MBA Colleges Without Sectional Cut Off in CAT
Common Admission Test 2026 ( CAT )
CAT 2026 admit card download
4 Nov '26 - 29 Nov '26
CAT 2026 results will be released online. Students who are planning to appear for the CAT exam may have concerns about the sectional cutoff, but they should not worry. In this article, we have listed the top MBA colleges in India which give admission to the MBA programme without a sectional cutoff. Read the article below to know more.
MBA Colleges Without Sectional Cutoff in CAT
MBA colleges in India with no sectional cutoff: CAT is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India. The CAT exam is the first stepping stone for students embarking upon the MBA journey. Every year, lakhs of students appear for the CAT exam, with a dream to get into the top B-school in India and not all of them achieve it. However, it does not mean it is the end of the dream of getting into a good B-school.
CAT 2026 exam is scheduled to be conducted on November 29, 2026, by the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode. There are students who find it difficult to meet the CAT sectional cutoff. They should know that there are many top MBA colleges across India that offer admissions into MBA programme without sectional cutoffs. This article lists the MBA colleges in India with no sectional cutoffs.
- What is Sectional Cutoff?
- Is the Sectional Cutoff Important?
- List of MBA Colleges in India with No Sectional Cutoffs
- Advantages of MBA Colleges in India With No Sectional Cutoff
What is Sectional Cutoff?
CAT is divided into three sections, i.e. Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The sectional cutoff is the minimum score decided by the institutes. The minimum score, or the sectional cutoff, is based on factors such as the difficulty level of the exam, the number of applicants, available seats, etc. These cutoffs are set for each section of the CAT exam and serve as qualifying criteria for admissions to the institutes.
Many management colleges consider sectional cutoffs for admissions, in addition to the overall percentile for admissions, hence, maintaining a good sectional score is important. Meeting the sectional cutoff will enhance the chances of the students to get into their dream B-school. Usually, a score of 70-80 percentile in VARC and DILR and 60-70 percentile in QA is good score. However, various MBA colleges in India also take other factors into consideration such as work experience, academic profile, PI performance.
Also Read:
Is the Sectional Cutoff Important?
CAT is a very competitive exam, and therefore many institutes use CAT sectional cutoffs to offer admissions. CAT sectional cutoff differs for each programmes and institutes. For exam aspirants, it is important to score well in each section to achieve a good CAT percentile. Most of the tier I colleges focus on the overall cutoff as well as the sectional cutoff, but a majority of the tier II and tier III colleges focus only on the overall cutoff.
IIMs and top business schools in India release their sectional and overall CAT exam cutoff after the CAT results are announced. The CAT result 2026 is likely to be released in January 2027. So, scoring well only in one section is not enough to grab a seat in a top tier B-school. Scoring well in all the three sections of the CAT exam is imperative.
Also Read: CAT Score vs Percentile
List of MBA Colleges in India with No Sectional Cutoffs
The following table depicts the list of MBA colleges in India with no sectional cutoffs with their overall expected CAT cutoff 2026:
| Name of the Institute |
Expected CAT Cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
| 96+ |
|
| 80+ |
|
| 98+ |
|
| 90+ |
|
| 24.6 |
|
| 23.75 |
|
| 70+ |
|
| 85+ |
|
| 99 |
|
| 93+ |
|
| 85+ |
|
| 94+ |
|
| 85+ |
|
| 85+ |
|
| 88+ |
Also Read:
Advantages of MBA Colleges in India With No Sectional Cutoff
Choosing MBA colleges with no sectional cutoff can be advantageous in the way that these colleges look at the overall performance of the aspirants rather than focusing on a particular section. Colleges that do not impose sectional cutoffs in entrance exams, such as the CAT for MBA programmes, offer several advantages to candidates.
- Broad Evaluation: Students are evaluated comprehensively, i.e. they are selected on the basis of the overall marks and percentile. Such colleges do not solely focus on one section. This gives way to a fairer evaluation and allows for a more nuanced consideration of the performances of the students.
- Diverse Skill Sets: Students with diverse skills get the change to apply to their dream college even if they have not cleared the sectional CAT cutoff. Students from non-traditional academic or professional backgrounds will find it easier to qualify, as their unique skills and experiences can be taken into account. The focus on rigid benchmarks can be taken off.
- Flexibility: Students have the option to emphasize on their strengths and work on their weaknesses in sections where they scored low.
It is important to note that while these advantages exist, candidates should still strive for a balanced performance across all sections to enhance their chances of success in the competitive admission processes.
Read More:
Commonly asked questions
On an average, about 10-15 CAT aspirants score 100 percentile. Given below is the data of CAT 100 percentilers of last 4 years:
Exam year | CAT 100 percentilers | State wise numbers |
|---|---|---|
CAT 2025 | 12 | 1- Uttar Pradesh 1- Karnataka 1- Maharashtra 3- Delhi 2- Haryana 2- Gujarat 1- Jharkhand 1- Odisha |
CAT 2024 | 14 | 1- Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2023 | 14 | 1 – Andhra Pradesh |
CAT 2022 | 11 | 2 - Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 2 - Maharashtra 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh |
To get 99 percentile and above, candidates must attempt 40-45 out of 68 questions in CAT, with maximum accuracy.
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Qualifying CAT cut off percentiles of Iims for Written Ability Test (What) and Personal Interview PI are listed below. Candidates who MET the qualifying CAT cut off, were eligible for What-PI round. These qualifying CAT cut offs are for General Category. The cut offs for Reserved category students are lower:
- IIM Ahmedabad: 95 percentile
- IIM Bangalore: 85 percentile
- IIM Calcutta: 85 percentile
- IIM Lucknow: 90 percentile
- IIM Kozhikode: 85 percentile
- IIM Indore: 90 percentile
- IIM Udaipur: 93 percentile
- IIM Shillong: 75 percentile
- IIM Trichy: 93 percentile
- IIM Visakhapatnam: 80 percentile
- IIM Rohtak: 95 percentile
- 1IIM Nagpur: 85 percentile
- IIM Jammu: 93 percentile
- IIM Ranchi: 90 percentile
- IIM Sirmaur: 92 percentile
- IIM Bodhgaya: 93 percentile
- IIM Sambalpur: 93 percentile
- IIM Kashipur: 94 percentile
- IIM Raipur: 93 percentile
- IIM Amritsar: 90 percentile
For complete details of IIM selection and admission process read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-shortlist-selection-admission-criteria-blogId-18787.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Admission in IIM Calcutta depends on multiple factors such as: CAT scores, past academic records, gender diversity, and performance in the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). Candidates can check below minimum required CAT score for getting shortlisted at IIM Calutta:
- OPEN / Gene
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, IBS Mumbai considers top scorers in national exams like CAT, NMAT, or GMAT for tuition fee waivers. Students who secure a high percentile are eligible for these merit-based awards during the first year. The continuation of this financial aid in the second year depends strictly on maintaining a
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered Yesterday
No, national entrance exams like JEE, CAT, or MAT are not strictly mandatory in all cases for admission to IILM University, Greater Noida. National level entrance exam scores are preferred for direct shortlisting and merit scholarships.
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, for some of them. Bahra lists scholarships based on JEE Main marks and CLAT rank, along with BUSET, CAT, MAT, and CUET percentile scores. I am not sure about NEET, so confirm that with the admissions office.
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
In case of mistakes in the fields mentioned on the CAT admit card, candidates must contact the official CAT helpdesk via email or phone to get it rectified before the exam date.
R
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Candidates need to log in using their CAT User ID and Password to download CAT admit card. These login credentials are generated at the time of registration.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
No, the Common Admission Test (CAT) admit card cannot be obtained offline. Candidates have to download CAT 2026 admit card from the official website.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Yes. Candidates must preserve their admit card safely. It is a mandatory document required for identity verification during the Writing Ability Test (WAT), Personal Interview (PI) rounds, and final admission stages at the institutes.
J
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
No. The examination authorities do not accept any requests to change the allotted exam venue, test city, or timing slot. The details printed on your CAT admit card are final.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can download the PDF on your smartphone. However, it is better to use a laptop or desktop computer to prevent any layout errors and to ensure you can print a clean copy easily.
V
Contributor-Level 7
Experience: 4+ Years
Education: Bachelor's in Business Administration
Expertise: Management exams
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