CAT Cutoff 2026 – Check Expected Cutoffs for IIM & Top MBA Colleges

Once the CAT exam is over, the candidates will begin waiting for the CAT cutoff for IIMs and top MBA colleges in India. The cutoffs for CAT 2026 will officially be out in January 2026. All IIMs and B-schools announce category-wise cutoffs to shortlist the candidates every year. If you’re an aspirant for CAT 2026 and aiming to secure a seat in IIMs and B-schools of India, it’s important for you to understand the cut-offs of your desired colleges. Your applications will be shortlisted and carried forward only when you clear the CAT cutoff for 2026 along with the CAT sectional cutoffs of a college.

The CAT cut offs for 2026 may vary due to several factors, including the exam difficult level or changes in the selection criteria of a college. This year, too, it will vary. Let’s look at the expected cutoffs as per the CAT 2025 cutoff analysis;

• The overall cutoff for the General category in IIMs in Ahmedabad, Kozhikode, and Bangalore is speculated to be in the range of 98-99%ile+.
• The top MBA colleges like FMS and JBIMS may have higher CAT cutoff range of about 99.3%ile+.
• The sectional cutoffs for VARC, DILR, and QA will be in the range of 70–75%iles. The IIMs like Indore and Lucknow may have higher sectional cutoffs of 80–85.

Let’s check the expected CAT 2026 cutoffs in this blog. We have analyzed the previous year’s cut-offs for IIMs and top MBA colleges across categories for you to get insights on CAT marks vs percentile.

 

CAT Cutoff for IIMs 2026: Expected Percentiles for Top IIMs

If you wonder what may be the safe score to clear the CAT cutoff 2026 for top IIMs, we got you an explanation here. The CAT As always, the cut off of top IIMs, like Ahmedabad, Kozhikode, Bangalore, and Calcutta require higher percentile of 99+ for general category candidates.

The other IIMs like Lucknow, Indore, and Kozhikode might have the cutoffs in the range of 91–99.5. The CAT cutoff 2026 required to get a shortlisting call from top IIMs will be much higher than the minimum qualifying score. For the IIMs with a legacy, general candidates will require above 99% to land a call. For other top MBA colleges, the percentile can range from 94% to 97%.

 

 

There are three CAP rounds until the final selection of the candidates. Such calls require the candidates to have a minimum of 95%. Some aspirants even get calls at scores as low as 89%-90%, depending on how many candidates didn’t opt for the seats in the initial rounds.

Read More – CAT Preparation – Tips and strategies from IMS mentors to start your CAT prep on the right note

 

CAT score vs percentile 2026 (Expected)

While CAT scores will officially be released only in January, the answer key will be out much sooner in December. Based on the key, you can accurately gauge your score and compare it to previous years’ scores to get a fair idea of your percentile. And then, based on those percentiles, you can figure out the cutoffs you will most likely clear and the colleges to expect a call from.

Now that we have an idea of CAT scores, we can speculate about the percentile you’ll need for CAT 2026. Beware, the CAT cutoff is expected to track upwards due to the lower difficulty level of the exam. We’ll continue to update this space based on new data as and when it comes in.

PERCENTILE	VARC SCORE	DILR SCORE	QA SCORE	OVERALL SCORE
80.00	18.00	17.00	11.00	43.00
85.00	20.00	19.00	14.00	49.00
90.00	24.00	22.00	17.00	57.00
95.00	30.00	27.00	22.00	70.00
98.00	36.00	34.00	29.00	85.00
99.00	41.00	38.00	33.00	96.00
100.00	59.00	63.00	57.00	151.00

Read More – CAT Score vs Percentile – How much do you need to score to get >90%ile?

Read More – CAT Syllabus – Complete section-wise syllabus and important topics

 

 

Explain CAT Marks vs Percentile Analysis

The CAT marks vs percentile analysis helps aspirants understand how their raw scores i.e. marks obtained in each section and overall convert into percentiles. The percentile scores indicate their relative performance compared to other test-takers. For example, a 99 percentile means you’ve scored better than 99% of candidates. In short, aspirants can estimate what score range they need to achieve their target percentile for admissions to IIMs and other top B-schools.

For example;

• A raw CAT score of 95–98 may correspond to the 99th percentile. The conversion from raw marks to percentile involves normalization (to adjust for slot difficulty) and percentile calculations using scaled scores.
• 99%ile+ is scored with marks over 100, which can lead to admission in the top IIMs such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta.
• Mid-tier percentile score between 90 and 98 are achieved with the 72 – 84 raw marks. Such percentile is appropriate for admissions to new IIMs, and other B-schools as per their CAT cutoff.
• Lower range percentile between 80 and 89 need a raw score range of 60–71. It will provide admissions into Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges.

In general, there are two types of cutoffs to track. The first is the minimum cutoff, both overall and sectional, that you need to clear for admission consideration, and the other is the final admission cutoff, which represents the actual score of students who got a call. Usually, the minimum cutoffs are far lower than the final cutoffs. For instance, IIM Ahmedabad has a minimum qualifying CAT cutoff of 80%, while the final cutoffs were as high as 99% for general candidates.

Read More: CAT Exam: Date, Registration, Eligibility, Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation Tips, Cutoff

 

 

CAT cutoff 2026 – Factors affecting cutoffs

The actual cutoffs won’t be revealed until after the scores are declared officially in January 2024. However, a general idea of the cutoffs can be estimated by following the trends of scores from the previous years. The CAT cutoff 2023 will be based on an amalgamation of a number of factors:

1. The difficulty level of the paper – A higher difficulty level will consequently lower the cutoff scores.
2. Total number of applicants – Last year saw a record 3.3 lakh applications for CAT resulting in higher cutoffs due to increased competition.
3. Total number of seats available—IIMs and other colleges often change the number of seats available to candidates. Changes in the reservation policy can also affect the number of seats available for general candidates. Fewer seats will push the cutoffs higher.
4. College rankings – Colleges perceived to be better will generally have higher cutoffs.
5. Number of candidates that clear the minimum qualifying cutoffs – Often, due to the varying difficulty level of the CAT exam, the number of candidates going past the qualifying overall and sectional cutoffs also changes. This can again affect the final admission cutoffs.

 

 

Read More – CAT Previous Years’ Papers – Click here to take CAT 2022 in test format

 

 

CAT Score vs Percentile 2024

Let’s look at the correlation of the marks and percentiles with the help of CAT score vs percentile 2024. It may vary based on factors like difficulty levels and the number of candidates.

 

 

What Was the Final Admission CAT Cutoff 2024-26 for top IIMs? (Lowest Score to Get Admission)

Name of the IIMs	Final Admission CAT Cutoff 2024 Percentile (Lowest Score to Secure Admission) (General – Overall)
IIM Ahmedabad	93.76
IIM Bangalore	91.97
IIM Calcutta	NA
IIM Lucknow	NA
IIM Indore	92.92
IIM Kozhikode	88.14
IIM Vizag	82.03
IIM Rohtak	96
IIM Nagpur	94

 

Read More – Top MBA Colleges of India – Compare fees, placement, and RoI

 

 

What Was the Minimum Qualifying Overall CAT Cutoff 2024 for all IIMs?

The minimum qualifying cutoff is only used to determine eligibility for the GDPI process. But clearing these cutoffs won’t guarantee a place on the shortlist. This is merely the minimum score you need to clear even to be considered for the GDPI process.

IIMs	Qualifying CAT cutoff 2024 percentile (Minimum criteria)
IIM Ahmedabad	80
IIM Bangalore	85
IIM Calcutta	85
IIM Lucknow	90
IIM Indore	90
IIM Kozhikode	85
IIM Mumbai	85
IIM Tiruchirappalli	95
IIM Shillong	75
IIM Raipur	95
IIM Ranchi	95
IIM Kashipur	95
IIM Rohtak	96
IIM Tiruchirappalli	95
IIM Udaipur	95
IIM Nagpur	94
IIM Visakhapatnam	82
IIM Amritsar	90
IIM Bodhgaya	92
IIM Jammu	92
IIM Sirmaur	95
IIM Sambalpur	95

 

Read More – MBA vs PGDM – Differences, salaries, jobs, higher education

 

 

IIM CAP cutoff 2024 

9 colleges out of the 21 IIMs participate in the Common Admission Process or CAP rounds. Every year, the CAP cutoff is changed on the basis of the same factors mentioned above. For 2024, the IIM CAP cutoff was 95%ile.

IIM CAP Participating Colleges	IIM CAP Cutoff 2024 (Percentile)
IIM Bodhgaya	95
IIM Jammu	95
IIM Sirmaur	95
IIM Sambalpur	95
IIM Ranchi	95
IIM Raipur	95
IIM Trichy	95
IIM Udaipur	95
IIM Kashipur	95

 

Read More – The Best MBA Colleges in India with Low Fees

 

 

IIM SAP cutoff 2024 

After the CAP rounds are over, a few IIMs also initiate a Supplementary Admission Process or SAP round in case seats aren’t filled. This year, only 2 colleges participated in the SAP round and the IIM SAP cutoff as set at 92%ile.

IIM SAP Participating Colleges	IIM SAP Cutoff 2024 (Percentile)
IIM Bodhgaya	92
IIM Jammu	92

 

Read More – Top Tier 2 MBA Colleges in India

 

 

What was the final admission CAT cutoff 2024-26 (lowest score to get admission) for top non-IIM colleges?

Like the best IIMs, other colleges, such as FMS and MDI, post extremely high cutoffs. These colleges are as reputed as IIM ABC and provide students with excellent career opportunities. 

Institute	CAT cutoff 2024-26 (GEN)
FMS	99+
IIT Delhi	90+
IIM Mumbai	97
MDI Gurgaon	94
IIT Madras	84.99
IMT Ghaziabad	90
SPJIMR	85 (profile-based calls)
IIT Bombay (SJMSoM)	94.73
IIFT	95.7
IIT Kharagpur	90
TISS	93
MICA	85+
XIMB	92

 

Apart from these colleges, many others accept scores above 85%. There’s IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, MICA, IIT Roorkee, JBIMS, Great Lakes, TAPMI, XIMB, and GIM.

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What is the minimum qualifying sectional cutoff for top IIMs?

Besides the overall cutoff, candidates must also clear the sectional cutoffs to maintain eligibility. Missing the cutoff by even one percentile or mark in just one section will render you ineligible. But clearing the sectional cutoffs alone won’t land you a call. There are other parts of the composite score that determine the PI call as well as the final admission.

 

Read More – Top MBA in HR Colleges in India

 

 

Top MBA from IIT cutoffs 2024

With the IITs gaining ground on other legacy management institutes, they’ve also become prime targets for MBA aspirants. Great brand value and top placements have made the IITs a very attractive destination for students. IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay rule the roost, followed by IIT Madras and IIT Kharagpur.

S.No.	Institution Name	Minimum CAT Score Required for Admission	CAT cutoff percentile for MBA from IITs (Lowest percentile for final admission offer)
1.	DoMS IIT Delhi	90%	89.31%
2.	SJMSOM IIT Bombay	90%	94.73%
3.	DoMS IIT Madras	NA	84.99%
4.	DoMS IIT Roorkee	90%	NA
5.	VGSOM IIT Kharagpur HSS IIT Kharagpur	90% 80%	NA
6.	DoMS IIT Kanpur	80%	NA
7.	DoMSIE IIT (ISM) Dhanbad	75%	NA
8.	SME IIT Jodhpur	80%	NA

 

Read More – MBA from IITs – Everything you need to know about pursuing an MBA from the top IITs

 

 

CAT Cutoff Marks vs Percentile: Previous Years’ CAT Percentile Analysis

Now we come to the most critical section of this blog. You’ve already read about the percentiles required to clear CAT as well as get a call. But without the corresponding raw scores, you’ll find it very difficult to correctly estimate your position. Below, we have compiled past data to give you a sense of what percentile your raw score will translate into.

Percentile	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	111	120	131	196	192	208	191
99.5	93	107	115	170	170	183	168
99	82.5	97	102	157	155	173	153
95	60	71	77	120	125	139	123
90	48.5	59	63	90	110	121	108
85	41	45.5	55	87	90	103	93
80	35.5	40	49	75	80	98	84
70	29	35	36	57	62	83	68

 

Read More – NMAT Cutoff

 

 

CAT cutoff 2023 vs percentile – section-wise

Percentiles: Overall

 

 

Percentiles: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

 

Percentiles: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

 

Percentiles: Quantitative Aptitude

While the CAT cutoff 2024 will only officially be released after the admission process is complete, keeping an eye on how the numbers are changing will help you set a target score. With a target score in mind, you can then tweak your preparation strategy.

 

FAQs on CAT Cutoff:

What is the difference between qualifying cutoff and final cutoff in CAT?
The qualifying cutoff is the minimum percentile required just to be considered for the selection process (like GD/PI). In contrast, the final cutoff is the actual percentile needed to receive a call, which often ends up being higher and is determined after applications are reviewed.

 

What percentile is needed to get a call from top IIMs?
To get shortlisted by older IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, General category students typically need to score between 98 to 100 percentile. Newer IIMs may give calls for percentiles around 90 to 95.

 

What are the sectional cutoffs in CAT?
Some IIMs set sectional qualifying cutoffs. For example, a General category student may need:

• VARC: 80 percentile
• DILR: 80 percentile
• QA: 75 percentile
• Overall: 85 percentile

Reserved categories such as NC-OBC, EWS, and SC/ST have lower sectional cutoffs.

 

What factors influence CAT cutoffs?
CAT cutoffs vary due to multiple reasons:

• Total number of test takers
• Difficulty level of the exam
• Number of seats available
• IIM’s ranking and demand
• Category-wise reservation system

All these elements directly impact the final percentile needed for a call.

 

Do reserved category candidates need lower CAT percentiles?
Yes. 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, depending on other profile factors.

 

What is a safe percentile to target for IIMs?
If you’re aiming for:

• Top IIMs (ABC): 98+ percentile
• Old IIMs (like L, I, K): 95–97 percentile
• New IIMs/CAP: Around 90–95 percentile

Having a strong academic and co-curricular profile helps in lower percentiles, too.

 

How does the CAT exam pattern affect the cutoff?
With 68 questions (24 VARC, 22 DILR, 22 QA) and the marking scheme of +3 for correct and –1 for incorrect, the distribution of scores plays a significant role. Even small changes in difficulty can create large shifts in cutoff scores.

 

Is meeting the sectional cutoff enough to get shortlisted?
Not always. Clearing sectional cutoffs is only the first filter. To actually get a GD/PI call, you also need to meet or exceed the overall percentile cutoff for that IIM and category.