CAT Colleges With No Sectional Cutoff 2026: Overall Percentile Focus, Admission Process & Key Dates
From 50 (ST) to 85 (General), CAT Colleges With No Sectional Cutoff often prioritize overall percentile scores for admission to their MBA programs. CAT Colleges With No Sectional Cutoff are institutions where the emphasis is placed primarily on the overall CAT percentile, with sectional cutoffs being either absent or significantly less stringent, typically seeing overall percentiles for the 2025 admissions ranging from 50 to 85 for various categories. The 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
CAT 2026: Notification, Application & Exam Date Schedule
The following table outlines the key dates for the CAT 2025 examination cycle, serving as the latest schedule for 2026 admissions.
| Event | Date (2025, Latest — 2026 awaited) |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | July 28-30 |
| Application Start | August 1-2 |
| Application Close | September 13-20 |
| Correction Window | September 27-30 |
| Admit Card Release | November 5-12 |
| Exam Date | November 30 |
| Result Announcement | December 21-24 |
CAT 2025 Category-wise Overall Percentile Cutoff: General, OBC, SC, ST & EWS Closing Ranks
Below are the representative overall percentile cutoffs for various categories for admission to MBA programs in colleges that prioritize overall CAT scores, based on 2025 trends.
| Category | Overall CAT Percentile (2025, Latest — 2026 awaited) |
|---|---|
| General | 80-85 |
| NC-OBC | 70-75 |
| EWS | 75-80 |
| SC | 60-65 |
| ST | 50-55 |
CAT 2026 Counselling Schedule: Registration, Choice Filling & Seat Allotment Dates
The tentative counselling schedule for CAT 2026 admissions, based on the 2025 cycle, is provided below.
| Event | Date (2026, Latest — 2026 awaited) |
|---|---|
| Counselling Registration Start | January 15 |
| Web Options/Choice Filling | January 25 |
| Document Verification | February 5 |
| Seat Allotment Round 1 | February 15 |
| Reporting to Allotted Institute | February 25 |
| Classes Begin | July 1 |
FAQs
Q: When will the CAT 2026 cutoff be officially released?
A: The official CAT 2026 cutoffs are expected to be released by individual colleges and IIMs after the CAT 2025 results are declared in December 2025 or January 2026, as part of their admission policies for the 2026-28 batch.
Q: Do all MBA colleges have sectional cutoffs for CAT?
A: While many top IIMs and B-schools have strict sectional cutoffs, there are several CAT colleges that either have no explicit sectional cutoff or place significantly less emphasis on them, prioritizing the overall CAT percentile for admission.
Q: What is considered a good overall CAT percentile for colleges with no sectional cutoff?
A: For colleges that primarily focus on the overall CAT percentile and have flexible or no sectional cutoffs, an overall percentile in the range of 70-85 for the General category is often considered competitive for admission.
Q: How does the admission process work for CAT colleges with no sectional cutoff?
A: The admission process typically involves shortlisting candidates based on their overall CAT percentile, followed by Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. Academic profile and work experience are also considered.
Q: Are there any IIMs that do not have sectional cutoffs?
A: Most IIMs, especially the older and more established ones, do have sectional cutoffs, although the specific percentile requirements can vary. Newer or baby IIMs might have slightly lower or more flexible sectional cutoffs compared to the top-tier IIMs.
