Which CAT slot has the toughest question paper?

There is no pattern to which CAT question paper can be the toughest. The CAT question paper of every slot has unique questions. The examination body strives to maintain the same difficulty level of the paper across all slots but it may happen that a question can be more difficult from another. It is seen that, to keep the uniqueness of the question paper intact, the examination authority also changes the topic wise weightage a little bit across the exam slots. In most of the previous years, it is seen that the morning slot of the CAT exam is tougher than the rest two. However, candidates must not worry about the difficulty level of the slots as, the scores of all the candidates are normalised on a common scale to root out the possibility of advantage or disadvantage to any student due to difference in difficulty level. To know how the CAT scores are normalised, read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/understanding-cat-normalization-process-blogId-9386.

Is the CAT syllabus difficult?

Yes, CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of the candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.

How many DI questions are asked in CAT?

Data Interpretation or DI is a sub part of CAT's second section DILR. This section has 20 -22 questions (until 2023, the totla number of DILR questions was 20, and in 2024 the number of questions was 22). Both Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning questions have equal number of questions. Candidates must make sure that they prepare for both topics well as the weightage is equal and if they are ill prepared for either of the two, their score will get affected.

What should be the last month preparation strategy for CAT?

In the last one month before the CAT exam, candidates must start focusing on the most important topics. These may include strong and weak areas. Practice sample questions from these topics and do not start any new topic. Here's what to do in the last month of CAT preparation: · Attempt CAT mock tests regularly and anaylse your performance. Spend time on filling the gaps. · Practice time management through time bound practice sessions and mock tests · Attend online study groups for problem solving and doubt clearing sessions. · Keep revising key concepts and formulas of CAT. Have a daily session of 2 hours for revision only. · Solve previous years' question papers to understand the trends of past years and work on topics that appear most frequently. · Attempt official IIM CAT mock test to know the expected CAT 2025 exam pattern · Focus on your health. It is very important to stay healthy in this phase so that your study time is not affected. Sleep well and take breaks from study to indulge in a hobby or a recreational activity to relax.

Is there any fee charged for CAT form correction?

No, the candidates do not have to pay any fee for CAT form correction. The facility is provided to candidates free of cost. However, if they have made an error in a field that will not be available for editing during form correction, then they will have to fill a fresh form before the submission deadline and pay the CAT application fee again. So, candidates must review the CAT application form before submitting to check whether they have filled all the information correctly or not. Once submitted, the form will not be editable but of photo, signature and test city.

Which documents are required for filling CAT application form?

Candidates need the following documents while filling the CAT application form: A recent passport size photo (color against white background) Scanned signature with black pen on white paper Any photo ID card like PAN card, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Passport Class 10 marksheet Class 12 marksheet Graduation marksheet Permanent address proof Work experience documents Reserved category students need to upload Category Certificate along with the CAT application form. The Certificate is available on the CAT website. Candidates can download, fill it, get it attested by competent authority and upload it as PDF with the CAT application form. The PwD category students also have to fill the PwD form and Scribe affidavit along with the exam application form. This is necessary for getting scribe facility and PwD facility at the test centre. The CAT application form is same for students from all categories. Those belonging to a particular category (SC/ST/PwD) will be required to mention it in the relevant field of the CAT form.

What is the process to select CAT test city for exam centre allotment?

There are over 170 cities where CAT exam is held. These 170 cities are spread across India consist of metropolitan cities, capital cities, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Candidate can select up to five cities for allotment of test centre. The process of test city selection is a part of CAT application process. In the CAT application form, there is a field in which candidates have to select the cities. They need to select the city of preference in order of 1 to 5. The examination authorities will try to allot the test centre in the city of first preference. Thus, candidates must fill all the five cities carefully. They must choose their home city of city of current residence as the first preference. The test city option can only be changed during the form correction window. After that, the request for change of the city will not be accepted by the exam authorities.

What is the CAT application fee?

The CAT application fee is INR 2,600 for General, EWS and NC-OBC candidates. For the SC/SCT/PWD candidates, the fee is INR 1,300. Applicants have to pay the fee at the time of form filling. The application form is not accepted without the payment of fees. Candidates must also keep in mind that the CAT application fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. Thus, candidates must fill their forms carefully as if they make a mistake they will have to fill the application form again and pay the fees again. There is a provision of form correction in CAT but only test centre, photo and signature can be edited in the already submitted form. In case, you, ve made a mistake in any other field, you will have to fill the form again.

How many CAT mock tests to practice to score 99 percentile?

Experts recommend that aspirants must practice at least 40 CAT mock tests to score above 99 percentile well in the exam. Most of the CAT test takers take up to 50 mock tests of various types and difficulty level. CAT toppers in previous years have practiced even up to 80 mock tests during their preparation. However, candidates must decide the number of CAT mock tests depending on their control and confidence on topics as the exam day comes closer. Mock tests are the best way to judge your performance viz. The important topics of CAT. The more one practices CAT mock tests, the more accurate they get in solving questions from all subjects. It is very important to know which formula to apply to which type question to solve the problem accurately. Mock tests help candidates in this aspect which is why practicing mock tests is most important in CAT preparation.

Why is CAT considered a difficult MBA entrance exam?

The CAT is conducted as a difficult MBA entrance exam because it is the main national level test for MBA Admission in India. Over 2 Lacs candidates appear for it every year. Thus, the competition is high. The question paper is set by the IIM. Even though the score is accepted by over 1300 colleges the top colleges accept above 90 percentile. The Iims have cut offs above 95 percentile. It has been seen that out of the total number of test takers which is usually around 2 Lacs, only about 20 candidates are able to score 99-100 percentile. The difficulty level of CAT is the highest among all the MBA entrance exams in India. It is conducted for 2 hours and has 66 questions in total to solve. However, the difficulty level of all the questions from VARC DILR and Quantitative Aptitude is high. The VARC has tough and long Reading Comprehension passages. The Data Interpretation tables and charts are dense and calculation intensive. Logical Reasoning questions are also on the tougher side. Moreover, there is sectional time limit of 40 minutes for each section. Candidates have to complete a section in the given time limit only.

What are the best resources for CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation?

The best resources for Quantitative Aptitude preparation is sample papers and previous years' CAT question papers. Since both Quantitative Aptitude is all about Mathematics, it can only be mastered by having enough practice. But only solving question papers and practice papers will not be enough. You will need to first be thorough with the topics and their concepts/formulae. For that refer to books like Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha, Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha and Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Sharma. Sectional mock tests for Quants are also very important for preparation.

Are six months enough to prepare for CAT?

Usually, it is recommended to start CAT preparation about a year or nine months in advance. However, one can prepare for this exam even in six months if they put 8-10 hours daily into it. Candidates who have attempted the CAT before may not face a lot of hurdles in six-month preparation as they have a foundation in CAT preparation from previous year, but candidates who are appearing in the exam for the first time may face obstacles, mostly related to accuracy. The syllabus of CAT is vast and includes a lot of reading. One also has to spend a lot of time in practice sessions and mock tests to be able to master all types of CAT questions - easy, moderate and tough. If you are a student of engineering/technical or commerce background you will need to pay extra attention on VARC . However, you'll be able to manage the syllabus of DILR and Quantitative Aptitude with adequate practice of topics. But if you are a student from Arts background, it is advised to start CAT preparation much earlier because you will have to brush up a lot of Mathematics. Reading Comprehension is one subject that cannot be mastered by student belonging to any academic stream, if their English comprehension is not strong. To develop reading habit all CAT aspirants will have to start much earlier.

What percentile is required for IIM Raipur?

The general category CAT percentile cutoff at IIM Raipur normally lies between 92 and 95%, though it could differ somewhat depending on the category (OBC, SC, ST) and applicant pool. At somewhat lower percentiles, candidates with a solid academic background and pertinent professional experience may be given consideration. A comprehensive review that takes into account the candidate's performance on the Written Ability Test (WAT), academic background, and personal interview (PI) is required for the ultimate selection. The likelihood of being shortlisted for the following round of the selection process increases with higher scores.

What is the difference between CAT score and CAT percentile?

CAT score is the total marks a candidate gets out of the maximum marks, calculated by subtracting the marks of incorrect answers from the marks of correct answers. For every correct answer, +3 is given to the candidates, for every incorrect -1 is deducted from the overall score. Apart from this, a candidate's rank is calculated by normalizing the scores of all candidates and placing them on a common scale based on the difficulty and attempts of the candidates. It is important to understand the difference between CAT score and CAT percentile because IIMs and all MBA colleges in India select candidates on the basis of their CAT and other MBA related exam percentiles and not score. The CAT percentile is referred to as the rank of a candidate against the rest of the test takers. The percentile indicates the total percentage of candidates who scored less than or equal to a particular candidate in CAT. Suppose,1,000 people take an exam and you bag the top rank, which means 999 candidates scored less than you. Then your CAT percentile will be 999/1000*100 = 99.9.

What is the marking scheme of CAT?

CAT has 68 questions. Each question carries three marks. There is negative marking of minus one for incorrect attempts. There is no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Total marks in 204.

From where can I download CAT question papers?

CAT question papers are released within a week of the exam in the form of a PDF as a response sheet and answer key. Candidates who have appeared for the test are able to access the CAT question paper and answer key. The question paper of every slot is released on the same day along with candidate response sheet and official answer to all question. If any candidate needs previous year CAT question papers for preparation purpose, then they can download them from Shiksha website. We have hosted last five years' CAT question papers for aspirants to download and practice. These official CAT question papers are available for download free. You can download the CAT question paper PDFs at this link: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-exam-question-papers Candidates must check and practice the latest CAT question paper to know the latest exam pattern and difficulty level.

Where can I get official CAT mock test?

Generally, the official mock tests are available on the official website of CAT which is https./iimcat.ac.in. The examination is conducted by Indian Institutes of Management. Check out the below steps to know how get official CAT mock tests online: Aspirants are requested to visit the official website of CAT (https./iimcat.ac.in) Login in through the CAT credentials. Click on the "mock test" button on the left side of screen. Official CAT mock test is available for practise to candidates who have registered for exam. After that, the screen will display the instructions. After reading the instructions carefully, click on 'I am ready to begin' tab and start writing the exam. Please keep checking the official website of CAT to have up-to-date information.

Is CAT score accepted by international B-Schools?

CAT score is a national level test and is not accepted by B-Schools outside India. For pursuing MBA in foreign countries GMAT score is accepted. Indian B-Schools accept GMAT score for admitting foreign/NRI/PIO students. CAT is also accepted for Executive MBA, PhD, FPM and other such management programmes in top colleges in India. Similarly, GMAT is also accepted for admission to domestic students in to Executive MBA and such programmes.

How are CAT toppers determined?

CAT toppers are determined on the basis of candidate percentiles. Those whose overall percentiles are 100 and 99.99, they are declared the toppers of CAT exam. To calculate CAT percentiles, raw scores of every CAT candidate is normalized on the same scale and the following formula is applied: P = (R/N) * 100 where, P= Percentile score R= Rank of the candidate arrived at on the basis of scaled CAT score or the total number of test takers ranking below a particular candidate. N= Number of candidates who appeared in CAT exam (all three sessions)

What after CAT result declaration?

After the declaration of CAT results, IIMs and other top MBA colleges start the candidate shortlisting process. The institutes fix CAT cut offs category wise and invite applicants to appear for Written Ability Test, Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview PI rounds for MBA Admission. In case of IIMs, the institutes release PI shortlist form which the candidates have to fill before a certain deadline. In the PI form, candidates have to mention their personal, academic and professional details along with CAT score. Depending on the application received and the range of CAT scores the institutes the shortlist candidates for What-GD-PI. The What-GD-PI round is conducted by the institutes individually in March and April in online or offline mode. With the result of What-GD-PI and candidates' overall profile, the institutes finalise the list of students for admission. Offer of admission letters to selected candidates are sent via email in May.

Is CAT cutoff higher for non-IIMs?

CAT cut offs for non-IIMs is usually lower than IIMs. Top MBA College CAT Cut Offs (percentile) FMS, Delhi 98-99 IIFT Delhi 95-99 SPJIMR, Mumbai 95-99 IMT, Ghaziabad 95-97 JBIMS, Mumbai 96 MDI, Gurgaon 97-99 IMI, New Delhi 90 XIM, Bhubaneshwar 91 GIM Goa 85 K J Somaiya, Mumbai 86 TAPMI, Manipal 80 FORE, New Delhi 85 IFMR, Chennai 80 IRMA, Anand 80 MICA, Ahmedabad 80 LIBA, Chennai 70 XIME, Bangalore 70

I appeared for CAT exam in the second slot. Will my result be declared on the same day as that of the first slot?

Yes, the CAT results for all the exam slots are announced on the same day.

When is IIM Shortlist released?

IIM shortlist of top IIMs is released in the first week of January soon after CAT result declaration. All IIMs release their shortlist one by one after that in the same month. By the end of January, all 21 IIMs release their MBA/PGP shortlist. The WAT-PI shortlists for admission is released individually by the institutes but for the CAP participating IIMs. For them, the CAP conducting IIM releases the PI shortlist form and guidelines on behalf of rest of them.

How much weightage does CAT score have in IIM shortlist?

CAT exam score has the weightage of about 40-60 per cent in IIM shortlist. The weightage varies for each IIM but is in the range of 40-60 per cent. Rest of the weightage is divided between academics, gender and work experience. However, in the final shortlist, weightage of CAT score is less than that of WAT-PI.

Are CAT cut offs announced along with the CAT result?

CAT cutoffs are usually not announced with the CAT result. The CAT cutoffs are also not released to the public. They are published after a few days of the result announcement when the IIMs and other colleges start their shortlisting process. The IIMs opens their shortlisting window based on the CAT cut-offs two to three days after the result announcement. The CAT percentile of candidates shortlisted for the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) can be considered the cut-off for that IIM. For example, if a candidate with a CAT percentile of 99 belonging to the General category is selected for the WAT/GD-PI of IIM Calcutta, then the CAT cut-off for IIM Calcutta is 99 percentile. Only those candidates who make it to the WAT/GD-PI round of IIMs will get to know the cut-offs.

What is the CAT cut off for IIM Indore?

The IIM Indore cut off is usually around 95-97 percentile. The overall qualifying CAT cut off percentile for What-PI shortlisting is 90 for General category students. For EWS category too, the minimum qualifying CAT cut off is 90 percentile. However, for NC-OBC candidates the minimum qualifying cut off it is 80 percentile whereas for SC/ST candidates, it is 60 and 45 percentile, respectively. Given below are the sectional and overall qualifying CAT cut offs for Indore PGP course. Click here for detailed IIM Indore admission and selection criteria: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/iim-indore-shortlist-admission-criteria-blogId-19051 .

Do IIMs send CAT admit card by post?

CAT admit card is not sent to any candidate by post. Every candidate has to download their CAT hall ticket from the IIMCAT website by using their login credentials created at the time of exam registration. The announcement of release of CAT admit card is done by the exam convening IIM about 10-15 days before the exam. The CAT admit card release date is also shared beforehand so that candidates can download their admit cards in time.

What are the details mentioned on CAT admit card?

The CAT admit card is a main document of identification of the candidate. It is the proof that the candidate has fill the examination form and is eligible to appear in the exam. To help in candidate identification, the following details are mentioned on every candidate's CAT admit card. Candidate's name Candidate's roll number Candidate's gender Candidate's category Candidate's date of birth Candidate's signature Candidate's photo Candidate's address Examination year Examination date Examination slot Examination timings Reporting time Test centre address Google link to locate test centre Along with these details, other information such as exam day guidelines, examination process in the test lab, items to carry, items not to carry, activities prohibited, dress code and entry process are also mentioned on the CAT admit card.

Will CAT exam 2025 also be conducted in three shifts?

Yes, CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three shifts. The exam was earlier conducted in 2 shifts, but since 2020, the CAT is conducted in three shifts - morning, afternoon and evening. In CAT 2025 too, there will be three slots which will be allotted to applicants in no particular order. CAT exam slot timings will be - First shift: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, Second shift: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and Third shift: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

How would I know my CAT exam centre?

Candidates will know their allotted CAT exam centre only from the admit card. There is no way to know the test centre before the release of the CAT admit card. The examination authority allots a test centre to aspirants in the city of their first preference as mentioned in the city. So, candidates can atleast be assured that they will get a test centre in the city they had chosen as first preference in the CAT application form. However, the venue will be mentioned only on the candidate’s admit card. So as soon as the CAT admit card is released, candidates must check the test city and test centre details. In order to avoid any confusion, they must visit the centre at least once before exam day.

Does every CAT accepting college conduct GD/PI?

Yes, the CAT accepting MBA colleges conduct either GD/PI or WAT/PI. Since MBA is a professional course about business and team management, personality assessment round is essential to ensure that the aspirant has the flair for management which can be polished during the programme. Communication skills, problem solving ability, management and leadership are essential qualities for MBA thus, every B-School conducts GD/PI or WAT/PI.

What is IIM CAP process?

IIM CAP is a common selection process for newer Iims. Under the CAP candidates eligible for admission to the nine new Iims - IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Kashipur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Jammu, IIM Ranchi, IIM Trichy and IIM Udaipur are shortlisted for What-PI round by a single IIM, the one who is given the responsibility to conduct the CAP round in a particular academic year. CAT cut offs, admission parameters and their weightage are same for all CAP Iims. The participating Iims send the list of candidates shortlisted by them for the What-PI process to the institute conducting CAP. The CAP conducting IIM conducts the What-PI round for all the participating Iims. The IIM CAP conducting institute then share the What-PI scores and results of the candidates with the participating institutes. Those institutes then prepare the final shortlist for admission. Those who are selected for admission are informed by the Iims via email. The offer of admission is sent to selected candidates which they have to accept within the given time limit. For more details of IIM CAP, read this article: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/articles/what-is-iim-cap-know-admission-process-selection-criteria-and-participating-institutes-blogId-51225.

What if I do not make it to IIM shortlist? Do I still stand a chance to get admission?

No, the students who don't make it to the IIM shortlist of a particular year, they will not be considered for admission. Such candidates can appear for CAT again the next year and try for admission. If a candidate doesn't make it to the first shortlist, they can wait for the second shortlist to release in which they might be selected.

How is IIM shortlist prepared by the institutes?

IIM shortlist is prepared on the basis of CAT cut off, class 10 score, class 12 score, graduation score, work experience (if any). To encourage diversity in the classroom the IIMs award extra points to female and transgender candidates at the time of shortlisting as well as final selection.

What is the IIM selection criteria through CAT?

IIM selection criteria for all the 21 campuses is same and includes selection of candidates through three stages. CAT score Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion GD and Personal Interview (PI) Academic record, work experience Academic and gender diversity CAT exam score is the first parameter on which candidates are shortlisted for admission. In the first state of IIM admission, the institutes shortlist candidates for WAT, GD and PI on the basis of their CAT score and class 10, 12 and graduation marks. The cut offs for shortlisting of candidates is between 95-100 percentile (for SC/ST/PwD candidates the cut offs are lower). These shortlisted candidates have to then appear for What, GD and PI round. Those who clear this round are considered for final admission. For the final selection, every IIMs takes into consideration the following aspects: CAT score What, GD and PI performance Class 10 and 12 marks Graduation marks Work experience Academic diversity Gender diversity.

From where can I download CAT result?

CAT result is announced at the iimcat.ac.in website. Candidates who appear for the test can download their scorecards from the official website by using their login credentials. The CAT result download link is made live about 20 days after the exam. Candidates can download their scorecards by using their login credentials. Given below is the process to follow for downloading the CAT result. Visit the official website of CAT exam Click on CAT scorecard download Enter your CAT ID and password Click on the scorecard tab Download the CAT result PDF Process to check the CAT result on smart phone: Open a web browser on the mobile phone Type the url of CAT exam: iimcat.ac.in Click on CAT scorecard tab Enter your CAT application number and password Click on the scorecard tab to open the document

What is the validity of CAT score?

CAT score is valid for one year at the IIMs and top B-Schools. In some tier 3 and government institutions, CAT score of previous two years are also acceptable. Many B-schools including IIMs have an option of deferment of admission, wherein you can confirm your admission and pay the nominal fee but join the batch in the next year. It is advised that candidates take admission in the same year as their CAT attempt so that they don't have to reappear next year. Given the competition in MBA space, it is difficult to get a good college whether you have a low score or average score. So, incase one is getting a good college, they should take admission and not drop a year to appear for CAT again.

What is the CAT result date 2025?

CAT result 2025 was announced on December 24, 2025. It usually gets declared by December 19-20, but this year it has been delayed a bit. The CAT 2025 result cum scorecard will be available for download at iimcat.ac.in.

I have done BCom from correspondence college. Can I apply for CAT?

Yes, you can apply for CAT. The main criteria of eligibility for CAT is graduation from a recognised university. So, whether the education mode is full-time or correspondence, if the university is recognised by the UGC, the candidates will be eligible to appear for the CAT exam.

How important is it to have a good academic profile for IIM admission through CAT?

Having a good academic profile for IIM admission is very critical. The top 6 IIMs lay a lot of emphasis on Class 10 and Class 12 score for selection of candidates for WAT-PI round. The academic profile is evaluated again at the time of preparation of final merit list. It has been seen in the past that some candidates despite having 99+ percentile, were not selected for PI round due to low score in Class 12. The academic profile is assessed for academic as well as gender diversity. Which means a candidate who studied Arts in Class 12 may be selected for PI with lower marks than a candidate who studied Science in Class 12. Candidates aiming for IIMs must know that while the importance of academic profile is very important for top IIMs, it is moderately important for rest of the IIMs. For, other top MBA colleges, overall profile matters more than academic score. So, if you do not have superlative scores in Class 10 and 12, build a good profile with work experience and extra curricular activities to increase your chances of selection.

What is the age limit to appear for CAT?

There is no age limit to appear for CAT. The CAT exam is open for fresh graduates as well as working professionals. Since CAT is accepted by over 1300 B-schools across India for their full-time as well as executive MBA or online professional courses, a lot of working professionals appear for the CAT to pursue such courses. CAT score is accepted by Iims for full time MBA, executive MBA and FPM programmes. Other top MBA colleges in India also shortlist candidates for executive MBA or part-time MBA on the basis of CAT score. The minimum age limit for has to be 20 years as the minimum qualification for CAT exam graduation. Any candidate who has completed Graduation with 50 per cent aggregate (45 per cent for SC/ST candidates). Any candidate in final year of Bachelor's degree course can appear in CAT exam. Any candidate having a professional degree like CA/CS/ICWAI with a minimum of 50 per cent in aggregate.

I have not completed graduation but I am pursuing CA. Am I eligible to apply for CAT exam?

No, you are not eligible to apply for CAT exam until you complete your CA course and clear ICAI CA exams . In case of absence of graduation degree, candidates are required to complete the professional degree before applying. The minimum score for applying for CAT on the basis of professional degree course in 50 per cent ( 45 per cent for SC/ST/PwD candidates).

What are the facilities for PwD candidates in CAT exam?

For PwD candidates, facilities in CAT exam include, relaxation of marks in graduation. The minimum score required by PwD candidate in graduation for appearing in CAT exam is 45 per cent aggregate. Apart from that, such candidates are provided scribe service at the exam centre. To avail the service such candidates have to fill the relevant form during registration process.

What is IIM Shortlist?

IIM shortlist is the list of CAT test takers who make it to the second phase of IIM admission process, which is Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). The IIM shortlist is the list of candidates who are eligible to participate in the WAT-PI rounds of IIMs for MBA admission.

Are CAT cut offs announced along with the CAT result?

CAT cutoffs are usually not announced with the CAT result. The CAT cutoffs are also not released to the public. They are published after a few days of the result announcement when the IIMs and other colleges start their shortlisting process. The IIMs opens their shortlisting window based on the CAT cut-offs two to three days after the result announcement. The CAT percentile of candidates shortlisted for the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) can be considered the cut-off for that IIM. For example, if a candidate with a CAT percentile of 99 belonging to the General category is selected for the WAT/GD-PI of IIM Calcutta, then the CAT cut-off for IIM Calcutta is 99 percentile. Only those candidates who make it to the WAT/GD-PI round of IIMs will get to know the cut-offs.

How can I check my PI status in IIM shortlist for MBA?

The candidates can check their admission status in IIM shortlist of each institute on their respective websites. The IIMs releases their shortlist on different days in the month of January. Once the shortlist is announced, candidates can check their status on the institute's website by using their CAT login ID. Such candidates can fill the PI form for participating in the WAT-PI round. If shortlisted, they are invited by the institute via email.

How to challenge CAT answer key?

The CAT examination body allows candidates to challenge the official answer key. In case a candidate feels any answer shared by the examination body is incorrect, they can challenge it by filling an objection form which is released on the same day as release of the CAT answer key and candidate response sheet. The candidates can fill the objection form by using their CAT login ID and password. Check below: 1. Visit the official website of CAT exam 2. Click on 'Login' 3. Enter CAT login ID and password to sign in 4. Go to 'Objection' tab 5. Click on plus sign to add an objection 6. Check the question number from the PDF of the question paper 7. Enter relevant details 8. Upload supporting document 9. Pay objection fee through credit/debit card or net banking The objection fee is INR 1,200 per objection. Candidates can raise any number of objections. The CAT answer key objection fee will be refunded to only those candidates whose objections will be accepted. Objections that have been submitted once cannot be edited.

What is the benefit of CAT answer key and response sheet?

The main benefit of CAT answer key and response sheet is that through this document, candidates can analyse their performance in the exam. The CAT answer key contains, candidate's response as well as correct answer to every question. This can help them in calculating how much marks they will score out of the total marks. They can use that information to see how much percentile will they score, even before the result has been declared. They can use the estimated CAT score and percentile to take further decisions regarding MBA Admission such as which colleges to shortlist or which other MBA entrance exams to appear for. Taking these decisions is crucial as many colleges close their application window before the CAT result declaration. Candidates can calculate their CAT score with the help of answer key in the following way: For every correct answer in CAT three marks are awarded, which means if the candidate has got 50 answers correct, the score will be 50x3 i. e. 150 marks. For each incorrect answer, one mark is deducted. So, if a candidate has marked 10 questions incorrectly, then -10 marks will be awarded. So, the score of the candidate out of 198 (total marks in CAT will be: 150 - 10, I. e. 140. For CAT score and percentile click here: https://www.shiksha.com/mba/cat-percentile-predictor .

How many candidates scored 100 percentile in CAT 2024?

14 candidates have scored 100 percentile in CAT 2024, out of a total of 2.93 Lacs candidates. Out of 14 toppers, 1 is a woman candidate. Check below CAT 2024 result data: Check the below table for data and statistics of CAT 2024 test takers and toppers. CAT Toppers Gender and Discipline State 100 percentiles 14 - Nos Female - 1 Male - 13 Engg – 13 Non-Engg – 1 Andhra Pradesh 1 Delhi 2 Haryana 1 Kerala 1 Maharashtra 5 Odisha 1 Rajasthan 1 Telangana 2 99.99 percentiles 29 -Nos. Female - 2 Male - 27 Engg – 25 Non-Engg - 4 Chandigarh 1 Delhi 4 Gujarat 2 Haryana 1 Karnataka 3 Kerala 1 Madhya Pradesh 1 Maharashtra 5 Odisha 1 Punjab 1 Rajasthan 3 Tamil Nadu 1 Telangana 1 Uttar Pradesh1 Uttarakhand 1 West Bengal 2 99.98 percentiles 30-Nos Female - 1 Male - 29 Engg – 20 Non-Engg -10 Bihar 1 Delhi 2 Gujarat 2 Haryana 4 Karnataka 4 Madhya Pradesh 3 Maharashtra 3 Tamil Nadu 2 Telangana 3 Uttar Pradesh 2 West Bengal 4

What is the average number of CAT 100 percentilers every year?

On an average, about 10-15 CAT aspirants score 100 percentile. Given below is the data of CAT 100 percentilers of last 3 years: Exam year CAT 100 percentilers State wise numbers CAT 2024 14 1- Andhra Pradesh 2- Delhi 1- Haryana 1-Kerala 5- Maharashtra 1- Odisha 1- Rajasthan 2- Telangana CAT 2023 14 1 – Andhra Pradesh 1 - Delhi 1 – Gujarat 1 – Jammu & Kashmir 1 - Karnataka 1 - Kerala 4 – Maharashtra 1 – Tamil Nadu 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh CAT 2022 11 2 - Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 2 - Maharashtra 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh

What if I have a very good CAT score but poor academic record?

If you have a very good CAT score but poor academic record it is quite likely that you may not be shortlisted for top IIMs as the institutes prefer candidates with overall consistency in academics. Class 12 scores holds a lot of importance in shortlisting of candidates for WAT-PI.

CAT 2025: Result (Declared), Cutoffs, Top Colleges, Selection Process, Question Paper, Pattern

12.9K Students Q&A

Updated on Jan 6, 2026 15:46 IST

By Vipra Shrivastava, Senior Manager - Content

CAT result 2025 was announced on December 24, 2025. This year, 12 candidates have scored 100 percentile, whereas 26 candidates scored 99.99 percentile. The number of 99.98 percentilers is also 26. Most of the CAT 2025 toppers are from engineering background. 2.58 lakh candidates appeared for the exam on November 30, 2025. The exam was conducted by IIM Kozhikode and difficulty level was moderate.

IIM PI shortlists 2026 for several campuses have been released. IIM CAP and IIM JAP cut offs have been released. IIM Rohtak has started registration for PI shortlisting. IITs have also started MBA registrations for 2026 batch. Last date to apply is January 31, 2026. The exam was held on November 30 in three sessions. Read all about CAT 2025 exam.

Table of contents

CAT 2025 Exam Highlights
CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
What is CAT Exam?
CAT Exam Result and Scorecard 2025
IIM CAT Cut Offs
CAT Answer Key 2025
CAT 2025 Syllabus and Pattern
CAT Exam Preparation 2025
CAT Question Paper PDFs Download (Previous Years)
CAT 2025 Admit Card
CAT Registration 2025
CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025
IIMCAT Contact Information
Important FAQs on CAT 2025

CAT 2025 Exam Highlights

CAT 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of CAT 2025 exam

Dates	Past Exam Dates
24 Dec ' 25	CAT 2025 result announcement
08 Dec ' 25 - 10 Dec ' 25	CAT 2025 answer key challenge
To Be Notified	CAT 2025 answer key release
View More Past Events (4)

What is CAT Exam?

CAT Exam Result and Scorecard 2025

IIM CAT Cut Offs

CAT Answer Key 2025

CAT 2025 Syllabus and Pattern

CAT Exam Preparation 2025

CAT Question Paper PDFs Download (Previous Years)

CAT 2025 Admit Card

CAT Registration 2025

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

For queries regarding CAT Registration, Application and Payment Processing, Document uploading please call only on 1-800-210-0175 (Toll Free) Monday to Saturday 9:00AM to 6:00PM (excluding National holidays).
Email: cathelpdesk@iimcat.co.in

For Academic queries like eligibility, category and PwD certificate , please contact CAT Centre office with contact details as follows. (
Monday to Friday excluding holiday, from 9:30am to 5:30pm
Phone: +91 495 2809219 | +91 495 2809696
Email: cat2025_helpdesk@iimk.ac.in

CAT 2025 CENTRE
C/o Admissions Office
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT KOZHIKODE
IIMK Campus P.O, Kozhikode, Kerala,
PIN - 673 570