Guide
A college should be on an XAT shortlist because you would join it and your score/profile can realistically convert it, not merely because the institute accepts the exam. In the current OYM top-100 college universe, strong XAT routes include XLRI Jamshedpur, XIMB, MICA Ahmedabad, IMT Ghaziabad.
Shortlist from the OYM college master
| College | OYM planning target | Fee | Avg CTC | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XLRI Jamshedpur | XAT ~96+ for BM for a male engineering profile; lower thresholds may apply to other gender/academic-stream combinations | ₹31.59L | ₹31.4L | HR; consulting; business management; finance; marketing; strategy |
| XIMB | CAT/XAT ~90–94+; domicile/profile can affect competitiveness | ₹24.2L | ₹19.53L | Consulting; finance; marketing; operations; systems |
| MICA Ahmedabad | CAT/XAT ~80–85+ plus a strong MICAT; CAT/XAT alone does not determine the shortlist | ₹26L | ₹19.22L | Marketing; brand management; media; digital; communications; analytics |
| IMT Ghaziabad | CAT/XAT ~90–93+ realistic target | ₹20.8L | ₹18.89L | Marketing; BFSI; consulting; sales; analytics |
| IMI Delhi | CAT/XAT ~90–93+ realistic target | ₹22.25L | ₹17.91L | BFSI; consulting; marketing; HR; analytics |
| FORE School of Management | CAT/XAT ~85–90+ competitive target | ₹23.24L | ₹16.8L | Finance; marketing; analytics; consulting; international business |
| GIM Goa | CAT/XAT ~90–94+; CMAT ~95+ competitive target | ₹20.4L | ₹16.27L | Healthcare; analytics; finance; marketing; consulting |
| Great Lakes Chennai | CAT/XAT ~85–90+; CMAT ~90+; profile matters | ₹20.8L | ₹15.65L | Analytics; product; technology; consulting; finance |
The targets are planning bands, not guaranteed cutoffs. Fees and placement numbers should always be read with their current cycle/scope, and average CTC is not take-home salary.
Build three bands, not one long list
Create stretch, competitive and safer choices. A stretch school should still be plausible if your score rises; a safer school should be one you would genuinely attend. Do not fill the safer band with colleges you will reject later. Also check separate institute applications—accepting XAT does not always mean exam registration automatically puts you in the college's applicant pool.
Match the college to the reason you are taking XAT
XLRI is the anchor; 250+ B-schools accept XAT. Use OYM college master for other supported colleges. If you are taking XAT mainly for a specialist route, compare the programme and recruiting sectors rather than overall fame. If you are using it as a backup to CAT, compare fee/outcome and your realistic conversion probability against the CAT colleges already on your list.
What to verify before applying
Open the current Know Your Campus profile and official admission page for each shortlisted school. Verify: accepted exam for the exact programme, current target/cutoff rules, section/category requirements, application deadline, programme fee and latest placement cycle. That five-minute check prevents the most common “college accepts this exam” mistake—assuming every programme, category and admission year follows the same rule.
Preparing for CAT?
See where you actually stand before changing your shortlist or study plan.
Why On Your Mocks?
A mock score tells you what happened. OYM helps you understand what went wrong and what to work on next.