Further studySource-checked · reviewed 31 Oct 20268 sources cited

MBA admission through CAT, CMAT and XAT

Look at how admission to an MBA works through CAT, CMAT and XAT: CAT's eligibility, the rules IIM Indore, IIM Ahmedabad and FMS Delhi print for their own programmes, and XLRI's fee.

At a glance

For youChoose a qualificationChoose your degree on the Explore page to see what the sources say for you.
Cost5 sourcedCAT 2025 registration fee was 2600 for all categories other than SC, ST and PwD, and 1300 for SC, ST and PwD candidates…
StipendNot applicableStudy route, so no salary. A stipend appears only where a source states it.
TimetableNot establishedSet by each institution. Check its brochure.
Admission15 sourcedCAT 2026 eligibility: a Bachelor's Degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, from an Indian university or an equivalent…

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 8 sources · next review 20 Nov 2026

Cost, pay and hours

As sourced

1
Extra cost5 sourced
- - CAT 2025 registration fee was 2600 for all categories other than SC, ST and PwD, and 1300 for SC, ST and PwD candidates
  - paid once whatever number of institutes; non-refundable.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  one-off
  CAT 2025 registration, for any number of institutes
  excludes Programme application fees of institutions outside CAT, if any
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:CAT 2025 (test held 30 November 2025; closed cycle). no CAT 2026 advertisement PDF found).
  Note:
  Does not state the CAT 2026 fee.
  Currency not printed (rupees assumed by context, not stated).
- IIM Indore's fee page for PGP batch 2026-28 shows a course fee of 12,00,000 for Indian students through CAT in each of the academic years 2026-27 and 2027-28, in three instalments of 4,00,000 a year.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  per year
  Course fee, Indian students through CAT
  excludes Textbooks
  mess deposit, caution deposit and alumni fee with GST are separate lines
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:
  PGP batch 2026-28, page updated 09 January 2026.
  Grand totals on the page: 13,04,000 (AY 2026-27) and 12,11,800 (AY 2027-28), which include a refundable caution deposit, a mess deposit and alumni fee with GST.
  Note:
  Does not include textbooks (page: 'Course fee does not include cost of text books.').
  Not the fee for a later batch.
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- For NRI/foreign students through GMAT/SAT the same page shows a course fee of 18,00,000 per year.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  per year
  Course fee, NRI/foreign national
  excludes Textbooks and other heads
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:PGP batch 2026-28.
  Note:Not applicable to Indian students applying through CAT.
- XLRI states the fee as Rs. 15.25 lakh per annum for those programmes, with the institute reserving the right to revise it; mess and hostel are extra.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  per year
  Programme fee
  excludes Mess and hostel expenses
  subject to revision
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:XAT 2027 intake; the page shows the same fee line under both programme blocks.
  Note:Not total cost over two years; hostel and mess are separate.
- XAT 2027 registration is Rs. 2300 for an Indian candidate plus Rs 200 for each additional XLRI programme.
  Basis:
  Indian rupees
  one-off
  XAT 2027 registration
  Show scopeHide scope
  Scope:XAT 2027.
  Note:Does not include costs of other institutions that accept XAT.
2
PayNot established
This is a study route, so there is no salary.A stipend or fee waiver appears only where a source states it.Have a source? Tell us
3
Timetable & attendanceNot established
Timetable, attendance and leave rules are set by each institution. Check its brochure.Have a source? Tell us

Reality check

From the sources

The work

CAT is a computer-based test conducted by the IIMs and a prerequisite for IIM postgraduate and fellow programmes, and scores may be used by listed non-IIM institutions.
NTA's CMAT site says the CMAT score is accepted by all AICTE-approved institutions.
IIM Indore uses a three-stage selection: eligibility with CAT sectional and overall cut-offs, a shortlist for personal interview, and final selection.

Entry requirements

CAT 2026 asks for a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA (45% for SC, ST and PwBD) or a professional degree (CA, CS, ICWA/CMA or FIAI), and final-year students may apply.
IIM Ahmedabad needs a bachelor's degree of at least three years after higher secondary school, and its applicants must be 19 or older by 30 June 2027.
FMS Delhi asks for a Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks for the unreserved category, and XLRI a bachelor's degree of three years in any discipline.
Work experience is a scored component, not a requirement, at IIM Indore.

Trade-offs to consider

Meeting the minimum eligibility does not ensure that an IIM will consider you for shortlisting.
Fees printed are large: IIM Indore's course fee for the 2026-28 batch is Rs 12,00,000 for each academic year for Indian students through CAT, and XLRI states Rs 15.25 lakh per annum, with mess and hostel extra.

Skills & employers

From the sources

Skills to investigate

Quantitative aptitude
Verbal ability
Data interpretation
Entrance test preparation

Institutions named in sources

Indian Institute of Management Indore
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi
XLRI Jamshedpur

Examples in cited pages, not a hiring list.

Study or credential neededNo separate licence or credential is recorded for this route. The entrance exam and eligibility are under “How admission works”.

How admission works

15 sourced

CAT 2026 eligibility: a Bachelor's Degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, from an Indian university or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Ministry of Education.
Source: CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2026 (eligibility document on iimcat.ac.in, filename dated 26-07-26).
Not established:States no subject condition; a degree in any discipline is not excluded in this text.
The minimum is 45% for SC, ST and PwBD candidates, and 50% for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates.
Source: CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2026.
Not established:Does not mean meeting the minimum gets an interview call.
- Final-year students and those who completed degree requirements and are awaiting results can apply
- if selected they join provisionally on a certificate from the university.
Source: CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2026.
Not established:Does not give the date by which the degree must be completed (set by each IIM).

Show 12 more

A completed professional degree (CA, CS, ICWA/CMA or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India) with the required percentage also qualifies.
Source: CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2026.
Not established:Does not name BCOM or BBA by name; they fall under 'Bachelor's Degree' only.
CMAT 2026 was a computer-based test for admission to management courses in the 2026-27 session.
Source: National Testing Agency (NTA) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CMAT 2026.
Not established:Eligibility, fee and dates for CMAT 2027 not shown on the page;.
IIM Indore used a three-stage selection: eligibility with CAT sectional and overall percentile cut-offs, shortlist for personal interview, final selection.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Indore ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:PGP 2026-28, CAT 2025 cycle.
Not established:Does not apply automatically to the 2027-29 batch.
Work experience is a scored component in IIM Indore's composite score for PI shortlisting, not stated as a requirement.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Indore ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:PGP 2026-28.
Not established:The document states no minimum work experience;.
IIMA's PGP (2027-29, CAT 2026 cycle) requires a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, relaxed to 45% for SC/ST/PwD.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:IIMA PGP 2027-29 batch, domestic applicants, appearing in CAT-2026.
Not established:
- Does not say any discipline is preferred
- it says the degree must entail at least three years after 10+2.
The bachelor's degree must entail a minimum of three years of education after higher secondary school.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:IIMA PGP 2027-29.
Not established:Does not name BCOM or BBA.
Final-year students and those awaiting results can apply, with a certificate and completion of the degree by 30 June 2027 for joining.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:IIMA PGP 2027-29.
Not established:Does not say the final-year route is open without the 50%-so-far certificate.
Applicants must be 19 or older by 30 June 2027, an Indian national, and have appeared for CAT-2026 and applied to IIMA's two-year PGP.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:IIMA PGP 2027-29.
Not established:Does not state a maximum age.
IIMA shortlists on a composite score that weights CAT total percentile at 65% and a normalised application rating at 35%.
Source: Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:IIMA PGP 2027-29.
Not established:
- The application rating draws on 10th, 12th and degree marks, gender and work experience
- weights beyond those stated are not copied.
FMS Delhi's full-time MBA page: a Bachelor's Degree after twelve years of schooling with at least 50% marks for the unreserved category; 45% for OBC-NCL/EWS/PWD/CW; SC/ST passing marks.
Source: Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:FMS full-time MBA; Cycle not stated on the page.
Not established:The page does not mention CAT, work experience or the fee amount; does not name BCOM or BBA.
Candidates appearing in the final-year examination of the Bachelor's Degree may also apply.
Source: Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:FMS full-time MBA.
Not established:Results must be shown at admission as the page notes.
- XLRI's PGDM (HRM) and PGDM (BM) require a recognised bachelor's degree of minimum three years in any discipline
- final examination by 11 June 2027 may also apply.
Source: XLRI Jamshedpur ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:XAT 2027 intake (batch starting 2027).
Not established:No minimum percentage is printed on this page; does not name BCOM or BBA.

The work and what comes next

3 sourced

The work, from the sources

- CAT is a computer-based test conducted by the IIMs and is a prerequisite for admission to IIM postgraduate and fellow programmes
- scores may be used by listed non-IIM institutions.
Source: CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2025.
Not established:IIMs say they have no role in the selection process of non-IIM institutions.
NTA's CMAT site states the CMAT score is accepted by all AICTE-approved institutions, university departments, constituent and affiliated colleges.
Source: National Testing Agency (NTA) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
- CMAT 2026 cycle (admission session 2026-27).
- No CMAT 2027 information was shown on the site on 31 October 2026 (site footer: last updated 10 Oct 2026).
Not established:Does not say any particular institution requires CMAT.

What can come next

Meeting the minimum eligibility does not ensure that an IIM will consider you for shortlisting.
Source: CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) ↗
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2026.
Not established:Does not give selection odds.

Sources and unanswered questions

CAT organisers, NTA (CMAT), IIM Indore, IIM Ahmedabad, FMS Delhi and XLRI pages, checked on 31 October 2026 · India · the CAT fee shown is from the closed 2025 cycle; CAT 2026 fees and dates and CMAT's eligibility and fee could not be read from a primary page.
Source checking confirms only the scoped statements on this page, not anyone’s individual eligibility.
Confirm current requirements with the employer or programme.

Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 Eligibility ↗CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2026 (eligibility document on iimcat.ac.in, filename dated 26-07-26).
Not established:States no subject condition; a degree in any discipline is not excluded in this text.Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Common Admission Test CAT 2025 (advertisement) ↗CAT website (Indian Institutes of Management) · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:CAT 2025 (test held 30 November 2025; closed cycle). no CAT 2026 advertisement PDF found).
Not established:
- Does not state the CAT 2026 fee.
- Currency not printed (rupees assumed by context, not stated).
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Common Management Admission Test (CMAT), home page (Introduction block) ↗National Testing Agency (NTA) · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
CMAT 2026 cycle (admission session 2026-27).
No CMAT 2027 information was shown on the site on 31 October 2026 (site footer: last updated 10 Oct 2026).
Not established:Does not say any particular institution requires CMAT.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Admission Procedure for CAT 2025 Applicants, Two-Year PGP 2026-28 Batch ↗Indian Institute of Management Indore · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:PGP 2026-28, CAT 2025 cycle.
Not established:Does not apply automatically to the 2027-29 batch.Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Fee Structure, IIM Indore PGP ↗Indian Institute of Management Indore · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:
PGP batch 2026-28, page updated 09 January 2026.
Grand totals on the page: 13,04,000 (AY 2026-27) and 12,11,800 (AY 2027-28), which include a refundable caution deposit, a mess deposit and alumni fee with GST.
Not established:
- Does not include textbooks (page: 'Course fee does not include cost of text books.').
- Not the fee for a later batch.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Admission Policy for PGP 2027-29 Batch (Domestic) ↗Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:IIMA PGP 2027-29 batch, domestic applicants, appearing in CAT-2026.
Not established:
- Does not say any discipline is preferred
- it says the degree must entail at least three years after 10+2.
Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
MBA (Full Time) Programme ↗Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:FMS full-time MBA; Cycle not stated on the page.
Not established:The page does not mention CAT, work experience or the fee amount; does not name BCOM or BBA.Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.
Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), admission procedure overview (XAT 2027) ↗XLRI Jamshedpur · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Show scopeHide scope
Scope:XAT 2027 intake (batch starting 2027).
Not established:No minimum percentage is printed on this page; does not name BCOM or BBA.Checked by a person; not monitored automatically.

Your next step: Read the current CAT brochure for the eligibility and fee, then each institute's own admission page for its fee and any extra rule.

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