CAT 2025 Cut Off Check Expected Cut off Trends [Slot-Wise]

Overview: The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on 30  November 2025 by IIM Kozhikode in three slots. Let’s look for the overall and section-wise CAT 2025 cut off (Expected) here!

Approximately 2.79 lakh MBA aspirants registered for the CAT 2025, with roughly 3 lakh candidates taking the exam. Overall, the CAT 2025 exam was slightly tougher to the CAT 2024.

While the official CAT scores will be released in January, you can estimate your score and compare it to last year's results for an idea of your predicted percentile.

Below, you will find the expected CAT cut-off 2025, including overall and sectional CAT 2025 cut off details.

CAT Exam Analysis 2025 [Nov 30] Check Here

What is CAT 2025 Cut Off? 

The CAT cut off 2025 is the minimum score required to advance to the next stage of the selection process, which usually includes Group Discussions (GD), Personal Interviews (PI), and Written Ability Tests (WAT). 

CAT 2025 cut offs vary by institution, program, and candidate category (General, OBC, SC, ST, etc.), and are influenced by several factors. For 2025, the IIM cutoff indicates the lowest score needed to proceed in the admissions process.

Check: CAT Exam Fee for Various Categories

CAT 2025 Slot 1,2 and 3 Detailed Analysis

What are the Factors Affecting CAT 2025 Cut Off?

Several important factors influence the CAT cut-offs 2025

1. Total Number of Applicants: A higher number of candidates increases competition for limited seats. This generally raises the CAT cut-off scores.

2. Number of Available Seats: When institutes offer more seats, the competition per seat reduces. This often results in slightly lower cut-off requirements.

3. Difficulty Level of the Exam: If the exam is tougher than usual, overall scores tend to drop. Consequently, cut-offs may be lowered to balance the difficulty.

4. Reservation Policies: Category-wise reservations affect the distribution of seats across different groups. This leads to varied cut-offs for each category based on mandated quotas.

Category-Wise and College-Specific CAT Cut Off 2025 (Expected)

Here are the expected CAT colleges' cutoff scores, detailing the CAT 2025 cut-off category: 

IIM Bangalore CAT cut off 2025 [Category-wise]

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	80	80	80	85
IIM OBC Cutoff	70	70	70	75
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	70	70	70	75
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	60	60	60	70
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	55	55	55	65
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	50	50	50	60

CAT Percentile Predictor 2025 [Check your Score Here]

IIM Ahmedabad CAT cut off 2025 [Category-wise]

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	70	70	70	80
IIM OBC Cutoff	65	65	65	75
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	70	70	70	80
CAT cut off for SC	60	60	60	70
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	50	50	50	60
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	60	60	60	70

Also Read | SuperGrads CAT Toppers List

IIM Calcutta CAT cut off 2025 [Category-wise]

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	75	75	75	85
IIM OBC Cutoff	65	65	65	75
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	65	65	65	75
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	55	55	55	65
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	45	45	45	55

Also Read | CAT Syllabus (Latest)

Category-wise IIM Kozhikode CAT cut off

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	80	80	75	85
IIM OBC Cutoff	70	65	65	75
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	70	65	65	75
CAT cut off for SC	65	60	60	70
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	55	55	55	65
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	45	45	45	55

Also Read | CAT Maths Syllabus

IIM Lucknow Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	85	85	85	90
IIM OBC Cutoff	77	77	77	82
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for EWS	77	77	77	82
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for SC	55	55	55	65
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	50	50	50	60
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	50	50	50	60

IIM Mumbai Category-wise CAT 2025 cut off 

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	80	80	75	85
IIM OBC Cutoff	70	65	65	75
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for EWS	70	65	65	75
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	65	60	60	70
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	55	55	55	65
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for PwD	45	45	45	55

Also Read | CAT Exam Colleges 

IIM Raipur Category-wise CAT 2025 cut off 

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	73	73	73	94
IIM OBC Cutoff	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	44	44	44	60
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for ST	25	25	30	40
CAT cut off for IIM for DAP	25	25	30	40

IIM Udaipur Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	73	73	73	94
NC-OBC	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	50	50	50	77
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for SC	44	44	44	60
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	25	25	30	40
CAT cut off for IIM for DAP	25	25	30	40

IIM Kashipur Category-wise IIM cut off

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	70	70	70	92
NC-OBC	45	45	45	74
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	40	40	40	70
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	35	35	35	54
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	32.5	32	25	40
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for DAP	32.5	32	25	40

Also Read | Best MBA Colleges in India without CAT 

IIM Trichy Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	73	73	73	94
NC-OBC	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	44	44	44	60
CAT 2025 cut off for IIM for ST	25	25	30	40
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	25	25	30	40

IIM Ranchi Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	73	73	73	94
NC-OBC	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	50	50	50	77
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	44	44	44	60
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	30	25	25	40
CAT cut off for IIM for DAP	30	25	25	40

Check: Review the CAT Exam Response Sheet details

IIM Shillong Category-wise CAT 2025 cut off 

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	75	75	75	85
IIM OBC Cutoff	75	75	75	85
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	75	75	75	85
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	60	60	60	70
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	50	50	50	60
CAT cut off for IIM for DAP	50	50	50	60

IIM Visakhapatnam Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	70	70	70	82
NC-OBC	63	63	63	72
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	63	63	63	72
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	40	40	40	50
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	30	30	30	40
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	30	30	30	40

IIM Jammu Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
CAT cut off for IIM for General	72	72	72	91
NC-OBC	48	48	48	74
CAT cut off for IIM for EWS	48	48	48	74
CAT cut off for IIM for SC	42	42	42	54
CAT cut off for IIM for ST	24	24	29	32
CAT cut off for IIM for PwD	24	24	29	32

Check | Know the subjects included in the CAT Exam 

IIM Amritsar Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
General	80	75	75	90
IIM OBC Cutoff	65	60	60	80
EWS	80	75	75	90
SC	55	50	50	55
ST	35	35	35	40
PwD	35	35	35	40

Also Read | IIM Amritsar Admission Process, Fees, Eligibility and More!

IIM Sambalpur Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
General	70	70	70	92
NC-OBC	45	45	45	74
EWS	40	40	40	70
SC	35	35	35	54
ST	25	25	32.5	40
DAP	25	25	32.5	70

Explore: Check the CAT Exam Photo Size requirements

IIM Sirmaur Category-wise CAT cut off 2025

Minimum Percentile requirements for the 1st shortlist
Categories	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
General	70	70	70	92
NC-OBC	45	45	45	74
EWS	40	40	40	70
SC	35	35	35	54
ST	25	25	32.5	40
DAP	25	25	32.5	40

Check: CAT Exam Day Instructions 

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Expected CAT 2025 Cut Offs for Non-IIMs

There are other prestigious B-schools besides the IIMs that offer MBA programs and accept CAT 2025 scores and percentiles.

Here is the expected CAT cut-off for Non-IIMs, according to which you can list down the institutes:

Non-IIMs	IIM Cut off	CAT Cutoff for 2023
FMS Delhi	98	99
IIT Delhi	90-92	98
IIM Mumbai	95+	97
MDI Gurgaon	95+	95
IIT Madras	95+	95
IMT Ghaziabad	75- 85	93
SPJIMR	85+	85 (Profile-based calls)

Check | Know more about CAT Exam Slot Timings

Trends in CAT Cut Off Over the Years

CAT %ile	Marks in CAT 2023	Marks in CAT 2022	Marks in CAT 2021	Marks in CAT 2020	Marks in CAT 2019	Marks in CAT 2018	Marks in CAT 2017	Marks in CAT 2016
99.9	106	111	120	131	196	192	208	191
99.5	89	93	107	115	170	170	183	168
99	80	82.5	97	102	157	155	173	153
95	71	60	71	77	120	125	139	123
90	57	48.5	59	63	90	110	121	108
85	30	41	45.5	55	87	90	103	93
80	25	35.5	40	49	75	80	98	84
70	21	29	35	36	57	62	83	68

Download Free PDF on Success Stories of CAT 2024 Toppers

Read: CAT study plan for consistent performance

Why Are CAT 2025 Cut offs Important for MBA Aspirants?

CAT cut-offs are significant for MBA aspirants, as they represent the minimum percentile required to proceed to the following stages of the admission process at various MBA colleges. 

These cut-offs serve as eligibility criteria, determining whether an applicant's CAT score is sufficient for a particular business school to consider their candidature for selection rounds such as Group Discussion and Personal Interview. 

Understanding the cut-offs of different institutions is crucial for aspirants to strategically target colleges that align with their scores, thereby optimising their chances of securing an MBA seat. 

Furthermore, cut-offs indicate the competition level for admission to specific MBA programs; higher cut-offs typically signify greater applicant volume and a more competitive environment. 

Many institutions also implement sectional cut-offs, requiring a minimum percentile in each CAT section. Thus, aspirants must perform well across all areas to meet the overall eligibility criteria. 

In essence, CAT cut-offs serve as the initial, critical benchmark that MBA aspirants must surpass to progress in their admission journey towards their desired business schools.

CAT 2025 Cut off Marks vs Percentile

Here are the key differences between the CAT marks vs the percentile 2025:

Feature	CAT Marks (Scaled Score)	CAT Percentile
Definition	Your normalised score is based on correct and incorrect answers.	Percentage of test-takers who scored equal to or below your scaled score.
Nature	Absolute (individual performance).	Relative (performance compared to all test-takers).
Cut-off Usage	Rarely used directly by colleges.	The primary metric used by MBA colleges (overall and sectional) for shortlisting for GD/PI/WAT.
Variability	Can vary across different test slots and years due to normalisation.	More stable indicator of relative performance, though specific score ranges for a percentile can vary.
Focus for Aspirants	Understanding the scoring mechanism.	Achieving the target percentile (overall and sectional) for desired colleges.
Estimated Range (Overall)	Likely to vary each year. See estimated ranges below.	Used by colleges to set eligibility criteria (e.g., 99+ for top IIMs, 90-98 for other good B-schools).

Know: How SuperGrads mentorship improves CAT success rate

CAT Previous Year Cut-Offs for Top IIMs

Here is the CAT previous year cut off of the top IIMs: 

IIM	General	EWS	NC-OBC	SC	ST	PwD
IIM Ahmedabad	80	80	75	70	60	70
IIM Bangalore	85	75	75	70	65	60
IIM Calcutta	85	75	75	70	65	55
IIM Lucknow	90	82	82	65	60	60
IIM Indore	90	90	80	60	50	-
IIM Kozhikode	85	75	75	65	55	55
IIM Amritsar	85	85	75	55	40	-
IIM Nagpur	90	80	76.5	60	40	-
IIM Sambalpur	74	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Trichy	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Raipur	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Ranchi	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Kashipur	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Udaipur	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Shillong	75	75	75	60	50	-
IIM Rohtak	95	90	78	55	30	-
IIM Visakhapatnam	80	72	70	45	35	-
IIM Bodh Gaya	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Jammu	Male: 90 Female: 87	Male: 68 Female: 65	Male: 72 Female: 70	Male: 52 Female: 50	Male: 37 Female: 34	-
IIM Sirmaur	92	70	74	54	40	-
IIM Mumbai	85	75	75	70	65	-

Click here: For last 10 days strategy for CAT exam

What is the minimum qualifying sectional CAT 2025 cut off for the top IIMs?

The minimum qualifying sectional CAT 2025 cut-offs for the top three IIMS (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta) for the General category include the following:

IIM	VARC (Percentile)	DILR (Percentile)	QA (Percentile)
IIM Ahmedabad	70	70	70
IIM Bangalore |	80	75	75
IIM Calcutta	>80	>75	>75

Check: How to Improve Your CAT Score with Smart Preparation

How to Check and Download CAT 2025 Cut Off from Official Website

To download the CAT 2025 cut off you need to follow the steps mentioned below:

• Go to the official CAT website: iimcat.ac.in.
• Look for the "Admission" or similar section after the CAT results are announced (tentatively January 2026).
• Find the admission policy documents or cut-off lists for the participating IIMs. These will likely be in PDF format for download.
• Also, check the individual websites of the IIMs you are interested in for their specific admission criteria.

Discover: How working professionals cracked CAT

Exam-wise Cut Off Comparison: CAT vs CMAT, XAT, GMAT, MAT, NMAT for Non-IIM Colleges

Here are the details regarding the exam-wise cutoff:

1. CAT (Common Admission Test)

Category	B-School	Typical CAT Percentile (Overall)
Top-Tier B-Schools	FMS Delhi	98-99+
SPJIMR Mumbai	98-99+
MDI Gurgaon	97-99+
JBIMS Mumbai	99.9+ (CAT), Primarily CMAT
Good Non-IIMs	IMT Ghaziabad	90-96
XIMB Bhubaneswar	90-93
Great Lakes Chennai	80-90+
TAPMI Manipal	80-85+
Other Reputable Non-IIMs	Many other colleges	70-90+

Explore: CAT preparation strategy in 5 months

2. CMAT (Common Management Admission Test)

Category	B-School	Typical CMAT Percentile
Top-Tier	JBIMS Mumbai	99.9+
SIMSREE Mumbai	99.9+
Welingkar Mumbai	85+
PUMBA (Pune)	99+
Good Non-IIMs	Many other colleges	80-95+

3. XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test)

Category	B-School	Typical XAT Percentile (Overall)
Top-Tier	XLRI Jamshedpur	90-96+
SPJIMR Mumbai	90+
IMT Ghaziabad	90+
XIMB Bhubaneswar	90+
Good Non-IIMs	Many other colleges	80-90+

Read more: CAT Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

4. GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

GMAT is often preferred by programs with an international focus or for candidates with work experience.

• Top-Tier: Scores of 700+ are generally competitive for top non-IIMS that accept GMAT (like ISB Hyderabad, though it's not an IIM).
• Good Non-IIMS: Scores in the 650+ range can be good for many other reputable programs.
• Keep in mind: Indian B-schools often have a wide range of accepted GMAT scores, and the overall profile matters significantly.

Check: CAT toppers list from previous years

5. MAT (Management Aptitude Test)

MAT is generally considered an easier exam compared to CAT and XAT.

• Top-Tier Non-IIMS (that accept MAT): For some good programs, cutoffs can be in the 95+ percentile range.
• Good Non-IIMs: Many colleges accept MAT scores in the 80- 90+ percentile range.
• Other Reputable Non-IIMs: Scores in the 70+ percentile can get you into many other MBA programs.

6. NMAT (NMIMS Management Aptitude Test)

NMAT scores are primarily used for admission to NMIMS University and other associated institutes.

• NMIMS Mumbai: Cutoffs are typically quite high, often in the 220+ score range (out of 360).
• Other NMIMS campuses and associated colleges have varying cutoffs, generally in the 200+ range.

Read: CAT topper interviews for insights and strategies

Qualifying CAT 2025 Cut off vs Final CAT Cut off

IIM MBA selection involves two CAT cutoffs: qualifying (minimum percentile for PI shortlist eligibility) and final (minimum percentile for PI round selection). The table below differentiates between them.

Feature	Qualifying CAT 2025 Cut offs	Final CAT 2025 Cut offs
Definition	Minimum percentile required to be eligible for the next stage of the admission process (usually Written Ability Test (WAT) and/or Personal Interview (PI)).	The minimum percentile a candidate needs to score to receive a call for the WAT/PI round and subsequently for final admission.
Other Names	IIM eligibility cutoff, IIM shortlist cutoff	IIM call cutoff, Admission cutoff
Purpose	To filter out a large number of candidates initially.	To shortlist candidates for the WAT/PI round and determine the final admissions.
Timing of Announcement	Usually announced before the CAT exam or along with the admission criteria for a specific academic year by each IIM.	Determined after the CAT results are announced, and is often not explicitly pre-disclosed. It depends on the number of applicants, the difficulty level of the exam, and the number of available seats.
Official Announcement	Officially announced by each IIM on their admission website.	Not always officially announced as a specific number. It's often inferred from the profiles of candidates who receive admission offers.
Typical Percentile Range	Generally lower than the final cutoff. For top IIMs, it might be around 80-90 percentile (can vary by IIM and category).	Significantly higher than the qualifying cutoff. For top IIMs, it often ranges from 99+ percentile for the general category. For newer IIMs, it might be in the 95+ percentile range.
Sectional & Overall	Includes both minimum sectional and overall percentile requirements.	Also includes both sectional and overall percentile requirements, which are usually higher than the qualifying cutoffs.
Category-Based	Varies significantly by candidate category (General, EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD). Qualifying cutoffs for reserved categories are considerably lower than for the general category.	Also varies by category, but the difference between categories might be less pronounced than in the qualifying cutoffs, especially for the very top IIMs. There can also be variations based on gender and academic background.
Guarantee of Selection	Meeting the qualifying cutoff does not guarantee a call for WAT/PI. It only makes the candidate eligible for consideration.	Meeting the final cutoff (or being above it) increases the chances of receiving a WAT/PI call, but does not guarantee final admission. Final admission depends on performance in WAT/PI and other admission criteria.

Explore: Best MBA Colleges in India Accepting CAT Scores

Section-Wise Strategy to Clear CAT 2025 Cut Offs

Here's a section-wise strategy to clear the CAT 2025 cut offs in pointer format:

 VARC Cut Off: Tips to Improve

1. Strengthen Reading Habits: Read diverse materials (fiction, non-fiction, articles on various topics) regularly to improve comprehension speed and vocabulary. Focus on understanding the main idea, supporting arguments, author's tone, and inferences.

2. Vocabulary Building: Learn new words and their usage through reading, word lists, and flashcards. Pay attention to the contextual meanings of words.

3. Grammar and Usage: Brush up on fundamental grammar rules and their application. Practice identifying and correcting grammatical errors.

4. Reading Comprehension (RC) Strategies: Learn different RC question types and effective strategies to tackle them. Practice skimming and scanning passages to locate relevant information.

5. Verbal Ability (VA) Practice: Practice para jumbles, para completion, odd one out, and summary questions regularly. Understand the logic behind solving each question type.

6.  Focus on Accuracy: Aim for high accuracy, even if it means attempting fewer questions initially.

 DILR Cut Off: Smart Practice Strategies

1. Understand Different Question Types: Familiarise yourself with various DI charts (tables, graphs, etc.) and LR puzzle formats (arrangements, selections, etc.).

2. Practice Set Selection: Develop the ability to quickly identify solvable sets and avoid getting stuck on difficult ones.

3. Data Interpretation (DI) Skills: Improve your calculation speed and accuracy. Practice interpreting data presented in different formats. Learn to draw quick inferences from the given data.

4. Logical Reasoning (LR) Skills: Develop logical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Practice different types of logical puzzles. Focus on identifying the underlying structure and constraints of each puzzle.

5. Time Management within Sets: Allocate time for each set and avoid spending too much time on a single question within a set.

6. Prioritise Accuracy: Aim to solve a few sets with high accuracy rather than attempting all with low accuracy.

7. Regular Mock Tests: Take sectional DILR mocks to practice set selection and time management.

Quant Cut Off: Accuracy and Speed Balance

1. Strengthen Fundamentals: Build a strong foundation in basic mathematical concepts from arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.

2. Formula Memorisation and Application: Learn important formulas and practice applying them to various problems.

3. Shortcut Techniques: Learn and practice shortcut methods and tricks to solve questions quickly.

4. Regular Practice: Solve a wide range of problems from different difficulty levels.

5. Focus on Concepts: Understand the underlying concepts rather than just memorizing formulas.

6. Identify Strong Areas: Focus on strengthening your strong areas to maximise your score.

Check: Understanding CAT Exam Eligibility Criteria

Conclusion

After getting detailed insights about the CAT 2025 cut off, let us now look at last year's CAT cut off trends. The previous year's CAT exam cut-off 2025 can give a brief idea about the admission criteria for the IIMs.

The respective IIMs provide the CAT 2025 cut off range. Calculate your CAT 2025 score and percentile with the help of the CAT exam analysis 2025.

You can also use the CAT percentile predictor by Supergrads to get your 2025 percentile and a list of respective colleges based on that percentile. 

The CAT exam answer key will soon be released on the official website. Until then, stay in touch with us and regularly visit the website for new updates!

Read More | Check the complete list of CAT Exam Centres