MBA Admission Activity Continues Nationwide Using CAT and CMAT Scores

MBA admission activity for the 2026-28 academic session is currently at its peak across India. While IIMs have concluded their CAT-based shortlisting, several top-tier private B-schools are now accepting applications based on CMAT 2026 scores. Today, February 15, marks a crucial transition for aspirants awaiting results and preparing for personal interview rounds nationwide.

The landscape of postgraduate management education in India is currently witnessing its most intense phase of the year. As of February 15, the MBA admission cycle for the 2026-28 session has transitioned from national-level testing to institutional-level evaluation. While the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have largely moved into the interview phase based on November’s Common Admission Test (CAT) scores, a significant portion of the non-IIM sector is now focusing on the newly released results of the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT). Today marks a vital crossroads for over 50,000 aspirants who appeared for the CMAT on January 25, as they begin mapping their scores against the cut-offs of over 1,300 AICTE-approved institutions. This nationwide activity is characterized by a dual-track approach: the final selection rounds for CAT toppers and the fresh application window for those leveraging their CMAT performance.

IIMs and Tier-1 Institutional Progress

The premier institutes, led by the legacy IIMs, are currently deep into the Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT) rounds. According to the official CAT 2025 portal, shortlists for IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore were finalized in January, with current sessions focusing on soft-skill evaluation.

• CAP 2026 Updates: The Common Admission Process for newer IIMs, coordinated this year by IIM Jammu, has finalized its candidate list. Digital call letters for virtual interviews are being issued this week for rounds starting February 23.
• IIT Management Admissions: Engineering-based B-schools like SJMSOM (IIT Bombay) and DoMS (IIT Delhi) have closed their primary form submission windows. The IIT Bombay MBA portal indicates that offline interviews are scheduled to commence in early March.
• Weightage Trends: This year, institutions have increased the weightage for "Gender Diversity" and "Academic Consistency," making the final admission offers more holistic rather than solely test-score dependent.

CMAT Result Impact and Private B-School Windows

With the NTA CMAT portal anticipating scorecard releases around the mid-February mark, a fresh wave of admission activity has begun in the private sector. Major B-schools in Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, and Bangalore are actively inviting applications.

• Maharashtra State MBA CET: Parallel to the national scores, the State CET Cell Maharashtra has extended its registration window until February 20, 2026, creating a unique overlap for students using both CMAT and CET scores for institutes like JBIMS and SIMSREE.
• Open Applications: Several prominent institutes, including BIMTECH Greater Noida and TAPMI Manipal, remain open for applicants. These schools allow students to update their profiles with their latest CMAT percentiles to stay in the running for the final merit list.
• Second Chance Dynamics: The drop in total CMAT applicants by 15% this year has created a favorable vacancy scenario in mid-tier colleges, where percentile requirements are expected to be slightly more accessible.

Conclusion

The current MBA admission climate today, February 15, is one of rapid decision-making. As the National Testing Agency finalizes the CMAT merit ranks, candidates are encouraged to move quickly with their individual college applications. The National Board of Accreditation and AICTE have mandated that the majority of private admission offers be finalized by May, leaving students with a narrow ten-week window to complete their interviews. Whether a candidate is leveraging a high CAT percentile for an IIM seat or a competitive CMAT score for a top private PGDM, the focus must remain on the upcoming "Problem Solving Analysis" and interview stages. With the academic session for 2026-28 slated to begin in late June, the coming weeks will determine the professional trajectory of thousands of future business leaders across the country.

For regular updates follow Only Education News. For more details on management entrance exams and courses, check here: Management Exams List.