Not every MBA aspirant secures admission to the top IIMs, but that doesn’t mean the journey ends there. Several Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India offer quality education, strong industry exposure, impressive placements, and excellent return on investment (ROI). These institutes accept CAT 2026 scores and are ideal for candidates scoring between 85 and 95th percentile, depending on the institute and category.
Tier 2 B-schools have built a strong reputation over the years by offering updated curricula, experienced faculty, industry collaborations, internships, and competitive placement opportunities. Many graduates from these institutes are recruited by leading companies in consulting, banking, IT, FMCG, analytics, and e-commerce sectors.
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Why Choose a Tier 2 MBA College in India?
Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India provide an excellent balance between affordability and career opportunities. Many of these colleges offer average salary packages ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹18 lakh per annum, along with strong corporate connections and modern learning infrastructure. They are also known for their diverse specializations in Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management, Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Technology.
Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India Accepting CAT 2026
| College | Location | Expected CAT Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| International Management Institute (IMI) New Delhi | New Delhi | 90–95+ |
| Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad | Ghaziabad | 90–95 |
| Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) | Bhubaneswar | 90–95 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management | Chennai | 90–95 |
| K J Somaiya Institute of Management | Mumbai | 85–92 |
| Goa Institute of Management (GIM) | Goa | 88–93 |
| T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) | Manipal | 85–90 |
| FORE School of Management | New Delhi | 85–90 |
| Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) | Chennai | 85–90 |
| Institute of Management, Nirma University | Ahmedabad | 80–90 |
| Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research | Mumbai | 80–90 |
| Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) | Ranchi | 75–85 |
| IFMR Graduate School of Business | Sri City | 75–85 |
| Faculty of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi | 80–90 |
| Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM) | New Delhi | 80–88 |
Also read: Top MBA Colleges Accepting 50–60 Percentile in CAT
Tier 2 Government MBA Colleges Accepting CAT
- Indian Institute of Management Kashipur
- Indian Institute of Management Jammu
- Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya
- Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur
- Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam
- Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Department of Management Studies
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Department of Industrial and Management Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Department of Management Studies
The CAT 2026 admission policies for most institutes will be released after the CAT 2026 notification. Therefore, the exact cut-offs are not yet available. Based on recent admission cycles, here are the expected CAT percentiles for General category candidates.
Expected CAT Cutoff for Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India
| Institute | Expected CAT Percentile (General) |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur | 94–96 |
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu | 90–94 |
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya | 90–94 |
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur | 90–94 |
| Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Visakhapatnam | 92–95 |
| Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras | 94–97 |
| Department of Management Sciences, IIT Kanpur | 90–95 (minimum eligibility is typically 80 percentile for General candidates, but actual calls are usually much higher) |
| Department of Management Studies, IIT Roorkee | 90–94 |
Category-wise Expected CAT Percentile
| Category | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|
| General | 90–97 |
| EWS | 80–90 |
| OBC-NCL | 80–90 |
| SC | 60–75 |
| ST | 45–60 |
| PwD | 45–60 |
Important Notes
- IIM Kashipur generally has one of the highest cut-offs among the newer IIMs, with a General-category shortlist around 95 percentile in recent admission cycles.
- IIM Visakhapatnam is usually slightly more competitive than IIM Jammu, Bodh Gaya, and Sambalpur.
- IIT Madras generally requires a higher CAT percentile than IIT Kanpur and IIT Roorkee due to stronger competition.
- These are expected shortlisting ranges. The final conversion depends not only on CAT percentile but also on academic profile, work experience, diversity, and interview performance.