- Six government programmes in our verified table cost under Rs 5 lakh in total: Panjab University UBS, BHU FMS, SIMSREE, Tezpur University, FMS Delhi (Rs 2.43 lakh) and DTU Delhi School of Management (Rs 4.93 lakh).
- Low fee does not mean easy entry: our cutoff estimate for FMS Delhi is about 98.5 percentile, while BHU FMS is about 80.
- Average packages with batch years: FMS Delhi Rs 32.27 lakh (2025-26), SIMSREE Rs 15.1 lakh (2024-25), Panjab University UBS Rs 12.5 lakh (2025-26), BHU FMS Rs 11.1 lakh (2024) and DTU Rs 10.3 lakh (2025).
- Five of the six admit through CAT, and SIMSREE takes the Maharashtra MBA/MMS CET, which is not yet announced for 2027.
- Universities can revise these fees, and the Panjab University UBS fee is already higher in its 2026-27 handbook than in our table.
Six government MBA colleges with low fees, meaning a verified total programme fee under Rs 5 lakh, are in our data: Panjab University UBS, BHU FMS, SIMSREE, Tezpur University, FMS Delhi and DTU Delhi School of Management. They cost between Rs 0.48 lakh and Rs 4.93 lakh in total, and their average packages run from Rs 10.3 lakh to Rs 32.27 lakh where we could verify one.
This guide gives the fee, package, exam route and cutoff estimate for each, with the batch year next to every number. Fees below were checked on 6 Nov 2026 against the figures we hold, and they are set by the universities, so confirm them on the official page.
Why are the cheapest MBAs not the easiest to enter?
These are public institutions with low fees and, in several cases, strong packages, so competition is high. Our cutoff estimate for FMS Delhi is about 98.5 percentile, the highest in our table and above IIM Ahmedabad's 98.3. The estimate means a 50% chance of an interview call for a General-category candidate with an average profile. It is not an official cutoff.
The lowest fee is therefore not the same as the lowest bar. A candidate at 80 percentile has a realistic shot at BHU FMS, but not at FMS Delhi.
Which government MBA colleges with low fees are under Rs 5 lakh?
| College | Total fee (lakh, batch) | Average / median package (lakh, batch) | Exam | CAT cutoff estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panjab University UBS, Chandigarh | 0.48 (2024-25) | 12.5 / 12 (2025-26) | CAT | about 88 |
| BHU FMS, Varanasi | 1.2 (2026-28) | 11.1 / 9.2 (2024) | CAT | about 80 |
| SIMSREE, Mumbai | 1.38 (2027) | 15.1 / 14.85 (2024-25) | MAH-MBA/MMS CET | none, CET-based |
| Tezpur University | 1.62 (2026) | not verified | CAT | about 75 |
| FMS Delhi | 2.43 (2026-28) | 32.27 / 29.59 (2025-26) | CAT | about 98.5 |
| DTU Delhi School of Management | 4.93 (2026-28) | 10.3 / not stated (2025) | CAT | about 85 |
SPPU PUMBA in Pune is also government-run, but our table has no verified fee for it, so it is not counted. Three private colleges, DYPIMS, MET and SIES, also fall under Rs 5 lakh in our table, but they are not government institutions.
FMS Delhi: low fee, very high cutoff
FMS Delhi shows Rs 2.43 lakh for 2026-28 in our table. The 2027-29 bulletin lists about Rs 65,075 a semester over four semesters, roughly Rs 2.6 lakh, and says the University of Delhi can revise fees at any time. Hostel is extra.
The 2024-26 final report shows an average package of Rs 32.27 lakh and a median of Rs 29.59 lakh, with 287 of the 304 students who appeared placed and 119 companies taking part. The sanctioned intake is 251 seats.
For 2027-29, shortlisting uses a weighted CAT 2026 score, with 40% for VARC, 30% for DILR and 30% for QA, plus 5 extra marks for women. Final merit gives 50% to the weighted CAT score, 10% each to Class 10 and Class 12, 10% to a statement-of-purpose discussion, 5% to an extempore and 15% to the interview. That weighting means verbal ability counts for more than any other section. The application fee is Rs 1,000, and applications close on 25 Nov 2026, four days before CAT.
SIMSREE and the Maharashtra route
SIMSREE is the Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education, which runs an MMS affiliated to the University of Mumbai from Churchgate. It costs Rs 1.38 lakh (2027 in our table) and reported an average package of Rs 15.1 lakh and a median of Rs 14.85 lakh (2024-25).
Admission is through the Maharashtra MBA/MMS CET. The 2027 test has not been announced as of 6 Nov 2026. The 2026 cycle's registration ran from 10 Jan to 12 Feb 2026, with 200 questions in 150 minutes, one mark per correct answer and no negative marking. Two attempts were offered and the better percentile counted. A 3-year bachelor's degree with 50% (45% for reserved Maharashtra categories) was required. The 2027 pattern and fee may change.
BHU FMS, Panjab University UBS, Tezpur and DTU: the CAT-range options
BHU FMS charged Rs 30,000 a semester, or Rs 1.2 lakh over four semesters, for regular seats in 2026-28, excluding hostel and mess. Paid-seat students pay Rs 75,000 more a semester. Admission was by CAT 2025 and then a group discussion and interview at Varanasi, with CAT weighing 50%. The 2026-28 intake had 118 regular and 18 paid seats, and the General cutoff for group-discussion calls was 80 percentile in CAT 2025. Our estimate is also about 80, so a score near that figure is borderline.
Panjab University UBS ranks merit mainly on the CAT 2025 aggregate percentage score, which carries 85%, with 7.5% each for group discussion and interview. The 2026 handbook lists 64 MBA seats. Our table shows Rs 0.48 lakh for 2024-25. The 2026-27 handbook lists tuition of Rs 31,675 a year and case fees of Rs 19,000 and Rs 26,500 for the two years, about Rs 1.09 lakh in all, and says tuition is still being finalised.
Tezpur University is a central university with an MBA that costs Rs 1.62 lakh (2026), uses CAT and has a cutoff estimate of about 75. We have no verified placement figure for it. DTU's Delhi School of Management costs Rs 4.93 lakh (2026-28), reported an average package of Rs 10.3 lakh (2025) and admits through a common committee with DTU as the coordinating university.
What does a 'verified fee' mean in our table?
A fee is marked verified when we could match it to the college's own published fee information, and we show the batch year it applies to. When we cannot, we leave the figure out of guides like this one. How we verify data explains the process.
Verified does not mean fixed. Government institutions revise fees through their universities, and some publish only tuition. Treat every figure here as the number for the stated batch, and check the next batch's fee notice.
How far can you trust placement numbers for these colleges?
Use them with care. Several classes are small: BHU FMS's 2024-26 class had 187 students across three programmes, and Panjab University UBS's 2023-25 class had 165. An average can swing with a few high offers, and BHU FMS's package is for 2024, an older batch than FMS Delhi's 2025-26.
Fee divided by average package gives a rough payback measure. It is about 0.04 for Panjab University UBS, 0.08 for FMS Delhi, 0.09 for SIMSREE, 0.11 for BHU FMS and 0.48 for DTU. All are low, but the measure leaves out hostel, living costs and the salary you give up if you leave a job.
Which exam should you target for which college?
- CAT: CAT 2026 is on 29 Nov 2026, with results expected in the first week of January 2027. FMS Delhi has named CAT 2026 for 2027-29. BHU FMS and Panjab University UBS used CAT 2025 last cycle and had not published 2027 notices on 6 Nov 2026. Tezpur and DTU are CAT-based in our table.
- MAH-MBA/MMS CET: SIMSREE. Wait for the 2027 announcement before planning dates.
- Apply early to FMS Delhi, whose form closes on 25 Nov 2026.
Use the MBA Predictor to see which of these colleges are within reach for your score.