Tier 3 colleges represent promising MBA colleges in India, offering quality education and decent placements for aspirants with moderate CAT percentiles. Institutions like IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IMT Nagpur, IMI New Delhi, XIMB Bhubaneswar, and GIM Goa are prime Tier 3 B-Schools. These excel in practical learning, industry connections, experienced faculty, placements (₹10-20 LPA average), and emerging alumni networks. Here is a list of Tier 3 colleges in India, their fees, placements, and cut-offs.
What is Tier 3 College?
Tier 3 MBA colleges represent emerging management schools offering practical education, improving infrastructure, and growing placement opportunities. Ranking below established Tier 2 institutions like IIM Udaipur or IIM Rohtak. These B-schools feature competitive selection via CAT/state exams, developing faculty expertise, expanding industry partnerships, and reasonable ROI for mid-range profiles. While they may not yet match the brand’s equity or alumni strength of higher tiers, they deliver meaningful career progression and skill-building for determined aspirants targeting solid corporate roles.
Also Read: Tier 2 MBA Colleges
List of Tier 3 MBA Colleges in India
- DMS – NIT Trichy: NIT Trichy (National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli) is India’s top-ranked NIT and a premier engineering institute known for academic excellence and strong placements. The Department of Management Studies offers a 2-year MBA through CAT selection, focusing on analytics, operations, and general management.
- Location: National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli,Tamil Nadu
- Fees: 3.17
- NIRF Ranking: 51
- Require Exam: CAT
- Cut-Off: 80-90 percentile (General)
- Flagship Program: MBA
- Exclusive Program: Management Development Programs (MDPs), Marketing Conclave (mPULSE)
- Other Courses: PhD in Management, M.S. Research
- Top Recruiters (Sector wise):
| Sector | Top Recruiters | Offer (%) |
| Engineering & Construction | Deloitte, Wipro, Infosys, LTI (LTIMindtree) | 28.1 |
| IT Services & IT Consulting | Reliance Industries, Hilti, Schneider Electric, Schlumberger | 21.9 |
| Banking & Financial Services | HDFC Bank, HDFC Mutual Fund, IDFC First Bank, Federal Bank | 6.3 |
| Manufacturing & Logistics | Adani Group, REC, Chemfab, Alkalis Limited, Sobha | 18.8 |
| E- Commerce & Retail | Amazon, Flipkart PhonePe, Zoho | 9.4 |
- Package:
| Parameter | Details (LPA) |
| Highest Package | INR 12-16 LPA |
| Average Package | INR 9–14 LPA. |
| Median Package | INR 8.7-12 LPA |
- IFHE, IBS Hyderabad: ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), Hyderabad houses ICFAI Business School (IBS Hyderabad), a prominent private B-school known for its case-based MBA pedagogy and extensive alumni network. It offers a rigorous 2-year MBA through IBSAT/CAT/GMAT selection, emphasizing syndicated learning with 800+ cases annually.
- Location: Donthanapally Shankarapalli Road, Hyderabad
- Fees: INR 17.01 lakhs
- Required Exam: CAT, IBSAT, NMAT
- Cut-Off: 72–78 range for the IBSAT exam, 80–85 percentile for CAT, and around 150+ for NMAT
- Flagship Program: MBA Program
- Exclusive Program: Executive MBA, BBA & BA Economics
- Other Courses: Management Development Programs (MDPs)
- Top Recruiters (Sector wise):
| Sector | Top Recruiters | Offer (%) |
| Banking | Aditya Birla Sun Life, Insurance Company, ANZ Support Services, Federal Bank, Finkai, Financial Services, Fullerton India Credit, Company | 17 |
| Consulting | Aon Consulting, Anarock Property Consultants, EY India | 14 |
| Financial Services | Godrej Capital, Goldman Sachs, GrayQuest Education Finance, Guardians India | 22 |
| FMCG | Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail – Lifestyle Brands, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited, Haldiram’s Food Products, Paper Boat – Hector Beverages | 3 |
| IT | FactSet, Fiorano Software, Fuld & Company, Gain.Pro, Genpact | 18 |
- Package:
| Parameter | Details (LPA) |
| Highest Package | INR 26.19 LPA |
| Average Package | INR 9.71 LPA – ₹9.82 LPA |
- SIBM Hyderabad: Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM) Hyderabad, established in 2013 as part of Symbiosis International University, is a dynamic B-school offering specialized MBA programs with strong industry alignment. Offers a 2-year full-time MBA with specializations in Marketing, Finance, Operations, HR, and Business Analytics. Admission via SNAP, followed by GE-PI-WAT rounds.
- Location: Hyderabad
- Fees: INR 16-17 Lakhs
- Required Exam: SNAP
- Cut-Off: 58-60 percentile mark
- Flagship Program: MBA in Finance, HR, Operation, etc.
- Exclusive Program: EMBA
- Other Courses: Faculty Development Program & Workshop
- Top Recruiters (Sector wise):
| Sector | Top Recruiters | Offer (%) |
| Consultancy | Accenture, Oracle | 19 |
| IT | Infosys, Tech Mahindra | 5 |
| Manufacturing | Zomato, FedEx, Manufacturing | 11 |
| BFSI | ICICI Bank, Policy Bazaar, Federal Bank | 25 |
- Package:
| Parameter | Details (LPA) |
| Highest Package | INR 31 LPA |
| Average Package | INR 9.1 LPA |
| Median Package | INR 8.2 LPA |
- Top Tier 3 B-School in India for MBA
| College | Required Exam | Avg. Package (LPA) | Fees (LPA) |
| Delhi School of Management, Delhi | CAT | 7.5 | 4 |
| FLAME University | CAT, XAT, NMAT, MAT, CMAT, MH-CET, GMAT | 9.46 | 19.7 |
| Indian Institute of Forest Management | CAT, XAT, GMAT, CMAT, MAT | 10.38 | 11.8 |
| Indian Institute of Social Welfare & Business Management | CAT | 9 | 9 |
| NIT, Calicut | CAT, CMAT | 9.63 | 4.8 |
| SIES School of Business Studies | CAT, XAT, CMAT, ATMA, GMAT, MAT | 9.1 | 12 |
| Vivekanand Business School | CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, CET, GMAT | 8.5 | 9.5 |
| IMS Ghaziabad – PGDM | CAT, MAT, CMAT, XAT | 9.23 | 9.5 |
| ISBR Business School | CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, ATMA, NMAT, GMAT, KMAT, PGCET, Own Test | 8.01 | 10.11 |
| K. J. Somaiya | CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT, CMAT | 8.23 | 22.32 |
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tier 3 MBA colleges in India like SIBM Hyderabad, NIT Calicut and IBS Hyderabad offer practical pathways to corporate success in BFSI, IT, consulting, and operations, with average packages of ₹10-20 LPA and steadily growing industry ties from your recruiter lists. These B-schools provide balanced entry via CAT/SNAP/XAT (85-95ile cutoffs), skill-focused curricula, and vibrant campus experiences, delivering strong ROI for mid-range profiles prioritizing placements over pedigree. Ready to target Tier 3 excellence in CAT 2026? Join Route99 CAT Coaching for personalized mentoring, proven strategies & strong results. Start your MBA transformation today!
Also Read: Top 10 Tier 1 MBA Colleges in India