NISM Equity Derivatives NISM Research Analyst Courses by Prof. Aswath Damodaran (Accounting, Statistics, Foundations of Finance; planning Corporate Finance & Valuation)I am from Silchar, Assam and interested in building a career in finance.
I would like to ask:
Which MBA colleges can I realistically be eligible for with my profile? Which colleges should I target for the best possible opportunities in finance? Does my SC category improve my chances despite low 12th marks? Which entrance exams should I prioritize (CAT, XAT, CMAT, etc.)?
I am ready to work hard and improve, and I want to take the right direction.
Thank you for your time and guidance.
Regards, Niranjan
3 Answers
Rashmi Sinha · 2026-03-22 · 2 helpful
I’ll b honest with you. Your 12th marks will make top IIMs difficult but you can get into decent colleges. Your category will definitely help ebut you need get a strong percentile. Take CAT but also keep XAT CMAT as backup
Anonymous · 2026-03-22 · 2 helpful
Thank you so much, for your honest guidance.
I just wanted to ask one more thing for clarity:
Given my profile, what CAT percentile should I realistically target to get into a decent MBA college? Which specific colleges would you suggest as the best targets for me (considering my academics and SC category)?
This will really help me set a clear goal and plan my preparation accordingly.
Thank you once again for your guidance.
Shweta Arora(Mentor) · 2026-03-22 · 1 helpful
Firstly, I want to applaud you for the skills you're building and the mindset to do what it takes 👏 I understand your academic marks will be a barrier but let's not discount the effort you're putting in.
Now coming to the question - see, it will be difficult. But, not because you can't get into IIMs - you can. That is not a problem. It is the placement on campus that will be an issue. When companies come to hire, they don't consider category (but B-schools do while selecting candidates). So, at that time academic marks become a huge filtration criteria.
If you wish to do an MBA from IIMs, you can but please be prepared that placements will be cutthroat.
So, what is the solution? Build skills, gain experience if possible but ask yourself - "Is it okay if I get not the best of firms during MBA placements but I can switch later based on my merit?" Once you graduate, no one cares about your marks. They will see your skills. So, at that time your edge will be the resume you're building.
Let me know if that makes sense? We can then discuss it further.