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CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs: Expected Cutoffs for IIM & Top MBA Colleges

Author : Lalita Vishwakarma

December 1, 2025

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

Approximately 3.29 lakh MBA aspirants registered for the CAT 2025, with around 2.8 lakh candidates actually taking the exam. Overall, the CAT 2024 exam was easier compared to the CAT 2023.

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 for IIMs details.

CAT Exam Analysis 2025 [Nov 30] Check Here

Read More | CAT Admission Process 2025 

What is CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs?

IIM CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs refers to the threshold percentile that candidates must meet to qualify for further selection rounds. For top-tier IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, the cut-off generally lies above 98 percentile for General category aspirants.

CAT 2025 Cut off for IIMs [Expected]

The IIM CAT cut off 2025 is a crucial factor to consider while applying to any of the top MBA colleges in India, especially IIMs. The IIM Cut off 2025 category wise is the minimum cutoff required by the IIMs or any other B-school where the CAT cutoff is acceptable to shortlist a candidate for the next round of the CAT admission process.

CAT Cut Off for IIMs 2025: College Wise

The IIM Cut off 2025 category wise​ is announced to release the qualifying percentile in their official admission brochure. The table below provides the category-wise IIMs cut for 2025:

IIM  IIM CAT Cut Off for General CAT Cut Off for IIM for OBC CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIM  for EWS IIM CAT Cut Off for SC CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIM for ST
CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIM Ahmedabad 80 75 80 70 60
IIM Bangalore CAT Cut off 2025 85 75 75 70 65
IIM Kozhikode CAT Cut Off 2025 85 75 75 65 55
IIM Kolkata Cut Off 2025 85 75 75 70 65
IIM Lucknow Cut Off 2025 90 82 82 65 60
IIM Mumbai CAT Cut Off 2025 85 75 75 70 65
IIM Indore Cut off 2025 90 80 90 60 50
IIM CAT Cut off for Raipur 92 74 70 54 40
CAT Cut off for IIM Rohtak 95 78 90 55 30
IIM CAT Cut off for Udaipur 92 74 70 54 40
IIM Kashipur CAT Cut off  92 74 70 54 40
IIM Trichy CAT Cut off  92 74 70 54 40
CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIM Ranchi 92 74 70 54 40
IIM Shillong CAT Cut Off 75 75 75 60 50
IIM Visakhapatnam CAT Cut Off 80 70 72 45 35
IIM Jammu Cut Off

Male- 90
Female- 87

Male- 72
Female- 70

Male- 68
Female- 65

Male- 52
Female- 50

Male- 37
Female- 34

IIIM Nagpur Cut Off 90 76.5 80 60 40
IIM Amritsar Cut Off 85 75 85 55 40
IIM Bodh Gaya Cut Off 92 74 70 54 40
IIM Sambalpur Cut Off 74 74 70 54 40
 IIM Sirmaur Cut Off 92 74 70 54 40

Analyze your performance | CAT Response Sheet 2025 PDF Download

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CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs: Section-Wise

Check the CAT cut-off for IIM in VARL, DILR, and QA sections. 

Name of the Institutes Sectional IIM Cut off 2025 Category wise
VARC DILR QA
IIM Ahmedabad 70 70 70
IIM Bangalore 80 75 75
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 72 72 72
IIM Bodh Gaya 70 70 70
IIM Kashipur 70 70 70
IIM Jammu 70 70 70
IIM Raipur >=70 >=70 >=70
IIM Ranchi 80 80 80

Check | CAT 2025 Answer Key

CAT Cut off for IIMs Percentile Score 2025

The table below shows the expected IIM Cut off 2025 category wise with score and percentile:

Percentile Score VARC Score DILR Score QA Overall Score
99.5 42 30 30 86
99 36 25 25 74
95 30 20 22 52
90 24 14 13 42
80 20 11 9 35
70 18 9 7 30

Check |CAT Verbal Ability Questions

The IIM CAT cut off for the MBA program is determined based on various factors, such as the number of applicants, the average difficulty level of the exam and the number of seats available.

CAT Percentile 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

Note: Get an estimate of your CAT percentile and performance by using the SuperGrads CAT score calculator based on your raw scores and sectional performance.

Check below: Start using the CAT Score Calculator to plan your preparation effectively and target top B-schools!

Read more: | Minimum Marks Required to Qualify CAT

Expected CAT 2025 Cut off for IIMs Category-wise

Here are the expected IIM Cut off 2025 category wise for the Top 5 IIMs: 

IIM Ahmedabad Cut off 2025

Category VARC DILR QA Aggregate
General 70 70 70 80
CAT cut off for IIM for obc 65 65 65 75
CAT cut off for IIM for SC 60 60 60 70
CAT cut off for IIM for ST 50 50 50 60
PwD (General/ NC-OBC/ SC) 60 60 60 70
PwD (ST) 50 50 50 60

Check | How to download CAT Admit Card

CAT 2025 Cut off for IIM Bangalore

Category VARC DILR QA Overall
General 80 75 75 85
NC-OBC 70 65 65 75
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
PwD 50 50 50 60

Check |  CAT Exam Notification 2025

CAT Cut off for IIM Kolkata 2025

Category VARC DILR QA Aggregate
General ≥75 ≥80 ≥80 ≥80
NC-OBC ≥65 ≥65 ≥70 ≥75
EWS ≥65 ≥65 ≥70 ≥75
SC ≥60 ≥60 ≥65 ≥70
ST ≥55 ≥55 ≥55 ≥65
PwD ≥55 ≥55 ≥55 ≥65

Check | Track Your CAT Result 2025 Here

CAT 2025 Cut off for IIM Kozhikode

Category Class 10 Class 12 Sectional Percentile CAT Percentile
General 60 60 75 85
NC-OBC/ EWS 60 60 65 75
SC 55 55 55 65
ST/ PwD 55 55 45 55

Check | CAT MBA Entrance Exam

CAT 2025 Cut off for IIM Lucknow

Category VARC DILR QA Aggregate
General 85 85 85 90
NC-OBC 77 77 77 82
CAT cut off for IIM for SC 55 55 55 70
ST 50 50 50 65
PwD 50 50 50 65
EWS 77 77 77 82

Check | CAT Exam Eligibility for 2025

CAT 2025 Cut off for Non-IIM Top B-schools

Institute IIM Cut off 2025 Category wise(Percentile)
JBIMS Mumbai 98
FMS 98
IIT Delhi 90-92
IIM Mumbai 95+
MDI Gurgaon 95
IIT Madras 95+
IMT Ghaziabad 70-85
SPJIMR 85+ (profile-based calls)

Check | CAT Slot Timings

Use SuperGrads Free Resources 2025 Strategically

CAT VARC Mock Test 2025
CAT DILR Mock test 2025
CAT QA Mock Test 2025
CAT VARC Prep Videos 2025
CAT DILR Prep Videos 2025
CAT QA Prep Videos 2025
CAT Syllabus 2025
CAT PYQs
CAT VARC Questions

How to check the CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs on the official website?

  1. Visit the official website of the Common Admission Test (CAT) iimcat.ac.in/
  2. Click on the ‘Results’ tab on the home page.
  3. A new window will open, where you can select the year you want to check the CAT Cut Off.
  4. Once you have selected the year, you can find the cut-off score for the different sections of the CAT.
  5. You can also check the minimum percentile needed for the different IIMs.

Read More | CAT Exam Analysis Nov 30, 2025 [All Shifts]

Factors Affecting the Cut 2025 Cut Off for IIMs

The CAT cut-off for IIMs and top MBA colleges varies from year to year. The cut-off generally increases each year due to the increasing competition. Therefore, keeping an eye on the cut-off score of the college you are applying to is important. Here are the key factors that affect the CAT cutoff of the top institutes:

#1 CAT Exam Difficulty Level

The difficulty level of the CAT exam is a crucial factor influencing its cut-off. As the difficulty level changes each year, the cut-off also changes accordingly.

#2 Number of Candidates Appearing for the Exam

The number of candidates appearing for the CAT exam is also a significant factor that influences the cut-off. If a large number of candidates are appearing for the exam, the cut-off is likely to be higher than usual.

#3 Number of Seats

The number of seats available in colleges that accept CAT scores also affects the cut-off. If the number of seats is less, the cut-off usually goes higher.

#4 Scoring Pattern

The exam's scoring pattern also affects the cut-off. If the exam is designed to be more difficult, the cut-off will likely be higher.

#5 Reservation Policy

The reservation policy of the participating institutes also affects the cut-off. If the reservation policy of a particular institute is more lenient, then the cut-off for that institute is likely to be lower than for other institutes.

Know More | CAT Score vs Percentile

What After Qualifying the IIM CAT Cut Off 2025?

After meeting the IIM CAT cut-off, the next steps in the admission process typically involve:

1. Shortlisting by IIMs:

  • Each IIM (Indian Institute of Management) will individually shortlist candidates who meet their respective cut-offs.
  • These cut-offs can vary significantly between the older, more prestigious IIMs and the newer IIMs. They also differ based on category (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD).
  • The shortlisting criteria typically consider the CAT score, academic performance (in 10th, 12th, and graduation), and sometimes work experience and diversity factors.

2. Written Ability Test (WAT) and/or Group Discussion (GD):

  • Shortlisted candidates are then called for further selection rounds, which often include a WAT and/or a GD.
  • In the WAT, candidates are usually given a topic to write an essay on within a specific time limit to assess their writing and analytical skills.
  • In the GD, a group of candidates discusses a given topic, and their communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills are evaluated.
  • Some IIMs have replaced GD with Case Discussion (CD) or other similar methods.

3. Personal Interview (PI):

  • Candidates who clear the WAT/GD/CD rounds are called for a Personal Interview.
  • The PI is a one-on-one interaction with a panel of faculty members who assess the candidate's personality, communication skills, general awareness, career goals, and overall suitability for the MBA program.
  • Interviewers often ask questions about the candidate's background, academic achievements, work experience (if applicable), reasons for pursuing an MBA, strengths and weaknesses, current events, and long-term career aspirations.

4. Final Selection:

  • The final selection is based on a composite score that considers the candidate's performance in the CAT exam, WAT/GD/CD, PI, academic record, work experience, and diversity factors.
  • Each IIM has its own weightage for these different components.
  • Candidates who score high on the composite score are offered admission to the MBA program.

5. Offer of Admission and Acceptance:

  • Successful candidates receive an offer letter from the IIM.
  • To accept the offer, candidates need to confirm their acceptance within a stipulated time and pay the admission fees

Check: What after CAT Exam Results

How to Improve CAT Score to Meet CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs?

If you want to improve your CAT score, you need to follow the strategies:

1. Time Management

Practice solving questions within the stipulated time limit for each section. Learn to prioritize questions and avoid getting stuck on difficult ones.

2. Accuracy over Attempts

Focus on maximizing accuracy. Negative marking in CAT penalizes incorrect answers, so it's better to attempt fewer questions with higher accuracy.

3. Practice Mock Tests

Take regular full-length and sectional mock tests to simulate the exam environment. Analyze your performance to identify areas for improvement, enhance time management, and refine your test-taking strategy. Aim for at least 25-30 mock tests.

4. Performance Analysis

After each mock test, thoroughly analyze your performance. Identify the types of questions you are getting wrong, the time you are taking, and your sectional strengths and weaknesses.

5. Strategic Question Selection

Learn to identify easy and moderate questions that you can solve quickly and accurately. Don't hesitate to skip difficult questions and return to them later if time permits.

6. Stay Motivated

Believe in yourself and stay motivated throughout your preparation journey.

7. Manage Your Stress

Practice relaxation techniques and maintain a healthy lifestyle by getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in regular exercise.

8. Review and Revise

Regularly revise concepts and formulas. Create short notes for quick revision. Avoid last-minute cramming.

Read more: How to Score 99 percentile in CAT 2025

Key Takeaways:

  • Consistency is crucial. Regular study and practice are more effective than sporadic long study sessions.
  • Regularly analyze your performance to identify areas that need improvement.
  • Time management is key both during preparation and the actual exam.
  • Focus on accuracy to maximize your score.
  • Mock tests are essential for familiarizing yourself with the exam pattern and improving your strategy.

CAT 2025 Cut Off for IIMs for International Students

International students are evaluated based on their GMAT/GRE scores and other criteria defined by each IIM in its international admission policies.

You should visit the individual IIM websites to find detailed information on their eligibility criteria, accepted test scores, and the application process for international students.

How Reservations Impact CAT Cut Offs Across IIMs?

Here's how reservation impacts on CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs, in pointers:

  • Differential Cut-offs: Reservation policies (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwD) lead to different, generally lower, CAT cut-offs compared to the General category.
  • Lower Qualifying Percentiles: IIMs set significantly lower qualifying CAT percentile thresholds for reserved categories for initial shortlisting.
  • Category-Specific Variations: Cut-offs differ within reserved categories (e.g., ST cut-offs are typically lower than OBC cut-offs).
  • IIM-Specific Policies: Each IIM independently determines its category-wise cut-offs based on its admission policy and applicant pool.
  • Impact on Shortlisting: Reservation increases the chances of candidates from reserved categories being shortlisted for subsequent selection rounds (WAT, PI).
  • Final Cut-offs Remain Competitive: Although qualifying cut-offs are lower, final admission cut-offs for reserved categories can still be competitive due to the high number of applicants.
  • Promoting Diversity: The reservation system aims to ensure representation and diversity within IIM classrooms.
  • Varying Degree of Relaxation: The extent of cut-off relaxation varies across different IIMs and different reserved categories.

What is the Minimum Qualifying Sectional Cutoff for Top IIMs?

The minimum qualifying sectional CAT cut off for the IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode) for the General category typically ranges as follows:

  • VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension): 70-85 percentile
  • DILR (Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning): 70-85 percentile
  • QA (Quantitative Ability): 70-85 percentile

Specifically:

  • IIM Ahmedabad: 70 percentile in each section.
  • IIM Bangalore: 80 (VARC), 75 (DILR), 75 (QA) percentile.
  • IIM Calcutta: 80 (VARC), 80 (DILR), 75 (QA) percentile.
  • IIM Lucknow: 85 percentile in each section.
  • IIM Indore: 80 percentile in each section.
  • IIM Kozhikode: 75 percentile in each section.

These are the qualifying cut-offs for being eligible for the next stage (WAT/PI). The final cut-offs for admission are usually much higher. Cut-offs for reserved categories (OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD) are significantly lower.

Check: CAT Percentile Predictor Tools: Are They Reliable?

Conclusion

In conclusion, the CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs is an important factor to consider when applying to any of the top MBA colleges in India. IIM cut off 2025 category wise. It is important to score above the cut-off to get a seat in one of the top MBA colleges. Therefore, staying current with the college's CAT cut-off is important.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the expected CAT CutOff for 2025?

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About the Author

Faculty
Lalita Vishwakarma

Content Writer

Lalita Vishwakarma is a professional content writer with 3 years of experience, distinguished by her ability to transform raw ideas into polished, high-impact content. She masterfully combines creative storytelling with strategic execution, ensuring that her work not only captures attention but also drives desired outcomes.... more