OBC students can expect a CMAT 2026 cutoff ranging from 99.00–99.50 percentile for JBIMS Mumbai down to 70–80 percentile for Tier 3 colleges, with scores spanning 180 to 330 out of 400.
CMAT 2026 was conducted by NTA and its scorecard has been released at cmat.nta.nic.in. Colleges accepting CMAT scores will announce their final cutoffs during the ongoing admissions cycle. The expected OBC-NCL cutoffs below are based on 2025 admission trends and help students gauge their chances before individual colleges release official figures.
- CMAT 2026 is scored out of 400 marks (100 questions, +4 for correct, –1 for wrong).
- OBC-NCL cutoffs are generally 8–12 percentile points lower than General category cutoffs.
- For JBIMS Mumbai, OBC students are expected to need 99.00–99.50 percentile (315–330 marks).
- Mid-tier colleges like Welingkar and NIBM may accept OBC students at 80–85 percentile.
- Final cutoffs vary by college, seat intake and number of OBC applications received.
| Direct Link – CMAT 2026 Scorecard (OUT) |
CMAT 2026 OBC Cutoff vs General Category
Colleges accepting CMAT scores follow the Government of India reservation policy, which earmarks 27% of seats for OBC-NCL students. The OBC-NCL cutoff percentile is typically 8–12 points below the General category cutoff. The table below compares expected cutoffs for both categories based on 2025 admission trends:
| College | General Cutoff (Percentile) | Expected OBC-NCL Cutoff (Percentile) |
|---|---|---|
| JBIMS Mumbai | 99.99+ | 99.00–99.50 |
| SIMSREE Mumbai | 99.00–99.50 | 97.00–98.00 |
| KJ Somaiya IMS Mumbai | 95.00–99.00 | 92.00–95.00 |
| PUMBA Pune | 90.00–95.00 | 85.00–90.00 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management | 90.00–95.00 | 85.00–90.00 |
| Welingkar Mumbai | 85.00–90.00 | 80.00–85.00 |
| NIBM Pune | 85.00–90.00 | 80.00–85.00 |
| NL Dalmia Mumbai | 85.00–90.00 | 80.00–85.00 |
| BIMTECH Greater Noida | 80.00–85.00 | 75.00–80.00 |
| XIME Bangalore | 80.00–85.00 | 75.00–80.00 |
All figures are expected based on 2025 trends. Final cutoffs will be announced by individual colleges.
CMAT 2026 Score vs Percentile for OBC Students
CMAT 2026 total marks is 400. The score-percentile mapping below can help OBC students identify which college tier to target using their CMAT 2026 scorecard figures. These are approximate values based on 2025 CMAT score trends:
| Score (out of 400) | Approximate Percentile | Colleges Within OBC Reach |
|---|---|---|
| 325–400 | 99.50+ | JBIMS Mumbai |
| 295–325 | 97.00–99.50 | SIMSREE Mumbai, JBIMS (borderline) |
| 260–295 | 92.00–97.00 | KJ Somaiya IMS, Great Lakes, PUMBA Pune |
| 220–260 | 80.00–92.00 | Welingkar, NIBM Pune, NL Dalmia |
| 180–220 | 70.00–80.00 | BIMTECH, XIME, IFIM Bangalore |
| Below 180 | Below 70.00 | State and private unaided institutions |
Score-percentile mapping is approximate and based on 2025 CMAT trends. Your actual percentile is printed on your CMAT 2026 scorecard.
College-Wise Expected OBC Cutoff for CMAT 2026
The tables below list expected CMAT 2026 OBC-NCL cutoffs across three tiers based on 2025 admission data. Use these to shortlist colleges and prepare your application list:
Tier 1 MBA Colleges – CMAT 2026 OBC Cutoff
| College | Location | Expected OBC Percentile | Expected OBC Score (out of 400) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JBIMS – Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 99.00–99.50 | 315–330 |
| SIMSREE – Sydenham Institute of Management Studies | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 97.00–98.00 | 295–315 |
| KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 92.00–95.00 | 260–285 |
Tier 2 MBA Colleges – CMAT 2026 OBC Cutoff
| College | Location | Expected OBC Percentile | Expected OBC Score (out of 400) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PUMBA – Dept of Management Sciences, Univ of Pune | Pune, Maharashtra | 85.00–90.00 | 240–265 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management | Chennai / Gurgaon | 85.00–90.00 | 240–265 |
| Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 80.00–85.00 | 220–250 |
| NIBM – National Institute of Bank Management | Pune, Maharashtra | 80.00–85.00 | 220–248 |
| NL Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 80.00–85.00 | 218–245 |
Tier 3 MBA Colleges – CMAT 2026 OBC Cutoff
| College | Location | Expected OBC Percentile | Expected OBC Score (out of 400) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIMTECH – Birla Institute of Management Technology | Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh | 75.00–80.00 | 200–220 |
| XIME – Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship | Bangalore, Karnataka | 75.00–80.00 | 200–218 |
| IPE – Institute of Public Enterprise | Hyderabad, Telangana | 70.00–78.00 | 185–210 |
| IFIM Business School | Bangalore, Karnataka | 70.00–75.00 | 180–200 |
Factors That Affect the CMAT 2026 OBC Cutoff
The expected OBC cutoffs listed above may shift when colleges announce final figures. Key factors that can raise or lower the cutoff include:
- Volume of OBC applicants: More OBC students applying to the same college increases competition and pushes the cutoff higher.
- CMAT 2026 difficulty level: An easier paper produces more high scorers raising the percentile cutoff. A tougher paper can bring it down.
- Seat intake changes: An increase in reserved OBC seats at a college can ease the effective cutoff for that year.
- GD-PI weightage: Most colleges combine CMAT percentile with Group Discussion and Personal Interview performance to build the final merit list. A strong GD-PI can help even at borderline percentiles.
- Multi-exam admission policy: Colleges that accept multiple tests see a different CMAT-applicant mix each year which can shift the effective CMAT cutoff.
CMAT 2026 OBC Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the expected CMAT 2026 OBC cutoff for JBIMS?
Ans. Based on 2025 trends, OBC students are expected to need 99.00–99.50 percentile (approximately 315–330 marks out of 400) for JBIMS Mumbai. The General category cutoff for JBIMS is 99.99+ percentile.
Ques. By how much is the CMAT OBC cutoff lower than the General cutoff?
Ans. OBC-NCL cutoffs in CMAT are typically 8–12 percentile points lower than General category cutoffs. The exact relaxation varies by college depending on the number of OBC applicants and available reserved seats.
Ques. What CMAT 2026 score should OBC students target for a good MBA college?
Ans. OBC students should aim for 260+ marks out of 400 (92+ percentile) for top-tier colleges like KJ Somaiya and SIMSREE. A score of 220–260 marks (80–92 percentile) is competitive for mid-tier colleges like Welingkar and NIBM.
Ques. When will CMAT 2026 college-wise OBC cutoffs be released?
Ans. Individual colleges declare final OBC cutoffs during their admission rounds, typically in July–August 2026. Check each college’s official website for exact announcement dates after the CMAT 2026 scorecard release.
Ques. What document is required to claim OBC reservation in CMAT 2026 admissions?
Ans. Students must submit a valid OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate issued by a state or central government authority. The certificate must follow the format prescribed by the Government of India and is typically required to be issued within one year of the date of admission.
Ques. Does GD-PI performance affect the final OBC cutoff for CMAT-accepting colleges?
Ans. Yes. Most MBA colleges combine CMAT percentile with GD-PI scores to build the final merit list. A strong GD-PI can compensate for a CMAT percentile that sits near the lower end of the expected OBC cutoff range.
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