What Welingkar is
Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research, known as WeSchool, is a private management institute in Matunga, central Mumbai. It was established in 1977 and runs under S.P. Mandali (Shikshana Prasaraka Mandali), a Pune education trust founded in 1888. It has two campuses, Mumbai and Bengaluru; this page covers Mumbai.
Two different products share the Mumbai campus, and confusing them is the most common mistake applicants make here:
- The PGDM, a two-year autonomous diploma. AICTE has approved eight full-time PGDM programmes at Mumbai for 2026-27, with 720 seats between them.
- The MMS, a two-year Master of Management Studies degree of the University of Mumbai, running since 1984, with 120 approved seats for 2026-27.
The institute is approved by AICTE, permanently affiliated to the University of Mumbai and holds autonomous status granted by UGC. Its full-time PGDM programmes and the MMS carry NBA accreditation. The PGDMs are also accredited by SAQS and hold MBA equivalence from AIU, and ACBSP has accredited the institute for ten years.
NIRF ranked the PGDM 75th in Management in 2025, with a score of 49.08, up from 84th and 46.53 in 2024.
Beyond the full-time programmes, Welingkar Mumbai runs 11-month executive postgraduate programmes, six-month certificates, four part-time master’s programmes (HR development, financial, information and marketing management), a hybrid PGDM and a PhD in Management Studies. This page covers the full-time PGDM and MMS.
Admission route
The PGDM and the MMS are separate admission processes run by different authorities. Settle which one you are chasing before you pay an application fee.
PGDM, run by the institute. The 2026-28 batch accepts five tests: CAT 2025, XAT 2026, ATMA (February 2026), CMAT 2026 and GMAT (2023 onwards). Eligibility is a minimum 50% in graduation, completed by June 2026; no work experience is required. No seats are reserved for any one test, so a CMAT or XAT candidate competes for the same seats as a CAT candidate.
Selection weighs academics, work experience, group discussion and the personal interview alongside the test score. The weights filed with AICTE changed for AY2025-26:
| Criterion | AY2025-26 | AY2023-24 and AY2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying entrance test | 35 | 40 |
| Academics (Class X, XII, graduation) | 25 | 15 |
| Group discussion and personal interview | 35 | 40 |
| Extracurricular activities | 5 | 5 |
Academics gained ten marks, taken equally from the test and the interview. Work experience has no weight of its own in either version, though it is among the factors Welingkar lists for selection.
MMS, run through the state. An MMS seat is a CAP seat, allotted by the State CET Cell, and admission stays provisional until the Jt. DTE, DTE, the Admission Regulating Authority and the University of Mumbai approve it. Maharashtra candidates need a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% in aggregate (45% for Maharashtra’s reserved-category, EWS and PwD candidates) and a non-zero MAH-MBA/MMS-CET 2026 score. All-India seats take a non-zero score in CET, CAT, CMAT, XAT, ATMA, MAT or GMAT. Seats left after CAP are filled in institute-level (ACAP) rounds, where EBC and EWS candidates pay the open-category fee.
Fee structure
PGDM tuition and other fees are ₹7,50,000 a year for the 2026-28 batch, marked subject to change. Two years at that rate come to ₹15,00,000 — our arithmetic, not a Welingkar figure; no consolidated total is published. The fee filed with AICTE for AY2024-25 and AY2025-26 was ₹7,00,000 a year, and the FAQ on the PGDM programme page still gives ₹7,00,000.
| Item | Amount | Year / batch |
|---|---|---|
| PGDM tuition and other fees, per year | ₹7,50,000 | 2026-28 batch |
| PGDM library deposit (refundable) | ₹4,000 | 2026-28 batch |
| PGDM fee filed with AICTE, per year | ₹7,00,000 | AY2024-25 and AY2025-26 |
| MMS tuition and development fee, open category, per year | ₹4,40,000 | AY2026-27 |
| MMS library deposit (refundable) | ₹4,000 | AY2026-27 |
The MMS fee is state-regulated. For AY2026-27 the open-category figure is ₹4,40,000 a year, up from ₹4,31,000 in AY2024-25 and AY2025-26, and reserved categories pay far less:
| Category | Tuition | Development | Total | Library deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | ₹3,82,608 | ₹57,392 | ₹4,40,000 | ₹4,000 |
| OBC / SEBC / EBC / EWS — boys | ₹1,91,304 | ₹57,392 | ₹2,48,696 | ₹4,000 |
| OBC / SEBC / EBC / EWS — girls | Paid by the state | ₹57,392 | ₹57,392 | ₹4,000 |
| NT / DT-VJ / SBC / TFWS | Paid by the state | ₹57,392 | ₹57,392 | ₹4,000 |
| SC / ST | Paid by the state | Paid by the state | — | ₹4,000 |
For OBC, SEBC, EBC and EWS boys the state pays half the tuition; where a row says paid by the state, the Social Welfare Department pays the institute directly. EBC and EWS free-ship needs an annual family income of ₹8,00,000 or less, and if the state rejects the free-ship application the open-category fee becomes payable. The University of Mumbai fee is charged on top, by candidature type, through admission.samarth.edu.in.
Tuition Fee Waiver. Up to 5% of each PGDM course’s sanctioned intake is offered under the TFW scheme to candidates whose parents earn ₹8 lakh a year or less from all sources. The waiver covers tuition only — ₹12,18,000 of programme tuition per student in the 2025-27 batch, when 33 students held TFW seats — and a TFW student cannot change course or campus.
Cutoffs
For the 2026-28 batch the PGDM shortlist starts at 80 percentile on CAT, XAT or GMAT for the flagship programmes; MMS open-category seats closed at state merit number 391 in CAP Round I, 2026-27.
Welingkar publishes its PGDM shortlisting percentiles before selection. For the 2026-28 batch, on its General Merit List:
| Programme | Campus | CAT 2025 / XAT 2026 / GMAT | ATMA Feb 2026 / CMAT 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGDM, PGDM E-Business, PGDM Research & Business Analytics | Mumbai | 80 percentile | 85 score |
| PGDM Retail, PGDM Media & Entertainment, PGDM Business Design | Mumbai | 75 percentile | 80 score |
| PGDM Healthcare Management, PGDM Rural Management | Mumbai | 70 percentile on any accepted test | |
| PGDM, PGDM E-Business, PGDM Research & Business Analytics | Bengaluru | 75 percentile | 80 score |
| PGDM Business Design & Innovation | Bengaluru | 70 percentile on any accepted test | |
The CMAT cut-off is confirmed only after the CMAT result is declared, and the 70 percentile applies whatever your graduation background. Clearing the bar gets you the interview call, not the seat.
The percentile of the last candidate admitted to each Mumbai programme is a separate figure, filed with AICTE:
| Programme | Seats | 2025 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGDM | 180 | 80.05 | 80.02 |
| PGDM E-Business | 120 | 80.32 | 77.89 |
| PGDM Research & Business Analytics | 120 | 80.12 | 80.10 |
| PGDM Retail Management | 60 | 76.06 | 75.80 |
| PGDM Business Design | 60 | 75.81 | 75.10 |
| PGDM Media & Entertainment | 60 | 75.42 | 75.23 |
| PGDM Rural Management | 60 | 70.69 | 70.53 |
| PGDM Healthcare Management | 60 | 70.04 | 70.02 |
For 2023 the AY2023-24 filing gives a different measure, "cut off marks" out of 100 — 60.00 for the flagship PGDM — so check the heading before comparing any two figures.
MMS. MMS seats are allotted in the state CAP rounds by merit number, where a lower number is a stronger rank. In CAP Round I of 2026-27 (choice code 0310710210) they closed at:
| Seat type | Closing merit number (merit score) |
|---|---|
| All India | 157 (99.9358974) |
| Open, Maharashtra (GOPENS) | 391 (99.5868527) |
| TFWS | 495 (99.4571118) |
| OBC (GOBCS) | 614 (99.3067736) |
| EWS | 698 (99.207607) |
| SEBC (GSEBCS) | 1092 (98.5815277) |
| SC (GSCS) | 1384 (98.0715782) |
| ST (GSTS) | 4202 (92.604664) |
These are Round I closings; later rounds move. The MMS cut-off in 2024 was the 99.57 percentile.
Placements
In the 2023-25 batch the flagship PGDM placed 173 of 189 students at a ₹12.54 lakh average, with a highest offer of ₹40 lakh. By programme, as filed with AICTE (₹ lakh a year):
| Programme | Enrolled | Placed | Minimum | Maximum | Average 2023-25 | Average 2022-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGDM | 189 | 173 | 6.00 | 40.00 | 12.54 | 12.46 |
| PGDM E-Business | 125 | 99 | 6.00 | 25.23 | 11.48 | 11.00 |
| PGDM Research & Business Analytics | 126 | 114 | 6.00 | 26.13 | 12.50 | 12.35 |
| PGDM Retail Management | 62 | 54 | 6.50 | 20.13 | 11.28 | 10.68 |
| PGDM Business Design | 63 | 61 | 6.00 | 19.00 | 10.11 | 12.37 |
| PGDM Healthcare | 63 | 58 | 7.00 | 19.00 | 9.92 | 11.33 |
| PGDM Rural Management | 63 | 59 | 6.00 | 19.00 | 11.03 | 11.10 |
| PGDM Media & Entertainment | 63 | 56 | 7.20 | 28.87 | 9.97 | 10.19 |
| MMS | 124 | 83 | 6.00 | 25.23 | 11.58 | 11.42 |
Enrolment includes Tuition Fee Waiver seats and, for the MMS, one Jammu & Kashmir and five EWS seats. The programme pages give a different measure for 2023-25: domestic averages of ₹11.7 lakh (PGDM), ₹11.69 lakh (E-Business) and ₹11.12 lakh (Business Design), with international placements counted separately — ₹18.14 lakh average and ₹20.62 lakh highest for the flagship PGDM.
For the whole PGDM cohort, NIRF records the median salary of placed graduates:
| Graduating year | Median salary | Graduating / placed |
|---|---|---|
| AY2023-24 | ₹11,50,000 | 653 / 635 |
| AY2022-23 | ₹11,78,000 | 703 / 680 |
| AY2021-22 | ₹10,50,000 | 566 / 555 |
The filings do not agree on the 2022-24 batch. AICTE’s programme tables add up to 520 placed; NIRF’s return for the same graduating year says 635. The two AICTE filings also differ on how many enrolled — 60 in Healthcare in the AY2024-25 filing against 33 in AY2025-26, 58 against 33 in Rural Management and 60 against 38 in Media & Entertainment — so placement rates for that batch depend on which you use.
In the 2023-25 season 358 companies recruited across Welingkar, 227 of them for the first time.
Campus and hostel
The Mumbai campus is on Lakhamsi Napoo Road, Matunga (East), Mumbai 400019. Facilities declared for AY2025-26:
- 23 classrooms and 8 tutorial rooms, each 35 to 51 square metres.
- An Innovation Laboratory and two computer centres, seating 83 and 92.
- A central examination facility of 10 rooms seating 60 each and 13 seating 120 each.
- 240 online examination nodes on 2,024 Mbps of bandwidth.
- A library of 82,133 volumes across 28,548 titles, 54,579 e-books, 8 international and 119 national journals, and EBSCO, ProQuest and SAGE full-text databases.
- A barrier-free built environment, and a fire and safety certificate.
Hostels are separate for boys and girls, within 2 km of the college, with 24x7 internet. Places go first come, first served, with preference to non-local students (AY2025-26). This is not a residential campus, and admission does not guarantee a hostel place.
| Item | Amount | Year / batch |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel fee, per year | ₹1,60,000 to ₹2,20,000 | 2026-28 batch |
| Hostel deposit (refundable) | ₹10,000 | 2026-28 batch |
| Mess, food and personal living costs | Not published | — |
The Bengaluru campus
Same ₹7,50,000 tuition, a lower shortlisting bar, compulsory hostel — and placement figures four years older than Mumbai’s.

Welingkar runs a second campus at Electronic City in Bengaluru. Tuition is the same, ₹7,50,000 a year for the 2026-28 batch, so the choice between them is not about money. Four things differ, and one of them matters more than the rest.
| Mumbai | Bengaluru | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time PGDMs | Eight | Four |
| Flagship PGDM intake | 180 | 60 |
| Tuition, per year (2026-28 batch) | ₹7,50,000 | ₹7,50,000 |
| Hostel, per year (2026-28 batch) | ₹1,60,000–₹2,20,000, subject to availability | ₹1,70,000, compulsory |
| Shortlisting, flagship PGDM (2026-28) | 80 percentile | 75 percentile |
| MMS | Yes, through MAH-CET and state CAP | No |
| Course | Exams accepted | Intake | Fee — per year (2026-28) | Running since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGDM | CAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT, GMAT | 60 | ₹7,50,000 | 2009 |
| PGDM E-Business | CAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT, GMAT | 120 | ₹7,50,000 | 2008 |
| PGDM Business Design & Innovation | CAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT, GMAT | 30 | ₹7,50,000 | 2010 |
| PGDM Research & Business Analytics | CAT, XAT, ATMA, CMAT, GMAT | 60 | ₹7,50,000 | 2020 |
E-Business is twice the size of the flagship PGDM here, the reverse of Mumbai.
The placement figures are the problem. For Bengaluru’s core PGDM and E-Business, the newest published figures are for the 2019-21 batch: ₹7.91 lakh and ₹7.9 lakh domestic averages, both with a ₹13.6 lakh highest. Business Design & Innovation’s newest are for 2023-25, at ₹9.98 lakh, and Research & Business Analytics’ for 2022-24, at ₹10.40 lakh. Set beside Mumbai’s 2023-25 figures, the first two are four years older, so ask the campus for the current batch’s report before using any of them.
The 358-recruiter figure covers Welingkar as a whole, not either campus alone.
Address: 102/103, Electronic City Phase 1, next to the Telephone Exchange, Hosur Road, Bengaluru 560100.
How Welingkar compares
Route and fee band. With a strong MAH-MBA/MMS-CET score and Maharashtra domicile, the MMS at JBIMS Mumbai, SIMSREE Mumbai or Welingkar itself sits in a state-regulated fee structure that a private PGDM does not. The sharpest version of this comparison is internal: Welingkar’s MMS at ₹4,40,000 a year for the open category (AY2026-27) against its PGDM at ₹7,50,000 a year (2026-28 batch). Check each institute’s approved fee and route against the state CAP notification before comparing.
Test flexibility. The PGDM takes five tests with no seats set aside for any one of them. If your CAT percentile underperformed but your CMAT or XAT did not, that is a real, checkable advantage over schools that admit on CAT alone.
Sector depth or a generalist brand. Against KJ Somaiya Mumbai, SIBM Pune or NMIMS Mumbai, WeSchool’s distinguishing feature is eight PGDM variants, from business design and healthcare to rural, retail, media & entertainment and research & business analytics. If you want a declared sector, that breadth is the reason to look here; if you want a general management brand, it is not.
Contact & address
Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Lakhamsi Napoo Road, Matunga (East), Mumbai 400 019, Maharashtra. Telephone 022 24198300, email admin.pgdm@welingkar.org.
Frequently asked questions
Which entrance exams does Welingkar Mumbai accept for the PGDM?
For the 2026-28 batch: CAT 2025, XAT 2026, ATMA February 2026, CMAT 2026 and GMAT from 2023 onwards. No seats are set aside for any one test and selection is on overall performance, so the exam you sit does not narrow your seat pool. The MMS works differently: Maharashtra candidates need a MAH-MBA/MMS-CET 2026 score, while All-India seats also take CAT, CMAT, XAT, ATMA, MAT or GMAT.
Is work experience required for the WeSchool PGDM?
No. Eligibility is a minimum 50% in graduation, completed by June 2026, so final-year students and freshers can apply. Selection counts work experience alongside academics, group discussion, the interview and the test score, but the weights filed with AICTE give experience no separate head: for AY2025-26 they are entrance test 35, academics 25, group discussion and interview 35, and extracurriculars 5.
How does Welingkar Mumbai shortlist candidates?
In two steps. The shortlist uses the published percentile for your programme: for the 2026-28 batch, 80 on CAT, XAT or GMAT (85 on ATMA or CMAT) for the flagship PGDM, E-Business and Research & Business Analytics; 75 (80) for Retail, Media & Entertainment and Business Design; and 70 percentile on any accepted test for Healthcare and Rural. Final selection then weighs the test at 35, academics at 25, group discussion and interview at 35 and extracurriculars at 5 — the split filed for AY2025-26, which was 40/15/40/5 in the two years before.
Does Welingkar Mumbai provide hostel accommodation?
Yes, off campus. Separate hostels for boys and girls are within 2 km of the college, with 24x7 internet; places go first come, first served, with preference to non-local students (AY2025-26). Hostel fees are ₹1,60,000 to ₹2,20,000 a year for the 2026-28 batch, plus a refundable ₹10,000 deposit, and a place is subject to availability. At the Bengaluru campus, hostel is compulsory.
What scholarship, freeship or loan support is available?
Welingkar offers no institute scholarships: none are listed for the PGDM or the MMS in AY2025-26. What exists is the Tuition Fee Waiver scheme, for up to 5% of each course’s sanctioned intake where parents earn ₹8 lakh a year or less, covering tuition only; 33 PGDM students held TFW seats in the 2025-27 batch. MMS candidates in eligible reserved categories can get Maharashtra government free-ships, which meet half or all of the tuition. For loans, Welingkar has a partnership with a financial institution for its students.
PGDM or MMS at Welingkar — which should I be applying to?
They are different doors and you may be eligible for both. The MMS is a University of Mumbai degree filled through MAH-MBA/MMS-CET and the state CAP rounds. It costs ₹4,40,000 a year for the open category in AY2026-27, against ₹7,50,000 a year for the PGDM (2026-28 batch), and far less for reserved categories, where the state meets much of the fee. It offers specialisations in Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management and Operations. What you give up is timing: a CAP seat arrives when the state allots it, and open-category seats closed at state merit number 391 in Round I of 2026-27. The PGDM is autonomous, comes in eight variants including Business Design and Media & Entertainment, and is applied for directly to the institute. If your MAH-CET score is strong and cost is the binding constraint, the MMS is the better arithmetic. If you want a sector-specific programme, the PGDM is the route.
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