Overview: The CAT 2025 exam was successfully conducted by IIM Calcutta on November 24, 2024, in three slots. MBA aspirants who score 98+ percentile in the CAT 2025 exam can meet the minimum IIM CAT cut off requirement. Understanding the cat cut off for IIMs and top MBA colleges is crucial for aspirants to gauge their admission chances.
Approximately 3.29 lakh MBA aspirants registered for the CAT 2025, with around 2.8 lakh candidates actually taking the exam. The CAT cut off for IIMs 2025 is a crucial factor to consider while applying to any of the top MBA colleges in India, especially IIMs.
Understanding CAT Cutoffs & Percentiles
The cat cut off represents the minimum percentile required by IIMs and other B-schools to shortlist candidates for the next round of the CAT admission process. It’s essential to understand that iim cat cutoff is based on percentiles, not raw scores, making it a relative measure of performance.
CAT percentiles are calculated based on the relative performance of all test-takers. The cat sectional cutoff ensures candidates meet minimum standards in each section – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).
CAT Cut Off for IIMs 2025: College Wise
For the older IIMs, general candidates will require above 98% to land a call. The iim cut off varies significantly across different IIMs and categories. Below is the comprehensive cat cut off for iim across all institutes:
| IIM | General | OBC | EWS | SC | ST |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 80+ | 75+ | 80+ | 70+ | 60+ |
| IIM Bangalore | 85+ | 75+ | 75+ | 70+ | 65+ |
| IIM Calcutta | 75+ | 65+ | 75+ | 60+ | 55+ |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85+ | 75+ | 75+ | 65+ | 55+ |
| IIM Lucknow | 90+ | 82+ | 82+ | 65+ | 60+ |
| IIM Indore | 90+ | 80+ | 90+ | 60+ | 45+ |
| IIM Mumbai | 85+ | 75+ | 75+ | 70+ | 65+ |
| IIM Raipur | 90+ | 80+ | 80+ | 65+ | 55+ |
| IIM Rohtak | 95+ | 83+ | 93+ | 60+ | 50+ |
| IIM Udaipur | 92+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Kashipur | 92+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Trichy | 94+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Ranchi | 95+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Shillong | 75+ | 75+ | 75+ | 60+ | 50+ |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 80+ | 72+ | 72+ | 45+ | 35+ |
| IIM Jammu | 90+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Nagpur | 90+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Amritsar | 90+ | 80+ | 90+ | 45+ | 40+ |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 95+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
| IIM Sambalpur | 90+ | 80+ | 80+ | 55+ | 40+ |
| IIM Sirmaur | 95+ | 81+ | 81+ | 66+ | 42+ |
IIM Cutoffs – Tier 1 (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta)
IIM Ahmedabad Cat Cutoff 2025
The overall qualifying CAT cut-off for IIM Ahmedabad shortlist is 80 percentile for General Category, 75 percentile for NC-OBC, Transgender Categories, 70 for SC and PwD Categories and 60 for ST Category.
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA |
| General | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| NC-OBC | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| SC | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| PwD (General/NC-OBC/SC) | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| PwD (ST) | 50 | 50 | 50 |
CAT Cut off for IIM Bangalore 2025
The iim bangalore cat cutoff remains competitive with high sectional requirements:
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA |
| General | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| EWS | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| PwD | 50 | 50 | 50 |
CAT Cut off for IIM Calcutta 2025
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA |
| General | ≥80 | ≥80 | ≥75 |
| NC-OBC | ≥70 | ≥65 | ≥65 |
| EWS | ≥70 | ≥65 | ≥65 |
| SC | ≥65 | ≥60 | ≥60 |
| ST | ≥55 | ≥55 | ≥55 |
| PwD | ≥45 | ≥45 | ≥45 |
IIM Cutoffs – Tier 2 (Kozhikode, Indore, Lucknow)
CAT Cut off for IIM Kozhikode 2025
IIM Kozhikode CAT cut off 2023 is 85 percentile for General category, 75 percentile for NC-OBC/ EWS, and 65 percentile for SC candidates.
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA | CAT Percentile |
| General | 75 | 75 | 75 | 85 |
| NC-OBC/EWS | 65 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 65 |
| ST/PwD | 45 | 45 | 45 | 55 |
CAT Cut off for IIM Lucknow 2025
The qualifying CAT cut offs for IIM Bangalore and Calcutta is 85 percentile while it is 90 percentile for IIM Lucknow.
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA |
| General | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| NC-OBC | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| PwD | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| EWS | 77 | 77 | 77 |
CAT Cut off for IIM Indore 2025
| Category | VARC | DILR | QA |
| General | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| NC-OBC | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| PwD | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| EWS | 80 | 80 | 80 |
Newer IIMs (Baby IIMs)
For new and baby IIMs, the CAT cut off 2025 will range between 85-99+. The iim sectional cut off for newer IIMs is generally more accessible:
- IIM Jammu: 90 percentile (General), 72 percentile (OBC)
- IIM Nagpur: 90 percentile (General), 76.5 percentile (OBC)
- IIM Udaipur: 92 percentile (General), 74 percentile (OBC)
- IIM Shillong: 75 percentile (General), 75 percentile (OBC)
- IIM Bodh Gaya: 92 percentile (General), 74 percentile (OBC)
What is the Minimum Qualifying Sectional Cutoff for Top IIMs?
The minimum qualifying sectional (Comprehension): 70-85 percentile · DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning): 70-85 percentile
| Name of the Institutes | VARC | DILR | QA |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Bangalore | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| IIM Lucknow (PGP) | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Calcutta | ≥80 | ≥80 | ≥75 |
| IIM Indore | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Amritsar | 75 | 75 | 80 |
| IIM Nagpur | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| IIM Kashipur | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| IIM Jammu | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| IIM Raipur | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| IIM Ranchi | 73 | 73 | 73 |
Final admission cutoffs are typically much higher.
CAT Cut off for IIMs Percentile Score 2025
Understanding the relationship between percentiles and scores helps aspirants set realistic targets:
| Percentile | Score VARC | Score DILR | Score QA | Overall Score Range |
| 100 | 59 | 63 | 57 | 151-179 |
| 99 | 41+ | 38 | 33 | 96-113 |
| 95 | 30+ | 27 | 22 | 70-79 |
| 90 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 57-63 |
| 85 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 49-53 |
| 80 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 43-46 |
What is a Safe Score to Clear the CAT Cutoff 2025 (Expected) for Top IIMs?
For top IIMs, achieving a safe score above the expected cat cut off is essential. The recommended safe scores to clear the iim cut off requirements are:
- General Category: 99.5+ percentile (well above the minimum cat cut off)
- OBC Category: 97+ percentile (ensuring comfortable margin above cat cut off)
- SC/ST Category: 90+ percentile (exceeding the reserved category cat cut off)
- EWS Category: 97+ percentile (meeting the EWS-specific cat cut off requirements)
| Name of the Institutes | 2025 Percentile (Safe Score) |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 94-100 |
| IIM Bangalore | 94-100 |
| IIM Calcutta | 94-100 |
| IIM Lucknow (PGP) | 91-99.5 |
| IIM Indore | 91-99.5 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 91-99.5 |
| IIM Amritsar | 95+ |
| IIM Nagpur | 95+ |
| IIM Sambalpur | 95+ |
| IIM Trichy | 95+ |
| IIM Raipur | 95+ |
| IIM Ranchi | 95+ |
| IIM Kashipur | 95+ |
| IIM Vizag | 92+ |
| IIM Rohtak | 96+ |
What was the Final Admission CAT Cutoff 2024-26 (Lowest Score to Get Admission) for Top IIMs?
The final admission CAT cutoff 2024 for top IIMs was:
| Name of the Institutes | Final Admission CAT Cut off Percentile (Lowest Score to fSecure Admission) |
| IIM Ahmedabad | 93.76 |
| IIM Bangalore | 91.97 |
| IIM Calcutta | NA |
| IIM Lucknow | NA |
| IIM Indore | 92.92 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 88.14 |
| IIM Nagpur | 94 |
| IIM Vizag | 82.03 |
| IIM Rohtak | 96 |
These represent the lowest scores that secured admission in the previous cycle.
What was the Final Admission CAT Cutoff 2024-26 (Lowest Score to Get Admission) for Top Non-IIMs?
Beyond IIMs, several prestigious B-schools accept CAT scores with varying cat cut off requirements:
| Institute | CAT Cut Off (Percentile) (GEM) |
| JBIMS Mumbai | 99+ |
| FMS Delhi | 99+ |
| IIT Delhi | 90-92 |
| IIM Mumbai | 97+ |
| MDI Gurgaon | 94+ |
| IIT Madras | 95+ |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 90+ |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 85+ (profile-based calls) |
| IIT Bombay (SJMSoM) | 90+ |
| IIFT | 95.7 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 90+ |
| TISS | 93 |
| MICA | 85+ |
| XIMB | 92 |
Factors Influencing CAT Cut offs
CAT Exam Difficulty Level
The difficulty level of the CAT exam is a crucial factor influencing the cat cut off. Changes in exam complexity directly impact cutoff percentiles.
Number of Candidates Appearing
The number of candidates appearing for CAT affects the iim cat cutoff. Higher candidate numbers typically result in increased competition and cutoffs.
Number of Seats Available
Seat availability across IIMs influences the cat cut off for iim programs. Limited seats in premier institutes maintain high cutoffs.
Scoring Pattern
The exam’s scoring pattern, including negative marking, affects overall performance distribution and iim cut off determination.
Reservation Policy
The reservation policy significantly impacts cat sectional cutoff across different categories, with SC/ST candidates having lower cutoff requirements.
Sectional Cutoffs – A Deep Dive
Iim sectional cut off requirements ensure candidates demonstrate competency across all areas:
- VARC Section: Tests reading comprehension and verbal ability
- DILR Section: Evaluates logical reasoning and data interpretation skills
- QA Section: Assesses mathematical and quantitative abilities
Meeting cat sectional cutoff in all sections is mandatory for shortlisting, regardless of overall percentile.
What After Qualifying the IIM CAT Cut Off 2025?
After meeting the iim cat cutoff, candidates proceed through:
- Shortlisting by IIMs: Based on CAT score, academic performance, and diversity factors
- Written Ability Test (WAT): Essay writing assessment
- Personal Interview (PI): One-on-one evaluation with faculty panel
- Final Selection: Composite score considering all factors
- Offer of Admission: Successful candidates receive admission offers
How to Improve CAT Score to Meet IIM Cut offs 2025?
Strategic Preparation
- Focus on cat cut off requirements for target IIMs
- Understand iim cat cutoff trends and patterns
- Practice sectional preparation for cat sectional cutoff requirements
Time Management
Practice solving questions within stipulated time limits for each section to meet iim cut off requirements.
Accuracy Over Attempts
Prioritize accuracy over attempts to achieve desired cat cut off for iim programs.
Mock Tests
Take regular mock tests to simulate exam conditions and improve performance against iim sectional cut off standards.
IIM CAP & SAP Cutoff 2024 – IIM CAT Sectional Cut off 2025 Category-wise
The IIM CAP cutoff 2024 and SAP cutoff demonstrate the importance of sectional performance. The CAT sectional cutoff ensures candidates meet minimum requirements across all three sections, preventing over-reliance on any single area.
| IIM CAP Participating Colleges | IIM CAP CutOff (Percentile) |
| IIM Udaipur | 95 |
| IIM Sambalpur | 95 |
| IIM Trichy | 95 |
| IIM Raipur | 95 |
| IIM Ranchi | 95 |
| IIM Kashipur | 95 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 92 |
| IIM Bodhgaya | 95 |
| IIM Jammu | 95 |
IIM SAP Cutoff
| IIM SAP Participating Colleges | IIM SAP CutOff (Percentile) |
| IIM Bodhgaya | 92 |
| IIM Jammu | 92 |
Expected CAT IIM Cut off 2025 Category-wise
The required cutoff is usually significantly lower for candidates in categories like SC, ST, and PwD. Some IIMs call students from reserved categories even at the 70–75 percentile.
General Category: 98+ percentile for top IIMs
OBC Category: 75-82 percentile range
SC Category: 60-70 percentile range
ST Category: 50-65 percentile range
EWS Category: 75-85 percentile range
Conclusion
Understanding the cat cut off landscape is crucial for CAT 2025 aspirants. The iim cat cutoff varies significantly across institutes and categories, with top IIMs requiring 98+ percentile for general candidates. Meeting cat sectional cutoff requirements in all sections is essential, regardless of overall percentile. CAT cutoff 2025 for IIM for the general category is expected to remain at 98+ percentile for top IIMs such as IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Bangalore and IIM Kozhikode.
Aspirants should focus on comprehensive preparation, understanding both overall and iim sectional cut off requirements, and maintaining realistic expectations based on their target institutes’ cat cut off for iim programs. Disclaimer: These cutoffs are estimates based on historical trends and expert analysis. Actual cutoffs may vary based on exam difficulty, candidate pool, and institutional policies.
