Best CMAT Colleges in Maharashtra

K J Somaiya Institute of Management emerged as the No. 1 MBA college accepting CMAT score in Maharashtra followed by other colleges. Listed below are some of the colleges along wth their NIRF rankings:

College Name	NIRF 2021	NIRF 2022	NIRF 2023
KJ Somaiya Institute of Management	56	71	45
Welingkar Institute of Management	72	68	73
National Institute of Bank Management	NA	NA	76

Hope this information proves beneficial for you!

Joining MBA colleges accepting CMAT in Maharashtra can be affordable. Listed below are some of the colleges having tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh:

Low-cost Colleges	Total Tuition Fee
Abasaheb Garware Institute of Management Studies	INR 91,000
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University	INR 90,000
Dhole Patil College of Engineering	INR 61,000
Dhanwate National College	INR 20,000
North Maharashtra University	INR 36,000

Joining MBA colleges accepting CMAT score in Maharashtra can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some of the colleges along with their total tuition fees and average placement package:

College Name	Total Tuition Fee	Annual Average Package
K J Somaiya Institute of Management MBA	INR 17 lakh	INR 10 LPA
Welingkar Mumbai MBA	INR 14 lakh	INR 9 LPA
National Institute of Bank Management MBA	INR 14 lakh	INR 11 LPA
Pune Institute of Business Management MBA	INR 9 Lacs – INR 30 lakh	INR 7 LPA
IMT Nagpur MBA	INR 14 lakh	INR 11 LPA

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About 400+ top MBA colleges are accepting CMAT score in Maharashtra. Among these,  252 colleges are privately owned, 16 colleges are owned by public/government organisations, and public-private entities own 3 MBA colleges in Maharashtra that accept CMAT score. CMAT is one of the most accepting entrance exams in MBA colleges in Maharashtra accepting CMAT score. Some of the popular colleges include K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Welingkar Mumbai, National Institute of Bank Management, Pune Institute of Business Management, National Insurance Academy, IMT Nagpur, etc.

The total seat intake of Savitribai Phule Pune University for MBA in Pharma Biotech programme is 60. For other MBA courses, however, seat intake depends on the number of seats at the affiliated college. For more information on the course-wise and college-wise seat intake, candidates are advised to visit the official website of the affiliated colleges.

Refer to the table below for a detailed overview of the MBA colleges accepting CMAT score in Maharashtra along with their average placement package and its prominent recruiters:

College Name	Annual Average Package	Prominent Recruiters
K J Somaiya Institute of Management Placements	INR 10 LPA	ITC, Amazon, HUL, EY, Airtel, etc.
Welingkar Mumbai MBA Placements	INR 9 LPA	Adani Group, Airtel, Amazon, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley,  etc..
National Institute of Bank Management Placements	INR 11 LPA	Airtel, HDFC Bank, KPMG, Axis Bank, Federal Bank, etc.
Pune Institute of Business Management Placements	INR 7 LPA	Citco, Wipro, Xiaomi, Flipkart, Loreal, Grant Thornton, etc.
IMT Nagpur Placements	INR 11 LPA	Berger, Orient Electric, Usha, Bata footwear, etc.

 

Although there is no minimum graduation marks criterion for appearing in the CMAT exam, the criterion applies for admission through CMAT. As per the AICTE recommendation, the candidate must have completed graduation from a recognised university with a minimum score of 50 per cent in aggregate (45 per cent for Reserved category students) to be eligible for admission to a UGC recognised MBA/PGDM course. 

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.

Yes, CMAT is much easier that CAT exam. Despite the fact that CMAT and CAT syllabus are same and that CMAT has two more sections than CAT the former is much easier than the latter. The CAT exam is usually of moderate to high difficulty level, whereas the CMAT exam is of easy to moderate difficulty level.

There are key differences between CMAT and CAT which make the former easier. There is no sectional time limit in CMAT so candidates do not face the pressure of completing a given section within certain time limit. In CAT there are 4-5 Reading Comprehension passages which are 500-600 words, and 12-14 question.

In CMAT there is usually, only one Reading Comprehension passage, having 4 questions. The Quantitative Aptitude questions of CMAT are also easier than CAT and so are Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation questions. It is easier to score high percentile in CMAT as the number of applicants is more than one Lacs less in CAT.

As per the details available on the official website and the latest admission brochure, MBA admissions at KJ Somaiya Institute of Management (KJSIM) are completely based on the merit of students in their UG degree along with their performance in the national/ state/ university-level entrance exam. Similar is the case for MCA and PhD admission, students who meet the eligibility criteria of having completed their UG and PG degrees, respectively, with a valid score in national/ state/ university-level entrance exams can secure admission. However, students are advised to reach out to the admission office to confirm the same.

The following table presents a list of government MBA institutions in Maharashtra that consider CMAT scores for admission, along with their respective total tuition fees.

Public/Government Colleges	Total Tuition Fee
UNIPUNE Admission	INR 1 lakh
Department of Management Sciences, Pune University Admission	INR 1 Lacs – INR2 lakh
Gondwana University Admission	INR 46,000
College of Engineering, Pune Admission	INR 3 lakh
SNDT College Admission	INR 2 lakh

 

The cutoff for an MBA at the Institute of Management Technology Nagpur varies each year and depends on various factors such as the number of applicants, the difficulty level of the exam, and the availability of seats. However, the estimated cutoff for the General category for the year 2023 is around 85-90 percentile based on previous years' cutoffs. The overall cutoff for CMAT is 80 percentile.

The table below shows the top specialisations offered by the best MBA colleges in Maharashtra accepting CMAT score along with their number of colleges:

Top Specialisations	No. of Colleges
Sales & Marketing	192
Finance	190
Human Resources	188
Operations	140
Supply Chain	80

Yes, you can apply for an MBA course at KJSIM without CAT scores. The institute accept other exam scores as well for admission. Candidates with a valid score of XAT/GMAT/NMAT/CMAT are also eligible to apply. Apart from this, aspirants must have a valid bachelor's degree from a recognised university to be eligible for course admission. The final selection is done based on shortlisted candidates performance in the group discussion and personal interview rounds.

CMAT has five sections - Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Language Comprehension, General Awareness and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Important topics of CMAT across all the five sections are listed below:

1. Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation: Time-speed-distance, Ratio-Proportion, Profit and Loss, SICI, Average, Partnership, Triangles Probability Surds, HCF-LCM, Quad equations, Quad inequality, Graphs, Tables, Bar, Pie Chart.
2. Logical Reasoning: Family Tree, Analytical Reasoning, Linear Arrangements, Number Series, Matrix Arrangements, Blood Relationship Tests, Coding-Decoding, etc.
3. Language Comprehension: Synonym, Antonym, Fill in the Blanks, Idioms, Match the Following, Reading Comprehension, Identify the Correct Statement, Direct/Indirect Speech, Classify the Sentence, Question Tag, Parajumble.
4. General Awareness: Economy, Business, World, Politics, Sports, Culture, Society
5. Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Concepts of Entrepreneurship, Overview of Entrepreneurship, Evolution of Entrepreneurship in India, Role of Entrepreneurship in Economic Development, Theories and Models of Entrepreneurship, Framework of Entrepreneurship Theories, Models of Entrepreneurship, Emerging Models of Corporate Entrepreneurship, Dimensions of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Society, Entrepreneurial Culture, Rural Entrepreneurship, etc.

Since every section of CMAT has 20 questions in total, solving 15 to 18 questions in each section with 80 percent accuracy is considered a good attempt in CMAT, and it can ensure a good percentile in the exam. In the GK section, about 10 to 12 correct attempts will be enough. Out of 100 questions, candidates must try to solve about 70 to 75 questions to achieve a 99 percentile. However, candidates must aim to solve a higher number of questions with maximum accuracy and minimize negative marking. To be able to achieve this target, candidates have to prepare for the CMAT in a disciplined manner. Candidates must set aside about three months to complete the CMAT syllabus, as they have to study five subjects and their numerous topics. If they have appeared for CAT, XAT, and IIFT exams, then they can complete the CMAT syllabus in one month as well. However, it is advised that candidates spend at least three months on CMAT syllabus for complete preparation.

CMAT syllabus is somewhat same as CAT syllabus. It has two extra subjects, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and General Awareness. However, these two subjects are not tough and can be covered alongside Quantitative Aptitude, English and Logical Reasoning. Despite having less subjects CAT is tougher than CMAT.

There is dual internship model which includes Winter Internship Program (WIP) after first semester and Summer Internship Program (SIP) after second semester. These programs give corporate exposure. Students often get Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs) from major companies.

Yes, Balaji Institute of Modern Management offers specialised MBA courses. Apart from the general MBA, the institute provides an MBA in Marketing Management and an MBA in PM-HRD. Both these courses are offered in affiliation with Sri Balaji University and run for a two-year course duration. Further, the mode of education is full-time.

Yes, IMT Nagpur provides several scholarships under various schemes. Some of the best options are given here -

• Smt Leela Nath Memorial Scholarship: All female students enrolled in the IMT Nagpur PGDM programme will receive a scholarship of 20% on the academic fees.
• Merit Scholarship: Those who have got 90 percentile or above in CAT/ XAT or 650+ score in GMAT will receive 40% scholarship on the academic fees
• TFW scheme 

The NIBM Pune PGDM was ranked 35th in the IIRF 2025 Top MBA colleges in India. The programme is consistently recognised among India's leading banking management courses. NIBM Pune PGDM is AICTE-approved, NBA-accredited, and has AIU recognition equivalent to an MBA degree. These accreditations enhance academic credibility and industry value.

Aditya School of Business Management offers AICTE approved two-years PGDM programme. The school offers PGDM +, PGDM Business Analytics and PGDM Artificial Intelligence & Data Science. Admission to PGDM courses is entrance-based. 

The median salary package offered to the students after finishing MBA/PGDM from National Insurance Academy- NIA is INR 1,300,000. While, the Median package offered by SIES College of Management Studies after completion of MBA/PGDM is INR 750,000. Basis these stats, National Insurance Academy- NIA is better option compared to SIES College of Management Studies on the Median salary parameter.

PGDM is the flagship course of N. L. Dalmia offered in three specialisations. The institute provides real-time corporate and professional experience through numerous guest lectures, live workshops, projects, and internships to MBA students. After completing graduation from N. L. Dalmia, students are offered jobs in top companies. 

ISBM Pune have multiple application deadlines for applying via different modes, such as CAT, Early Bird, etc. The application fee varies based on different modes; check out the details below: 

Modes with Application Fee	Dates
First Mover Application Fee: Rs. 500/-	01st Oct to 31st Oct 2026
Early Bird Registration Fee: Rs. 1000/-	01st Nov to 30 Nov 2026
Application 2nd Phase Fees Rs.1500/-	01st Nov to 24th Dec
Apply with CAT Score Deadlines & Fees Rs. 1800/-	25th Dec to 05th Jan
Application form Closing	05th Jan 2027
Group Discussion & Personal Interview	First week of February, 2027 onwards
PGDM programme Commencement	PGDM programme Commencement: 15th June, 2027

 

SIES School of Business Studies PGDM programme offers specialisations in Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Business Analytics, Pharmaceutical Management, and Biotechnology Management. Students can choose these as per their career choice.