CAT Previous Year Cut off: Check Qualifying and Final Cutoff for IIMs and Top MBA Colleges

CAT Past Year Cut off: After the CAT exam, every IIM releases its minimum sectional cut-off that candidates must score to be shortlisted for the next stages- WAT, GD, and PI. Therefore, students preparing for the CAT 2025 exam should carefully check the previous years’ cut-off trends of different IIMs. This helps them understand the score or percentile they must aim for to increase their chances of getting a call from their preferred IIM.

In this article, you will find the CAT past years’ qualifying and final cut-off of IIMs, and the key factors that determine the cut-off, such as exam difficulty, number of applicants, and seat availability. This information will help candidates set realistic targets and plan their preparation more effectively.

CAT Qualifying Cut Off

To get admission into IIMs, each IIM releases its minimum required sectional cut-off. It is mandatory for all the candidates selected for further rounds to meet the minimum CAT cut-offs. The qualifying IIM CAT cut-off will be released before the CAT result declaration. Here we are providing the expected qualifying CAT cut-offs for IIMs. It will help them to understand their chances of getting a call from one of the IIMs.

The table given below shows the category-wise sectional qualifying cutoff along with the overall CAT percentile released by different IIMs for CAT 2024 exam.

IIM Ahmedabad CAT Qualifying Cut Off

IIM Bangalore CAT Qualifying Cut Off

IIM Calcutta CAT Qualifying Cut Off

IIM Lucknow CAT Qualifying Cut Off

IIM Indore CAT Qualifying Cut Off

IIM Kozhikode CAT Qualifying Cut Off

Factors Determining the CAT Cut-off for IIM

As discussed above, IIMs will issue separate CAT cutoffs after the announcement of CAT 2025 results. There are several factors that determine the CAT cut-off, some of the key factors are given below

• Difficulty level of the exam: This is the main factor that affects the cut-off. The tougher the CAT question paper, the cutoff will be lower, and vice versa.

• Number of aspirants who appeared for the exam: The higher test-takers mean a higher IIM CAT cut off, while lower CAT test-takers will lead to a lower IIM CAT cut off

• Number of aspirants who cleared the exam: The number of aspirants who cleared the CAT exam is directly proportional to the cut-off.

• Number of seats available: The number of seats available at any particular IIM also affects its cut-off. If an institute has limited seats, the cutoff can be higher. 

• All India ranking of the institute: Top IIMs always set their cut-offs higher.

CAT 2025 Final Cut Offs for IIM Admission

The final cutoff is the minimum percentage score set by IIMs to select candidates for the WAT/ GD/PI rounds. It can vary from year to year and among different IIMs. Clearing the cutoff is only one part of the admission process; IIMs also consider other factors like academic performance, work experience, and performance in WAT/ GD/PI rounds for the final selection. CAT cut-offs for top IIMs are generally 98 to 100 per cent for general category students. IIM cut-offs for reserved category students are slightly lower at the 95 to 98 percentile. The cut-offs are the approximate final cut-offs based on which the candidates will be called for the interview round.

CAT 2025 Final Cut-Offs for Top MBA Colleges (Non-IIM)

Apart from 20 IIMs, many other top B-schools in India admit candidates based on CAT scores. The candidates appearing for CAT 2025 can also apply for admission to MBA programs at several MBA colleges across the country. Here we shared the estimated final cut-offs of India’s top B-schools for your reference.

What After IIM CAT Cutoff 2025 - Admission Procedure

IIMs shortlist candidates for the interview stage based on their own criteria, which may be independent of each other. The process may include the following rounds

• Written Ability Test (WAT) 

• Group Discussion (GD)

• Personal Interviews (PI)

Performance in the CAT 2025 examination is an important component of the admission process. IIMs may additionally use other factors such as the previous academic performance of the candidates, relevant work experience, etc. 

The admission processes, academic cut-offs, and other parameters may vary across IIMs. For more information, refer to the admissions policies of individual IIMs on their respective websites.