Best Colleges accepting CMAT Score in Pune

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.

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

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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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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

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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. 

PIBM Pune admissions are entirely entrance-based. PIBM is situated in the Pune, Maharashtra. The institute accepts MAH MBA CET for admissions to Management courses. This is a Maharahtra-state common entrance exam, which is conducted by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra, for admission to MBA courses in various institutes in the state of Maharashtra. Candidates seeking for admission at PIBM Pune can apply through the official website. Click here for the complete MAH CET 2024 application process:

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 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

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 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.

ISB&M, Pune is good for PGDM and gives a 2 year course for PGDM. The college also has good placement record. ISB&M, Pune also provides specialisations in fields like Marketing, Finanace, HR etc. and is one of the top institutes for the course. 

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 score is not accepted by the IIMs. These institutes accept only CAT score for their management programmes. CMAT is accepted by over 1300 MBA colleges in India which belong to mostly Tier 2 and Tier 3 status. You can seek admission with CMAT score to all AICTE approved institutions – private, government and government aided.

PIBM Pune is the best choice. PIBM trains you on practical approaches like a dual internship, live projects, simulation-based classes, field projects, etc. It is NAAC Accredited college and ranked under top 100 colleges in India by NIRF. The PIBM focuses more in giving practical exposures and provide you a platform where you can learn under corporate leaders by conducting regular corporate sessions & events. For placement in top companies like Amazon, Deloitte, Reliance, Upgrad, etc. visit PIBM campus every year. The highest package offered is 17 LPA and the average package is 6.5 LPA.

Balaji Institute of International Business has recorded a placement rate of 100%. Candidates can refer to the table to know the highest package offered during BIIB placements 2022:

Particulars	Statistics
Highest Package 2022	INR 19.25 LPA
No of Offers recieved	903

Sectional weightage of CMAT is same. Since the Language Comprehension section of CMAT includes reading comprehension passages, it can be considered a lengthy section. However, any other section can also be lengthier due to nature of the questions.

The CMAT registration and form filling process is incomplete without submission of certain documents. Candidates need the following documents to fill the CMAT application form. While photo, signature and Certificate are to be uploaded with the form, other documents are required for making entries in it. 1. Recent passport size photo (colour with white background) 2. Scanned signature on a white paper 3. Scanned copy of photo ID card such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, Voter ID card, Passport 4. Class 10 marksheet 5. Class 12 marksheet 6. Graduation marksheet 7. PG degree marksheet (if applicable) 8. Bank details Candidates belonging to Reserved category are required to upload caste Certificate and candidates belonging to PwD category have to upload a Certificate for the same. They also need to upload scribe Certificate to avail the facility on the exam day. These Certificate formats can be downloaded from CMAT website.

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. They should choose the first city of preference as their hometome or where they are residing as the exam authorities will strive to allot the test centres to candidates in their first city of preference. Candidates are allotted a test centre in second or third preference only in a situation where the seats have been filled or the exam has been cancelled at that location. Choose cities very carefully as once selected the change can be made only at the time of form correction.

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.

The highest package offered during FLAME University Pune placements 2026 stood at INR 19 LPA. The course-wise highest package offered during FLAME University placements between 2025 and 2026 is tabulated below:

Course	Placement Statistics (2025)	Placement Statistics (2026)
MBA	INR 15.25 LPA	INR 19 LPA
MBA  (Communications Management)	INR 8.64 LPA	INR 10.7 LPA

Graduate Management Admission Council conducts the NMAT exam within a particular exam timeline. Every year, NMAT exam is usually scheduled to be conducted in the last quarter of a calendar year. Candidates are able to take the exam until December. Candidates can appear for the NMAT exam three times during the testing window. Soon after taking the first exam attempt, candidates can fill the retake registration form to apply for the NMAT retake. However, one can schedule a retake of the NMAT exam 15 days after the first take.

NMAT 2026 exam dates will be revealed later.

NOTE: NMAT exam dates can vary every year. However, the timeline remains the same.

The average salary package received by students after completing MBA/PGDM from IIEBM - Indus Business School is INR 750,000. While, the average salary offered by Indira School of Business Studies - ISBS after completion of MBA/PGDM is INR 475,000 - INR 520,000. Basis these stats, IIEBM - Indus Business School is a better option compared to Indira School of Business Studies - ISBS on the average salary parameter.

MIMA Institute of Management offers PGDM in three specialisations. The total fee for the entire course duration for each of the three specialisations is given in the table below:

Course	Fees
PGDM Business Administration	INR 7.65 Lakh
PGDM Agri Business Management	INR 6.7 Lakh
PGDM Pharmaceutical Management	INR 6.7 Lakh

NOTE: The mentioned amount has been taken from the official website of the institute. It is still subject to change and hence, is indicative.