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CAT 2026

Common Admission Test for MBA/PGDM programs across IIMs and top B-Schools.

Stream: Management Exam Date: Nov 24, 2026

Overview

IIM Kozhikode has released the CAT 2025 Results on 24 December 2025. Scorecards are available for download on the official site – iimcat.ac.in. Candidates can now download their scorecards by using their User ID and Password.

In CAT 2025, a total of 12 candidates scored a perfect 100 percentile, of which 9 are non-engineers, dominating the top ranks.

The result includes both sectional and overall percentiles, which are important, as most IIMs require sectional scores of 70–80 percentiles along with an overall percentile.

Also Check:

After the result, IIMs and other top B-schools will start releasing their shortlist criteria, and the CAT cutoffs for each institute are expected in the first week of January.

Recent expert analysis for 2025 (IMS India, Career Launcher, and other CAT‑prep platforms) suggests:

  • For CAT 2025, a 99 percentile needs about 90–98 marks, while 55–70 marks can get you to the 95 percentile.
  • Top IIMs usually require 98–99+ percentile (around 90–98 marks).
  • Mid-tier IIMs need about a 94–97 percentile (75–85 marks).
  • Newer or smaller IIMs typically accept 88–93 percentile (60–75 marks).

Based on past trends, scoring above the 99th percentile places a candidate in the top 1% of test-takers, yet only around 20–25% of all candidates are shortlisted for IIM interview calls, highlighting the strong competition.

Related Links:

What is the CAT Exam?

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is India’s premier national‑level management entrance exam, conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for admission into their MBA/PGP programmes offered by 22 IIMs, with IIM Guwahati recently added to the list of participating institutes and over 1,000+ government and private B‑schools.

CAT 2025 Result and IIM Admission Dates

The CAT Results will be out on 24 December 2025, around 6:00 PM, and from January 2026, IIM shortlists and CAP registration will start, leading to WAT/PI rounds in February-March and final admission offers by April-May 2026.

Date Event
24 December 2025 (Released) CAT 2025 Result Declaration
1st–2nd week of January 2026 IIM Shortlist Release (Top IIMs)
Mid-January 2026 IIM CAP 2026 Registration
February–March 2026 WAT/PI Process for IIMs
April–May 2026 Final Admission Offers
November 30, 2025 (Sunday) CAT 2025 Exam Date (Over)
4th December 2025 CAT 2025 Answer Key and Response Sheet Release (Out)
8th-10th December 2025 CAT 2025 Answer Key Objection Window (Closed)
17 December 2025 Final Answer Key Release (Released)

Meanwhile, if you're not satisfied with your CAT performance, there is still time to secure another opportunity. If you have already registered for XAT 2026 or SNAP 2025, then it can provide you with additional chances to target top B-schools beyond IIMs.

CAT 2025 Result

CAT Results are usually declared 3–5 weeks after the exam, around mid to late December. Your CAT 2025 result (scorecard) will have the following details: Section-wise scaled scores, Overall scaled score, Sectional & overall percentiles, Candidate details (name, category, application number), and Qualifying status.

Validity: Your CAT 2025 scorecards will be valid for admissions until December 31, 2026.

Based on this pattern, the CAT 2025 results are expected between Dec 19–29, 2025.

Year CAT Exam Date Result Date (Actual/Expected)
2025 Nov 30 Dec 24
2024 Nov 24 Dec 19
2023 Nov 26 Dec 21
2022 Nov 27 Dec 21
2021 Nov 28 Jan 3 (next year)
2020 Nov 29 Jan 2 (next year)

CAT 2025 Percentile and Raw Marks Breakdown: Shortlisting Criteria for Top, Mid-tier, and Lower IIMs

From recent 2025 Reddit threads on CAT-related subreddits: Most students feel that even though your overall percentile is important, doing well in each section: VARC, DILR, and QA, is just as important, especially because normalization in CAT 2025 can be unpredictable.

“For GEM freshers … top IIMs will need a 99.5 percentile plus score in CAT 2025. Aim for a scaled score of 105 plus.” Reddit

“Even a 99+ overall percentile doesn’t guarantee a call from top B-schools if sectional cutoffs aren’t cleared.” Reddit

Also, some aspirants aiming for mid-tier or newer IIMs believe 95+ percentile could be “safe enough” depending on profile, rather than chasing 99+. Reddit

Institute / Type Expected Cutoff (General) Expected Cutoff(OBC/EWS) Expected Cutoff (SC/ST/PwD)
Top IIMs (IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta) 98–100 %ile 96–98 %ile 90–95 %ile
Mid/Old IIMs (IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore) 97–99 %ile 94–96 %ile 80-90%ile
New / Baby IIMs (IIM Amritsar, IIM Nagpur, etc.) 85–95 %ile 75–90 %ile 65–80 %ile

Check:

70 Marks in CAT Percentile 60 Marks in CAT Percentile
37 Marks in CAT Percentile 80 Marks in CAT Percentile
40 Marks in CAT Percentile 30 Marks in CAT Percentile
50 Marks in CAT Percentile 75 Marks in CAT Percentile

IIM CAT College Predictor

The IIM CAT College Predictor is a tool designed to help the CAT aspirants in estimating their chances of admission into IIMs and other top B-Schools based on their CAT percentile, academic background, category, work experience, and past cutoff trends.

CAT College Predictor 2025

Also Check:

CAT Cutoff 2025

The CAT 2025 cutoff shows a clear tier-wise competitiveness among IIMs.

  • The Top-tier IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta will be the most competitive, with cutoffs around 99–100th percentile, admitting only the top 1% of CAT candidates.
  • Mid-tier IIMs like Lucknow, Indore, and Kozhikode are expecetd to have the cutoff around 97–98 percentile
  • Meanwhile, baby and newer IIMs, largely under the CAP process, will have the cutoffs between 90-95 percentile, reflecting improved demand and rising academic standards.

CAT 2025 Top-tier IIMs

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Expected CAT Cut‑off (Percentile) Data Insight
IIM Ahmedabad 99–100 Oldest and most selective IIM with consistently the highest cut‑offs.
IIM Bangalore 99–100 On par with IIM A in demand and standards.
IIM Calcutta 99 Elite finance & analytics hub, high competition.

CAT 2025 Mid-tier IIMs Cutoff

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Expected CAT Cut‑off (Percentile) Data Insight
IIM Lucknow 97–98 Top older IIM with slightly lower cut‑off than A/B/C.
IIM Indore 97–98 Strong brand among mid-tier IIMs.
IIM Kozhikode 97–98 Popular southern IIM with competitive shortlists.
IIM Amritsar 95–96 Newer IIM with emerging reputation.
IIM Nagpur 95–96 Similar profile to newer IIMs in CAP group.
IIM Sambalpur 95–96 Typical of growing newer institutes.

CAT 2025 Baby / Newer IIMs Cutoff

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Expected CAT Cut‑off (Percentile) Data Insight
IIM Trichy 94–95 Comparable with mid‑level IIMs in CAP; competitive shortlist.
IIM Raipur 94–95 Part of the larger CAP admission process with strong percentile requirements.
IIM Ranchi 94–95 Aligns with CAP group cut‑offs; interview calls likely at higher percentiles.
IIM Kashipur 94–95 Similar to other CAP cohort IIMs; cut‑off reflects competitive admissions.
IIM Vizag (Visakhapatnam) 92–94 Slightly lower than other CAP IIMs; still competitive within baby IIMs.
IIM Udaipur 92–94 Expected cut‑offs show rising standards among newer campuses.
IIM Bodh Gaya 92–94 Maintains similar range within newer IIMs; emphasises CAT + profile.
IIM Shillong 90 Broader range for smaller campus; relatively lower threshold.
IIM Sirmaur 90 Lower bound among baby IIMs; more accessible with strong overall profile.
IIM Jammu 90 One of the more accessible newer IIMs with broader percentile acceptance.

Also Check:

IIM Admission Process 2026-2028

The IIM Selection Process is mainly divided into 2 stages: Shortlisting and then Final Selection. Each stage evaluates candidates on different parameters to ensure a balanced and diverse batch.

IIM Shortlisting (After CAT Result)

Once the CAT 2025 results are declared in late December 2025, IIMs will release shortlists in early January 2026.

Shortlisting is based on multiple parameters such as:

  • CAT percentile (highest weightage)
  • Academic scores in 10th, 12th & graduation
  • Work experience & quality of experience
  • Gender & academic diversity

Check: How Class 10, 12 & Graduation Marks Impact IIM Selection

In CAT 2024 admission cycle, candidates with 95+ percentile received calls from many new and baby IIMs, while older IIMs required 98-99+ percentile, depending on the profile.

Shortlisting depends on multiple factors, including:

Parameter Weightage Range (Across IIMs)
CAT Score 60% – 85%
10th Marks 5% – 15%
12th Marks 5% – 15%
Graduation Score 2% – 10%
Work Experience 5% – 10%
Gender / Academic Diversity 3% – 10%

Final Selection (WAT + PI + Composite Score)

Shortlisted candidates go through the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) with around between February and March 2026.

After the CAT exam, you should put more focus on practicing PI as it has the highest weightage of 30-50% while calculating the composite score.

In 2024, nearly 70% of final converts had excellent PI scores, even if their CAT percentile was just around the cutoff.

Final selection is based on a composite score, combining the CAT score and performance in the WAT–PI round, along with academics and work experience.

Component Weightage in Final Merit (Range)
CAT Score 25% – 40%
WAT 10% – 15%
PI 30% – 50%
Academics (10th, 12th, UG) 5% – 15%
Work Experience 5% – 10%
Diversity 2% – 10%

Also Check:

What About the IIM CAP Process?

The Common Admission Process (CAP) is a joint selection process for 10+ IIMs (IIM Trichy, IIM Ranchi, IIM Kashipur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Raipur, etc.).

Instead of attending multiple interviews, you go through one combined WAT–PI round, and the results are shared with all CAP-participating IIMs.

In 2024, almost 45–50% of shortlisted CAP candidates converted at least one IIM, and candidates with 95–97 percentile + strong PI had high conversion chances.

Also Check: IIM CAP Stages in CAT Counselling

IIM Ahmedabad Cutoff and Selection Process
IIM Bangalore Cutoff and Admission Criteria
IIM Calcutta Cutoff and Sectional Cutoff
IIM Kozhikode Cutoff and Selection Process
IIM Lucknow Cutoff and Selection Criteria

IIM CAT 2025 Institute-Wise Seat Matrix

The table below shows the approximate total seats per major IIM for MBA/PGP in 2025. The older IIMs (particularly Mumbai, Kozhikode, Calcutta, Indore, Lucknow, Bangalore, Ahmedabad) contribute the largest seats, approximately 3,200+ of total IIM seats (~60%).

IIM Total Seats (2025)
IIM Mumbai ~550
IIM Kozhikode ~525
IIM Calcutta ~462
IIM Indore ~450
IIM Lucknow ~436
IIM Bangalore ~412
IIM Ahmedabad ~398
Other IIMs (new/baby IIMs) 100-240 each
All IIMs combined ~5,500 total

Category-Wise IIM Seat Reservation (Govt Policy)

Category Reservation % Approx. Seats (of 5,500)
General (Unreserved) ~40% ~2,200
OBC-NCL 27% ~1,485
SC 15% ~825
ST 7.5% ~413
EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) 10% ~550
PwD (Horizontal across all) 5% ~275

Also Check:

Minimum Percentile to get an interview Call

As per the previous years analysis, to get the interview call from IIMs the General category requires the 98–99.5+ %ile for top IIMs (A/B/C/L), 94–97 for newer ones.

  • EWS/OBC: 3–10 %ile lower around 70–80 for top IIMs.
  • SC: 80–85, ST: 70–75, PwD: 60–70 for old IIMs.
  • But General Engineers male (GEM) often need 99.5–99.8+ due to competition.

“GEM pool 70% of takers but 40% seats → effective cutoff 99.7+ for ABC.”- Reddit

“99.3 General Engineer Male → zero calls from ABC, only I/K/U. This category is a scam.” - Reddit

“99.55 GEM → A/B/C shortlist. 99.3 → nothing. Difference of 0.25 %ile = life ruined.” -Reddit

Category Top IIMs (A/B/C/L) Newer IIMs (e.g., Indore, Kozhikode) Notes
General 98–99+ 94–97 Minimum for shortlist; actual calls higher (e.g., 99.65 for engineers).
EWS 95–98 90–95 3–5 %ile relaxation vs. General.
OBC 90–95 85–92 Balanced with academics; ~5–10 %ile lower.
SC 80–85 75–82 Focus on overall; sectional ~50–70 %ile.
ST 70–75 65–72 Lowest threshold; ~20–25 %ile below General.
PwD 60–70 55–65 Highest relaxation; eligibility-focused.
Miniimum marks for IIMs

Also Check:

Eligibility

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 highlights the basic eligibility required for CAT 2024 exam. Educational qualification is an important requirement that candidates should fulfill to appear in CAT 2024. At least 50% in Bachelor’s degree is necessary for general-category students and 45% for reserved-category students. CAT 2024 exam date is Nov 24 and the Correction form has been released on the official website (now Closed). 

As far as age is concerned, there is no upper or lower age limit to apply for CAT 2024 Exam. Students in their final year of graduation can apply for the CAT exam, but they must submit all the relevant documents at the time of admission at their respective IIM institute. CAT eligibility criteria for candidates with a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) is 50% or above for general category students and a minimum of 45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

A reservation policy has been made for reserved category students who are willing to appear for the CAT exam. Candidates can check out the list of IIMs accepting CAT exam scores.

Table of Contents

  1. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Highlights
  2. CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 Age Limit
  3. CAT Eligibility 2024 Educational Qualification
  4. CAT Eligibility 2024 for Final Year Students
  5. CAT 2024 Reservation Policy
  6. CAT Eligibility vs IIMs Eligibility
  7. CAT 2024 Eligibility FAQs
CAT Exam Eligibility Highlights

CAT Exam Eligibility Highlights

Exam Name Common Admission Test (CAT)
Conducting Body IIM
Age Limit No age bar
Educational Qualification 50% in Bachelor’s Degree
Work Experience Work experience not mandatory
Reservation Policy As per specified
CAT Age Limit

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2025

As per the conducting authority, there is no age bar to apply for the CAT 2025 exam. Students appearing for CAT 2025 should therefore meet the other minimum requirements as there is no CAT eligibility age limit for taking the exam.

CAT Eligibility 12th Marks

CAT Eligibility 12th Marks

CAT eligibility 12th marks: Class 12th marks are not required for CAT exam, however, IIMs consider the 12th percentage as a selection criteria for MBA admissions. To appear for CAT exam, candidates only require graduation marks of 50%. This is the minimum eligibility requirement for general-category students. For students belonging to the reserved category, 45% in graduation is mandatory.

Here is the list of the top 10 IIMs with a 12th percentage requirement:

IIM 12th Marks Weightage Admission Criteria
IIM Ahmedabad 10 (minimum rating score with 55%) Check Here
IIM Bangalore 15 Check Here
IIM Calcutta 10 Check Here
IIM Lucknow 10 Check Here
IIM Indore 40 Check Here
IIM Kozhikode 15 Check Here
IIM Udaipur 10 Check Here
IIM Trichy 10 Check Here
IIM Raipur 10 Check Here
IIM Rohtak 10 Check Here
CAT Educational Qualification

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024: Educational Qualification

The authority has prescribed a certain educational qualification applicable for CAT 2024 exam. The details of the educational qualification have been mentioned below:

  • Candidates must complete their graduation in any discipline from a recognized university/institute.
  • For general category students, at least 50% is required in Bachelor’s degree to become eligible for the exam. But the minimum percentage requirement for students who come under the reserved category is 45%.
  • Final-year students can also apply on the condition that if they qualify the exam, they will be selected provisionally. They must submit the required documents to their respective IIM on or before the prescribed date.
  • Candidates with a professional degree (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) can appear in CAT exam.
Qualification University Pass Percentage
Engineering Degree – B. Tech/ B.E. Recognized by MHRD/ UPSC/AICTE 50% (45% for SC, ST, PWD candidates)
Bachelor’s Degree from any University Recognized by UGC
Students who are in their final year of Bachelor’s/ graduation degree can sit for the examination. Continuing graduation from any University that is recognized by either MHRD/ UPSC/AICTE or UGC
CA, CS, ICWA, or Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of India (FIAI) Recognized by MHRD/ UPSC/AICTE
CAT Eligibility for Final Year Students

CAT Eligibility 2024 for Final Year Students

Students who are in the final year of their bachelor's degree course have been given an opportunity to apply for CAT exam. If any final-year candidate qualify the CAT exam, their selection will be considered provisional, they must submit the required documents once they clear all the stages of the selection process.

CAT Reservation Policy
CAT mock test banner

CAT 2024 Reservation Policy

According to CAT details, a reservation policy has been made for students who come under the reserved category as mentioned by the Government of India. SC/STEWS/PwD/OBC come under the reserved category and seats have been reserved for the same.

Category Reservation (%)
Schedule Caste 15%
Schedule Tribe 7.5%
Non-Creamy Other Backward Classes 27%
Person with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD) 5%
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) Up to 10%

Categories of disabilities include:

  • Blindness and low vision
  • Deaf and hard of hearing
  • A Locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy, and acid attack victims.
  • Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability and mental illness e) Multiple disabilities from amongst persons under clauses (a) to (d) f) Other ‘specified disabilities’ mentioned in ‘The Schedule’ of the RPwD Act 2016
CAT Eligibility vs IIMs Eligibility

CAT Eligibility vs IIMs Eligibility

CAT eligibility is the same as IIMs eligibility criteria, but some IIMs might consider class 10 and 12 marks for admission to MBA courses. Along with this, IIMs also include a selection process to screen the students for entry into the institutes. IIMs Admission Criteria

Here are the basic eligibility criteria common to CAT and IIMs.

  • 50% in graduation for the general category and 45% for the reserved category.
  • Final-year students can apply, but they will be provisionally selected if they qualify the exam.
  • Work experience is not mandatory to appear in CAT exam but some IIMs might give weightage to work experience during the selection process. Candidates without work experience need not worry about their selection in MBA courses for IIMs do take freshers as well. Candidates just need to qualify the CAT cut off and selection process like GD and PI.
Frequently Asked Questions

CAT Eligibility Criteria 2024 FAQs

Ques. What are the eligibility criteria for CAT 2024?

Ans. 50% in graduation is the minimum requirement for CAT 2024. Candidates with a professional degree in (CA/CS/ICWA/FCAI) can appear in CAT exam.

Ques. Can I give CAT in 3rd year?

Ans. Students in their final year of graduation can apply for the CAT exam. They must submit relevant documents on time if they are selected.

Ques. Is CAT compulsory for IIM?

Ans. CAT exam is compulsory for admission to an MBA course in any IIM institute in India. CAT 2024 exam is going to be conducted on Nov 24. The offcial notification will be released by IIM in July.

Application Process

CAT 2025 Registration was started on the official website on 1 August 2025, and the CAT registration last date is extended till 20 September 2025, till 5 PM. Earlier, the registration deadline was 13 September 2025. Aspirants can log on to the official website of CAT 2025 at iimcat.ac.in to register for CAT 2025. This year, IIM Kozhikode will conduct the CAT 2025 examination on 30 November 2025.

Direct Link to Fill CAT 2025 Application Form – (Over)

Last year, a total of 3,29,000 candidates registered for CAT, and out of these, 2,93,000 appeared for the examination. In 2023, around 3,25,000 registered for the examination, and in 2022, 2,55,501 candidates registered for CAT. This year, the number of CAT registrations is expected to rise by around 5,000, as it did last year.

Check: CAT 2025 Registrations Drop to 2.95 Lakh from 3.29 Lakh

CAT registration 2025

Key Summary

  • CAT 2025 registration date is 1 August 2025.
  • Students must have completed graduation with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved candidates) before applying for CAT 2025
  • The CAT 2025 registration last date is extended till 20 September 2025.
  • CAT 2025 exam date is 30 November 2025.
  • Application fee for CAT 2025 is INR 2,600 for general and INR 1300 for SC/ST/PWD candidates.

Also Read

CAT Registration 2025- Important Dates (Over)

Events CAT Important Dates 2025
CAT 2025 Notification Date 27 July 2025
CAT 2025 Registration Date 1 August 2025
CAT 2025 Registration Last Date

13 September 2025

20 September 2025
CAT 2025 Form Correction 3rd week of September 2025
CAT 2025 Admit Card Release Date 5 November 2025
CAT 2025 Exam Date 30 November 2025
CAT 2025 Registration Dates

Source CAT official Website @iimcat.ac.in

CAT Registration 2025- Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to appear for CAT 2025, candidates must fulfil the following CAT eligibility criteria.

  • Minimum 50% or equivalent CGPA in a bachelor's degree.
  • 5% relaxation in qualifying marks is offered to candidates belonging to the SC/ST/PWD category.
  • There is no age limit to apply for CAT 2025.
Category Qualifying Percentage
General 50%
SC/ST/PWD 45%

CAT Registration 2025- How to Apply

Once the CAT application form is released, students must follow the steps listed below.

  • Visit the official website of CAT 2025 at iimcat.ac.in.
  • On the homepage, click on the “Register” button to begin the registration process.
  • Register using your personal and contact details and generate login credentials.
  • Log in to the CAT portal and fill out the CAT application form.
  • Upload all the required documents.
  • Pay the CAT application fee as prescribed by IIM Kozhikode.
  • Review and submit the CAT application form and download the CAT confirmation page for future reference.

Check CAT 2025 Registration Guide Here
cat 2025 registration guide 2025

CAT Registration 2025- Document Required

Students must keep the following documents ready while filling out the CAT application form.

Document Specifications / Requirements
Photograph Not more than 6 months oldWhite/off-white background30mm x 45mmMax 1 MBJPEG, JPG format
Signature Max size: 80 KBDimensions: 80mm x 35mmJPEG, JPG format
Category Certificate

Required if applicable

Accepted formats: SC-ST / NC-OBC / EWS
Disability Certificate

Required if applicable

Accepted formats: PwD Form V / VI / VII
Academic Details 10th, 12th, Graduation, Master’s/Professional Degree. Convert CGPA/Grades to percentage
Work Experience Full-time only. After graduation till 31 July 2025

What are the Things to be Noted while CAT Registration?

When filling out the CAT application form, choosing at least 6 test cities and subject preference is mandatory. Details required to complete the CAT Registration 2025 process:

  • Personal details (name, correct address, mobile number, email ID, etc.)
  • Educational Details (Class 10+2 and Bachelor’s degree certificates)
  • Full-time Work Experience (if any after graduation as of July 31st)
  • Application fees

What are CAT 2025 Photo Uploading Guidelines?

Students must follow the below mentioned guidelines while uploading documents.

  • Uploading your recent passport-sized photograph and signature written on a fresh, blank white paper is mandatory for CAT Registration 2024.
  • The image format must be in JPG or JPEG, and the size should remain within 80-150 KB.
  • Reserved category candidates are required to submit the scanned reserved category certificates in the PDF format.

CAT Registration Fees

This year, the CAT registration fee has been revised. Aspirants must pay the CAT application fee of INR 2,600 for general/EWS/OBC candidates, and INR 1300 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

Categories Application Fee
General/EWS/NC-OBC INR 2600
SC/ST/PwD INR 1300
 

Also Read

CAT Registration- Previous Year’s Statistics

Last year, around 3,29,000 candidates registered for CAT 2025, and out of these, 2,93,000 appeared.

  • 2.10 lakh candidates were males and 1.19 lakh were females, and 14 were transgenders.
  • Last year, CAT attendance was around 89%.
  • 14 candidates scored 100 percentile in CAT last year.
Category Details
Number of Candidates Registered 3,29,000
Number of Candidates Appeared 2,93,000
Attendance Rate Approximately 89%
100 Percentilers 14 candidates achieved a 100 percentile score
Male to Female Ratio 2.10 lakh males, 1.19 lakh females, 14 transgender

Category-wise number of candidates registered for CAT last year is mentioned in the table below.

Category Percentage of Candidates Registered Percentage of Candidates Appeared
General 67.53% 67.20%
EWS 4.80% 5.09%
OBC 16.91% 17.5%
SC 8.51% 8.08%
ST 2.25% 2.12%
PwD 0.44% (across categories) 0.41% (across categories)

CAT Previous year statistics
CAT Registration Statistics

How Many Applications Received for CAT in Past 10 Years?

In 2023, there was a record regarding applications. Over 3.8 lakh students registered previous year, marking a steady hike of 30% from the year 2022. How many students can register for the 2025 examination? We are expecting another huge jump in registration for this year’s exam also.

Year How Many Students Registered? How Many Students Appeared? How Much Increase/ Decrease?
2024 3,29 lakh 2.93 lakh -
2023 3.30 lakh 2.88 lakh +30%
2022 2.55 lakh 2.23 lakh +11%
2021 2.30 lakh 1.91 lakh +0.9%
2020 2.28 lakh 1.90 lakh -6.6%
2019 2.44 lakh 2.09 lakh +1.2%
2018 2.41 lakh 2.09 lakh +4.3%
2017 2.31 lakh 1.99 lakh -0.4%
2016 2.32 lakh 1.95 lakh +5.9%
2015 2.19 lakh 1.79 lakh +11.2%
2014 1.97 lakh 1.70 lakh +1.0%
2013 1.95 lakh 1.73 lakh -8.9%

What is the CAT Gender-wise Registration Statistics in Last 10 Years?

The gender wise registrations for CAT for the last 10 years are:

Year Total Registered Students Total Male Applicants Total Female Applicants
2024 3,29,000 2,19,000 1,19,000
2023 3,30,000 2,23,000 1,17,000
2022 2,55,501 1,44,417 77,763
2021 2,29,969 1,24,808 66,850
2020 2,27,835 1,15,143 75,000
2019 2,44,169 1,34,917 75,004
2018 2,41,000 1,36,075 73,326
2017 2,31,067 1,53,027 78,009
2016 2,32,436 1,30,839 64,503
2015 2,18,664 1,21,291 58,270
2014 1,96,951 1,37,740 59,211

2013

 1,94,516 1,38,107

56,409

Key Summary

  • Last year, a total of 3.29 lakh candidates registered for CAT, and out of these, 1.19 lakh were female, 2.10 lakh were male, and 14 were transgender candidates.
  • Category-wise CAT registered candidates last year include General -67.53%, EWS- 4.80%, NC-OBC- 16.91%, SC- 8.51%, ST- 2.25%, PwD (across categories)- 0.44%
  • A total of 2.93 lakh students appeared for CAT 2025, including General- 67.20%, EWS- 5.09%, NC-OBC- 17.5%, SC- 8.08%, ST- 2.12%, PwD (across categories)- 0.41%

CAT Registration FAQs

Ques. What is the application process for CAT 2025?

Ans. Students can follow the steps below to complete the CAT application process 2025.

  • Visit the official CAT website.
  • Register using name, mobile number, mail ID, etc.
  • Fill out the CAT application form.
  • Upload required documents
  • Pay CAT application fee.
  • Submit the application for CAT 2025.

Ques. Can I get a refund for the CAT 2025 registration fee?

Ans. While filling the CAT application form, students will be required to pay CAT application fee of INR 1300 to 2600 as per the category of the candidate. Once paid, the CAT application fee can not be refunded. Students must first read the instructions properly before completing the CAT application fee payment.

Ques. Do I have to fill out separate CAT application forms to apply for separate IIMs?

Ans. No, students do not need to fill out the CAT application form separately for each IIM. However, candidates are required to fill out a single CAT application form and then appear for the entrance exam. Qualified candidates will get admission after the CAT counselling process.

Ques. Should I register for a private college before registering for CAT?

Ans. Two popular private institutions most CAT aspirants have on their list are MDI Gurgaon and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. They usually close their application process before the CAT exam date and consider the CAT score you secure for admission.

Ques. Can my CAT Application form be rejected if I entered the wrong discipline?

Ans. Proper inclusion of all your academic details is very important while you are filling out the CAT application form, and entering the wrong discipline can have an impact on your final selection. In such a case, one must write to the help desk and provide a valid reason that led to such an instance.

If you make it up to the PI Round, do carry all the relevant documents and explain the scenario in detail.

Ques. Will a CAT Application get rejected if a candidate uploads the signature vertically instead of horizontally, or a blurred image?

Ans. Orientation of the signature is not likely to have an impact on the application form acceptance, and the same applies in case of mistakenly uploading a blurred image. IIM-CAT adheres to a facial recognition check during the application process that will let you know whether the photo uploaded has been accepted or not.

Ques. How is the CAT Registration Portal Interface? Is it User-Friendly and Convenient?

Ans. CAT registration interface is quite easy to understand and user friendly. Students can use the CAT registration portal easily to apply for the examination.

Ques. How many preferences can I make during the CAT Registration Process?

Ans. Everyone aims for the Top IIMs- precisely the IIMs A-B-C-L, i.e., IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Lucknow. But since you can make as many choices as you want, it is always better to stay on the safe side, and include the newly established IIMs like IIM Indore, IIM Udaipur, and a few reputed baby IIMs like IIM Amritsar and IIM Nagpur to your list.

Exam Pattern

The CAT Exam Pattern 2025 has been officially released by IIM Kozhikode, and there are few changes in the paper structure in CAT 2025. The CAT 2025 will be held on 30 November 2025 as a computer based test (CBT) in a single shift . 

Download the CAT Exam Pattern 2025 PDF

You will have to attempt 68 questions in 120 minutes, combining both MCQs and TITA (Type In The Answer) questions divided into 3 sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).

  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC): 24 questions in 40 minutes
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR): 22 questions in 40 minutes
  • Quantitative Ability (QA): 22 questions in 40 minutes

As per the CAT Marking Scheme, MCQs give +3 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong answer while TITA questions don't have negative marking.

CAT 2025 Exam Pattern

Also Read

Key Summary

  • VARC: 24 questions, 65–70% Reading Comprehension; TITA increased in paragraph completion and summaries; para-jumbles removed.
  • DILR: 22 questions (raised from 20); 5 sets, 2 sets of 5 questions, 3 sets of 4 questions.
  • QA: 22 questions, 30–35% TITA, majority in Arithmetic and Modern Math.
  • Total Duration: 120 minutes, 40 minutes per section (order of the sections is fixed as VARC, DILR, QA; no switching allowed). PwD candidates get 160 minutes.
  • Total Questions: The total number of questions has been increased to 68 from 66.
  • Marking Scheme: 3 marks will be awarded for each correct answer, −1 for incorrect MCQs, and there will be no negative marking for TITA.
  • MCQ vs TITA: The CAT 2025 will have around 49 MCQs and 19 TITA questions, a slight increase in the number of TITA questions as compared to previous years.
  • Maximum Marks: The CAT 2025 will be of 204 marks (increased from 198 marks in CAT 2024).

What is the pattern of a CAT exam?

The CAT Exam Pattern 2025 will be set by IIM Kozhikode by Prof. Ram Kumar P.N. 

  • In CAT 2025, you will have a computer - based exam with 68 questions, a total of 204 marks.
  • The CAT exam pattern will be divided in 3 sections: VARC, DILR, and QA..
  • In CAT 2025 exam each section will have 40 minutes a fixed time limit to attempt. 

The CAT exam will have both MCQs and TITA questions, with a marking scheme of +3 for a correct answer, −1 for incorrect MCQs, and no negative marking for TITA.

Feature Details
Exam Name Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025
Mode Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Total Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
Number of Sections 3
Sectional Time Limit 40 minutes per section (auto switch)
Total Questions 68
Question Types MCQs & TITA (Type In The Answer)
Marking Scheme +3 for correct, -1 for incorrect MCQ, 0 for TITA
Language of Exam English
Expected Exam Date November 30, 2025 (Tentative)
Total Marks 204
CAT Exam Pattern 2025

Ques. How many non-MCQ questions will I face in each section?

Ans. In the CAT 2025, you can expect around 20 non-MCQ (TITA) questions overall and from as pe the sections:

From VARC, you can expect around 2 non-MCQ questions, around 10 in the DILR section, and 8 in QA section.

That is roughly 30% of the paper, which means you can attempt 30% of the CAT exam safely, as non-MCQs carry no negative marking, so you should try to attempt all of them.

Ques. If I skip many MCQs (to avoid negative marking) and focus more on TITA, is that optimal?

Ans. Yes, it is partially optimal to skip some MCQs, especially the risky ones, and focus on non-MCQs to avoid negative marking. But skipping “many MCQs” can cost you the potential marks.

In CAT 2024, there were a total of around 46 MCQs and 20 non-MCQs, so if you attempt only non-MCQs correctly (say all 20 correctly), that will give you 20 × 3 = 60 marks, which is not sufficient to secure the IIMs.

So, completely skipping the MCQs is insufficient for top percentiles. Rather than skipping the MCQs to avoid negative marking, you can focus on the MCQs that are comparatively easier by practicing the mock tests and analysing your weak areas.

Ques. Will the sectional difficulty vary across slots and how does that affect scoring?

Ans. Yes, sectional difficulty is expected to vary across slots, and that variation can affect how raw scores translate to percentiles/ranks.

For CAT 2024, the cutoff for the top percentile varied slightly across the slots: 99.9 percentile raw marks:

To score 99%ile, the raw score requirement differs by slot: 91 in Slot 1, 85 in Slot 2, and 88 in Slot 3, along with the sectional cutoff for CAT 2024

  • VARC: 99%ile ~ 41
  • DILR: 99%ile ~ 38
  • QA: 99%ile ~ 33
Percentile Slot-1 overall Slot-2 overall Slot-3 overall
100%ile 150 140 140
99.5%ile 97 95 96
99%ile 91 85 88
98%ile 80 74 77
95%ile 67 62 65
90%ile 55 50 53

Changes in the CAT Exam Pattern 2025

  • Total Question: The number of questions has increased to 68 from 66 in 2024, with 2 additional questions in DILR.
  • TITA Questions: In the CAT 2025 exam, it is expected that TITA questions will rise, especially in QA, by 30–35%, with no negative marking.
  • Sectional Distribution: The VARC will have 20 MCQs & 4 TITA, DILR will have 12–14 MCQs & 6–8 TITA, and QA will have 15–16 MCQs & 6–7 TITA.
  • DILR Structure: There will be a total of 22 questions (an additional 2 questions) with 3 sets of 4 and 2 sets of 5 questions.
  • CAT Marking Scheme: +3 marks will be awarded for each correct answer, -1 for each incorrect answer, and no negative marks for TITA in 40 minutes per section. 
  • Difficulty and Percentile: The CAT 2024 was moderate, with Slot 1 being the easiest and Slot 3 being the toughest. For CAT 2025, to achieve 90 percentile,47–51 marks are required,  and for the 95th percentile, around 58-61 marks.
Component CAT 2024 Pattern CAT 2025 (Expected) What Changed
Total Questions 66 68 +2 questions added (in DILR)
Sections 3 (VARC, DILR, QA) Same No change
Section-wise Qs

VARC: 24

DILR: 20

QA: 22

VARC: 24

DILR: 22

QA: 22

 +2 Qs in DILR
Total Marks 198 204 Total marks have been changed as the number of questions are incresed
TITA Count ~20 (30%) ~22–24 (32–35%) Slight increase in TITA questions
Duration 120 minutes (40 min/section) Same No change
DILR Structure 4 sets × 5 Qs (20 Qs total) 3 sets × 4 Qs + 2 sets × 5 Qs = 22 Qs New structure introduced
Question Types MCQ & TITA MCQ & TITA No change, but TITA share increased
Marking Scheme +3 for correct–1 for wrong MCQ0 for TITA Same No change
Sectional Order Fixed (VARC → DILR → QA) Same No change
Adaptive Format No No Confirmed non-adaptive in 2025
Difficulty Level Moderate Moderate (slot-dependent) Slot 1 easier, Slot 3 tougher (as per CAT 2024)
Cut-off Trend 90%ile ≈ 45–48 marks 90%ile ≈ 48–52 marks (expected) Slight increase expected due to easier QA & DILR
CAT 2024 VS 2025 PATTERN

Ques. Will the total number of questions change (versus CAT 2024)?

Ans. The total number of questions is expected to change from 66 to 68, with an increase of 2 questions in DILR sections, making a total of 22 questions.

Ques. Will the mix of MCQ / non-MCQ (TITA) questions change?

Ans. Yes, there is a possibility that questions in CAT will be a mix of MCQ vs non-MCQ (TITA) could change. In the CAT 2025 expected exam pattern, there can be 48 MCQs with 20 non-MCQs (around 70/30 split).

According to the mock tests and analysis, the CAT 2025 will have a similar section-wise MCQ / non-MCQ splits (e.g., VARC: 22 MCQ + 2 TITA, DILR: 12 MCQ + 10 TITA, QA: 14 MCQ + 8 TITA) in their expected pattern.

Ques. Will all questions have negative marking in 2025?

Ans. No, not all questions in the CAT 2025 will have negative marking, as per the marking scheme of the CAT 2025:

MCQs: Each correct answer awards +3 marks, -1 mark for each incorrect answer.

TITA Questions: These questions require candidates to type in their answers without provided options. For TITA questions:

  • No negative marking for incorrect answers.
  • No marks deducted for unanswered questions.
  • +3 marks for correct answers.

Ques. Will Para Jumbles / Grammar / New question types return?

Ans. Yes, Para Jumbles / Grammar / New question types can return in the CAT 2025, especially in the VARC (Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension) section.

As the latest CAT exam pattern has not been released yet, the VARC section in CAT 2025 is anticipated to consist of 24 questions, distributed as follows:

Reading Comprehension (RC): 16 questions (4 passages × 4 questions each)

Verbal Ability (VA): 8 questions, including:

  • Para Summary: 3 questions
  • Para Insertion: 3 questions
  • Odd Sentence Out: 2 questions

CAT 2025 Section-Wise User Expectations for Difficulty

The section-wise difficulty expectations for CAT 2025 show a balanced yet challenging paper, with the VARC section expected to be the toughest section.

  • The previous year's test takers anticipated Moderate to High difficulty in VARC, emphasizing the need for strong comprehension and inference skills.
  • The DILR is expected to remain moderate, with around 20 questions, so practicing puzzles and learning to choose the right sets will be important.
  • The QA section should be moderate, with concepts similar to previous years.
Section Expected Difficulty Level User Insights/Tips
VARC Moderate to High "VARC might be on the higher side"; focus on comprehension
DILR Moderate "Will LRDI remain 20 questions as last year?"; practice puzzles cautiously
QA Moderate Standard; no major shifts noted

CAT 2025 Exam Shifts and Reporting

The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted in three shifts, ensuring the smooth conduct across the exam day.

  • Shift 1 (8:30–10:30 AM), the candidates are expected to report to the exam centre by 7:30 AM to complete verification comfortably.
  • For the shift 2 (12:30–2:30 PM), the candidates are advised to report by 11:30 AM to the exam centre.
  • Shift 3 (4:30–6:30 PM), the evening shift can affect the focus due to the fatigueness. In this shift, the candidates should report to the centre by 3:30 PM.
Shift Exam Time Slot Reporting Time (Approx.) User Notes
Shift 1 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM 7:30 AM Morning slot; arrive early for checks
Shift 2 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM 11:30 AM Lunch break; monitor for crowds
Shift 3 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM 3:30 PM Evening, potential fatigue factor

Section-wise CAT 2025 Exam Pattern

The CAT 2025 exam will be divided into 3 sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Each section has 40 minutes, making a total of 204 marks with 68 questions.

CAT 2025 Topic-wise Exam Pattern

CAT VARC Exam Pattern 2025

  • The CAT Exam Pattern of VARC 2025 is heavily dominated by Reading Comprehensions, with 16 questions out of 24, making it 66–67% weightage.
  • The remaining 8 VARC questions (33-34% weightage), include Para Jumbles, Para Summary, and Odd-Sentence-Out, mostly TITA type with no negative marking.
  • With 21 MCQs and only 2 TITA questions, with 3 marks for correct MCQs and -1 for incorrect answer.
Feature Details
Total Questions 24
Total Marks 72
Section Time 40 minutes
MCQs (approx.) 21
TITA (approx.) 2 (no negative marking)
Reading Comprehension ~16 questions (~66–67%)
Verbal Ability ~8 questions (~33–34%)

CAT DILR Exam Pattern 2025

  • The DILR Section in the CAT Exam pattern 2025 has 22 questions with a total of 66 marks in 40 minutes.
  • There will be around 12 MCQs carrying negative marking of -1 and around 10 TITA-type questions with no penalty.
  • This is structured in 3 sets of 4 questions each and 2 sets of 5 questions each.
Feature Details
Total Questions 22
Total Marks 66 (22 × 3 marks each)
Section Time 40 minutes
MCQs (approx.) 12 MCQs
TITA (approx.) 10 TITA questions (no negative marking)
Set Structure Usually in sets (e.g., 3 sets of 4 Qs and 2 sets of 5 Qs)

CAT Exam Pattern QA 2025

  • As per the CAT exam pattern in QA section, there will be 22 questions, making a total of 66 marks in 40 minutes fixed time limit.
  • There will be around 14 MCQs with -1 for incorrect answers and around 8 TITA with no negative marking.
Feature Details
Total Questions 22
Total Marks 66 (22 × 3 marks each)
Section Time 40 minutes
MCQs (approx.) ~14 MCQs
TITA (approx.) ~8 TITA questions (no negative marking)


Also Read

Ques. How can I improve my performance in the QA section?

Ans. Improving your performance in the Quantitative Ability (QA) section of the CAT exam requires a strategic approach and building a strong foundation by practicing the questions daily while managing the time efficiently.

  • Understand the QA syllabus thoroughly: Arithmetic, Algebra, Number Systems, Geometry, and Modern Math.
  • Focus on high-weightage topics, Arithmetic (Time & Work, Percentages, Profit & Loss), Algebra (Linear & Quadratic Equations), and Geometry basics.
  • You should solve a variety of problems daily from each topic and take timed mock tests to simulate the exam conditions.

Ques. What is the order of sections in the CAT exam?

Ans. In the CAT 2025 exam the fixed order of sections will be as follows:

  • Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
  • Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
  • Quantitative Ability (QA)

There each section will be an allotted time of 40 minutes, and candidates will not be allowed to switch between the sections during the CAT 2025.

Ques. What are the marks of the CAT exam section-wise?

Ans. The CAT 2025 exam is expected to have a total of 68 questions and a maximum score of 204 marks, where 3 marks will be awarded for each correct answer, -1 for each incorrect MCQ, and TITA questions will have no negative marking.

So, the CAT 2025 section-wise marks distribution will be:

  • The VARC will have a total of 24 questions with 72 total marks.
  • DILR and QA will have 22 questions each, making a total of 66 marks for each section.

Ques. Is 70 a good score in CAT?

Ans. A score of 70 marks in the CAT exam is considered above average, which translates to a 95th percentile, while top IIMs will require even higher marks, but the other esteemed institutes like IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, SPJIMR, and MDI Gurgaon are expected to accept candidates with scores around 70.

Ques. Which is the easiest section in CAT?

Ans. As per the CAT 2024 exam, the Quantitative Ability (QA) section was considered as the easiest among the 3 sections.

  • In CAT 2024 slot 1, the QA section was considered the most easy, with many candidates attempting 14–15 questions comfortably.
  • In Slots 2 and 3, QA was the easiest among all three slots, with questions being simpler compared to previous years.
Section Difficulty Level (CAT 2024)
VARC Moderate
DILR Moderate to Tough
QA Easy

Ques. How many questions to attempt in CAT in each section?

Ans. To score 99 percentile in the CAT exam, it is recommended from previous years' exams and experts that you attempt around 50–55 questions correctly out of the total 68, with an accuracy rate of 85% to 90%. And approximately 15–17 correct answers per section.

CAT Total Marks 2025

The total exam marks in CAT 2025 carry 204 marks across 68 questions, maintaining the same marking scheme as 2024.

  • The VARC will have 24 questions with a total marks of 72, which is 35% of the total marks in CAT 2025
  • Both DILR and QA have 22 questions making a total of 66 marks each and around 32% weighatge each of the CAT 2025.
Section Number of Questions Marks per Section
VARC 24 72 (24 × 3)
DILR 22 66 (22 × 3)
QA 22 66 (22 × 3)
Total 68 204

CAT Marking Scheme 2025

  • As per the CAT Marking Scheme, +3 for correct answers; –1 for wrong MCQs; no negative marking for TITA or skipped questions.
  • Total Marks of CAT 2025 are, 204 (higher than 198 in CAT 2024).
  • TITA-type questions have an advantage, as there will be no negative marking with around 20–25 TITA Qs (~30–35%) are risk-free, especially in QA which is around ~35%.
Detail Description
Total Marks 204 (68 questions × 3 marks each)
Marks for Correct Answer +3 for both MCQs and TITA (Type-In-The-Answer)
Negative Marking –1 for each incorrect MCQ; no negative marking for TITA or skipped questions
Penalty for Unattempted Questions None — zero penalty for skipping any question
Purpose of Negative Marking To discourage random guessing and reward accuracy under pressure

CAT Marking Scheme 2025 Section-wise

  • VARC (24 questions with 72 marks) each MCQ carries 3 marks for correct answer, -1 for incorrect answer, while TITA has no penalty for incorrect answer.
  • DILR (22 questions with 66 marks) has around 12 MCQs, with +3 for correct answer and -1 for incorrect answer, but around 10 TITA will have no negative marking.
  • QA (22 questions with 66 marks) will have 14 MCQs with 3 marks for each correct answer and -1 for each wrong answer, while around 8 TITA with no negative marking.
Section Total Qs MCQs (marking scheme) TITA (marking scheme) Total Marks
VARC 24 ~20 MCQs+3/–1 ~4 TITA (no penalty) 72
DILR 22 ~12 MCQs+3/–1 ~10 TITA (no penalty) 66
QA 22 ~14 MCQs+3/–1 ~8 TITA (no penalty) 66
Total 68 ~46 MCQs ~22 TITA 204

CAT Exam Time Duration

The total CAT exam duration is 120 minutes for general candidates and 160 for PwD candidates.

  • There is a fixed Time limit for each sections: VARC, DILR, and QA, exactly 40 minutes are allotted for general category.
  • For PwD candidates extra time is allotted i.e, 53 minutes and 20 seconds, maintaining proportional extension across all sections.
CAT Exam Sections No. of Questions Time Limit Time Limit for PwD Students
Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) 24 40 minutes 53 minutes and 20 seconds
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) 22 40 minutes 53 minutes and 20 seconds
Quantitative Aptitude (QA) 22 40 minutes 53 minutes and 20 seconds
Total 68 120 minutes 160 minutes
CAT Exam Pattern Comparison (2025 vs 2024)

The CAT Exam Pattern 2025 is almost the same as 2024, with just a few changes in DILR and QA.

  • The VARC stays the same with 24 questions and mostly MCQs.
  • The DILR section will have 2 additional questions, making a total of 22 questions with 3 sets of 4 questions and 2 sets of 5 questions, making it a bit more diverse and tricky.
  • The QA Section will also have 22 questions, with a slight rise in the TITA-type questions from around 6 to 8. This shift pushes you ti focus more on concepts and calculations.
  • Overall, CAT 2025 is expected to bring in more TITA-type questions, to make the CAT exam risk-free attempts, and to score well in the exam.
Section CAT 2024 Qs CAT 2025 Qs (Expected) MCQs (approx.) TITA (approx.) Notable Change
VARC 24 24 20 4 No change
DILR 20 22 12 10 New set format: 3×4 Qs + 2×5 Qs
QA 22 22 14 8 Increase in TITA share

Ques. How many CAT attempts are allowed?

Ans. There is no limit to the number of attempts for the CAT exam; you are free to appear for the CAT as many times as you want, provided you meet the eligibility criteria each year.

Ques. Is CAT online or offline?

Ans. The CAT is a computer-based test (CBT), conducted online at the designated exam centers across India. You must visit your assigned exam center on the day of the CAT exam, where they will use a computer to answer the questions.

Ques. Is CAT exam full mcq?

Ans. No, the CAT exam is not fully MCQ-based; the CAT exam includes both Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) and Type-in-the-Answer (TITA) questions. The sections will have,

  • VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension): 24 questions, with expected 22 MCQs and 2 TITA-type questions.
  • DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning): 22 questions, including 12 MCQs and 10 TITA-type questions.
  • QA (Quantitative Ability): 22 questions divided into 14 MCQs and 8 TITA-type questions.

CAT Exam Question Paper

The CAT Previous years question papers will help the candidate in identifying the trends and high-weightage topics, and it will guide them throughout the CAT preparation process.

The candidates can download CAT question papers (2024–2020) in PDF format.

CAT Question Paper Download Pdf
CAT 2024 Question Paper Download Pdf
CAT 2023 Question Paper Download Pdf
CAT 2022 Question Paper Download Pdf
CAT 2021 Question Papers Download Pdf
CAT 2020 Question Paper Download Pdf

Also Read

CAT VARC Topics Weightage 2025

  • In CAT VARC 2025, RC has the highest weightage of around 66–67% with 16 out of 24 questions, making it most important section for high scores.
  • The Verbal Ability section contributes 33% with the remaining 8 questions.
  • The Para Jumbles (3 questions, 12.5%), Para Summary (3 questions, 12.5%), and Odd Sentence Out (2 questions, 8%).
Topic Approx. Questions Approx.Weightage Question Type
Reading Comprehension (RC) 16 66–67% MCQ (passage-based: inference, tone, etc.)
Para Jumbles (VA) 3 12.5% TITA (sequence arrangement)
Para Summary (VA) 3 12.5% MCQ (best summary)
Odd Sentence Out (VA) 2 8% TITA (misfit identification)
Total 24 100% —

CAT DILR Topics Weightage 2025

  • The question from Logical Resoning (easier) will have around 6 questions contributing 27.3%.
  • The Logical Reasoning (moderate to difficult) have about 6 questions (~27.3%), involving medium to tough puzzles, testing deeper reasoning and analytical skills.
  • The easier Data Interpretation has 5 questions (~22.7%), straightforward sets requiring quick calculations and interpretation.
  • Data Interpretation (moderate) contributes 5 questions (~22.7%), complex DI caselets demanding careful analysis, multiple-step reasoning, and calculation accuracy.
Topic Approx. Questions Approx.Weightage Note
Logical Reasoning (easier) 6 27.3% Easier LR questions
Logical Reasoning (moderate to difficult) 6 27.3% Medium to tough LR puzzles
Data Interpretation (easier) 5 22.7% Straightforward DI sets
Data Interpretation (moderate) 5 22.7% More complex DI caselets
Total 22 100% —

CAT QA Topics Weightage 2025

  • The Airthmetic section will have 8–10 questions with 36.3% weighatge, the highest weighted topic by focusing on percentages, ratios, time-speed-distance, and averages.
  • The Algebra will have around 31.8% weightage with 5-7 questions by covering equations, inequalities, and sequences.
  • Geometry will contribute 1-3 questions from triangles, circles, and mensuration
  • Modern Math will have around 18.1% weighateg with 2-4 questions from probability, permutations & combinations.
Topic Approx. Questions Weightage Note
Arithmetic 8–10 ~36.3% High-frequency, fundamental arithmetic topics
Algebra 5–7 ~31.8% Strong presence of equations & inequalities
Geometry 1–3 ~12.6% Occasional geometry/mensuration questions
Modern Math 2–4 ~18.1% Covers probability, permutations, sets, etc.
Total 22 100% —
CAT Topic wise weightage


Also Read

CAT Exam Pattern 2025 FAQs

Ques. How many questions are there in CAT 2025?

Ans. There are a total of 68 questions in CAT 2025, divided into 3 sections: 24 questions from VARC, 22 from DILR, and 22 from QA.

The number of questions has been increased from 66 in CAT 2024 to 68 in CAT 2025, with 2 additional questions in DILR.

Ques. What is the marking scheme for CAT 2025?

Ans. The marking Scheme for CAT 2025 is designed to assess your accuracy and penalize incorrect answers.

  • For each Correct answer, +3 marks will be awarded, whether it is an MCQ or a TITA question.
  • For each incorrect answer, -1 mark will be deducted only for MCQs; there is no penalty for incorrect TITA answer.
  • For unanswered questions, there is no penalty.

Ques. Does CAT have negative marking?

Ans. Yes CAT exam has negative marking, but only for MCQs, i.e, -1 for each wrong answer. The TITA type has no penalty for an incorrect answer.

Ques. Which section of CAT carries the most weightage?

Ans. In CAT 2025, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) will have the most weightage with 24 questions and 72 marks, compared to the Quantitative Aptitude (QA) and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) sections, which both have 22 questions and 66 marks each.

Ques. Is CAT full of maths?

Ans. In CAT exam, the QA is a fully maths- based section, whereas DILR has more Quantitative logic, not pure math, and VARC section is language-based only, which has no maths.

CAT is divided into three sections:

  • VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension) – 24 questions
  • DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning) – 22 questions
  • QA (Quantitative Ability) – 22 questions

QA (The Math Core) - This section is fully math-based, having 22 questions.

  • Topics breakdown (CAT 2025 trends):
    • Arithmetic ~8–9 questions
    • Algebra ~5–6 questions
    • Geometry & Mensuration ~3 questions
    • Numbers/Modern Math ~3–4 questions
  • Combined, Arithmetic + Algebra account for about 65% of QA

“So, QA is heavy on math fundamentals—especially arithmetic and algebra.”

DILR (A Mix of Quantitative & Logical Reasoning) - This section has 22 questions including data interpretation (charts, tables) and logical puzzles. The major topics are graphs, seating arrangements, puzzles, and data sufficiency.

“While not strictly math, many DILR sets require numeric calculations and quantitative data crunching.”

VARC (Minimal Math) - The VARC section has 24 questions focused entirely on language: RC passages, para summarization, grammar

“No maths here—this section tests reading/comprehension and verbal analysis only.”

Ques. Is a CAT very tough?

Ans.Yes, the CAT exam can be considered a very tough exam for MBA aspirants across India, with the sections, especially QA and DILR, in some years which were very difficult.

CAT is consistently rated as moderate to difficult, with noticeable changes in the difficulty level across years:

  • In 2024, the overall difficulty level of CAT exam was considered Moderate
  • In 2023 the CAT exam was difficult with the toughest QA and DILR sesctions.
  • In the years 2020–2022 the CAT exam had a content difficulty level of Moderate–Difficult

“As per experts like Arun Sharma, the CAT 2023 had the toughest Quant section in the past five years, with DI‑LR also harder than usual, though VARC was on the easier side.”

Ques. Is the sectional order fixed?

Ans. Yes, the sectional order of CAT 2025 exam will be fixed, VARC → DILR → QA. The candidates will have no option to switch or revisit sections while taking the CAT exam.

This fixed sectional flow was fixed in 2021.

  • VARC (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension) – 40 minutes
  • DILR (Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning) – 40 minutes
  • QA (Quantitative Aptitude) – 40 minutes

Once your 40 minutes for a section are over, the system will automatically move to the next section, and the candidate will not be able to return to the previous section.

Ques. Is the exam adaptive?

Ans. No, the CAT exam is a non-adaptive test. The questions asked in the CAT exam do not depend on the question previously answered. Each question in the CAT exam is independent.

Ques. How many questions will be there on TITA in CAT exam?

Ans. In CAT 2025, the TITA questions are estimated to be 12–20 questions across the paper. Section-wise breakdown typically:

  • VARC: ~5 TITA
  • DILR: ~5–8 TITA
  • QA: ~7–8 TITA

Estimated Number of TITA Questions (Overall & by Section)

Year Total TITA Qs VARC DILR QA % of Total Qs
2025* (est.) 15–20 ~3–5 ~6–8 ~7–8 ~22–29%
2024 ~14 2 ~5–6 ~7–8 ~21%
2023 ~17 5 5 7 ~16%
2022 ~17 3 6 8 ~17%
2021 ~12 5 5 8 ~18%

Syllabus

The CAT 2025 Syllabus is not based on a particular curriculum. The CAT syllabus has been designed to test the candidates’ aptitude across 3 sections: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).

The CAT 2025 exam will have 3 sections with a total of 68 questions to be completed within 120 minutes (2 hours) in a computer-based format, with each section holding nearly equal weightage (around 33% each) with a 40-minute time limit per section.

Direct Link to download the CAT Syllabus 2025 PDF

Over the last 5 years, Arithmetic and Algebra have contributed to 45–50% of QA questions, while Reading Comprehension forms about 70% of the VARC section.

Also Check CAT 2025 Question Paper

CAT Syllabus
 

Key Summary​

  • The CAT Syllabus PDF includes 3 sections: VARC, DILR, and QA.
  • VARC includes topics like Grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction, para jumbles, passages, word usage, and fill-in-the-blanks.
  • DILR includes important topics like Caselets, Puzzles, Arrangements, Binary Logic, Blood Relation, and Sets.
  • Important topics for the CAT QA syllabus PDF include Arithmetic, Algebra, and Modern Mathematics.
  • A total of 68 questions will be asked from the CAT syllabus PDF, with 24 from VARC, 22 each from DILR and QA.
  • Last year, VARC was moderately difficult but high-scoring (~85% accuracy), DILR was the most difficult, and QA was the highest-scoring section, with ~90% accuracy. 

CAT 2025 Preparation Strategies by Sudhanshu Sir 

What is the CAT Syllabus?

The CAT Syllabus refers to the list of topics and subjects from which questions are asked in the CAT exam. The CAT syllabus is broadly divided into 3 sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA).

  • Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC): This section will have 24 questions, focusing on Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, Sentence Completion, and Critical Reasoning.
  • Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR): 22 questions, including data caselets, charts, graphs, puzzles, and logical arrangements.
  • Quantitative Ability (QA): 22 questions, covering Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Number System, and Modern Math.

Overview of the CAT Exam Pattern

  • It is a computer-based test of 3 hours.
  • The question paper consists of 100 questions
  • These 100 questions are divided into 3 sections:
  • Every section is allocated with a time of 1 hour each.
  • The switching of sections is not allowed. But switching of questions within a section is allowed.
  • Each section consists of TITA (Type in the answer) questions and MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions).
  • No negative marking for TITA questions but -1 negative marking for each wrong answer in MCQs.

The 3 sections in CAT Syllabus 2025 are:

  • Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
  • Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
  • Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

CAT 2025 VARC Syllabus

In the CAT exam VARC section is dominated by Reading Comprehension (RC) by around 66.67% with 16 questions.

  • This section covers argumentative, analytical, descriptive, and narrative topics, emphasizing reading speed, comprehension, and critical thinking.
  • Verbal Ability (VA) has around 33.33% with 8 questions from para jumbles, summaries, odd sentences, insertion, and sentence completion.
Section Topics / Question Types Approx. No. of Questions Weightage (%)
Reading Comprehension (RC) Long and short passages, Argumentative, analytical, descriptive, and narrative passages ~16 ~66.67%
Verbal Ability (VA) Para Jumbles, Para Summary, Odd Sentence Out, Para Insertion, Sentence Completion ~8 ~33.33%

CAT 2025 QA Syllabus

In the Quantitative Ability (QA) section of CAT 2025, Arithmetic has the highest weightage of around 40% with 8-10 questions from percentages, profit & loss, ratios, TSD, and time & work, making it the most crucial area for preparation.

  • The Algebra has the weightage of 30% with 6-8 questions from Linear & Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Functions, Progressions, Logarithms.
  • The Geometry & Mensuration holds around 20% with 4-6 questions covering Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles, Polygons, Coordinate Geometry, and Mensuration (2D & 3D).
  • The Number System and Modern Mathematics weight around 10% covering questions from 2-3 questions from Divisibility, HCF & LCM, and Permutation & Combination.
Topic Key Sub-topics Approx. Number of Questions Weightage (%)
Arithmetic Percentages, Profit & Loss, Averages, Ratio & Proportion, Mixtures & Alligations, Time-Speed-Distance (TSD), Time & Work 8–10 ~40%
Algebra Linear & Quadratic Equations, Inequalities, Functions, Progressions, Logarithms 6–8 ~30%
Geometry & Mensuration Lines, Angles, Triangles, Circles, Polygons, Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration (2D & 3D) 4–6 ~20%
Number System Divisibility, HCF & LCM, Remainders, Base Systems, Factors, Unit Digits 2–4 ~10%
Modern Mathematics Permutation & Combination, Probability, Set Theory 2–3 ~10%

CAT 2025 DILR Syllabus

The CAT 2025 DILR is divided into 2 sections Data Inerpretation with 50-55% weightage and Logical Reasoning with 45-50% weightage, with about 20-24 questions combined.

  • The DI part covers the topics like tables, graphs, caselets, pie charts, and Venn diagrams, where graph-based and caselet questions together make up nearly 40% of this section.
  • The LR section includes puzzles, seating arrangements, family trees, syllogisms, and set theory, with seating and puzzle-based questions forming around 60% of the total.
Section Topics / Question Types Approx. No. of Questions Weightage (%)
Data Interpretation (DI) Tables, Pie Charts, Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Caselets (mix of data + reasoning), Scatter Plots, Venn Diagrams 10–12 ~50–55% of DILR
Logical Reasoning (LR) Puzzles, Linear, Circular, Grid-based- Seating arrangements, Blood relations, Family tree problems, Syllogisms, Set theory, Order & Ranking, Logical Connectives 10–12 ~45–50% of DILR

CAT Syllabus 2025 Important Topics

The CAT syllabus is very vast. There can be questions on new topics or topics on which no questions have been asked for years. The syllabus has included every topic and so the MBA aspirants should be prepared with all of them.

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning Quantitative Aptitude
Fill in the blanks Blood Relations Geometry
Grammar Direction Sense Trigonometry
Para Completion and interference Puzzles Mensuration
Reading comprehension Data Arrangement Ratios and Proportion
Verbal Logic Seating Arrangement Number System
Para Jumbles Data Structures Work & Time
Verbal Reasoning Tables HCF & LCM
Syllogism Bars Algebra
Contextual Usage Series Profit & Loss
Analogies Coding-Decoding In-equations Quadratic and Linear equations
Different usage of the same words Clocks and Calendars Geometry Progression
Antonyms Family Tree Percentage
Sentence completion Venn Diagram Averages
Jumbled Paragraphs Syllogism Partnership (Accounts)
Foreign language words used in English Pie Charts Time, Speed and Distance
Sentence Correction Line Graph Surds and Indices
Idioms Proposition Inequalities
One word substitution Assumptions Logarithms
Statements
Binary Logic
Sets
Caselets
Data Sufficiency

CAT VARC Important Topics

  • A total of 34 questions are asked in this section. Among them, 24 questions are from Reading comprehension and 10 questions from Verbal Ability.
  • This section has a majority of TITA questions from verbal ability sub-section.
  • According to the exam paper of CAT 2025, there were 7 TITA questions in the verbal ability sub-section and 3 TITA questions in the reading comprehension sub-section
  • In verbal ability, the type of questions found is pare-jumbles, out of context sentence in a para, error correction in a para, vocabulary usage and sentence completion to analogies and critical reasoning.
  • The reading comprehension has questions based on passages. There are 3-4 long passages of around 900 words and 2-3 short passages of 600 words.
  • The passage questions are generally of 3 types: Fact-based questions, Inference-based questions, and Vocabulary-based questions.

Topics to prepare for CAT reading comprehension:

Current affairs This could include the current topics that create an impact on social life, International Affairs, Government policies, and Schemes
Business & Economic passages This can include topics like Global economic changes, economic development at the cost of environment, Impact of Demonetization in India, Wasteful expenditure by Governments
Passages from English Literature books This could include books from great philosophers, thinkers like Charles Dickens, Aristotle, Martin Luther King, Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi, etc.
Passages on Science and Culture This could include the journey to the modern world, fading cultures with the advancement of technology, etc.
Abstract topics and fiction books These are the topics where the candidate is asked to put themselves in the author’s shoes before answering.
Passages on Historical Events leading to social changes These could include events like the French Revolution, War of the Roses, Social changes in Indian History and thoughts shared by various activists which are very much relevant even today
Passages from Mythology These passages usually try to relate the Mythological events with the current social structure.

CAT Books to refer for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension

Books Author
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay (Arihant)
30 days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT Sharma and Upadhyay
PSC for VA for CAT Nishit Sharma
High School English Grammar& Composition Wren & Martin
Word Power Made Easy Normal Lewis

CAT Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) Important Topics

  • This section consists of a total of 32 questions with 16 questions in each sub-section.
  • According to the exam paper 2025, there were a total of 8 TITA questions in this section.
  • The data-interpretation sub-section consists of cases and tables. The data is given in the form of bar, graphs, column graphs, Venn diagrams, lines, and pie charts.
  • Logical Reasoning consists of topics like numbers & sequences, arrangements, syllogisms, logical sequences, blood relations, calenders, cubes, and clocks. And the questions are usually a combination of the other topics.

Books to refer for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning

Books Author
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT Nishit K. Sinha
CAT Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning Gautam Puri
A Modern Approach To Logical Reasoning R. S. Agarwal
How to prepare for Logical Reasoning for CAT Arun Sharma
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency Ananta Ashisha

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Important Topics

  • There are a total of 34 questions in this section.
  • According to the exam paper 2025, there were a total of 7 TITA questions in this section.
  • This section usually consists of topics of class Xth level.
  • This section deal with formulas and calculation.

Books to refer for Quantitative Aptitude

Books Author
NCERT Mathematics Books (Class 6 to 10) NCERT
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT Arun Sharma
Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT Sarvesh Sharma
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations Abhijit Guhu
Quantitative Aptitude for CAt Nishit Sharma

Apart from following the syllabus, it is very necessary to go through the pattern of previous question papers. As the CAT 2015 was similar to CAT 2024 and CAT 2023.

CAT Previous Year Exam Analysis

CAT QA section analysis

Arithmetic & modern maths dominates Quantitative Aptitude in CAT

There are a total of 34 questions from the aptitude section. Arithmetic holds the most weightage out of all of the topics. In fact, arithmetic ranks second after reading comprehension in terms of weightage in the CAT exam. Most of the questions in a quant section are from general topics like profit & loss, number system, geometry, etc.

- - Arithmetic Algebra Geometry Number System Modern Maths Total
CAT 2024 Slot 1 8 5 3 3 3 22
Slot 2 7 7 4 2 2 22
Slot 3 8 6 3 2 3 22
CAT 2023 Slot 1 8 6 2 4 2 22
Slot 2 6 8 3 3 2 22
Slot 3 8 6 3 2 3 22
CAT 2022 Slot 1 8 6 3 2 3 22
Slot 2 7 7 4 2 2 22
Slot 3 7 7 4 2 2 22

CAT 2018 was slightly difficult & more calculation based than in previous years. Topics covered in arithmetics are:

Profit & Loss Mixture & Alligations Average Pipes & Cistern Mean, Median & Mode
Ratios & Percentage Work & Time Compound Interest Calendar Time, Speed & Distance

There were a total of 12 TITA (Type in the answer) questions in both the CAT 2018 slots. Our recommendation would be to focus on geometry, algebra, modern math and most importantly arithmetic. These topics carry maximum weightage in the quantitative section.

There is no as such distinction between slot I and slot II in terms of questions asked. As per the graphs, it is evident that ‘arithmetic’ holds the most weightage, followed by ‘modern math’. Modern math consists of topics like

  • Logarithm
  • Progression
  • Set theory
  • Permutation and combination
  • Functions, etc.

CAT VARC section analysis: Para jumbles and Reading Comprehension

As per the last exam update, the reasoning section is clubbed with the DI section, whereas the verbal section was combined with reading comprehension to form a section now known as ‘VARC’.

Year and Slot RC Para Jumbles Para Completion Summary Odd Sentence Total
2024 Slot 1 16 0 3 3 2 24
2024 Slot 2 16 0 3 3 2 24
2024 Slot 3 16 0 3 3 2 24
2023 Slot 2 16 2 2 2 2 24
2023 Slot 2 16 2 2 2 2 24
2023 Slot 3 16 2 2 2 2 24
2022 Slot 1 16 3 3 2 0 24
2022 Slot 2 16 3 3 2 0 24
2022 Slot 3 16 3 3 2 0 24


Under the verbal ability sub-topic, questions from sentence correction, grammar, vocabulary, or fill in the blanks have not appeared in the last three years. So it’s not worthwhile to dedicate extensive time to these topics. Instead, questions from the para jumble topic have become an integral part of the VARC section. The difficulty of para jumbles has also been moderate in the past few years.

On the other hand, Reading Comprehension dominates the VARC section with a consistent 24 questions allocated to the topic. 5-6 passages are expected in CAT 2019 with a word count of 400-800 words. Candidates have to answer the questions based on the passage.

It is advisable to read as much as you can so that you are in a regular practice of reading. Reading around 3000 words and then answering questions on their basis demands some strict time management. Students who don’t have a daily reading habit often lag behind in this section.

CAT DILR section analysis

This particular section is also important in terms of scoring. The DILR section is expected to be tough, just like the previous year. So it is important for candidates to score big in this section.

The arrangement, Puzzles, and Reasoning based questions dominate DILR (h3)

Generally, the DILR section has 4 sets, each of Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation. But last year, there were 3 sets from DI and 4 from LR, while one set was a combination of both DI and LR. So from this particular section, expect surprises this year as well. This particular section has been the decider for the last three years and the level of difficulty is also on the rise.

- - Calculation Based Reasoning Based Puzzle Based Arrangement Based Total
CAT 2024 Slot 1 8 8 4 4 24
Slot 2 8 8 4 4 24
Slot 3 8 8 4 4 24
CAT 2023 Slot 1 8 5 4 5 22
Slot 2 8 5 4 5 22
Slot 3 8 5 5 4 22
CAT 2022 Slot 1 8 5 5 4 22
Slot 2 8 5 4 5 22
Slot 3 8 5 5 4 22

Download CAT Syllabus 2025 pdf

The DILR section is a combination of the sub-topics ‘Data Interpretation’ and ‘Logical Reasoning’. While the questions from the DI section are basically in the form of charts or other forms of representational data, the LR section on the hand caters to the practical life reasoning questions like puzzles, arrangement, distribution, Venn diagram, matrices, etc.

The DI section which has 3-4 sets can be further divided into ‘Reasoning Based Questions or ‘Calculation Based Questions’, which hold equal weightage. Questions from arrangement sets have been more prominent over recent years even though there is no dedicated weightage or topic preferences. So it is advisable to practice as much as you can, especially previous years’ CAT question paper.

Neither the CAT authorities nor the IIMs releases a definitive syllabus for the entrance exam. Anyhow, it is important to remain updated with the latest exam trends and high weightage topics.

  1. VARC: Read as much as you can. Practice previous years’ set of jumbled sentences.
  2. DILR: Practice for faster calculations. Expect at least one set from a combination of multiple disciplines.
  3. QA: Arithmetic and Modern maths should be the primary focus. Short-cut tricks will definitely be an added plus.

CAT Syllabus FAQs

Ques. Is CAT exam Syllabus Difficult?

Ans. The CAT exam syllabus is not difficult in terms of topics, as it primarily covers school-level concepts in Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and English. However, the difficulty lies in the unpredictable exam pattern, time pressure, and high competition. Sections like DILR are often considered the toughest due to complex logical sets. With smart preparation and a clear understanding of the CAT syllabus, even average students can crack the exam with 95+ percentile scores.

Ques. Where can I download the latest CAT syllabus PDF and subject-wise weightage?

You can download the latest CAT exam syllabus PDF with topic-wise weightage from trusted exam websites like Collegedunia, MBAUniverse, Testbook and Careers360. These websites provide detailed breakdowns of the CAT exam syllabus including VARC, DILR, and Quant sections. They also provide details like the expected number of questions, topic-wise weightage, and exam pattern. Most PDFs are free to download and are based on the latest CAT 2025 paper pattern, which includes 66 questions to be solved in 120 minutes.

Ques. Is CAT exam tough than IIT?

Ans. The CAT is a postgraduate aptitude test that focuses the speed, decision-making, logical reasoning, data interpretation, and English comprehension at the expense of basic academic concepts.

While IIT‑JEE (Main + Advanced) examines in-depth subject knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, which requires lengthy preparation periods of more than 2–3 years. It's well-known for high conceptual complexity and technical depth.

  • So, if you are excellent at quick thinking, numbers crunching, reading comprehension, and time management, CAT can be as challenging, especially because of its unpredictable and high-pressure format.
  • The candidates with more focus on academic concepts, especially in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, can find IIT -JEE exam challenging.

Ques. Can a PCB student prepare for CAT?

Ans. Yes, PCB students can prepare and take the CAT exam, as long as their graduation is complete with more or equal to 50%. Then, the students from a PCB background are fully eligible to register for the CAT exam. The CAT exam requires strategy, structured learning, and resolving weaknesses.

PCB students like Arpit Dua scored 99.9+ percentiles with structured routines of starting early, like 6-12 months ahead, with consistent preparation to boost confidence and skills, and proper coaching.

Ques. Is the CAT exam tougher?

Ans. Yes, the CAT exam is tougher than other exams, especially in the sections like DILR and QA during certain years.

Between 2024 and 2020, CAT's difficulty level varied from moderate in the years 2020, 2022, and 2024, but it was tougher in 2021 and 2023.

  • The VARC and QA sections were consistently the most moderate to difficult.
  • While DILR was the hardest section throughout the past years, especially in tougher years due to complex puzzles and high time pressure.

Ques. Is CAT harder than NEET?

Ans. Deciding whether CAT is harder than NEET totally depends on the candidate’s strengths and the nature of the exams, as both exams serve different purposes.

  • The CAT evaluates analytical reasoning, verbal ability, and quantitative skills for postgraduate management programs in colleges like IIMs.
  • The NEET checks the knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology for undergraduate medical admissions.

CAT can be more difficult for those who are weak in logic and strategy, whereas NEET can be more challenging for those struggling with memorization or science.

Each exam is tougher in its domain, to ace each exam requires a proper preparation strategy aligned with the exam’s demands.

Ques. How many marks for 99 percentile in CAT?

Ans. The 99 percentile in CAT can be achieved by scoring 95–105 raw marks, targeting approximately 34–38 marks in VARC, ≈ 30–34 marks IN DILR, and ≈ 31–35 marks in QA.

Cut-offs

The CAT 2025 results were officially declared on 24th December. Following the result announcement, the CAT 2025 cut off have been released by various IIMs. Institutes like IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, and others have published their respective cut off on their official website.

  • For the General category, the overall cutoff percentile for top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta is in the range of 95-100 percentiles.
  • While newer IIMs like Bodh Gaya, Sirmaur, and Amritsar have the cutoff of around 90-95.
  • The cutoffs for reserved categories (OBC, EWS, SC/ST) are the lowest in the range of 32-65 percentiles.
  • IIMs like Ahmedabad and Kozhikode require sectional cutoff in the range of 70-85 in each section (VARC, DILR, QA)
  • Other IIMs like Indore and Lucknow have higher sectional cutoffs of 80-85.

Based on recent result trend, a raw score of 88–97 converts to the 99+ percentile, which is considered excellent. A score between 72–85 marks, which is equal to 90–95 percentile, opens doors to good B-schools like MDI Gurgaon, IMI Delhi, and IITs.

IIM Kashipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Ranchi, and IIM Tiruchirappalli are jointly conducting JAP 2026 for admission to their MBA programs. IIM Raipur is serving as the coordinating institute for JAP 2026. They have also released the minimum eligibility criteria for JAP 2026 Registration Process. 

CAT Cut off for Joint Admission Process 2026 (JAP 2026)

CAT 2024 Category-wise Cutoff Percentile Lists

Here are the category wise cutoff PDFs for different CAT 2024 percentile ranges below. Each PDF provides a detailed breakdown of cutoffs across all categories (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, and PwD).

Title Download PDF Link
CAT 2024 Cutoff: 95+ Percentile Download PDF
CAT 2024 Cutoff: 85 - 95 Percentile Download PDF
CAT 2024 Cutoff: 75 - 85 Percentile Download PDF
CAT 2024 Cutoff: 65 - 75 Percentile Download PDF
CAT Cutoff 2025

Also Read

Key Summary

In this article, we have discussed the category-wise cutoff, CAT cutoff for IIMs, Top MBA colleges, and a detailed analysis of CAT Marks vs Percentile and Good score for CAT 2025.

  • The CAT 2025 cutoff will vary across categories and colleges.
  • As per the CAT 2025 result, with a score of 118-136, a 99+ percentile requires a raw score of around 118-136
  • The top IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta) continue to have a cutoff of 99+ percentile for General category candidates.
  • Reputable B-schools like IMI, IMT, and TAPMI, as well as Baby IIMs, require a mid-range cutoff percentile of 90-95
  • OBC/EWS candidates typically need to have cutoffs that are 10–15 percentiles lower.
  • SC/ST candidates may need cutoffs that range from 35–70 percentile, depending on the institute.

CAT Cutoff for IIMs 2025

  • The CAT cutoff 2025 has been released officially on the respective IIMs' websites.
  • Based on the current CAT 2025 results and previous years’ trends, the cut-off pattern remains consistent. For General category candidates, a percentile range of 95-99+ is considered safe.
  • The Tier-2 IIMs like Lucknow, Indore, and Kozhikode are expected to have the cutoffs ranging from 90–99.5, with most selections happening above 95 percentile.
  • The New IIMs like Amritsar, Nagpur, and Trichy are expected to have the cutoff range of 95+ percentile, reflecting an increase in competition.
  • To stay competitive, aspirants should aim for the 95+ percentile for newer IIMs and the 99+ for the Tier-1 IIMs.
Name of the IIMs CAT Cutoff 2025 Percentile (Safe Score)
IIM Ahmedabad 94–100
IIM Bangalore 94–100
IIM Calcutta 94–100
IIM Lucknow 91–99.5
IIM Indore 91–99.5
IIM Kozhikode 91–99.5
IIM Amritsar 95+
IIM Nagpur 95+
IIM Sambalpur 95+
IIM Trichy 95+
IIM Raipur 95+
IIM Ranchi 95+
IIM Kashipur 95+
CAT Cutoff 2025 for Top IIMs​

CAT 2025 category-wise Cutoff

The CAT cutoff 2025 differs across the categories and colleges. The CAT cutoff for IIM for the General Category is higher as compared to the other categories, with top IIMs like Rohtak having a 95th percentile, Indore and Lucknow have 90, and others like Trichy, Ranchi, and Udaipur (92) reflecting a strong competition. The Tier-2 IIMs like Shillong and Sambalpur have comparatively lower cutoffs of 75 and 74, respectively.

  • The CAT cutoff for IIM cutoff for SC candidates is lower compared to other categories, 70 percentile for IIM Ahmedabad to 35 percentile for IIM Sirmaur and Sambalpur, providing easier accessibility to reserved category candidates.
  • The CAT cut-off of IIM for the OBC category is likely to range from 63 to 80 percentile, with older IIMs such as Indore (80) and Ahmedabad (75) having higher scores, whereas the newer ones, such as Sambalpur (45) and Vizag (63), will have lenient cutoffs.
  • For the EWS category, cutoffs are typically near OBC, between 63 and 80 percentiles. IIM Ahmedabad and Nagpur have a cutoff of around 80, while others, like Vizag (63) and Sambalpur, have a low cutoff of 63 and 40, respectively.
  • For the ST category, cutoffs are the lowest, from 60 for IIM Ahmedabad and 25–30 percentiles at IIMs like Sambalpur, Bodh Gaya, Sirmaur, and Raipur, which can provide great opportunities for ST candidates.
IIM General NC-OBC EWS SC ST
IIM Ahmedabad 80 75 80 70 60
IIM Bangalore 85 70 70 60 55
IIM Calcutta 85 65 65 55 45
IIM Lucknow 90 77 77 55 50
IIM Indore 90 80 90 60 50
IIM Kozhikode 85 75 75 65 55
IIM Rohtak 95 78 90 55 30
IIM Amritsar 80 65 80 55 35
IIM Nagpur 90 76.5 80 60 40
IIM Raipur 92 74 70 54 25
IIM Udaipur 92 74 70 54 25
IIM Kashipur 92 74 70 54 32.5
IIM Trichy 92 74 70 54 25
IIM Ranchi 92 74 70 54 30
IIM Vizag 80 63 63 40 30
IIM Shillong 75 75 75 60 50
IIM Sambalpur 74 45 40 35 25
IIM Bodh Gaya 92 74 70 54 25
IIM Sirmaur 92 74 70 35 25
IIM Jammu (M/F) 90/87 72/70 68/65 52/50 37/34

CAT Sectional Cutoffs for Top IIMs (General Category)

In CAT 2025, IIMs like Lucknow and Indore have the highest sectional cutoffs of 85th percentile in each section and 90th overall.

  • The IIM Bangalore and Calcutta have the sectional cutoffs around 75–80 and overall 85 percentile, whereas the IIM Ahmedabad requires a much lenient sectional cutoff of 70 in each section with an overall cutoff of 80.
  • The Newer IIMs like Raipur, Udaipur, Trichy, and Ranchi have the sectional cutoff of around 70–73, but a high overall percentile of 91–94.
IIM VARC DILR QA Overall
Ahmedabad 70 70 70 80
Bangalore 80 75 75 85
Calcutta 75 75 80 85
Lucknow 85 85 85 90
Indore 80 80 80 90
Kozhikode 75 75 75 85
Amritsar 75 75 80 90
Nagpur 72 72 72 90+
Raipur ≥70 ≥70 ≥70 94
Udaipur ≥70 ≥70 ≥70 94
Kashipur 70 70 70 92
Trichy 73 73 73 94
Ranchi 73 73 73 94
Vizag 70 70 70 82
Jammu 72 72 72 91

CAT Cut Off for JAP 2026

Category Class 10 Class 12 Graduation VARC Scaled Percentile DILR Scaled Percentile QA Scaled Percentile Total Percentile
General 60 60 50 75 75 75 90
EWS 60 60 50 60 60 60 75
NC-OBC 60 60 50 60 60 60 75
SC 55 55 45 45 45 45 50
ST 55 55 45 25 25 25 30
PwD 45 45 45 25 25 25 30

CAT 2025 Marks vs Percentile

The CAT marks vs Percentile data of 2025 shows that the top percentile has slightly increased in 2025, indicating exam difficulty is tough, requiring 118-136 to secure a 99.9+ percentile.

  • Candidate with 99 percentile, scored 85-110 marks, slightly higher than previous years.
  • For 98 percentile, candidates scored in a score range of 79-85, showing consistent high performance to stay in the top percentiles.
  • 95 percentile: 64-66 marks, indicating that if candidates score above 65 ensures a strong percentile.
  • 90 percentile: 52-61 marks, suggesting that candidates with moderate accuracy has secured good ranks.
Percentile CAT 2025 (Actual) CAT 2024 CAT 2023 CAT 2022
99.9+ 118 - 136 100 - 110 101 - 112 109 - 118
99.0 85 - 110 92 - 101 94 - 103 101 - 108
98.0 79 - 85 80 - 89 82 - 90 88 - 95
95.0 64 - 66 69 - 75 70 - 76 75 - 81
90.0 52 - 61 58 - 65 59 - 66 63 - 69
85.0 45 - 49 50 - 56 51 - 57 54 - 60
80.0 39 - 44 43 - 49 44 - 50 46 - 52

CAT 2025 Marks vs Percentile
CAT College Predictor

Also Read

CAT Good score

In CAT 2025, a raw score between 102-120+ is considered an excellent score, which can place the candidate in the percentile range 99+, providing opportunity to get admission into Top IIMS like IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta.

A score range between 80-100 in CAT is considered a very good score, with the percentile range between 95–98. The candidate can get into Mid Tier IIMs like Shillong and IIM CAP.

And a score ranging between 72-84 can place the candidate in the 90-95th percentile and is considered a good score. With this score range, the candidate can get admission into Newer IIMS like Nagpur, Amritsar, Vishakhapatnam, and Sambalpur

Raw Score Range Likely Percentile What It Means Top Colleges You Can Expect Calls From
102-120+ 99+ Percentile Excellent Score IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore, FMS Delhi, MDI Gurgaon
80-100 marks 95-98 Percentile Very Good Score IIM Shillong, IIM CAP (Udaipur, Trichy, Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi, Bodhgaya, Jammu, Sirmaur), IIT Bombay (SJMSOM), IIT Delhi (DMS), NITIE Mumbai
72–84 90–95 Percentile Good Score Newer IIMs (Nagpur, Amritsar, Vishakhapatnam, Sambalpur), TAPMI, GIM Goa, FORE Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, K J Somaiya Mumbai

CAT Cutoff 2024 Score vs Percentile

CAT Score vs Percentile

The exact correlation between scores and percentiles varies yearly based on factors like difficulty levels and the number of candidates. Here is the Score vs Percentile for CAT 2024.

CAT Score Percentile
95-98 99.5
87-94 99
78-86 98
71-77 97
65-70 95
60-65 94
54-60 90
45-50 80
33-39 70
CAT Category-wise Cutoff

CAT Cutoff 2024 Category wise

Category Baby IIMs New IIMs Main IIMs IIM A,B,C
General 53 62 72 80
EWS 29 41 50 70
OBC 29 41 50 70
SC 23 35 39 53
SC 27 35 39 53
PwD 27 35 38 53
CAT Cutoff 2024 Category wise​

Note:

  • Baby IIMs: IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Jammu, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Tiruchirappalli etc
  • New IIMs: IIM Indore, IIM Shillong, IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, IIM Udaipur, IIM Kashipur, IIM Nagpur, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Amritsar etc
  • Main IIMs: IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode etc
  • IIM A, B, C: IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta
CAT Cutoff Percentile

CAT Cutoff Percentile

Category IIMs Percentile
General Baby IIMs 92%ile
New IIMs 96%ile
Main IIMs 98%ile
IIM A,B,C 99%ile
EWS Baby IIMs 70%ile
New IIMs 85%ile
Main IIMs 92%ile
IIM A,B,C 97%ile
OBC Baby IIMs 75%ile
New IIMs 85%ile
Main IIMs 92%ile
IIM A,B,C 97%ile
SC Baby IIMs 55%ile
New IIMs 75%ile
Main IIMs 85%ile
IIM A,B,C 92%ile
ST Baby IIMs 40%ile
New IIMs 75%ile
Main IIMs 85%ile
IIM A,B,C 92%ile
PwD Baby IIMs 40%ile
New IIMs 75%ile
Main IIMs 85%ile
IIM A,B,C 92%ile
CAT IIMs Cutoff

CAT Cutoff for IIMs

IIM Qualifying Percentile Final Cutoff
IIM Ahmedabad 90-95 99-100
IIM Bangalore 90-95 99-100
IIM Calcutta 90-95 99
IIM Lucknow 85-90 97-98
IIM Kozhikode 85-90 97-98
IIM Indore 85-90 97-98
IIM Shillong 80-85 90
IIM Rohtak 80-85 92-94
IIM Ranchi 80-85 94-95
IIM Raipur 75-80 94-95
IIM Trichy 75-80 94-95
IIM Udaipur 75-80 92-94
IIM Kashipur 75-80 94-95
IIM Nagpur 70-75 92-94
IIM Visakhapatnam 70-75 90-92
IIM Bodh Gaya 65-70 90-92
IIM Amritsar 65-70 92-94
IIM Sirmaur 65-70 90
IIM Jammu 65-70 90
CAT OBC Cutoff

Non IIMs CAT vs CMAT, XAT, GMAT, MAT, NMAT Exam wise Cut off

Find top Non IIM and private MBA colleges CAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT, and CMAT cut off percentiles, and GMAT scores here for 2024.

College CAT GMAT CMAT XAT MAT NMAT
XLRI Jamshedpur - 700+ - 99+ - -
MDI Gurgaon 95+ 690+ 85+ - - -
JBIMS Mumbai 98+ 700+ 80+ 95+ -
SPJIMR Mumbai 88+ 660+ 88+ 93+ 80+ -
NMIMS Mumbai - 680+ - - - 96+
Amity Business School 85+ 500+ 80+ 80+ 80+ 70+
IMI Delhi 88+ 660+ 85+ 90+ 80+ -
Great Lakes Institute of Management 87+ 665+ 82+ 81+ - -
MICA Ahmedabad 88+ 700+ 80+ 85+ -
IBS, Hyderabad 82+ 620+ - - - 70+
LPU 50+ - 78+ 75+ 70+ 90+
IMT Ghaziabad 90+ 675+ 84+ 83+ - -
GIM Goa 90+ 650+ 80+ 85+ 75+ -
TAPMI Manipal 90+ 700+ 85+ 85+ 80+ -
FORE Delhi 80+ 630+ 78+ 75+ 70+ -
BIMTECH 70+ 570+ 75+ 78+ 74+ -

Top MBA Colleges CAT Cut off, NIRF Ranking, Average Package

College NIRF Rank Avg Package(INR) Highest Package(INR) Tuition Fees (INR)
XLRI Jamshedpur 8 ₹29.89 lakhs ₹75 lakhs ₹25-30 lakhs
MDI Gurgaon 13 ₹25.5 lakhs ₹63.3 lakhs ₹20-25 lakhs
JBIMS Mumbai 19 ₹27 lakhs ₹97.12 lakhs ₹10-12 lakhs
SPJIMR Mumbai 21 ₹33 lakhs ₹81 lakhs ₹22-28 lakhs
NMIMS Mumbai 25 ₹26.62 lakhs ₹67.80 lakhs ₹12-15 lakhs
Amity Business School 28 ₹8 lakhs ₹15 lakhs ₹7-10 lakhs
IMI Delhi 30 ₹19 lakhs ₹38 lakhs ₹23-28 lakhs
Great Lakes Institute of Management 31 ₹15.3 lakhs ₹22.50 lakhs ₹16-22 lakhs
MICA Ahmedabad 32 ₹20 lakhs ₹36 lakhs ₹25-30 lakhs
IBS, Hyderabad 39 ₹9.71 lakhs ₹36.76 lakhs ₹15-18 lakhs
LPU 34 ₹11 lakhs ₹50 lakhs ₹12-16 lakhs
IMT Ghaziabad 35 ₹16.71 lakhs ₹70.95 lakhs ₹17-23 lakhs
GIM Goa 37 ₹15.6 lakhs ₹29 lakhs ₹20-25 lakhs
TAPMI Manipal 42 ₹13.84 lakhs ₹32 lakhs ₹15-20 lakhs
FORE Delhi 53 ₹16 lakhs ₹70 lakhs ₹20-25 lakhs
BIMTECH 64 ₹11.10 lakhs ₹24.43 lakhs ₹14-18 lakhs

CAT Cutoff for OBC

IIM Qualifying Percentile Final Cutoff (OBC)
IIM Ahmedabad 85-90 98-99
IIM Bangalore 85-90 98-99
IIM Calcutta 85-90 98
IIM Lucknow 80-85 95-97
IIM Kozhikode 80-85 95-97
IIM Indore 80-85 95-97
IIM Shillong 75-80 85-90
IIM Rohtak 75-80 90-92
IIM Ranchi 75-80 92-94
IIM Raipur 70-75 92-94
IIM Trichy 70-75 92-94
IIM Udaipur 70-75 90-92
IIM Kashipur 70-75 92-94
IIM Nagpur 65-70 92-94
IIM Visakhapatnam 65-70 90-92
IIM Bodh Gaya 60-65 90-92
IIM Amritsar 60-65 92-94
IIM Sirmaur 60-65 85-90
IIM Jammu 60-65 85-90

Top MBA Colleges CAT Cutoff for OBC

Top MBA College Qualifying Cutoff (OBC) Final Cutoff (OBC)
FMS, Delhi 98-99 99-100
IIFT Delhi 95-99 98-99
SPJIMR, Mumbai 95-99 98-99
IMT, Ghaziabad 95-97 97-98
JBIMS, Mumbai 95-96 96-97
MDI, Gurgaon 97-99 99-100
IMI, New Delhi 85-90 90-92
XIM, Bhubaneshwar 90-92 91-93
GIM Goa 80-85 85-90
K J Somaiya, Mumbai 85-86 86-88
TAPMI, Manipal 80-85 85-88
FORE, New Delhi 80-85 85-88
IFMR, Chennai 75-80 80-85
IRMA, Anand 75-80 80-85
MICA, Ahmedabad 75-80 80-85
LIBA, Chennai 65-70 70-75
XIME, Bangalore 65-70 70-75
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai 85-90 90-92
BIM, Trichy 85-90 90-92
Alliance University, Bangalore 75-80 80-85
LBSIM, Delhi 80-85 85-88
IMT Hyderabad 80-85 85-88
Welingkar, Mumbai 85-90 90-92
SCMHRD, Pune 90-92 92-94

CAT Cutoff for Arts Students (General Category)

IIM CAT 2023 Cutoff (Percentile) Remarks
IIM Ahmedabad 99.5+ IIM Ahmedabad has one of the highest cutoffs. Arts students would need a 99.5+ percentile to be competitive.
IIM Bangalore 99.5+ Similar to IIM Ahmedabad, the cutoff is high, around 99.5 percentile for general candidates, regardless of stream.
IIM Calcutta 99+ IIM Calcutta also maintains a high cutoff at around 99 percentile. Arts students must ensure strong academic performance.
IIM Lucknow 98.5-99 The cutoff is slightly lower than the top IIMs but still very competitive, typically around 98.5+ percentile.
IIM Kozhikode 98+ A competitive cutoff of 98 percentile for Arts students. Focus on strong personal interview and overall profile.
IIM Indore 98+ IIM Indore has a cutoff close to 98 percentile. A slightly lower cutoff compared to top 3 IIMs.
IIM Shillong 95-98 For IIM Shillong, Arts students can expect a 95-98 percentile cutoff. Still competitive, but relatively more accessible.
IIM Rohtak 95-97 IIM Rohtak has a more relaxed cutoff, typically 95-97 percentile, making it slightly more accessible for Arts students.
IIM Ranchi 95-97 Similar to IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi has a lower cutoff in the 95-97 percentile range for General category candidates.
IIM Udaipur 95-97 IIM Udaipur, being a newer IIM, generally has a 95-97 percentile cutoff for Arts students in the General category.
IIM Trichy 95-97 A more accessible cutoff for Arts students, around 95-97 percentile, though still competitive.
IIM Nagpur 90-95 Newer IIMs like IIM Nagpur have a lower cutoff, typically in the 90-95 percentile range, making it more accessible for Arts students.
IIM Kashipur 90-95 IIM Kashipur also has a 90-95 percentile cutoff, one of the more accessible options for Arts students.
IIM Bodh Gaya 90-95 Similar to IIM Nagpur, IIM Bodh Gaya has a 90-95 percentile cutoff. A good choice for Arts students who may not meet the highest cutoffs.

There is no separate cutoff for Arts students in the CAT exam; the general cutoff criteria apply equally across all educational streams. Cutoffs vary based on the IIM's selection process and the overall candidate pool, with some IIMs considering diversity factors (like non-technical backgrounds) during final selection, though this doesn't directly affect the cutoff. Top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta require 99+ percentiles, making them highly competitive, so Arts students must prepare well across all CAT sections. A strong CAT score alone isn't enough for admission; factors like academic performance, work experience, extracurriculars, and the Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT) are also crucial. Newer IIMs like IIM Nagpur and IIM Kashipur have lower cutoffs (90-95 percentile), offering more opportunities for Arts students

People Also Ask

Ques. How is CAT Cut off determined?

Ans. CAT Cut off is determined after taking into account various factors like the number of candidates who registered and appeared for the exam, number of seats available, difficulty level of the exam, and past admission trends. Also, CAT percentile is calculated based on the score normalization process to ensure that all candidates are on the same level.

Ques. Is CAT Cut off different for all IIMs?

Ans. Yes, every IIM releases its own sectional and overall CAT cut offs. For newer IIMs, the cut off is usually in the range of 90-95 percentile. CAT Cut off for top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow is above 99 percentile.

Ques. How is CAT Cut off for IIMs different from IITs?

Ans. CAT Cut off for top IIMs is comparatively higher than IITs. However, the cut offs of top IITs are higher than most of the newer IIMs. CAT Cut off 2020 was 99 percentile for IIM Ahmedabad/ Calcutta/ Bangalore, 98 percentile for IIT Delhi, and between 90-95 percentile for the newer IIMs like IIM Trichy, Rohtak, Kashipur, Vizag. 

CAT 2019 Cut off

CAT Cut off 2019

IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cut off 2019

Category VARC DI & LR QA Overall CAT Percentile
General 70 70 70 80
NC-OBC cum Transgender 65 65 65 75
SC 60 60 60 70
ST 50 50 50 60
PWD (General, NC-OBC-cum-transgender, SC) 60 60 60 70
PWD (ST) 50 50 50 60

IIM Calcutta CAT Cut off 2019

IIM Calcutta CAT Cut off​
Category VARC DI & LR QA Overall CAT Percentile
General 80 80 75 85
NC-OBC cum Transgender 70 65 65 75
EWS 70 65 65 75
SC 65 60 60 70
ST 55 55 55 65
PWD (ST) 55 55 55 65

IIM Bangalore CAT Cut off 2019

IIM Bangalore CAT Cut off​
Category VARC DI & LR QA Overall CAT Percentile
General 80 75 75 85
NC-OBC cum Transgender 70 65 65 75
SC 65 60 60 70
ST 55 55 55 65
PWD  50 50 50 60

IIM Rohtak CAT Cut off 2019

Category VARC DI & LR QA Overall CAT Percentile
General 70 70 70 95
NC-OBC cum Transgender 60 60 60 78
SC 50 50 50 60
ST 30 30 30 40
DAP 30 30 30 40
CAT 2018 Cut off

CAT Cut Off 2018

IIM CAT Cut off Percentile
IIM Ahmedabad 95+
IIM Bangalore 90+
IIM Calcutta 95+
IIM Lucknow 90+
IIM Indore 90
IIM Kozhikode 95.5
IIM Rohtak 90+
IIM Trichy 96
IIM Udaipur 90

CAT Cut off 2017

IIM CAT Cut off Percentile (General) OBC SC
IIM Ahmedabad 100 100 99.82
IIM Bangalore 90.72 81.48 75.22
IIM Indore 90.05 80.05 50.19
IIM Kozhikode 95.12 80.19 65.03
IIM Rohtak 95 78 60.01
IIM Raipur 95 78 60.01
IIM Trichy 95 78.01 60.01
IIM Udaipur 95 78.03 64.14
IIM Nagpur 90.09 81.89 65.48
IIM Visakhapatnam 90.09 80.01 75.03

CAT Cut off 2016

IIM CAT Cut off Percentile (General)
IIM Ahmedabad 100
IIM Bangalore 92.48
IIM Indore 90.01
IIM Kozhikode 94.82
IIM Rohtak 96
IIM Trichy 96
IIM Udaipur 96
IIM Raipur 96
IIM Nagpur 90.08
IIM Visakhapatnam 90.02
B-School Categorization

CAT Cut off: B-School Categorization

Based on the trends of final CAT Cut off, IIMs and B-schools have been classified below:

Rating Level (Approx. CAT cut-off Percentiles for General) Institutes
A+ I (CAT Percentile 98.5+) IIM-A, IIM-B, IIM-C, IIM-K, IIM-I, IIM-L, FMS, MDI-PGPM, IIT- B, RGIIMS
II (CAT Percentile 96.5+) SPJIMR, IIT-D, NITIE-PGDIM, JBIMS, MDI-PGP HR/IM, IIM-RH, IIM-RN, IIM-RP, IIM-KS, IIM-UP, IIM-T
A III (CAT Percentile 94.5+) IIT-KH, IIT-KN, IIT-C, IIT-R, IISc-B, IIM-BG, IIM-N, IIM-V, IIM-Asr, IIM-Sam, IIM-Srm, MDI-M, IIM-A (ABM), IIM-L (ABM)
I (CAT Percentile 90+) MICA, IMT-G/N, IMI-D, FSM, IRMA, TAPMI, KJSIMSR, UBS-CHD, SPJAIN-D/S, BIM, NIRMA, PUMBA
B+ II (CAT Percentile 87+) WIMDR-M, LBSIM, LIBA, IMI-K/B, GLIM, BIMTECH-PGDM/IB, IBS-ICFAI, MFC-DU, IFMR, MIB-DU, MHROD-DU, IMT-H
III (CAT Percentile 85+) MISB, ISBM-P, AJKMCRC, IIMC (Mass Com Delhi), WIMDR-B, BIMTECH-Retail/Insurance, IIFM, MBE-DU

CAT Cut off 2023 for IITs

CAT 2023 scores are also accepted by 8 IITs to offer admission to MBA/ PGDM programmes. Every IIT releases its own qualifying CAT Cut off 2023 and admission criteria 2024-26. Tabulated below is the minimum CAT Cut off for IITs. 

IIT CAT Cut off for General CAT Cut off for SC/ST/PwD
IIT Kharagpur 90 percentile 75 percentile
IIT Madras 90 percentile -
IIT Bombay 90 percentile 60 percentile
IIT Delhi 90 percentile 60 percentile
IIT Kanpur 80 percentile 55 percentile
IIT Roorkee 90 percentile 70 percentile
IIT Dhanbad (ISM) 80 percentile 60 percentile
IIT Jodhpur 98 percentile (direct admission based on CAT percentile score) -

Check CAT 2023 Selection Process for IITs

CAT Cut off 2022 for IITs

IIT CAT Cut off for IITs
IIT Kharagpur 90 percentile
IIT Madras 90 percentile
IIT Bombay 90 percentile
IIT Delhi 90 percentile
IIT Kanpur 80 percentile
IIT Roorkee 90 percentile
IIT Dhanbad (ISM) 80 percentile
IIT Jodhpur 98 percentile

CAT Cut off 2021 for IITs

IIT CAT Cut off for IITs
IIT Kharagpur 90 percentile
IIT Madras 90 percentile
IIT Bombay 90 percentile
IIT Delhi 90 percentile
IIT Kanpur 85 percentile
IIT Roorkee 90 percentile
IIT Dhanbad (ISM) 80 percentile
IIT Jodhpur 98 percentile (direct admission based on CAT percentile score)

CAT Cut off 2020 for IITs

CAT Cut off 2020 for IITs​
IIT CAT cut off
IIT Delhi 98 percentile
IIT Bombay 98.5 percentile
IIT Kharagpur 90 percentile
IIT Roorkee 94.6 percentile
IIT Madras 96 percentile
IIT Kanpur 95 percentile
IIT-ISM Dhanbad 80 percentile
Top Non-IIM B-Schools

CAT Cut off for Top MBA Colleges Other than IIMs

Apart from the top leading IIMs of India, there are Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and other top MBA Colleges that accept CAT scores too. CAT percentile for some of the top non-iim CAT accepting MBA colleges at which you will be shortlisted for PI is provided in the table below.

Name of the Institute CAT Score Required
FMS Delhi CAT Cut off 99 Percentile
JBIMS CAT Cut off 95 Percentile
IMI Delhi CAT Cut off 90 Percentile
Welingkar Mumbai CAT Cut off 80 Percentile
IMT Nagpur CAT Cut off 85 Percentile
GIM Goa CAT Cut off 88 Percentile
Delhi School of Management CAT Cut off 85 Percentile
MDI Gurgaon CAT Cut off 94 Percentile
SP Jain CAT Cut off 85 Percentile
XIMB CAT Cut off 91 Percentile
IMT Ghaziabad CAT Cut off 90 Percentile
NITIE Mumbai CAT Cut off (now IIM Mumbai) 97 Percentile
TAPMI Manipal CAT Cut off 85 Percentile
Jaipuria Institute of Management CAT Cut off 50 Percentile
LIBA Chennai CAT Cut off 80 Percentile
IFMR Chennai CAT Cut off 80 Percentile
AIMS Bangalore CAT Cut off 60 Percentile

CAT Cut off 2025 will vary for each participating institute based on a number of factors. The major factors taken into consideration while determining CAT Cut off percentile are:

  • Difficulty level of CAT exam
  • Number of candidates who took the exam
  • Number of candidates who cleared the exam
  • Number of seats available at the respective institute
  • Previous Year Cut off trends
  • Number of candidates across different categories
CAT Cutoff FAQs

CAT Cutoff 2025 FAQs

Ques. Is 70 marks a good score in CAT?

Ans. Scoring 70 marks in CAT is generally considered a moderate score. As per the previous years' analysis, 70 marks can place the candidate in the percentile range of ~80–85 percentile (varies by difficulty and year)

This percentile range is not enough for top IIMs, but can be a decent score for newer IIMs like IIM Amritsar, Nagpur, etc, Tier-2 B-schools, and maybe some CAP IIMs.

Score Approx. Percentile Comment
70 marks ~80–85 percentile Moderate score — decent, but not ideal for top IIMs
90+ marks ~90–95 percentile Good — eligible for newer IIMs and Tier-1 non-IIMs

Ques. What is the lowest cut‑off for IIM?

Ans. The lowest Cutoff for IIMs of 90–92 percentile, generally seen at Newer IIMs or smaller campuses like IIM Sirmaur, Bodh Gaya, Nagpur, Shillong, Vizag, and Udaipur.

CAT 2025 Lowest IIM Cutoffs

  • The CAP IIMs (Common Admission Process) like Sirmaur, Bodh Gaya, Jammu, etc., will have the cutoff range of 90–92 percentile, the lowest among all IIMs.
  • Sectional cutoffs are typically around 70–75 percentile, even at lower cutoff IIMs.
  • These institutes provide a great opportunity for aspirants scoring below 95 percentile but having strong academic/work profiles.
IIM Overall Cutoff (Percentile) Sectional Cutoff (Approx.) Selection Process Remarks
IIM Sirmaur 90–92 70–75 Through CAP One of the lowest cutoffs among IIMs
IIM Bodh Gaya 90–92 70–75 Through CAP Prefers academic diversity
IIM Nagpur 90–92 70–75 Own Shortlist (Post-CAP) Profile-based calls also considered
IIM Shillong ~90 75–75–75 Separate Process GD/WAT and PI are important
IIM Vizag 92–94 75+ Through CAP Growing reputation among newer IIMs
IIM Udaipur 92–94 75+ Through CAP Strong industry connect & international tie-ups
IIM Jammu 90–92 70+ Through CAP Flexible with non-engineering backgrounds
IIM Amritsar 92–94 75+ Through CAP Emphasizes balanced profile

Ques. What percentile is 40 marks in CAT?

Ans. A score of 40 out of 204 in CAT can typically place a candidate in the 80–85 percentile range, which means that the candidate has scored better than 80–85% of test-takers.

This score can provide the opportunity to the candidate to get admission into newer IIMs or Tier‑2 MBA colleges—ideal if you're aiming for institutions like IIM Sirmaur, IIM Bodh Gaya, IMT Ghaziabad, or GIM Goa.

Raw Score Likely Percentile
~40 marks 80–85 percentile
45 marks ~90 percentile
55–60 marks ~95 percentile
80+ marks ~99 percentile

Ques. Can I get IIM with 92 percentile?

Ans. Yes, getting an IIM with 92 percentile is highly possible, by scoring 40–44 marks overall, balanced across sections, around 12 in VARC, ~14-16 in DILR, and ~13-16 in QA.

With 92 percentile the candidate can get admission into Newer IIMs & CAP group (Udaipur, Jammu, Nagpur, Sirmaur, Bodh Gaya, Visakhapatnam, Rohtak)

Top IIMS with 92 percentile in CAT

IIM Expected Cutoff (General) Chances with 92%ile Remarks
IIM Shillong 90–92 Possible One of the few top IIMs with 90+ cutoff
IIM Udaipur 92–94 Good chance Part of CAP; profile weightage matters
IIM Nagpur 90–92 Good chance Profile-based shortlisting + diverse academic intake
IIM Bodh Gaya 90–91 High chance CAP IIM with lower cutoff range
IIM Sirmaur 90–91 High chance Good conversion chances if profile matches
IIM Jammu 90–91 High chance Encourages freshers and diverse backgrounds
IIM Amritsar 91–93 Moderate to good chance Strong WAT/PI may help in final selection
IIM Vishakhapatnam 92–94 Good chance Profile and gender diversity factors considered

Ques. What is the cut off for CAT for IIM?

Ans. The minimum qualifying CAT Cut off percentile required to be eligible for IIM MBA admission process is released by each IIM separately. As of now, 14 IIMs have released their CAT Cut off criteria including IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Lucknow. The qualifying cut off for CAT for most of the IIMs is released much before the result declaration.

Ques. Can I get IIM with 95 percentile?

Ans. Yes, scoring 95 percentile can get you a call from the new IIMs like IIM Rohtak, IIM Amritsar, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Nagpur, IIM Bodh Gaya, etc. CAT Call Cut off is higher than 98 percentile for the top IIMs- IIM-K, IIM-L, IIM-I, IIM-A, IIM-B, IIM-C. 

Ques. What is CAT cut off for IIM Ahmedabad?

Ans. The minimum Cut off percentile for IIM Ahmedabad is expected to be the same as last year, i.e. 80. IIM Call Cut off is announced after the declaration of CAT results on the official website of the IIM.

Ques. What is the cut off for OBC in CAT?

Ans. CAT Cut off for OBC is released by the respective IIMs in their admission brochure. The qualifying CAT Cut off for OBC varies between 75-80 for the top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Lucknow. For other IIMs, the cut off for OBC in CAT is between 50-65 percentile.

Ques. What is CAT Cut off for IIM for ST?

Ans. Every IIM releases CAT Cut off category-wise on its official website in September/ October. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifying percentile are eligible to apply for admission to the institute. CAT Cut off 2023 for IIM for ST will be released soon on their official websites. Based on previous year trends, you can expect CAT Cut off for ST to be between 40-60 for the top IIMs.

Ques. What is JBIMS CAT Cut off 2025?

Ans. JBIMS is one of the top MBA colleges (Non-IIM) that accepts CAT score for admission to its full time MBA program. Based on previous year CAT Cut off for JBIMS, you can expect the 2023 cut off to be between 96-98 percentile. JBIMS CAT Cut off for 2021 was 96 percentile.

Ques. Other than CAT 2025 Cut off, what is the selection procedure for admission to IIMs and other participating B-Schools?

Ans. Generally, the IIMs and other participating B-Schools shortlist candidates for admission through a 2-3 stage selection process comprising of a round of Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI). The Institutes use these stages to assess and analyze the students’ creative writing skills, the pattern of logical thinking, and verbal communication skills. Different institutes place varying degrees of weightage on these compo

Results

The IIM Kozhikode has announced the CAT 2025 result on 24th December. The candidates can download their scorecard from the official website iimcat.ac.in by using their User ID and Password. The IIM Kozhikode has updated the CAT 2025 result window

Direct Link to Download CAT 2025 Result - (Out)
CAT Result 2025

source- iimcat.ac.in

The state-wise data of toppers has also been released along with the CAT 2025 result. This year, a total of 12 candidates have scored in perfect 100th percentile, while 26 candidates have scored in the 99.99th percentile. Additionally, another 26 candidates scored 99.98 percentiles.

CAT 2025 Result Latest News

Key Summary

  • The CAT 2025 result has been released along with state-wise topper data.
  • This year total of 12 candidates scored 100 percentiles.
  • The CAT 2025 scorecard contains section-wise scaled scores, overall scaled scores, and percentiles.
  • Percentiles determine shortlisting for IIMs and other MBA colleges.
  • Scorecards must be downloaded immediately as they cannot be reissued once the window closes.
  • Candidates shortlisted by IIMs are informed separately through email, not through the CAT portal.

What is the CAT Result?

The CAT Result is the official score report of the Common Admission Test (CAT), released for candidates who appeared in the exam to determine their eligibility for IIMs and other top B-schools in India. The scorecard contains candidates’ section-wise scores in VARC, DILR, and QA, the overall score, and the percentile, which reflects their ranking among all test-takers.

Candidates use the result to predict their chances in top MBA colleges in India and other B- B-schools. Since the last few years, the CAT results have been released by the last week of December. To check the result, candidates must log in using their registration ID and password and download the scorecard for future reference.

Understanding the CAT Result helps aspirants plan their next steps for MBA admissions and prepare for interviews or other selection processes. Read in detail- How Important is the CAT Score in the Selection Process for a B-school like IIM?

Source: iimcat.ac.in

“CAT results are valid for only one year; the CAT results 2025 are only valid for admissions for the academic year of 2026-28.”

How to Download CAT 2025 Scorecard: Step-by-Step Guide

You can download your scorecard by logging into the official website with your CAT User ID and Password.

CAT Result Login Problems and Errors

Issue Common Causes Data Insights Suggested Solution
Incorrect Credentials Wrong DoB format, typing errors, server overload 30-40% of candidates face temporary login errors Use the correct DoB format, try incognito/different browser, retry after some minutes
Forgotten Login Credentials Lost registration email, forgot password/DoB format 10-15% of candidates need credential recovery Use the “Forgot Password” option; retrieve ID from email or contact the CAT helpdesk
Section/Scorecard Not Visible Delayed slot normalisation, browser cache/cookies Common in multi-slot exams due to normalisation Clear cache, try another device/browser, wait 1-2 hours
Server/Technical Errors High portal traffic, server downtime or glitches Traffic spikes to 5-6 lakh simultaneous logins Retry during off-peak hours, switch browser/device, contact helpdesk if persistent

CAT Scorecard Discrepancy: Marks, Percentile, or Section Mismatch

Type Causes Impact Action
Marks Mismatch Normalization errors, technical glitches 1-2 marks can change percentile 2-3 pts Verify with the response sheet; contact helpdesk
Percentile Mismatch Slot normalization, calculation updates Common in 90-99 percentile range Recalculate; contact helpdesk if large
Section Score Mismatch Slot normalization, TITA vs MCQ errors Can affect section cutoffs Cross-check marks; report to helpdesk
General Discrepancy Server glitches, processing errors May impact cutoffs/shortlist Keep screenshot; report to CAT support

CAT 2025 Result Date Time - Latest Update

  • IIM Kozhikode has released the CAT 2025 Results on 24th December, 2025.
  • The CAT 2025 exam was held on November 30, 2025, and the results were declared on December 24, 2025, a gap of 24 days as compared to 25 days in 2024.
Dates Event
24 December 2025 (Released) Result Release Window

CAT Result Date: Past Years' Trend

CAT Year Exam Date Result Date Gap (Days)
2025 November 30, 2025 December 24, 2025 24 days
2024 November 24, 2024 December 19, 2024 25 days
2023 November 26, 2023 December 21, 2023 25 days
2022 November 27, 2022 December 21, 2022 24 days
2021 November 28, 2021 January 3, 2022 36 days
2020 November 29, 2020 January 2, 2021 34 days

CAT Result 2025: Top Percentile Breakdown

For 100 percentiles

Overall Total Count Gender Discipline State-wise Distribution
100 Percentile 12 Female - 2
Male - 10		 Engineering - 3
Non-Engineering - 9		 Uttar Pradesh - 1
Karnataka - 1
Maharashtra - 1
Delhi - 3
Haryana - 2
Gujarat - 2
Jharkhand - 1
Odisha - 1

For 99.99 Percentiles

Overall Total Count Gender Discipline State-wise Distribution
99.99 Percentile 26 Female - 4
Male - 22

Engineering - 12
Non-Engineering - 14

 Tamil Nadu - 2
Uttar Pradesh - 4
Maharashtra - 4
Gujarat - 1
Delhi - 1
Haryana - 5
Madhya Pradesh - 2
Chhattisgarh - 1
West Bengal - 2
Rajasthan - 3
Andhra Pradesh - 1

For 99.98 Percentiles

Overall Total Count Gender Discipline State-wise Distribution
99.98 Percentile 26 Female - 5
Male - 21		 Engineering - 8
Non-Engineering - 18		 Gujarat - 2
West Bengal - 3
Delhi - 4
Maharashtra - 2
Uttar Pradesh - 7
Rajasthan - 1
Chandigarh - 1
Madhya Pradesh - 2
Karnataka - 1
Odisha - 1
Haryana - 2

Source: CAT official Media Release PDF

CAT Result 2025 vs CAT Result 2024

CAT Result 2025:

CAT Result 2025

CAT Result 2024:

CAT Result 2024

CAT Results 2025: Previous Years Trends (2025-2018)

  • As per the previous years' trends, the CAT has a very low success rate of approximately 2% with a difficulty level of moderate to difficult.
  • For CAT 2025 as well, the trend remains unchanged with the same 2% success rate.
  • It is also because of high competition, with only a few thousand seats available in the top IIMs and B-schools, but lakhs of students taking the CAT every year.
Year Registered candidates Appeared students Difficulty Level Number of candidates who got 100% Approximate Success Rate
CAT 2025 2.95 Lakh 2.58 Lakh Difficult 12 2%
CAT 2024 3.29 Lakh 2.93 Lakh Moderate 14 2%
CAT 2023 3.23 Lakh 2.88 Lakh Difficult 14 2%
CAT 2022 2.5 Lakh 2.22 Lakh Moderate to difficult 11 2%
CAT 2021 2.29 Lakh 1.91 Lakh Moderate to difficult 9 2%
CAT 2020 2.27 Lakh 1.90 Lakh Moderate to difficult 9 2%
CAT 2019 2.44 Lakh 2.09 Lakh Moderate 10 2%
CAT 2018 2.40 Lakh 2.09 Lakh Moderate to difficult 11 2%

Ques. Can I challenge the CAT 2025 results?

Ans. No, the CAT 2025 results cannot be challenged or re-evaluated. The evaluation process is computer-based and automated, ensuring accuracy and consistency. Once the results are declared, they are final.

Ques. What if I forget my login credentials for results?

Ans. If you forget your login credentials for the CAT 2025 results, you can use the “Forgot User ID/Password” option on the official CAT login page. You will need to provide your registered email ID or mobile number to reset your password and regain access to your account.

CAT 2025 Score vs Percentile Analysis

The CAT Score vs Percentile data of 2025 shows that the top percentile has slightly increased in 2025, indicating exam difficulty is tough, requiring 118-136 to secure a 99.9+ percentile.

  • Candidate with 99 percentile, scored 85-110 marks, slightly higher than previous years.
  • For 98 percentile, candidates scored in a score range of 79-85, showing consistent high performance to stay in the top percentiles.
  • 95 percentile: 64-66 marks, indicating that if candidates score above 65 ensures a strong percentile.
  • 90 percentile: 52-61 marks, suggesting that candidates with moderate accuracy has secured good ranks.
Percentile CAT 2025 (Actual) CAT 2024 CAT 2023 CAT 2022
99.9+ 118 - 136 100 - 110 101 - 112 109 - 118
99.0 85 - 110 92 - 101 94 - 103 101 - 108
98.0 79 - 85 80 - 89 82 - 90 88 - 95
95.0 64 - 66 69 - 75 70 - 76 75 - 81
90.0 52 - 61 58 - 65 59 - 66 63 - 69
85.0 45 - 49 50 - 56 51 - 57 54 - 60
80.0 39 - 44 43 - 49 44 - 50 46 - 52

IIM Call Predictor 2025: Expected Shortlists Based on CAT Percentile

As you have already received your CAT result 2025, now you can check the IIM Call Predictors to assess your chances of receiving PI-WAT Shortlists from multiple IIMs.

IIM & Non-IIM Call Predictor

However, the CAT percentile is not the only criterion to shortlist; there are many factors affecting the IIM shortlist.

Before using a call predictor, candidates must note that the IIM shortlisting depends on:

  • CAT percentile (overall + sectional)
  • Academic profile (Class 10, 12, Graduation)
  • Academic diversity & gender diversity
  • Work experience
  • Category (GEN / EWS / OBC / SC / ST / PwD)

Also Check:

Category-Wise Expected IIM Call Percentiles (2025)

  • The category-wise IIM Call percentile shows that for the General category candidates typically need a high percentile of 95-99+ for top IIMs, while newer IIMs are more accessible with 85-90.
  • As per the reserved categories, EWS candidates require 90-95 for older IIMs and 75-85 for newer ones, whereas OBC candidates need 85-90 and 70-80, respectively.
  • SC and ST candidates have slightly lower cutoffs, 75-85 and 65-75 for top IIMs, 60-70 and 55-65 for newer IIMs
Category Top IIMs (A, B, C) Other & Baby IIMs
General (GEN) 95-99+ percentile 85-90 percentile
EWS 90-95 percentile 75-85 percentile
NC-OBC 85-90 percentile 70-80 percentile
SC 75-85 percentile 60-70 percentile
ST 65-75 percentile 55-65 percentile
PwD 60-70 percentile 50-60 percentile

Also Read:

CAT Helpdesk Contact for Result Errors

If you face any error regarding the CAT Results, these contacts are provided by the official CAT registration/administration guidance and past official guides, and remain the authoritative way to report issues, including result discrepancies:

Category Contact Type Details Availability / Notes
Technical / Result Errors Email cathelpdesk@iimcat.co.in For login issues, scorecard download problems, or incorrect result details
Phone / Toll-Free 1-800-210-0175 Mon-Sat, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, (have User ID, registration number ready)
Academic / Eligibility Queries Email cat2024_helpdesk@iimcal.ac.in For DOB, category, PwD status, and certificate-related queries
Phone 033-7121 1104 Mon-Fri, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Postal Address CAT 2024 Centre, Admissions Office, IIM Calcutta, Diamond Harbour Road, Joka, Kolkata - 700104 For sending documents or formal requests

Sources & References

This page is based on official CAT result notifications, scorecards, and normalization details released by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

Source: CAT official website (iimcat.ac.in) and IIM admission policy documents.

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