scoring 99%ile in the CAT even with low academics. 

Access to 24*7 Doubt-Solving Facility: Top experts, community members and peers are available 24*7 to provide instant solutions on every topic. You can drop your problem in the group and get a solution in less than 8 minutes. Moreover, our experts also conduct doubt-solving sessions separately on every topic from the QA, VARC and DILR.  

250+ Live and Practical Sessions: A total of 250+ online live sessions and practical classes will be accessible to the students. Every live session will be 2 hours. The overall syllabus from all three sections will be revised 3 times during the entire class timeline. 

Solve 50+ Questions on Every Topic: Practice makes everything perfect. In short, you will have access to questions from every topic across different categories, which will boost your theoretical knowledge. As a result, you will become versatile in solving any question from the mocks, sectional tests and the actual exam.

Get CAT Crash Course For Free: Our crash course session is to ensure that students participate in constant revision and practice sessions. This 2-month strategic bonus course will act as the ultimate masterstroke, which will help you get 99% in the CAT exam. Throughout, you will be solving PYQs and questions from repetitive topics as per the actual exam environment. 

Set of Relevant CAT and Non-CAT Mocks: Practice for the CAT exam with 20 full-length mocks and 15 unproctored mocks, along with video solutions. Apart from this, you will also have access to 45 sectionals (video solutions). Full-length non-CAT mocks will be 2 each for NMAT, XAT, MHCET, CMAT, MICAT and TISS.

Daily Practice Sessions and Assignments: Once your class is over for a particular topic, you will have to solve assignments and practice sets daily. You will get 40 Quant assignments, 30 from VARC and LRDI each. Similarly, it’s mandatory to solve LRDI and VARC sets daily. For Quants, you will practice 2-3 times a week.

Is it Actually Worth Preparing for the CAT 2026 With Low Academics?

If you demonstrate a strong will to establish a career in the management domain, then you must prepare for the CAT exam 2026. Start by enrolling for the “iQuanta’s CAT 2026 Course” and dedicate the next 12 months to prepare vigorously for this MBA entrance exam, which opens the door to endless growth and golden opportunities. Reportedly, many success stories are there from the past in which students with low academics have cleared the CAT exam under our guidance and support. 

All our students with weak academics in the past were persistent in cracking the CAT exam and entering the B-school of their choice. If you’re confident that you have the spirit to achieve 99%ile in the CAT exam and clear the interview rounds with an excellent performance, then you can take your first step towards this journey. Remember, your past cannot decide your future. It’s you who has the right to work on your present for a bright future. 

Which Top MBA Colleges in India Accept Low Academic Scores?

Best MBA Colleges in India	B-School Prime Location
Faculty of Management Studies	Delhi
Management Development Institute	Gurgaon
Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (SJMSOM), IIT Bombay	Mumbai
DoMS, IIT-Delhi	Delhi
XIM-B	Bhubaneshwar
FORE School of Management	Delhi
Institute of Management Technology	Ghaziabad
KJ Somaiya Institute of Management (KJSIM)	Mumbai
T.A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI)	Manipal
Indian Institute of Management Lucknow	Lucknow
Indian Institute of Management Indore	Indore
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta	Calcutta
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode	Kozhikode

CAT 2026 Preparation, Exam Day Do’s and GD-WAT-PI Preparation Tips

Now you know about how low academics can still get you a 99 Percentile in the CAT 2026, along with the list of top B-schools in India. iQuanta is going to be your ultimate guide, mentor and supporter throughout the CAT preparation. You need not stress out about whether low academics can still get you a 99 Percentile in CAT 2026 or not. For a smooth preparation, we have divided the CAT preparation timeline across the three different stages. Here’s the perfect golden roadmap for you, which you can follow and see yourself as a top performer. 

Stage 1: Start the CAT Preparation 2026

• Check the syllabus for the QA, VARC and DILR sections.
• Commence your preparation with high-weightage topics.
• Allocate a time daily for study, revision and practice.
• Give sectionals tests and track your performance regularly.
• Analyse your weaknesses and focus on that section first.
• Appear for mocks regularly to gauge your knowledge.
• Build an error log and don’t repeat those mistakes.
• Ask your doubts instantly from the iQuanta experts. 
• Practice CAT PYQs and sample papers to build familiarity with the type of questions.
• Note down important formulas, tips and shortcuts

Stage 2: CAT Exam Day 2026 Pointers

• Set a target to achieve the sectional score for VARC, DILR and QA.
• Opt for mental calculations more.
• Avoid random guessing and select good questions.
• Ensure to attempt questions with maximum accuracy and speed.
• Don’t panic and lose your calm. 

Stage 3: GD-WAT-PI Performance 

• Build a strong familiarity with the trending and most popular Group Discussion topics.
• Develop your own writing style with structural and logical thoughts.
• Conduct a performance review and work on weaker areas for improvement.
• Know everything about your B-school, chosen MBA programme, etc. 
• Carefully read about the past candidate’s interview experiences. 
• Keep a note of common topics and practice them regularly for better performance. 

Top 8 GD-WAT-PI Preparation Strategies For Candidates With Low Academics 

Imagine you got a 99%ile in the CAT exam? What next? You will receive a notification about the GD-WAT-PI round, which commonly takes place in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, etc. This stage plays a fundamental role in the selection process. You will have to demonstrate an excellent performance in every round to become eligible for the final selection. Some of the vital preparation tips to crack the GD-WAT-PI round with full confidence are as follows: 

• Start your GD (Group Discussion) preparation by reading English newspapers, books, articles, online news, magazines, etc. 
• Practice to create a structure of your thoughts with a powerful introduction, up-to-the-point arguments and necessary counterparts. 
• Scan your entire personality. Have a clear-cut understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, professional experience and achievements. 
• Appear for PI mocks and answer the most common interview questions, which are mainly about your educational background, individual personality, etc. 
• One can easily ace the WAT (Written Ability Test) by regularly practising essay prompts, journal writing, etc.
• Learn how to articulate your ideas very clearly. This will also upgrade your communication, grammar and vocabulary. 
• Watch interview experiences of the CAT Topper from the past and make notes on their interview preparation strategies. 
• Speak up-to-the-point only. Avoid speaking on any random topic that is out of context, as it will hamper your performance. 

iQuanta CAT Course 2026

Final Words 

The significance of the academic score differs for all the top MBA colleges in India. In the first stage, your CAT score is the building block of the evaluation process. Once B-schools shortlist the candidates with a high CAT percentile, the academic qualifications, work experience, reservation category and gender diversity are also crucial for the final selection process. However, not every B-school prioritises the academic qualifications. There are numerous notable B-schools, including a few old and new IIMs, which grant admission to candidates with low academic scores but a high 99% CAT percentile. 

There are possibilities that due to some unforeseen circumstances, an individual candidate couldn’t score well in their bachelor’s degree, 10th or 12th, but hit a 99%ile in the CAT exam. Henceforth, never lose hope or get demotivated that low academics will prohibit you from achieving a 99 percentile in the CAT exam. If you take a complete overview, then 12 months are more than enough to achieve a high percentile in the CAT 2026 and get the admission letter from the B-school of your choice. Always remember, even with low academics, you can still get a 99 Percentile in the CAT exam 2026. Best of luck, and we hope to see you soon in our early batches for the CAT 2026. 

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I register for the CAT 2026 exam?

The registrations for the CAT 2026 exam are expected to start in August 2026. Tentatively, it might close in the 3rd week of September 2026. The final exam date for the CAT 2026 will possibly be November 2026. 

How much weightage does academic qualifications hold in the CAT exam?

Ideally, it holds 10%-30% weightage in the final evaluation process. Every B-school will have a separate weightage for the academic qualifications. You can check the B-schools that pay less importance to the academic scores. 

Do IIMs accept low academic scores? 

Yes, there are a few IIMs like IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Lucknow, which mainly pay importance to CAT percentile and interview performance. So, ensure that you attain 99%ile in the CAT to pursue your MBA degree from here. 

How can I score 99+ Percentile in the CAT exam 2026?

The right preparation strategy, consistent revision and practice, and mock tests will stimulate your CAT preparation 2026. As a result, you will achieve a good sectional score along with a 99+ Percentile in the CAT Exam. Choose iQuanta to guide you for the CAT exam 2026. 

What is the eligibility criteria for the CAT 2026?

A candidate from the UR category with 50% or equivalent CGPA in the bachelor’s degree can apply for the CAT exam 2026. The minimum criteria for SC/ST/PwD candidates is 45% or a relevant CGPA to appear in the CAT exam.