University of Madras

What are the cutoffs for University of Madras in 2026?

For 2026, University of Madras admission is governed by two distinct routes rather than a single common cutoff: its full-time MBA and MCA programmes admit on the basis of TANCET 2026 scores and state counselling, while UG courses (B.A., B.Sc., B.Com.) and most arts and science PG programmes (M.A., M.Sc., M.Com., LL.M.) admit on merit in the qualifying examination, with no separate entrance exam. TANCET 2026 was conducted on 9 May 2026, results are expected by June 2026, and TANCET counselling registration for Madras University MBA and MCA seats stays open until 30 June 2026, so the full category-wise 2026 closing list is still being finalised at the time of writing (June 2026). As a benchmark, in TANCET 2025 Round 1 the General (OC) closing scaled mark was 97.438 for MBA and 95.206 for MCA at University of Madras, and the equivalent 2024 General closing ranks were 442 (MBA) and 286 (MCA). UG applicants should instead target a strong Class 12 aggregate (minimum 50%, relaxed to 45% for reserved categories), since selection there is purely board-merit driven.

In short, an aspirant judging their chances should ask which programme they want: a TANCET rank inside roughly the top 300-450 General positions historically secures the most competitive MBA/MCA seats, whereas an arts or science PG seat depends almost entirely on the percentage scored in the bachelor's degree.

Year-Wise Cutoff Trends (2024-2026)

The table below tracks the University of Madras TANCET-based closing cutoffs for its two entrance-driven programmes, MBA and MCA, across the three most recent admission cycles. Note that the data type changes between years because of how TANCET counselling reports figures: 2024 is shown as the General-category closing rank, 2025 as the Round 1 closing scaled mark (out of 100), and 2026 as pending until counselling concludes on 30 June 2026. Read it as a chances guide: a smaller closing rank or a higher closing mark means stiffer competition for that category and year.

Two clear takeaways emerge for University of Madras applicants. First, the General category consistently sets the toughest bar (a 442 MBA rank and 286 MCA rank in 2024), while SC and ST candidates clear at noticeably looser marks (the 2025 MBA SC closing mark of 94.262 sits more than three points below the 97.438 General mark). Second, because 2026 figures depend on the 9 May 2026 TANCET paper and the counselling closing on 30 June 2026, candidates this cycle should treat the 2024-2025 numbers as the realistic planning baseline rather than waiting for an unpublished 2026 list.

Course-Wise Cutoff at University of Madras

This section breaks the TANCET 2025 Round 1 closing cutoffs at University of Madras down by category for its two entrance-based programmes, MBA and MCA, so aspirants can see exactly how the bar shifts across reservation categories within the same course. The values are scaled closing marks (out of 100) from the first counselling round; later rounds typically close at slightly lower marks as seats are vacated. Use this to locate your own category row and compare it against your expected TANCET percentile.

The course-wise spread shows MBA is marginally more competitive than MCA at University of Madras, with the OC closing mark of 97.438 for MBA versus 95.206 for MCA in 2025. Within each course, the gap between OC and SCA is wide (a roughly 12-point drop in MBA and nearly 30 points in MCA), meaning the easiest entry for reserved-category aspirants is the SCA seat in MCA, which closed as low as 65.78. Arts and science PG programmes such as M.A. and M.Sc. are not listed here because they carry no TANCET cutoff; they admit on bachelor's-degree percentage, where a 55-60%+ aggregate is generally competitive for popular subjects.

Cutoff Trend Analysis

The University of Madras cutoff for its TANCET programmes has stayed broadly stable rather than spiking, and that stability is the most important signal for a 2026 aspirant. In 2024 the General MBA seat closed at rank 442 and MCA at rank 286; in 2025 the corresponding Round 1 General marks (97.438 for MBA, 95.206 for MCA) again required a candidate to land comfortably inside the top scaled-score band. The university's strong standing (it featured among India's leading institutions in NIRF 2024) keeps demand healthy, but because seat intake is fixed and TANCET is a state-level exam, the closing positions have not drifted dramatically year to year.

Realistically, a General-category MBA applicant should aim for a TANCET rank in the low hundreds (broadly inside the top ~450 historically) or a scaled mark above 97 to be safe in Round 1, while MCA aspirants should target the top ~300 ranks or a mark above 95. BC and MBC candidates have a buffer of roughly one to three marks below the OC line, and SC/ST candidates clear several points lower still, with SCA seats the most accessible. Two practical caveats apply for 2026: closing marks ease in later counselling rounds as higher-ranked candidates withdraw, so a borderline candidate should still register before the 30 June 2026 deadline; and for UG and arts/science PG seats the only lever that matters is the qualifying-exam percentage, so those applicants should focus on maximising board or bachelor's-degree marks rather than chasing a rank.