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

Overview: CAT 2025 is the gateway to the prestigious IIMs and other top B-schools in India, and the first thing every aspirant wants to know after the exam is: “Will my percentile clear the CAT cut off for IIM?” The CAT cut off for IIMs is essentially the minimum percentile you need to receive a call for the next stage of the selection process – WAT, GD, and PI.

The exam for CAT 2025 was conducted on 30 November 2025 across multiple slots. Based on the CAT exam pattern, difficulty level, and past trends, the IIM CAT cut off is expected to remain highly competitive, especially for the top older IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta. While the qualifying cut offs announced by IIMs may look modest on paper, the actual percentile required to get a call is usually much higher.

In this article, our experts at SuperGrads by Toprankers break down the CAT cut off for IIMs in detail IIM-wise, category-wise and section-wise. You’ll also find expected CAT 2025 cut offs for old, new, and baby IIMs, along with cut off trends for other top MBA colleges, so you can clearly understand where your score stands and which institutes you can realistically target.

CAT Exam Analysis 2025 [Nov 30] Check Here

Read More | CAT Admission Process 2025 

CAT Cut Off for IIMs: Key Highlights for 2025

Before diving into institute-wise tables, here is a quick snapshot of the expected CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs. This will help you immediately understand where your percentile stands and which cluster of IIMs you can realistically target.

• Top 3 IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta): General category candidates usually need a percentile in the 99–100 range to be competitive for calls.
• Other old IIMs (Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode): Safe percentiles for General category are typically in the 97–99 range, depending on profile and category.
• New & Baby IIMs: CAT cut off for IIMs in this cluster is generally in the 90–95 percentile range for General category candidates.
• Sectional cut offs: Most IIMs also specify minimum sectional cut offs (VARC, DILR, QA), which are usually lower than the overall cut off but must be cleared in each section.
• Category-wise relaxation: OBC, SC, ST, EWS and PwD candidates get significant relaxation in both overall and sectional CAT cut off for IIMs, with safe percentiles often 5–15 points lower than the General category.

In the next sections, you can check detailed, IIM-wise CAT 2025 cut offs – overall, sectional and category-wise – to see how your expected percentile compares with the required CAT cut off for IIMs.

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.

Qualifying vs Final CAT Cut Off for IIMs

When students search for the CAT cut off for IIMs, they usually look for a single magic number. In reality, there are two different types of cut offs that matter in the IIM admission process – qualifying cut off and final (or composite) cut off.

Type of CAT Cut Off for IIMs	What It Means	Where It Is Used	What You Should Focus On
Qualifying CAT Cut Off	This is the minimum sectional and overall percentile that a candidate must secure to be considered eligible for the shortlisting process.	IIMs mention these cut offs in their official admission policies before the CAT result. They are primarily used to filter out very low scores.	Clearing this alone does not guarantee a call. It is only the first basic eligibility screen for each IIM.
Final / Effective CAT Cut Off	This is the actual percentile at which IIMs start giving interview calls after considering competition, number of seats and profiles.	Used during the shortlisting stage for WAT–GD–PI. This is rarely announced officially and is understood from trends and student data.	This is the real CAT cut off for IIM you should target – for top IIMs, it is usually much higher than the qualifying cut off.

For example, an IIM may announce a qualifying overall CAT cut off of 85 percentile for General category, but in practice, only candidates above 97–99 percentile may receive calls, depending on the IIM and the applicant pool. That is why our CAT 2025 analysis focuses more on the expected final CAT cut off for IIMs based on trends rather than just the minimum qualifying numbers.

In the next sections, you will find IIM-wise tables showing both the expected overall and sectional CAT 2025 cut offs, along with category-wise relaxation for General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS and PwD candidates.

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

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

Admission Process of Top B-Schools

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!

SuperGrads CAT 2025 Percentile Predictor – Check Your Score

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

All About Analytical Writing Test at IIM-A

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

Download PDF on Expert Tips on How to Prepare for CAT GDPI

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

Download List of Best Books for CAT GD and WAT

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	Attempt a Free Mock test
CAT DILR Mock test 2025	Attempt a Free Mock test
CAT QA Mock Test 2025	Attempt a Free Mock test
CAT VARC Prep Videos 2025	Watch Now
CAT DILR Prep Videos 2025	Watch Now
CAT QA Prep Videos 2025	Watch Now
CAT Syllabus 2025	Download Now
CAT PYQs	Download Now
CAT VARC Questions	Download Now

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?

Once you understand the CAT cut off for IIMs and where your current percentile roughly stands, the next step is to close the gap strategically. Instead of randomly “studying more”, use your mock performance and tools like the CAT 2025 Percentile Predictor and CAT Score Calculator to identify how far you are from the CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs.

Use the simple plan below to improve your score in a focused, data-driven way:

1. Analyse Your Current Percentile vs Target
   Take 1–2 full-length mocks and use the CAT Percentile Predictor to estimate your current level. Compare this with the expected CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs (old IIMs, new IIMs, non-IIM top B-schools) to know exactly how many percentile points you need to gain.
2. Fix Sectional Gaps First
   Most aspirants miss the sectional CAT cut off for IIMs in one weak area (often VARC or DILR). Create a 2–3 week micro-plan where you solve targeted sectional tests and topic-wise drills for that weak section before chasing a higher overall percentile.
3. Give Fewer, Higher-Quality Mocks
   Instead of taking mocks randomly, aim for regular, well-analysed mocks. After each paper, deep-dive into question-wise analysis: which easy questions you missed, where you spent extra time, and which topics pull your accuracy down. Every mock should move you closer to the CAT cut off for IIMs, not just tire you out.
4. Refine Your Question Selection Strategy
   At IIM-level cut offs, smart selection matters more than brute-force attempts. Train yourself to quickly spot and pick easy-to-moderate questions first, leave time-sinks early, and maintain high accuracy. This is often the key difference between a 92–93 percentile and a 97–99 percentile.
5. Revise Smartly in the Last 4–6 Weeks
   In the final phase, move from learning new concepts to revising high-yield topics, frequently repeated question types, and your own error log from mocks. Short daily revision blocks (45–60 minutes) help convert preparation into the kind of performance that actually clears the CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs.

Key takeaway: You don’t need a “perfect” paper to clear the CAT cut off for IIMs. You need the right mix of accuracy, smart question selection, and consistent mock analysis. Use the tools and cut off tables on this page to set a realistic target percentile and then work backwards with a focused plan.

Read more: How to Score 99 percentile in CAT 2025

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

The CAT cut off for IIM is not just a number you check after the result – it should guide your entire preparation and application strategy. By understanding the overall, sectional and category-wise CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs, you can set a realistic target percentile instead of preparing in the dark.

Use the tables and trends on this page along with tools like the CAT Percentile Predictor and CAT Score Calculator to estimate where you currently stand and which cluster of IIMs you can aim for. Once you know the gap between your present percentile and the expected CAT cut off for IIMs, it becomes much easier to plan mocks, revision and section-wise focus in a structured way.

If you want expert guidance, structured study plans and mock analysis aligned with the latest CAT 2025 cut off for IIMs, join SuperGrads CAT Coaching and prepare under mentors who track IIM cut offs and CAT trends every year.