To answer the question, ‘is it worth attempting CAT with low academics, we must look at the whole picture. If you are a college student in your final year, then it is worth taking the CAT exam with low academics as you will still have a good chance of pursuing MBA from top B-schools which assign less weightage to academic scores of 10th and 12th. But if you are working professionally with 1-2 years of experience having low academics, you may consider other options such as a part-time MBA or an MBA executive program.
Low scores in class 10th and 12th must not be equated with a low CAT performance. In contrast, if you have a strong CAT score, it cannot substitute for low academic scores but it will push your profile to some extent. As far as the weightage of the academic scores is concerned, top B-schools place minimal weightage on class 10th and 12th marks. If you also belong to the category of students having low scores in class 10th and 12th, this blog will clear all your confusion on whether you ought to give the CAT exam despite low academic scores.
When it comes to writing the CAT exam, your target college and required CAT percentile are two important factors to consider before taking the exam. Top MBA colleges in India like IIT Bombay and FMS Delhi accept CAT percentile higher than 97 if you have low academic scores. For newer IIMs such as IIM Trichy, Ranchi, Rohtak, etc, you’ll require a CAT %ile above 99 if your academic scores are low on a profile of 5/5/5 or 7/7/7. Not only is it important to take the CAT exam but it is far more important to set a target college and a percentile.
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Low Scores in Class 10th? Improve Class 12th & CAT Scores
Students may lack a deeper fundamental understanding of the importance of class 10th and 12th scores. In such circumstances, an ineffective study schedule, distractions and a lack of general motivation to score well may result in average or below average final scores. If you also belong to this category, it is time to regain the lost confidence and start afresh.
Class 12th Performance – Set a Goal To Excel in Academics
To compensate for a weak performance in Class 10th, it is important to focus on achieving a good grade in class 12th. This is your only chance to improve your academic scores. You must work on conceptual learning, know the why and the what of a given concept before starting with practice. Practice as much as possible to be able to solve all kinds of questions of medium to higher difficulty level. Focus on a strong revision habit. This habit will give you the boost you need to succeed in class 12th.
Start CAT Prep – Build a Strong Conceptual Base
The CAT exam is divided into three sections – VARC, Quant and DILR. Out of these three sections, you have to identify your strengths and weaknesses. If math is your weakness, it is crucial to work on your mathematical foundations and build a rock-solid conceptual understanding. If you struggle with the English language then you must work on strengthening your vocabulary through reading advanced English passages/essays, solve lots of RC’s and watch YouTube videos on how to solve CAT VARC questions.
How to Balance Low Academic Scores with a High CAT %ile?
Keep preparing for the CAT despite a low score in academics. Is it possible to score a high percentile in CAT despite a low academic score? Yes, it is possible to score a high %ile in CAT even if your academic scores tell a different story. The most important aspect of preparing for CAT is finding our motivation. You must know your ‘WHY’ and only then is it possible to build upon the ground for success. Here are the preparation basics for CAT to score a high %ile.
- You must try to complete at least 30-35 mock tests before the exam.
- In the mock attempts, aim for a high %ile close to 98 to 99.
- Maintain your confidence level and take the necessary risk of a drop year if you need one to prepare for CAT.
- Although not mandatory, students may collect at least 2-3 years of work experience before taking an IIM Call.
- Join CAT online coaching platforms and preparation groups online.
- Use high-quality preparation resources available at platforms like iQuanta, IMS, TIME, etc.
Start with Quant First for your CAT Preparation
First, start with quantitative reasoning practice. This section of the CAT exam is usually difficult with a focus on basic math concepts taught in classes 10th to 12th. Students must begin their CAT preparation even if they have had a low score in academics in the past. It is more important to try and succeed in CAT rather than sit back and give up on hope all and for once. The problem is not in your academics but in your approach to future opportunities.
| CAT Quant Preparation 2026 Focus Areas | ||
| Topics | Weightage | Number of Questions |
| Arithmetic | 40% | 8-10 |
| Algebra | 30% | 5-7 |
| Geometry | 15% | 1-3 |
| Modern Math | 5-7% | 2-4 |
| Numbers | 5-7% | 1-2 |
| Total | 100% | 22 |
Begin DILR Practice – Use Previous Year Papers to Prepare
The DILR section of the CAT exam tests your data analysis and interpretation skills. A total 22 questions will be asked in this section. This section is slighlty tricky. While most students are able to solve the questions, they often site the DILR section as both easy and diffcult depending on the approach. DILR appears after the VARC. In this section, students have to solve different types of data sets on topics like Arrangement, Cubes, Games and Tournaments and so on. DILR section has the following type of questions.
- Graph-based – Use graphs to interpret data and offer the right conclusions.
- Calculation intensive – Based on a data set, perform complex calculations to find the right answer.
- Caselets – Analyse information provided in a caselet and solve questions based on the same.
- Mixed Data – Interpret data from questions that combine two or more types of data sets. For example tables with caselets or graphs with tables.
CAT DILR Topics to Prepare For a High CAT %ileÂ
Below is a list of all the topics included in the DILR section of CAT. Students having a low academic score in 10th or 12th must prepare the entire syllabus of DILR using online and offline resources to improve their profile. It is important to know how to solve questions based on puzzles, profit & loss, percentages and so on. You need to develop logical reasoning and data analysis skills to solve the DILR questions. It is also important to perceive which questions are repeated based on a thorough analysis of past question papers.
| All Topics Under DILR Section for CAT | |
| Data Interpretation Topics | Logical Reasoning Topics |
| Percentages and Ratios | Seating Arrangements |
| Averages and Weighted Averages | Games and Tournaments |
| Profit and Loss | Coding-Decoding |
| Growth Rate | Syllogisms |
| Data Comparison | Direction Sense |
| Venn Diagram | Blood Relations |
| Tables | Puzzles |
| Routes and Networks | Clocks and Calendars |
| Mathematical Puzzles | Logical Sequences |
| Graphs | Number Series |
How to Crack CAT VARC To Balance Low Academics
Cracking the CAT VARC is simple. If you have a low academic score background, it becomes even more important to score well in each section of the CAT exam including VARC. The VARC segment of the CAT paper concerns long reading questions which check your comprehension skills and some questions are based on grammar or vocabulary. The trick to improving in this section is simple. You need to work on your language abilities which include reading between the lines, understanding advanced English words, knowing the grammar basics and so on.
Over the years, the difficulty level of the CAT VARC section has remained moderate with neither too easy questions nor too difficult requiring extra efforts. Although, few CAT previous papers have seen lengthy passages in the RC type of questions. To master the CAT VARC section, here is what you need to do during your preparation period.
- Read newspapers, articles, blogs, essays, editorials, and watch YouTube videos on learning to read to understand.
- Simply reading fast will not help. You must be able to break down an essay into sections, collect the essence of the topic and select a few areas in the passage which are important.
- To identify the important part within the passage, the trick is to read the questions first and then look for the answers while reading the passage.
- Line by reading takes time, read faster and try to get the main idea pinned while marking those parts which are detail oriented.
- Read the related questions carefully before answering, while the VARC is easy, some questions may be tricky.
- Reading between the lines is an important trick to attempt questions faster in the VARC section.
Use Predictor To Know Top Colleges Having Less Academic Weightage
Even if you have less score in your academics, class 10th and 12th percentage, you may still consider applying for top colleges based on your CAT scores. Taking the CAT exam is necessary to check where you stand among the applicant pool. You have a chance of securing admission into top colleges like MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi and JBIMS. These colleges are more as mentioned in the table below accept CAT scores along with average academic background.
| CAT Accepting B-schools With Less Weightage on Academics | ||
| Name of the B-school | Highest Package (LPA) | Average Package (LPA) |
| FMS Delhi | ₹12.3 | ₹34.1 |
| JBIMS | ₹87.12 | ₹26.12 |
| MDI Gurgaon | ₹56.3 | ₹26.2 |
| IIFT Delhi | ₹85.4 | ₹27.3 |
| SJSoM IIT Bombay | ₹53.8 | ₹25.82 |
| DMS IIT Delhi | ₹40.5 | ₹23.4 |
| XIM Bhubaneshwar | ₹30 | ₹19.53 |
| MICA Ahmedabad | ₹40.91 | ₹19.22 |
| IMT Ghaziabad | ₹41.55 | ₹16.25 |
| GLIM Chennai | ₹37 | ₹15.1 |
| IRMA Anand | ₹31.84 | ₹15.72 |
| FORE Delhi | ₹29 | ₹16.8 |
How to Predict Colleges Based on Low Academics
To predict colleges based on a low academic score in the 10+2, you will have to use a CAT College Predictor tool online. For low academic priority colleges, you will require a CAT percentile higher than 95. To achieve such a high percentile, you have to prepare well for the CAT exam, cover each topic, work on your weak areas and follow all the tips and tricks needed to save time and answer accurately.
CAT Percentile Required for Low Academic Priority Colleges
You’ll require 97+ %ile in the CAT exam with an academic profile of 6/6/8. Considering your background of low academics, certain top B-schools having low priority for academic weightage will evaluate your profile based on your CAT score. You will require a rigorous study plan to reach above 97 %ile in the CAT exam.
Steps to Predict MBA Colleges with Low Academics
Here are the steps to predict colleges which you can apply to based on a low academic score. You will have to enter a few fields on the predictor tool so that the algorithm can analyse your profile with low academics and provide you with a list of colleges you can target based on CAT percentile higher than 97.
Step 1 – Go to iquanta.in/iim-call-predictor
Step 2 – Enter your personal information such as category and DoB.
Step 3 – Enter your 10th and 12th class percentage and field of study (Commerce, Science, etc)
Step 4 – Enter your graduation degree title, graduation percentage, and work experience in months.
Step 5 – Mention if you have taken CAT before and if not, then the year in which you will attempt the CAT exam.
Step 6 – Mention if you are interested in CAT courses and click on the submit button.
Step 7 – Your list of target colleges will show. Plan accordingly and prepare for CAT next.
