The CAT results will be out soon, and you can’t stop being anxious about your percentile score. Almost all candidates worry about scoring below 75 percentile at one point. It is the dream of every MBA aspirant to score 90+ percentile in the CAT exam. A good CAT percentile equivalent to a good chance of getting into India’s best colleges. However, not all students are confident enough about scoring such marks. If you constantly wonder about scoring a below-average score, then these questions might look familiar to you:- “What if I score below 75 percentile?” “Should I drop and try again next year?” “What should I do if I score 60 percentile in CAT?”
You will be happy to know that scoring below 75 percentile cannot squash your dreams of getting into the right college. There is a good deal of options that you can explore before making the big decision of dropping a year.
Case 1: 70-75 Percentile
The first scenario is applicable for you if you have scored 70+ percentile. A percentile score between 70-75 can also help to get admission in some good MBA colleges of the country. If you have secured a score between this range, you can expect a call from any of the following colleges:-
| Name of the Institution | Approx. Cut Off Percentile |
| Asia-Pacific Institute of Management, Delhi | 70 |
| MS Ramaiah Institute of Management, Bangalore | 70+ |
| VIT Business School, Vellore | 70 |
| Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida | 70 |
| Indus Business Academy, Bangalore | 70 |
| Alliance School of Business, Alliance University, Bangalore | 70 |
| IBS Business School, Hyderabad | 70+ |
| Institute of Management Development and Research, Pune | 70 |
| Institute of Management, Christ University, Bangalore | 70 |
| Apeejay School of Management | 70 |
| Amity University, Noida | 75 |
| Lovely Professional University, Phagwara | 70 |
| SRM Chennai | 75 |
| BITS Pilani | 70+ |
| Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME Kochi), Kochi | 75 |
| International Institute of Management Studies, Pune | 70+ |
Case 2: Scored below 70 but above 60 in CAT 2019?
The answer to your question of “Where can I apply with 60+ CAT percentile?” can be found here. There are more than enough good colleges that you can apply to this year. All the following business schools have an effective curriculum and provide quality placement opportunities.
| Name of the Institution | Approx Cut Off Percentile |
| IBS Business School, Mumbai | 68 |
| Acharya Institute of Technology, Bangalore | 60 |
| Doon Business School, Dehradun | 60 |
| Fortune Institute of International Business, New Delhi | 55+ |
| IILM New Delhi | 50+ |
| IBS Kolkata | 55+ |
| IBS Pune | 60+ |
| PES University, Bangalore | 65+ |
| International Institute for Special Education, Lucknow | 50 |
| AIMS Institute, Bangalore | 60 |
| Bengal Institute of Business Studies, Kolkata | 60+ |
How to Increase my chances of securing a right MBA college with 60-75 CAT Percentile Score
- Carefully shortlist the number of colleges you want to apply. Do not apply to all colleges that accept your CAT Index score.
- Dedicate yourself to prepare for Stage 2. Be it Writing Ability Test (WAT) or Group Discussion, this stage your best shot to compensate for the CAT index score.
- Be confident while attending the Personal Interview.
- Appear for other MBA entrances to boost your chances of getting into the college of your choice.
Other Exams
The CAT exam is one of the most competitive and prestigious MBA entrance exams in India. However, it is not the only way of getting into a top MBA college. Other MBA entrances that are incredibly competitive and allows you to get into the best business schools of the country. Even if you have not secured a good CAT score, you can appear for any of the following exams:-
- XAT- The Xavier Aptitude Test conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur is taken by almost all MBA aspirants. Some of the top MBA colleges accepting XAT score includes SPJIMR Mumbai, XIM Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, Great Lakes, GIM Goa, K J Somaiya Mumbai and BIMTECH Greater Noida.
- MAHA CET/ MH CET – The Maharashtra Government holds this MBA Common Entrance Test every year. Performing well in this test gives you the opportunity of applying to colleges like – JBIMS Mumbai, Sydenham Institute of Management Studies & Research and Entrepreneurship Education Mumbai, SIMSREE Mumbai, K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research Mumbai, Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research Mumbai, etc.
- CMAT- The Common Management Aptitude Test is conducted annually by the NTA and score accepted by top Management institutions like SIMSREE, PLN Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research Mumbai, ISMU Dhanbad, Goa Institute of Management, KJ Somaiya and many more.
- NMAT- The NMAT exam is one of the most reputed competitive MBA exams in India. The colleges that accept NMAT are BITS Pilani, FORE New Delhi, TAPMI Manipal, MICA Ahmedabad, SIMSR Mumbai etc.
Should I drop and try next year?
Dropping a year is a big decision, and it should not be solely based on your CAT Score. While a score below 75 percentile is not enough to receive a call letter from IIMs, it is not the end of the world. The first thing to this year should be preparing well for the Stage 2 process you are going to attend. While it is not an alternative solution, it can boost your chances of obtaining a place in the final list or waiting list. If you have already filled out applications for XAT or other entrance tests, then try to give your best attempt to score good marks. Exams like the Management Aptitude Test are conducted multiple times throughout the year. One can always keep these options as the backup before dropping a year. However, if you want to study in an institute like IIM or FMS, then only you should consider trying next year.
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