IISM Mumbai News & Updates 2026: Notifications, Notice, Result

Applying effective profile-building strategies is essential for cracking MBA admissions 2026 with an average CAT 2025 score. It is often believed that a CAT score below 80 percentile is worthless and only good for B-grade management institutes or lower. However, that is not the case in reality, and there are many Tier 1 B–schools in India that accept students with mediocre CAT scores. That being said, most of these students with average CAT scores that secure admission to top-tier B-schools have an excellent overall profile, which makes them prime applicants.

Let’s be real, choosing an MBA college in India is confusing. You have the elite IIMs on one side and thousands of colleges making tall claims on the other. If you are reading this, you probably missed the CAT cutoffs for the top tier or are looking for a solid backup plan. IBS Bangalore (ICFAI Business School) often pops up in this conversation. But with a price tag crossing INR 12 lakhs, the big question isn't just "Is it good?" but "Is it worth the money?"

Selecting the right business school is something like figuring out a Mumbai local at 9:00 AM. It is quick and jam-packed, and each choice feels heavy. If you plan to attend IBS Mumbai for the 2026-27 academic year, you are most likely weighing the "ICFAI" brand against the fact of living in the most expensive city in India. Is a PGPM here a genuine launchpad for your corporate career, or is it just an expensive two-year stay in Powai? With rising fees and a massive batch size, the question of whether it’s "worth it" depends entirely on your own career goals and how much you're willing to hustle.

Also Check - Is IBS Hyderabad worth it for MBA? Placements and ROI Insights

NTA is expected to release the CMAT City Intimation Slip 2026 in the third week of January 2026, usually around 10 to 15 days before the CMAT exam date 2026. Once released, the slip will be available on the official CMAT website at cmat.nta.nic.in. 

IBS Hyderabad is considered by many to be a practical, industry-orientated B-school instead of just an exam-centric brand. It provides regular campus placements, a broad pool of recruiters, and average salary outcomes that are quite acceptable for a private MBA institute. Nevertheless, the question of whether IBS Hyderabad is “worth it” or not is contingent largely upon the individual. Your career aspirations, strategy for financing the education, approach to learning, and extent of your active involvement in campus activities such as internships, live projects, and skill training will have a greater impact than rankings alone.