{"id":5119,"date":"2026-09-26T12:10:27","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T06:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.catmock.com\/blog\/?p=5119"},"modified":"2026-09-26T12:10:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T06:40:28","slug":"nmat-cutoff-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catmock.com\/blog\/nmat-cutoff-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"NMAT Cutoff 2026: Expected Scores for NMIMS, XIMB, TAPMI & Other Top MBA Colleges"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The NMAT cutoff 2026<\/strong> is the minimum scaled score you need to move past the shortlisting stage and into the next round of MBA admissions \u2014 whether that’s NMIMS’ Common Test (CT) and Personal Interview, or another institute’s group discussion and interview process. Since NMAT is a computer-adaptive test conducted across a testing window rather than a single day, cutoffs are not announced in advance; they are calculated after the exam window closes, based on that year’s difficulty level, the number of applicants, and available seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide brings together the expected NMAT 2026 cutoff trends for NMIMS and other NMAT-accepting B-schools, explains how the NMAT scoring system works, and tells you exactly what happens once you clear the cutoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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All cutoff figures below are Expected, based on historical trends, unless explicitly marked as a previous year’s official\/actual cutoff. Final NMAT 2026 cutoffs will be released by each participating institute only after the exam window closes and results are declared.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Quick Summary: NMAT Cutoff 2026 at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Detail<\/th>Information<\/th>Status<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Conducting Body<\/td>Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
NMAT 2026 Exam Window<\/td>November 2 \u2013 December 20, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
NMAT 2026 Registration<\/td>August 20 \u2013 October 10, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Total Score Range<\/td>36 to 360 (scaled score)<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Sections<\/td>Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, Logical Reasoning<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
NMIMS Mumbai Expected Cutoff<\/td>Around 205\u2013230 (scaled score)<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
Other NMAT-Accepting Colleges<\/td>Around 190\u2013230 (scaled score)<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
Result Declaration<\/td>Within 48 hours of appearing for the exam<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Number of NMAT-Accepting Institutes<\/td>58+ institutions in India<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Is the NMAT Cutoff?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The NMAT cutoff<\/strong> is the minimum score (or percentile equivalent) that a participating institute sets to shortlist candidates for the next stage of its selection process \u2014 typically Common Test\/Case Discussion, Group Discussion, Written Ability Test, or Personal Interview, depending on the college. Because NMAT allows candidates up to three attempts in a single testing cycle, and colleges may consider either your best or your first attempt (NMIMS specifically considers only the first attempt), the cutoff plays a different role for different institutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since NMAT does not follow a fixed exam-day format like CAT, its cutoffs are typically derived and published relative to that cycle’s score distribution, applicant pool, and seat availability \u2014 which is why exact numbers can shift year to year even for the same college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NMAT 2026 Important Dates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Event<\/th>Date<\/th>Status<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
NMAT 2026 Notification<\/td>August 1, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Registration Opens<\/td>August 20, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Registration Closes<\/td>October 10, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Exam Scheduling Window<\/td>August 20 \u2013 October 22, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
NMAT 2026 Exam Window<\/td>November 2 \u2013 December 20, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Retake Registration<\/td>November 3 \u2013 December 17, 2026<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Result Declaration<\/td>Within 48 hours of each exam attempt<\/td>Officially Announced<\/td><\/tr>
Individual College Cutoff Release<\/td>After exam window closes (institute-specific)<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NMAT Cutoff 2026: Expected Scores for NMIMS Campuses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NMIMS Mumbai, the founding campus, typically records the highest cutoff among all NMIMS locations, with other campuses following at a slightly lower threshold. Based on recent-year trends, here is the expected range for the 2026 admission cycle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NMIMS Campus<\/th>Expected NMAT Cutoff 2026 (Scaled Score)<\/th>Status<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
NMIMS Mumbai (MBA Core)<\/td>~205\u2013230<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
NMIMS Bangalore<\/td>~200\u2013215<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
NMIMS Hyderabad<\/td>~195\u2013210<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
NMIMS Navi Mumbai<\/td>~190\u2013205<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
NMIMS Indore<\/td>~185\u2013200<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
MBA in Pharmaceutical Management (Mumbai)<\/td>~185\u2013200<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
MBA in Business Analytics \/ HR \/ Digital Transformation<\/td>~200\u2013215<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Note the wide range: these figures reflect the spread seen across recent admission cycles, not a single fixed number. Treat them as a preparation benchmark rather than a guarantee, and always confirm the final figure on NMIMS’ official admission portal once released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NMAT Cutoff 2026: Expected Scores for Other Top MBA Colleges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Besides NMIMS, more than 58 institutions across India accept NMAT scores for MBA\/PGDM admissions. Expected cutoff trends for some of the most sought-after among them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

College<\/th>Expected NMAT Cutoff 2026<\/th>Status<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
XIM University, Bhubaneswar (XIMB)<\/td>~220\u2013230 (\u2248 90 percentile)<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
TAPMI Manipal<\/td>~215\u2013225<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
K J Somaiya Institute of Management<\/td>~215\u2013225<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
Great Lakes Institute of Management<\/td>~215\u2013225<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
SDA Bocconi Asia Center<\/td>~200+<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
ICFAI Business School (select campuses)<\/td>~180\u2013200<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr>
Other NMAT-accepting institutes<\/td>~150\u2013200<\/td>Expected<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cutoffs vary meaningfully by specialisation, campus, and category (General\/OBC\/SC\/ST\/PwD), so always check the exact figure published by the specific college and programme you’re targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exploring options beyond NMIMS? See the full list of top MBA colleges accepting NMAT<\/mark><\/a> to widen your shortlist.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NMAT Score vs Percentile: How the Scoring Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unlike percentile-based exams, NMAT uses a scaled score system ranging from 36 to 360<\/strong>, with all three sections carrying equal weight. Your overall score is not a simple sum of raw correct answers \u2014 it’s normalised across different test forms and difficulty levels, since NMAT is conducted over a multi-week testing window with different question sets for different candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Approximate Score Range<\/th>Approximate Percentile Equivalent<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
230+<\/td>95th percentile and above<\/td><\/tr>
210\u2013230<\/td>85th \u2013 95th percentile<\/td><\/tr>
190\u2013210<\/td>70th \u2013 85th percentile<\/td><\/tr>
150\u2013190<\/td>45th \u2013 70th percentile<\/td><\/tr>
Below 150<\/td>Below 45th percentile<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These percentile bands are indicative and can shift slightly each cycle based on the overall difficulty and applicant performance, so use them as a general reference rather than an exact conversion table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want a deeper breakdown of how your raw score converts to percentile? Read this complete guide on NMAT score vs percentile 2026<\/mark><\/a> for the full conversion logic.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NMAT Sectional Cutoff 2026 (Expected)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many NMAT-accepting colleges, including NMIMS, apply a sectional cutoff in addition to the overall score requirement. This means clearing the overall cutoff alone may not be enough if you underperform significantly in one section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Section<\/th>Marks Out of (per section)<\/th>Expected Sectional Cutoff<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Language Skills<\/td>120<\/td>~55\u201365<\/td><\/tr>
Quantitative Skills<\/td>120<\/td>~55\u201365<\/td><\/tr>
Logical Reasoning<\/td>120<\/td>~55\u201365<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you fail to meet a sectional cutoff, some colleges may not shortlist you even if your total score clears the overall cutoff \u2014 this common rule can unexpectedly leave candidates out, so balanced section-wise preparation matters as much as your overall score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure how the exam is structured section by section? Check this detailed NMAT exam pattern 2026 guide<\/mark><\/a> before you plan your prep.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Category-Wise NMAT Cutoff Trends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reserved-category cutoffs are typically lower than the General category cutoff, though the exact relaxation varies by institute:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Category<\/th>Typical Cutoff Trend (Relative to General)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
General \/ EWS<\/td>Baseline (highest cutoff)<\/td><\/tr>
OBC-NCL<\/td>Moderately relaxed<\/td><\/tr>
SC<\/td>Meaningfully relaxed<\/td><\/tr>
ST<\/td>Meaningfully relaxed<\/td><\/tr>
PwD<\/td>Meaningfully relaxed, varies by institute policy<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Always verify category-wise cutoffs directly with the individual institute, as relaxation percentages differ from one college to another and are not standardised across NMAT-accepting institutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors That Influence the NMAT Cutoff Every Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n