Are You Worried about Your Low CAT Score? Here's A Guide to Relieve You of Your Worries

According to the report by MBAUniverse.com, roughly 2.55 lakh candidates have registered for CAT 2022, which is a whopping 11% increase from last year. Among these, only a handful of candidates will score 99-100 percentile to qualify for the top MBA colleges in India.

But here lies a question, what about the rest? Is there any chance for candidates who do not have the optimum marks or have a low CAT score? The answer is yes. There are a plethora of options and pathways a candidate can take. Read on to understand which options are the best.

What is the CAT Entrance Exam?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a prestigious national-level exam that a candidate needs to clear to get admission to MBA courses at the top IIMs and B-schools in India. Roughly over two lakh candidates appear for this exam annually, and the conducting body for the same is the Indian Institute of Management(IIM).

A candidate has to clear three sections of MCQs and non-MCQs based on Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Ability (QA) within two hours. The difficulty level of CAT is moderate to high, and a minimum of 50% aggregate in any stream is the eligibility criteria to appear in this examination.

Why is CAT Score Important?

Apart from the IIMs, several esteemed public and private business schools offer outstanding MBA programs. Though conducted by IIM, a high CAT score plays a pivotal role in enrolling in these prestigious business schools. Yes, it is true that the CAT score alone is not the only factor, but it holds a fair amount of weightage in the selection process.

CAT Cut-Offs for IIM

IIMs	Expected cut-offs (percentile)
IIM Ahmedabad	99-100
IIM Bangalore	99-100
IIM Calcutta	99
IIM Lucknow	97-98
IIM Indore	97-98
IIM Kozhikode	97-98

CAT Cut-Offs for Non-IIM 2022

Top MBA College	Expected cut-offs (percentile)
FMS, Delhi	98-99
MDI, Gurgaon	97-99
SPJIMR, Mumbai	95-99
IMT, Ghaziabad	95-97
JBIMS, Mumbai	96

Is it Viable to Get Admission in IIMs with a Low CAT Score?

Yes, admission to IIMs with a low CAT score is possible, as many IIMs demand a cut-off between 85-95 percentile. Several factors can come into play while setting the cut-off marks, like the past year's cut-off, the number of candidates appearing, the number of seats available and others.

While CAT score validity is important, it is not the only deciding factor for getting enrolled in a reputed institution. Different colleges have different admission procedures, and clearing the CAT score is only the first step. Several rounds of Written Ability Tests (WAT), Personal Interviews (PI) and Group Discussions (GD) can follow after clearing the first stage.

Since MBA is a degree that focuses on practical learning and networking, interviewers want candidates with a solid academic profile who can multitask. If you can clear the WAT, PI and GD with flying colors, there is a huge probability that you can opt for top-tier MBA colleges even with a low CAT score.

Other Possible Ways to Pursue an MBA with a Low CAT Score

Apart from clearing the CAT cut-off, there are several different ways you can opt to get into good MBA colleges with a low CAT score.

• ### Apply to New IIMs

The CAT cut-off score in the new IIMs is slightly less than in the established ones. But that does not make them far behind in terms of quality. These institutions have an excellent reputation, and pursuing an MBA from them is a smart decision. An IIM MBA degree is valuable in the job market, whether from an old or a new one.

New IIMs	Expected cut-offs (percentile)
IIM Nagpur	95-96
IIM Jammu	94-95
IIM Bodh Gaya	92-94
IIM Amritsar	95-96
IIM Visakhapatnam	92-94
IIM Sambalpur	95-96
IIM Sirmaur	90

Before enrolling in the new IIMs, candidates must check out the infrastructure, campus and rankings of the institutions. You can visit the IIM official websites for detailed information or get in touch with students who have already completed their courses from these institutions.

• ### Apply to Non-IIMs

A candidate with a low CAT score has the option to apply to many other B-schools that are higher ranked than many IIMs in the NIRF ranking list. These prestigious institutions offer an industry-integrated management course that seamlessly satisfies the candidates' and hiring parties' needs.

Top MBA Colleges	Expected cut-offs (percentile)
IMI, New Delhi	90
NMIMS, Mumbai	90
K J Somaiya, Mumbai	86
FORE, New Delhi	85
GIM, Goa	85
FSM, Delhi	85

• ### Alternative Exams

Apart from CAT, there are many other entrance examinations for MBA courses. Similar to CAT, scores from these examinations are also valid when applying to any B-school in the country.

• XAT

Regulated by XLRI Jamshedpur, the Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) is a national-level exam conducted for admissions to PGDM and MBA courses at more than 160 universities in India. It comprises 100 MCQs and one essay with a time duration of 3 hours and 10 minutes.

• SNAP

The Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) occurs annually under the guidance of Symbiosis International University. There is a requirement for candidates to answer 60 MCQs within 1 hour from General English, Analytical and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency.

• CMAT

Regarded as one of the most popular MBA entrance examinations, approximately 70,000 candidates appear every year in the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT). The conducting body for the CMAT is the National Testing Agency, and top B-schools like K J Somaiya, PUMBA, JBIMS and Great Lakes Institute of Management accept CMAT scores.

• NMAT

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) conducts the NMIMS Management Admission Test (NMAT). Candidates get 2 hours to solve 108 questions. Conducted once a year, candidates must solve three sections to qualify, namely Language Skills, Quantitative Skills and Logical Reasoning.

• GMAT

If you wish to pursue an MBA abroad, you should opt for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Candidates’ assessment takes place through their analytical writing, verbal, quantitative and reading skills.

• ### List of MBA Colleges Accepting a Low CAT Score

You do not need to worry if your CAT score is below 85. Here is a list of some great colleges that accept a low CAT score:

Top MBA Colleges	Expected cut-offs (percentile)
Jaipur National University	81
LPU Jalandhar	80
UBS Mumbai	75
XIME, Bangalore	70
Amity University Noida	75
LIBA, Chennai	70

• ### Pursuing an Online MBA

In recent years, online MBA courses have picked up the pace and are as effective as regular ones. One of the greatest benefits of these courses is that you do not have to appear in any entrance test to qualify. You can pursue a job and an online MBA simultaneously, as these courses are extremely flexible and cost-effective.

Amity University Online is one of the best online platforms offering online MBA degrees across five specializations: HR Analytics, Digital Marketing Management, Business Analytics, Data Science and Digital Entrepreneurship.

Several IIMs are also offering online MBA courses that do not require a CAT score. These are:

• IIM Lucknow
• IIM Ahmedabad
• IIM Raipur
• IIM Indore

Conclusion

Do not think that your dream of pursuing an MBA is crushed with a low CAT score. Consider it a minor setback as many options are available in India to get a chance to study in the top MBA courses. Be persistent and work hard, and you will get your dream MBA degree from a prestigious institution.

Thinking of pursuing an MBA online? Check out the MBA course offered by Amity University Online. Give your career a boost with this India’s first UGC-recognized online MBA only at Amity!