IIM CAT Cut Off 2025: Know Expected and Previous Years' CAT Cutoff Percentile
Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
IIM cut offs for admission to MBA/PGP programmes of top institutes are generally between 98 to 100 percentile. The IIM cutoff 2025 for MBA admission are as expected to be same as IIM cutoff 2024. Check here previous years' and expected CAT cut off for IIMs (general and reserved) categories.
IIM cutoff is usually high; in the range of 94 to 100 percentile for full-time MBA programme. Selection of candidates for admission is done on the basis of candidate's percentile in CAT exam. The minimum score fixed by IIMs, for shortlisting of candidates for MBA/PGP admission is referred to as IIM CAT cut off. These cut offs vary category wise. CAT cut off for IIM for General category candidates is higher than Reserved category candidates. CAT 2025 exam was held on November 30 and the exam result is expected soon. MBA aspirants who will score 98+ percentile in the CAT 2025 exam will meet the minimum IIM CAT percentile cut off requirement.
The qualifying CAT cut offs are released prior to the second stage of the IIM admission process 2026 i.e. Written Ability Test/Personal Interview (WAT/PI) round. The CAT cut off for IIM is released individually by each campus. CAT test takers are invited for WAT/PI round only if they have scored as much or above the minimum IIM cut off percentile in CAT exam fixed by the institutes. In this article, we have provided all the information related to the IIM CAT percentile cut off for MBA admission.
- What is IIM CAT Cut Off?
- IIM Call Cut Off vs Shortlist Cut Off – What is The Difference?
- IIM CAT Percentile Cut Off: Campus Wise
- IIMs with Lowest Cut Offs
- IIM Cut Offs of Previous Years
- IIM Cut Off 2025
- IIM Cut Off 2019 (Bodh Gaya)
- IIM Selection Procedure and Admission Criteria 2026
- Final Selection through IIM CAT Cut Off: Parameters and Weightage
- Campus wise: IIM CAT Cut Off, Shortlist and Admission Criteria
What is IIM CAT Cut Off?
IIM cut off refers to the minimum CAT percentile a candidate has to get as CAT score to be eligible for WAT/PI round of the institutes. The IIM cut offs are different for different categories of students. While the minimum CAT cut off for IIMs for General category is usually 95-100, the cut offs for reserved category students is 85-95. The CAT percentile for IIM admission vary campus wise. IIM BLACKI minimum percentile (CAT 2024) was between 97-100 percentile. Usually, for IIM Ahmedabad, the cut off for General category is 99-100 percentile. For IIM Calcutta, it is around 92-99 percentile (category-wise). However, if your academic record is exceptional, CAT score lower than 95 may get you an IIM.
The CAT cutoff for IIM MBA admissions vary slightly every year. Some of the determining factors that decide IIM CAT cut offs are:
- Difficulty Level of CAT exam – If the difficulty level is high, the cut off percentile for that year will be comparatively lower. This happens because of the lower average scores in the examination.
- Number of students who took CAT – The final CAT cut off percentile for IIMs would also depend on the number of students appearing in CAT. Higher the number, higher will be the qualifying CAT cut off, and vice versa. For CAT 2025 the number of test takers is lower than CAT 2024, so the IIM CAT cut off can dip.
- Number of seats available – The number of available seats in a particular IIM can vary annually. Any increase or decrease in the number of available seats will directly reflect on the cut-off percentile required for IIM.
For 2026 academic session, selection rounds of IIMs and top B-schools will begin in the first week of January 2026 with announcement of PI shortlist. The institutes will select candidates on the basis of their CAT 2025 score and academic record.
Also read:
- CAT Score vs Percentile 2025: Know the difference
- Understanding IIM Eligibility Criteria
- What is IIM CAP 2025? Know process, criteria and participating IIMs
- What is IIM SAP? Know process, criteria and cut offs
- What is IIM JAP? Know process, participating colleges
IIM Call Cut Off vs Shortlist Cut Off – What is The Difference?
IIM aspirants must understand that the institutes release two CAT cut offs for admission to a particular academic year. First IIM CAT cutoff is released as part of IIM admission policy. This cut off is referred to as CAT qualifying cut off or shortlist cut off, as it is meant for shortlisting candidates for WAT and PI. In other words, a candidate must meet the shortlist cut off or the minimum CAT score fixed by an IIM in order to be eligible for WAT and PI rounds. Clearing the shortlist cut off doesn't mean that you will be called for WAT and PI. Your interview call will depend upon whether you meet the IIM call cut off which is always higher than the shortlist cut off and released after the declaration of CAT result. For CAT 2024, the IIM Ahmedabad qualifying cut off was 80 percentile and the final cut off was around 99-100 percentile. For CAT 2025, qualifying IIM Ahmedabad cut off has been fixed at 95 percentile and the final cut off is expected to be 99-100 percentile.
IIM CAT Percentile Cut Off: Campus Wise
The final IIM cut offs are not released public ally by the institutes. Given below are estimated CAT cut offs based on previous years' trends. Nonetheless, candidates can use this table as a reference point to plan their MBA admission.
| IIM campus | Expected CAT Cut Off 2025 (in percentile) |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Bangalore | IIM Calcutta | 99-100 |
| IIM Lucknow | IIM Indore | IIM Kozhikode | 97-98 |
| IIM Amritsar | IIM Nagpur | IIM Sambalpur | 95-96 |
| IIM Trichi | IIM Raipur | IIM Ranchi | IIM Kashipur | 94-95 |
| IIM Vizag | IIM Udaipur | IIM Bodhgaya | 92-94 |
| IIM Shillong | IIM Sirmaur | 94 |
IIMs with Lowest Cut Offs
In newer IIMs, the CAT cut offs are lower as compared to rest of the campuses. Given below are IIMs with lowest cut offs.
- IIM Ranchi - 92+ percentile
- IIM Raipur - 90 + percentile
- IIM Kashipur - 90+ percentile
- IIM Udaipur - 90+ percentile
Even for Reserved category students, the IIM cut offs don't drop. Which is why it is imperative to score 90+ percentile in CAT for IIM admission.
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IIM Cut Offs of Previous Years
Those who shall have an idea of their performance in the CAT exam and know the expected score, they can guess which IIMs will take them in. The knowledge of CAT cut off for IIM is of great help in this process. It allows students to make an informed decision when the application window for WAT and PI rounds opens. In case you want to calculate your expected CAT score, use this CAT Percentile Predictor by Shiksha. Download Institute and category-wise CAT cut off PDF
IIM Cut Off 2025
Given below are the qualifying CAT cut offs and final cutoffs (estimated) for all IIMs, for 2025 batch. CAT cut off for IIM MBA batch 2026 are expected to be same.
| IIM |
Qualifying CAT Cut Off for IIM |
Final CAT Cut Off for IIM |
|---|---|---|
| 95 |
99-100 |
|
| 85 |
99-100 |
|
| 85 |
98-99 |
|
| 90 |
97-99 |
|
| 90 |
97-98 |
|
| 85 |
97-98 |
|
| 75 |
90 |
|
| 92 |
92-94 |
|
| 95 |
96-97 |
|
| 80 |
94-95 |
|
| 93 |
94-95 |
|
| 92 |
94-95 |
|
| 85 |
94-95 |
|
| 90 |
94-95 |
|
| 92 |
94-95 |
|
| 92 |
95-96 |
|
| 92 |
94-95 |
|
| 85 |
95-96 |
|
| 92 |
94-95 |
|
| 92 |
94-95 |
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IIM Cut Off 2019 (Bodh Gaya)
Of the 21 IIMs, IIM Bodh Gaya released official CAT cut offs publicly in 2019. Check the tables below for section-wise cut offs for male and female candidates.
| IIM Bodh Gaya cut off for male candidates |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category |
Overall |
QA |
DILR |
VARC |
| General |
91 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
| EWS |
70 |
60 |
60 |
60 |
| NC-OBC |
73 |
60 |
60 |
60 |
| SC |
50 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
| ST |
38 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
| PWD |
35 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
| IIM Bodh Gaya cut off for female candidates |
||||
| Category |
Overall |
QA |
DILR |
VARC |
| General |
88 |
75 |
75 |
75 |
| EWS |
70 |
55 |
55 |
55 |
| NC-OBC |
70 |
60 |
60 |
60 |
| SC |
50 |
43 |
43 |
43 |
| ST |
35 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
IIM Cut Offs 2018
| IIMs |
CAT cut off 2018 (in percentile) |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad |
98 |
| IIM Bangalore |
99 |
| IIM Calcutta |
98 |
| IIM Lucknow |
97 |
| IIM Indore |
92 |
| IIM Kozhikode |
95.5 |
| IIM Rohtak |
94 |
| IIM Kashipur |
93 |
| IIM Shillong |
92 |
| IIM Trichy |
93 |
| IIM Udaipur |
94 |
IIM Cut Offs 2017 and 2016
| IIM | CAT cut off 2017 (in percentile) | CAT cut off 2016 (in percentile) |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 100 | 100 |
| IIM Bangalore | 90.72 | 92.48 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 95.16 | 94.82 |
| IIM Indore | 90.05 | 90.01 |
| IIM Trichy | 95 | 96 |
| IIM Raipur | 95 | 96 |
| IIM Rohtak | 95 | 96 |
| IIM Udaipur | 95 | 96 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 95 | 81.23 |
| IIM Nagpur | 90.09 | 90.08 |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 90.09 | 90.02 |
| IIM Amritsar | 94.76 | 94.9 |
| IIM Sambalpur | 95 | NA |
*These cut-off scores have been obtained by Shiksha through Right To Information Act.
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IIM Selection Procedure and Admission Criteria 2026
The three main criteria for selection are CAT score, WAT/GD-PI, academic record. IIM admission process includes selection in three phases. Check below:
- First phase: Shortlisting of candidates on the basis of CAT score
- Second phase: Conduct of WAT and PI
- Third phase: Final selection on the basis of performance in CAT exam, WAT-PI, academics, etc.
Also Read:
IIM Ahmedabad admissions is based on entrance. Therefore, candidates must qualify the eligibility criteria and secure valid scores in CAT entrance exams. Moreoever, candidates ae required to apply for admission through the official website of IIMA. The percentile of CAT for IIM Ahmedabad reached up to 99.6 in the past years which shows how rigorous it is for a student to get admission to this Institute. Candidates are shortlisted for these programmes based on course-specific entrance exams, followed by shortlisting processes which generally comprise a Personal Interview (PI) round.
To conclude, seeking admission to IIM Ahmedabad is challenging but not difficult.
No, XAT is not required for admission to IIM Rohtak. IIM Rohtak only acceots CAT exam percentile for MBA admissions. IIM Rohtak CAT Cutoff 2024 has not yet been released. Looking at the past Cutoff trends, it can be said that the CAT Cutoff percentile required for IIM Rohtak could be between 90 and 95, for the General AI category candidates.
IIM admisison to the MBA course is based on a valid CAT score, followed by Written Ability Test (WAT) and Group Discussion & Personal Interview (GD &PI). CAT 2023 cut offs for IIM admission are estimated to be in the range of 95-100 percentile for General candidates. For top IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta, among others, the minimum CAT cut off is 90 percentile and the maximum can go upto 100. IIM Rohtak estimated CAT cutoff 2023 (percentile) will range between 92 and 94 for the General category students.
So, considering the previous year trends and estimated CAT percentile for IIM Rohtak, students with 70 percentile cutoff will not be able to get into IIM Rohtak. Candidates can get admission to other B-Schools like XIME, Bangalore and LIBA, Chennai with 70 percentile CAT cutoff.
As per the IIM CAP criteria, the qualifying CAT cut off for the batch of 2023-25 is 93 percentile for the General category students. So students belonging to the General category can not get into IIM Rnachi with 85 percentile. However, other categories student can easily get a call for the Personal Interview (PI) round for IIM Ranchi admission. Final selection, however, is entirely depends on candidates' performance in the PI round. Apart from PI, IIM final selection process also consider other criteria such as Verbal Comprehension, Verbal Comprehension and Verbal Comprehension, among others.
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 days ago
One should keep 9 months for CAT preparation, but it is possible to prepare in six months too provided the plan is focussed and exhaustive. For a six month preparation plan, one will need to dedicate 8 to 10 hours daily.
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
CAT is one of the accepting exams for admission to MBA at ISMR Pune. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants with a score in CMAT, MAT, XAT, MAH MBA CET, etc. can also get admission. Candidates selected based on their entrance exam scores also need to pass the personal interview round for admission
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Guide-Level 15
Answered a week ago
No, CAT scores are not compulsory for admissions into MBA course at Chhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research. The institute accepts other national/ state level management entrance exams too. The names of the accepted entrance examinations are: XAT/ MAT/ ATMA/ MAH MBA CET.
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
No, CAT scores are not compulsory for admissions into MBA course at GLA University, Mathura. The university also considers scores from other management entrance exam and one university level entrance exam too. The names of the other accepted entrance exams are: MAT/ XAT/ UPSEE.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
No, CAT scores are not important for enrollment into Masters of Business Administration course at Chitkara University. Because CAT is not the only scores which are considered by the university, it also accepts the scores of MAT/ XAT/ NMAT/ CMAT.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Minimum qualifying cut off for IIM Ahmedabad is 95 percentile whereas for IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta, it is 85. However final cut offs for these three top IIMs are between 99 to 100 percentile.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, you can join Adarsh Institute of Management and Information Technology without appearing for CAT. This is because, the institute also accepts other tests. The accepted exams include CAT/ XAT/ MAT/ CMAT/ KMAT/ PGCET/ GMAT. Hence, if you have appeared for any of these, you can still apply.
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, Myra School of Business does offer CAT scores based Scholarships upto INR 1.5 lakh. In recognition of outstanding performance in CAT, MSB awards special scholarships as follows:
- INR 5 Lacs for students securing a minimum 90 percentile
- INR 1 Lacs for students securing a minimum 85 percentile
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
LISAA School of Design, Bangalore BDes admission is done based on performance in the in-house entrance test. LISAA CAT is conducted at the LISAA centres. Candidates need to connect with the admission team to set up a time slot. Besides, it is important that the eligibility criteria is fulfilled.
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, CAT is not mandatory for School of Business and Management, Christ University MBA admissions. Students can alternatively submit scores of other national-level management exams. These include MAT/ XAT/ CMAT/ ATMA and GMAT/ GRE are also accepted.
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Contributor-Level 10
IIM Bangalore considers two kinds of CAT scores for MBA admission - Qualifying and Final score. Qualifying CAT score is the minimum sectional and overall CAT score used to shortlist students for the Analytical Writing Test (AWT) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. Candidates above minimum cutoffs in the sectional percentile ranks, the overall percentile rank and having a positive (greater than zero) raw score in all sections of CAT are considered for the next stage. The final CAT score is cutoffs are the basis of which the candidates are called for final selection after the AWT and PI rounds are over.