Aiming for an IIM or a top B-school in 2025? Your CAT score is just the beginning—what truly decides your interview call is the CAT cutoff. Every year, thousands of aspirants crack the Common Admission Test, but only those who meet or surpass the required cutoff percentiles make it to the next stage of selection, which usually includes the Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI). Get your desired college, join out CAT online coaching at Percentilers.
So, what exactly is a CAT cutoff? Simply put, it’s the minimum percentile you need to score in the CAT exam to be shortlisted by a particular institute. These cutoffs vary from one B-school to another and even across different categories of applicants.
While the official CAT 2025 cutoffs are yet to be announced, aspirants can get a head start by understanding previous year trends and expert predictions. This helps in setting realistic targets and preparing smarter for the exam.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through:
- Expected CAT 2025 cutoffs for IIMs and other top B-schools
- Previous year trends and how they influence upcoming cutoffs
- Category-wise cutoff details (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD)
- Factors affecting CAT cutoffs and how to align your preparation with them
By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap of what percentile to aim for in CAT 2025 to secure your dream B-school seat.
What is CAT Cutoff and How is it Calculated?
The CAT cutoff is the minimum percentile you need to secure in the Common Admission Test to be considered for the next stage of the MBA admission process. Every IIM and top B-school releases its own cutoff, which acts as the first filter to shortlist candidates for WAT (Written Ability Test), GD (Group Discussion), and PI (Personal Interview) rounds.
Curious about your raw marks? Our CAT score calculator converts your correct and incorrect answers into an accurate estimated score before scaling.
Types of CAT Cutoffs
Qualifying Cutoff
- This is the minimum percentile announced by each IIM or B-school to be eligible for the selection process.
- Meeting this cutoff only means you are eligible to be considered—it does not guarantee you will be shortlisted.
- For example, an IIM may set a qualifying cutoff at 90 percentile, but the actual shortlisting might happen at a much higher level.
Final Cutoff
- This is the actual percentile of the last candidate shortlisted for the WAT/GD-PI round.
- It is usually higher than the qualifying cutoff.
- For example, if the qualifying cutoff is 90 percentile, the final cutoff for shortlisting may go up to 97 percentile or more for general category candidates.
Factors That Determine CAT Cutoff
The CAT cutoff for a particular year depends on several factors, including:
Difficulty Level of the CAT Exam – If the paper is tougher than previous years, the cutoff may be slightly lower, and vice versa.
Number of Candidates Appearing – More test-takers generally increase competition, potentially pushing cutoffs higher.
Total Number of Seats Available – Institutes with fewer seats often have higher cutoffs.
Previous Year Trends – Past cutoffs serve as a benchmark for deciding the new year’s cutoff expectations.
Institute’s Ranking & Reputation – Top-ranked IIMs and B-schools usually have the highest cutoffs because of higher demand.
Top IIMs — Expected Cutoffs for General Category
Cracking CAT is only half the battle—meeting the cutoff is what truly decides your IIM call. Each institute sets its own minimum overall and sectional percentile requirements, and for the most sought-after IIMs, these numbers can be sky-high. Based on previous years’ trends and expert analysis, here’s a look at the expected CAT 2025 cutoffs for Tier‑1 IIMs (BLACKI) and the newer CAP-participating IIMs.
| IIM | Overall Percentile (General) | VARC | DILR | QA |
| Ahmedabad | 80 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Bangalore | 85 | 80 | 75 | 75 |
| Calcutta | 85 | ≥80 | ≥80 | ≥75 |
| Lucknow | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| Kozhikode | 85 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Indore | 90 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
Disclaimer: These are predictions based on previous years’ cutoffs and expert analysis; official cutoffs for CAT 2025 may vary.
New & Baby” IIMs (IIM CAP 2025 participating institutes)
These IIMs participate in the Common Admission Process (CAP): Bodhgaya, Jammu, Kashipur, Nagpur, Ranchi, Sirmaur, Trichy, Udaipur.
| IIM (CAP) | Overall Percentile (General) | VARC | DILR | QA |
| Trichy | 94 | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| Udaipur | 94 | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| Kashipur | 92 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Ranchi | 92 | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| Nagpur | 90 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Sirmaur | 92 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| Jammu | ~91 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
CAT 2025 Expected Category‑Wise Cutoffs (Examples from Top IIMs)
| IIM | Category | Overall Percentile | VARC | DILR | QA |
| IIM Ahmedabad | General | 80 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| NC‑OBC | 75 | 65–70 | 65–70 | 65–70 | |
| SC | 70 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
| ST | 60 | 50 | 50 | 50 | |
| PwD | 70 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
| IIM Bangalore | General | 85 | 80 | 75 | 75 |
| NC‑OBC / EWS | 75 | ~70 | ~70 | ~70 | |
| SC | 70 | ~65 | ~65 | ~65 | |
| ST | 65 | ~60 | ~60 | ~60 | |
| PwD | 60 | ~55 | ~55 | ~55 | |
| IIM Lucknow | General | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| NC‑OBC / EWS | 82 | 77 | 77 | 77 | |
| SC | 65 | 55 | 55 | 55 | |
| ST / PwD | ~60 | ~50 | ~50 | ~50 |
CAT Cutoff 2025 for Top Non-IIM B-Schools
While IIMs are the dream destination for many CAT aspirants, they are not the only route to a top‑tier MBA. India has several other prestigious B‑schools that accept CAT scores and consistently offer world‑class management education, excellent placements, and strong alumni networks.
For some students, these non‑IIM B‑schools are actually a better fit—whether due to location preferences, program specializations, or a more balanced cost‑to‑ROI ratio.
Below is a list of top CAT‑accepting non‑IIM B‑schools, categorized by their expected CAT 2025 percentile range, along with program fees and average placement packages to help you make an informed choice.
Top Non‑IIM B‑Schools Accepting CAT 2025 Scores
| Percentile Range | B‑School Name | Expected CAT Cutoff | Approx. Program Fees (₹ lakh) | Avg. Placement (₹ LPA) |
| 95+ Percentile | FMS Delhi | 98–99 | 2 | 27+ |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 95–96 | 20 | 33+ | |
| MDI Gurgaon | 95–96 | 24 | 27+ | |
| IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) | 95–96 | 10 | 26+ | |
| IIT Delhi (DMS) | 95–96 | 10 | 25+ | |
| 85–95 Percentile | IMT Ghaziabad | 90–92 | 20 | 17+ |
| IIT Madras (DOMS) | 90–92 | 10 | 17+ | |
| IIT Kharagpur (VGSoM) | 90–92 | 12 | 18+ | |
| IIT Kanpur (IME) | 90–92 | 9 | 16+ | |
| GIM Goa | 85–87 | 18 | 15+ | |
| 70–85 Percentile | Great Lakes Chennai | 80–85 | 19 | 14+ |
| TAPMI Manipal | 80–85 | 17 | 14+ | |
| BIM Trichy | 80–85 | 15 | 12+ | |
| LIBA Chennai | 75–80 | 16 | 11+ | |
| IFMR GSB (Krea University) | 75–80 | 14 | 11+ |
CAT Marks vs. Percentile 2025: A Quick Look
Many aspirants also opt for CAT online coaching to improve their WAT and PI performance after clearing the written exam cutoff. “How many marks do I need for a 99 percentile in CAT?” While the answer changes every year based on exam difficulty, past trends can give us a good estimate.
The CAT percentile is not the same as your raw score — it’s a relative ranking showing how you performed compared to other test-takers. Your raw score (based on correct and incorrect answers) is first converted into a scaled score and then mapped to a percentile.
Want to know what your mock test or CAT exam scores translate to? Use our CAT percentile predictor to estimate your expected percentile and plan your target B-schools accordingly
Beyond the Cutoff: The Complete Picture
Earning a high CAT percentile is just the first step. Top B-schools use a holistic selection process to evaluate a candidate’s overall potential, not just their test-taking ability. The final admission decision is based on a combination of factors:
- Written Ability Test (WAT): An essay test that assesses your critical thinking, logical structure, and written communication skills.
- Personal Interview (PI): A one-on-one discussion with a panel to evaluate your personality, career goals, academic background, and general awareness.
- Academic Record: Your scores in 10th, 12th, and graduation are crucial, as they indicate your consistency and ability to handle a rigorous curriculum.
- Work Experience: Quality professional experience is a significant advantage, demonstrating maturity and a clear purpose for pursuing an MBA.
- Diversity: Many institutes award extra points for gender and academic diversity (e.g., for non-engineers) to ensure a well-rounded batch.
Final thought: While it’s important to aim for a high CAT score, remember to focus on building a strong overall profile. The combination of your CAT percentile and these other factors is what will ultimately secure your admission to your dream B-school.