CAT 2025 Results Declared: 12 Candidates Score Perfect 100 Percentile; Non-Engineers Dominate Top Ranks

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode on Tuesday declared the results of the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 on the official website, iimcat.ac.in. Candidates who appeared for the management entrance exam, conducted on November 30, can now download their scorecards by logging in with their registered credentials.

This year, 12 candidates achieved a perfect 100 percentile, marking a notable shift as non-engineering backgrounds dominated the top scorers. Of these toppers, nine are from non-engineering disciplines, while only three have engineering backgrounds. In terms of gender, 10 are male and two are female.

Toppers Breakdown:

• 100 Percentile (12 candidates): 10 male, 2 female; 3 engineers, 9 non-engineers.
  • State-wise: Delhi leads with 3, followed by Haryana and Gujarat (2 each), and one each from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
• 99.99 Percentile (26 candidates): 22 male, 4 female; 12 engineers, 14 non-engineers.
• 99.98 Percentile (26 candidates): 21 male, 5 female; 8 engineers, 18 non-engineers.

Delhi emerged as the top contributor with three 100 percentile scorers, followed by Haryana and Gujarat with two each. One topper each hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

Additionally, 26 candidates secured 99.99 percentile and another 26 scored 99.98 percentile, with non-engineers again outnumbering engineers in these brackets.

A total of 2.95 lakh candidates registered for CAT 2025, of which 2.58 lakh appeared for the exam across 339 test centres in 170 cities. Among those who appeared, around 97,000 were female, 1.61 lakh male, and nine transgender.

Announcing the results, Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director of IIM Kozhikode, described CAT 2025 as one of the smoothest examinations in recent years. “We are privileged to have served as the coordinating institute and extend gratitude to all stakeholders for the seamless conduct,” he said.

The exam scores have been normalised across three slots to ensure fairness, with the final answer key released on December 17 after reviewing objections.

How to Download CAT 2025 Scorecard

Candidates can access their results by following these steps:

1. Visit the official website: iimcat.ac.in
2. Click on the ‘Login’ or ‘Scorecard’ tab
3. Enter your CAT user ID and password
4. View and download the scorecard PDF

The scorecard includes section-wise scaled scores (Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability), overall scaled score, and percentiles. It remains valid until December 31, 2026.

Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director of IIM Kozhikode, hailed the exam as “one of the smoothest in recent years,” praising the seamless conduct amid normalised scoring across slots. The final answer key was released on December 17 after objection reviews.

Historical Trends: A Turning Point for Diversity

This year’s results stand in stark contrast to previous patterns, where engineers dominated the 100 percentile club:

• CAT 2024: 14 perfect scorers — 13 engineers, 1 non-engineer (mostly male).
• CAT 2023: 14 perfect scorers — 11 engineers, 3 non-engineers (all male).
• CAT 2022: 11 perfect scorers — 10 engineers, 1 non-engineer (all male).

Engineers consistently held 75-95% of top spots in recent years, reflecting their strong quantitative aptitude. However, CAT 2025’s surge in non-engineer toppers — particularly in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) — signals evolving preparation strategies, increased focus on holistic skills, and broader accessibility of coaching resources.

Experts attribute this shift to rising awareness among arts, commerce, and humanities students, coupled with exam patterns emphasising logical reasoning and reading over pure mathematics. “This is a positive indicator of inclusivity in management education,” noted an IIM faculty member.

With results out, the admission process for IIMs and over 90 non-IIM institutions will commence. Individual IIMs will soon release shortlists based on CAT scores, academic records, work experience, and diversity factors. Shortlisted candidates will undergo Written Ability Tests (WAT), Group Discussions (GD), and Personal Interviews (PI), expected between January and April 2026.

Experts advise candidates to retain printed copies of their scorecards for the admission process and monitor respective IIM websites for cut-offs and interview calls.

CAT continues to be the gateway to premier management programmes, attracting aspirants from diverse backgrounds. This year’s results highlight growing academic diversity at the top, with non-engineers leading the perfect scorers.

Expected CAT 2025 Call Cut-offs for Top IIMs (General Category)

Institute	Qualifying/Minimum Overall Percentile (Official)	Expected Call Percentile (for Interview Shortlist)
IIM Ahmedabad	95	99-100
IIM Bangalore	85	99+
IIM Calcutta	85	99+
IIM Lucknow	90	98+
IIM Indore	90	98+
IIM Kozhikode	85	97-98
IIM Shillong	~90	96+
Newer IIMs (e.g., Rohtak, Ranchi, Raipur)	92-94	94-97