What is a good score in CMAT for admission to top MBA colleges?

Ideally, one would say that 99 to100 percentile is good for MBA Admission. However, it is not possible for all candidates to score so high. So, what shall be considered a good score in CMAT. A good CMAT score is basically a score that will get you a seat in your desired college. So, if you desire a Tier 1 college, a good score in CMAT will be 85 percentile and above. If you desire a Tier 2 college, a good score in CMAT will be 70 to 85 percentile and for a Tier 3 college, less than 70 percentile in CMAT will be good. Now, if you want to understand CMAT. Score in terms of percentile, so that while giving the exam you know how much raw score is needed to get the required percentile for the desired college, you need to know how much CMAT score is equal to percentile. About 340 to 350 score is equal to 100 percentile in CMAT About 281to 340 score is equal to 90 to 99.99 percentile in CMAT About 201 to 280 score is equal to 81 to 89 percentile in CMAT About 171 to 200 score is equal to 71to 80 percentile in CMAT About 140 to 171 score is equal to 61 to 70 percentile in CMAT About 116 to 140 score is equal to 51 to 60 percentile in CMAT.

CMAT Cut Off 2026: Check Previous Year Cutoffs for Top MBA Colleges

CMAT 2027 registration and application process

4 Nov '26 - 28 Nov '26

Updated on Oct 18, 2026 11:51 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CMAT 2026 cut offs for top MBA colleges are usually around 95 to 99 percentile. Highest CMAT cut offs are for JBIMS, SIMSREE, PUMBA and KJ Somaiya, between 98.87 to 99.99 percentile. For Tier 2 MBA colleges, the CMAT cut offs are lower in the range of 80-90 percentile. For Tier 3 MBA colleges, the CMAT cut offs go down to between 60-70 percentile.

The CMAT cut offs are determined by score accepting colleges individually and there is involvement of NTA in this regard. For admission, candidates have to meet the minimum CMAT cut off percentiles. CMAT exam score can also be used for admission through MAH MBA CAP. Read all about CMAT cut offs (expected and previous years') on this page below:

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Factors Determining CMAT Cut Offs

The score accepting colleges determine CMAT cut offs individually on the basis of certain factors and previous years' admission trends. Given below are the main parameters on the basis of which CMAT cutoffs are fixed.

Total number of candidates appeared in CMAT exam
Total number of seats available at the institute
Previous years' CMAT cut offs for admission
Total pass percentage of candidates in that year
Difficulty level of the CMAT question paper

CMAT exam score is accepted by all Maharashtra colleges and institutes which participate in MAH CET CAP for MBA/MMS admission. Candidates can apply for seat allotment through CMAT in All India Category.

⚡ Check 50 Top MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT Score, their fees and salary package

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CMAT 2027 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CMAT 2027 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
Feb ' 27	CMAT 2027 result TENTATIVE

CMAT Cut Offs in 80-99 Percentile Range

CMAT cut offs for top colleges such as JBIMS, SIMSREE, KJ Somaiya, GIM and Great Lakes are usually in 99+ percentile range. Since CMAT score is widely accepted by Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges, most of the test takers find a suitable one for themselves within the range of 70 to 90 percentile too. Check the table below for CMAT cut offs 2026:

Colleges accepting CMAT score	CMAT Cut Off
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies	99.99 percentile
SIMSREE, Mumbai	99.97 percentile
Goa Institute of Management	99.85 percentile
K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research	99.20 percentile
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai	99.06 percentile
Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi	95 percentile
IFIM Business School, Bangalore	85 percentile
Asia-Pacific Institute of Management	85 percentile
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida	82 percentile

Check CMAT cut offs and predict calls from colleges accepting CMAT score for admission. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and Eligibility of all CMAT participating colleges by clicking the link below:

CMAT Cal Predictor

Commonly asked questions

Q: Will I get admission if I meet CMAT cut off but not eligibility criteria of the college?

It is quite unlikely that you can get admission if you do not meet the academic eligibility criteria for MBA. The basic criteria of selection are CMAT score and academic score. As per the AICTE, the minimum score required in graduation to qualify for MBA programme is 50 % (for SC/ST/PwD category, the minimum score requirement is 45%. So, MBA aspirants must ensure that they have scored at least 50 percent in their Bachelor's degree programme.

Q: Is there any negative marking in CMAT 2027?

Yes, there is a negative marking in CMAT exam. For each wrong answer, 1 mark will be deducted. However, no marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.

Q: Is meeting CMAT cut off enough for MBA admission?

Meeting CMAT cut off is the first stage of MBA admission. Candidates need to clear the Personal Interview/Group Discussion/Written Ability Test round too. Some institutes conduct only Personal Interview, some conduct Personal Interview/Group Discussion and some conduct all three, Personal Interview/Group Discussion/Written Ability Test. Apart from that, candidates must also meet the academic criteria for selection.

CMAT Cut Offs in 70-80 Percentile Range

Candidates who have CMAT score in the range of 70-80 percentile, can try for admission into one of these popular institutes.

Colleges accepting CMAT score	CMAT Cut Off
KIIT School of Management, Bhubaneswar (KSOM)	80 percentile
SRM Institute of Science and Technology	80 percentile
Amrita School of Business - DMS, Bangalore	80 percentile
BIMTECH, Greater Noida	75 percentile
BIT, Mesra	75 percentile
DY Patil School of Management, Pune	75 percentile
XIME, Bangalore	75 percentile
Alliance School of Business - Alliance University	75 percentile
Christ University Institute of Management	70 percentile
WeSchool Mumbai-Welingkar Institute of Management	70 percentile
Institute of Management Studies, Ghaziabad (IMS Ghaziabad)	70 percentile
D Y Patil University School of Management (DYPUSM)	70 percentile
Jagannath International Management School (JIMS)	70 percentile
Universal Business School	70 percentile
NSB Academy	70 percentile
Aims Institute of Management Studies	70 percentile
Accurate Group of Institutions	70 percentile
Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies (RCBS)	70 percentile

CMAT Selection Process 2026

CMAT selection process includes WAT/GD and PI. Candidates have to fill the college application form and if they meet the CMAT cut off they will be called for the WAT/GD and PI.Given below are the three main stages of MBA admission through CMAT:

Screening of candidates basis CMAT cut off
Writing Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI)
Final selection for admission and merit list announcement

For final selection candidates will be evaluated on the following parameters:

CMAT percentile score
Academic history (Class 10, 12 and Graduation)
Performance in GD and PI
Work Experience (if applicable)
Extra-curricular activity (if applicable)
Gender and academic diversity

Commonly asked questions

Q: How to calculate CMAT percentile?

Since CMAT is usually conducted in two shifts, there are chances of the question paper of one shift being slightly tougher or easier in comparison to the question paper of other shift. In order to negate the possibility of any candidate having an advantage or disadvantage due to this, the exam authorities normalise the CMAT scores before percentile calculation. Once that is done, the authorities use the normalised score for percentile score calculation. CMAT percentile is basically a rank of a candidate vs the total number of candidates who appeared in the exam. Given below is the formula for calculating CMAT percentile prescribed by NTA: Formula to Calculate CMAT Percentile: If 10,000 candidates appeared in CMAT and only 1 candidate scored the highest marks (365/400). Since they have scored the highest in exam, their rank will be 1 and CMAT percentile score will be: 100 x 9999/10,000= 99.99.

Q: Is MAT easier than CMAT?

MAT and CMAT both are moderately difficulty exam, but have their own challenges. While, CMAT has one extra section Innovation and Entrepreneurship, MAT has a separate section for Data Interpretation having 30 questions. With focused preparation, you can crack either of the two that you choose.

Q: How can I apply for MAH MBA CAP through CMAT score?

For admission to MBA/MMS courses offered by State affiliated universities, Maharashtra State CET cell accepts CAT/MAT/CMAT/XAT/GMAT/ATMA scores too for All India category candidates. If you wish to participate in the MAH MBA CAP round through your CMAT score, you can fill the CAP registration form and participate in seat allotment rounds. The MAH MBA CAP is conducted in June-September every year, after the announcement of MAH MBA CET result.

MBA Colleges Accepting CMAT score: City-wise

Candidates can check from the list below for MBA college in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Bhopal and Hyderabad for admission through CMAT. The links provide all the information related to colleges including CMAT cut offs, admission criteria, fees, courses, ranking, infrastructure, etc.

Check Cut offs of top MBA entrance exams and predict calls from IIMs and other Top MBA Colleges. Check Fees, Placement Reviews, Admission, Shortlist Criteria and eligibility of all MBA Colleges by clicking the link below:

Predict IIM & Non IIM Call

View accepting colleges

FAQs on CMAT Cut Offs

Check here some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on CMAT cut off:

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 65-75 percentile?

Candidates with CMAT score of 65-75 percentile, must not feel bad about their comparatively low score. There are number of good MBA colleges in India which accept CMAT scores in this range for their postgraduate management courses. Some of the college that accept CMAT score of 65-75 percentile include, BIMTECH-Greater Noida, BIT-Mesra, DY Patil School of Management-Pune, DY Patil School of Management-Pune, Calcutta Business School, New Delhi Institute of Management (NDIM) New Delhi, Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME) Chennai, IES Management College And Research Centre, Mumbai, Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida, FIIB Delhi: Fortune Institute of International Business, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII Ahmedabad), VESIM Mumbai, Durgadevi Saraf Institute of Management Studies, Delhi School of Business, EMPI Business School New Delhi, Jaypee Business School (JBS) Noida, International Institute of Management Studies (IIMS) Pune among others.

Q: Which are the top colleges for MBA with CMAT score of 80 to 85 percentile?

If you score between 80 to 85 percentile CMAT you need not worry about admission. There are a large number of MBA colleges that accept candidates with CMAT score in the range of 80 to 85 percentile. A number of government as well as private institutes with good infrastructure and placements are within your reach. Some of those popular colleges include, Welingkar Institute of Management-Mumbai, Welingkar Institute of Management-Bangalore, Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, IFIM-Bangalore, IFMR- Chennai, NIBM-Pune, NL Dalmiya Institute of Management, IMT Hyderabad, IMT Nagpur, XISS Ranchi, ITM Navi Mumbai, Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida, Xavier Business School-Xavier University, Great Lakes Institute of Management-Gurgaon, BIMTECH-Greater Noida, XIME-Bangalore, ISBM-Pune, Jaipuria Institute of Management Lucknow, KIIT School of Management, IPE Hyderabad, SIES College of Management Studies-Navi Mumbai and Chetana Institute of Management and Research-Mumbai among others.

Q: How to select CMAT colleges for admission?

The first criteria is CMAT cut off. Candidates should shortlist all the colleges whose cut off is same or lower than their score. Thereafter, check fees, location, accreditation, curriculum, pedagogy and placement reports to choose one foe themselves.

Q: What is a good score in CMAT?

CMAT total marks is 400. It is usually considered that scoring 270 to 300 marks can convert into good percentile, about 99 percentile. Around 200 marks can get you 90 percentile which is also good if you are targeting private colleges.

Q: What is the minimum academic criteria for admission through CMAT?

The minimum academic criteria for MBA admission through CMAT is minimum 50% in graduation for General category students and minimum 45% for SC/ST/PwD category students. Even though this eligibility criteria is not mandatory for CMAT, it is the basic requirement for full time MBA as per the AICTE regulations.

Q: Is it tough to score 99 percentiles in CMAT?

It is not tough to score 99 percentile in CMAT but it is not a cake walk either. One need to study for the exam in a focused and time bound manner. It is speed based test in which time management is the key. One needs to also achieve maximum accuracy in solving CMAT questions to be able to aim for 99 percentile. Moreover, there is negative marking in CMAT, so one needs to be extremely careful in choosing questions in the exam.

Q: Why are CAT cut offs higher than CMAT cut offs?

CAT cut offs hare higher than CMAT cut offs, due to various factors such as number of applicants, exam difficulty level, ranking of institutions, etc. CAT is conducted by IIM and is the toughest MBA entrance exam in India. Nearly 3 Lakh candidates appear for CAT exam and scores are accepted by some of the top ranking institutes. To select best of the best candidates CAT cut offs of IIMs and top colleges are very high. CMAT on the other hand is a moderate difficulty level exam and nearly 75000 candidates appear for it. It is accepted mostly by Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges.

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How many cities can I choose for allotment of CMAT exam centre?

Answered 10 hours ago

Candidates can choose up to four cities for allotment of CMAT exam centre in the application form. Candidates must take utmost care in selecting the cities as once the form is submitted, they can't change city preference.

Sreetama Tyagi

Contributor-Level 7

I belong to SC category. Is there any marks relaxation in CMAT for SC students?

Answered 10 hours ago

There is no minimum marks criterion for appearing in CMAT exam. Any candidate who has passed a Bachelor's degree programme from a recognised university can apply. However, there is a minimum score requirement at CMAT accepting colleges for admission. All the UGC and AICTE approved institutions have

Nishtha Shukla

Contributor-Level 7

Will the CMAT registration fees be refunded if I do not appear for the exam?

Answered 10 hours ago

No, the CMAT registration fees is non-refundable. If they do not appear for the exam they cannot claim refund for the application form. Since, it is mentioned in the exam information brochure that the fee is non-refundable, no requests for refund are entertained by the NTA.

Jasleen Dixit

Contributor-Level 7

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