CAT EWS Cutoff 2026: IIM Percentiles, Category-Wise Trends & Admission Process
CAT EWS Cutoff for IIM Ahmedabad’s 2026-28 PGP batch is set at a 95 overall percentile, a significant increase from the previous year’s 80 percentile, reflecting heightened competition. The Common Admission Test (CAT) EWS cutoff is the minimum percentile score required for candidates belonging to the Economically Weaker Section to qualify for admission to various Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other top B-schools. While IIM Bangalore’s qualifying EWS cutoff for 2025 was 75 overall percentile, actual call percentiles for top IIMs often range higher, with IIM Ahmedabad seeing EWS calls at 97.3 percentile in the 2025-27 batch. The 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
CAT EWS Cutoff 2026: Notification, Application & Exam Date Schedule
The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 schedule outlines key dates for notification, registration, and examination, with official cutoffs expected post-results.
| Event | Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | Last week of July 2026 |
| Application Start | August 1, 2026 |
| Application Close | September 20, 2026 |
| Correction Window | September 25-27, 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | First/Second week of November 2026 |
| Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
| Result Announcement | December 2026 |
IIM CAT 2025 Category-wise Cutoff: General, EWS, OBC, SC & ST Percentiles (Latest — 2026 awaited)
The 2025 CAT cutoffs for various IIMs demonstrate the minimum percentiles required across different categories for admission to the 2026-28 batch.
| IIM | Category | Overall Percentile (Qualifying) | VARC Sectional Percentile (Qualifying) | DILR Sectional Percentile (Qualifying) | QA Sectional Percentile (Qualifying) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | General | 95 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | EWS | 95 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | NC-OBC | 90 | — | — | — |
| IIM Ahmedabad | SC | 85 | — | — | — |
| IIM Ahmedabad | ST | 75 | — | — | — |
| IIM Bangalore | General | 85 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Bangalore | EWS | 75 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| IIM Bangalore | NC-OBC | 75 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| IIM Bangalore | SC | 70 | 65 | 60 | 60 |
| IIM Bangalore | ST | 65 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| IIM Lucknow | General | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Lucknow | EWS | 82 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| IIM Lucknow | NC-OBC | 82 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| IIM Lucknow | SC | 70 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| IIM Lucknow | ST | 60 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| IIM Indore (PGP) | General | 60.01 | — | — | — |
| IIM Indore (PGP) | EWS | 53.66 | — | — | — |
| IIM Indore (PGP) | NC-OBC | 51.5 | — | — | — |
| IIM Indore (PGP) | SC | 46.98 | — | — | — |
| IIM Indore (PGP) | ST | 40.95 | — | — | — |
IIM CAT Cutoff Trends: Closing Percentiles 2023 vs 2024 vs 2025 by Category
Analysis of CAT EWS cutoff trends reveals evolving percentile requirements across IIMs over recent years.
| IIM | Category | 2023 Percentile (Approx.) | 2024 Percentile (Approx.) | 2025 Percentile (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad (Actual Call) | General | 95+ | 90.98 | 99.7+ (for GEM with average academics) |
| IIM Ahmedabad (Actual Call) | EWS | 90+ | 97.3 | 97+ (for General Female with 90%+ academics) |
| IIM Bangalore (Actual Call) | General | 91 | 95.45 | 99+ |
| IIM Bangalore (Actual Call) | EWS | 86 | 91 | 95+ |
| IIM Kozhikode (Actual Call) | General | 91.03 | 97-98 | 97-99 |
| IIM Kozhikode (Actual Call) | EWS | 82.26 | 90-95 | 90-95 |
| New & Baby IIMs (Qualifying) | General | 90-95 | 90-95 | 90-95 |
| New & Baby IIMs (Qualifying) | EWS | 70-80 | 70-80 | 75-95 |
CAT EWS Cutoff 2026 Counselling Schedule: Registration, Choice Filling & Seat Allotment Dates
The CAT 2026 counselling process involves individual IIM shortlisting and interview rounds, with no centralized choice filling.
| Event | Date (Tentative) |
|---|---|
| IIM Shortlisting (WAT-PI Calls) | January – February 2027 |
| WAT/PI Rounds | January – February 2027 |
| Final Admission List Release | May 2027 |
| Classes Begin | June – July 2027 |
FAQs
Q? What is the CAT EWS cutoff?
A. The CAT EWS cutoff is the minimum percentile score required for candidates from the Economically Weaker Section to be eligible for the subsequent admission rounds, such as Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI), at various IIMs and other management institutes.
Q? What is the expected CAT EWS cutoff for 2026?
A. For 2026, the expected CAT EWS cutoff for top IIMs like Ahmedabad and Bangalore is around 95 percentile (qualifying), while for newer IIMs, it may range from 75-95 percentile. Actual call percentiles can be higher.
Q? When will the CAT 2026 cutoff be officially released?
A. The official CAT 2026 cutoffs will be released by individual IIMs after the CAT 2026 results are declared in December 2026 or January 2027, as part of their admission policies for the 2027-29 batch.
Q? Which IIMs accept lower EWS percentiles?
A. Generally, the newer and baby IIMs tend to have lower EWS cutoffs compared to the older, top-tier IIMs. Some IIMs may even offer calls at percentiles as low as 70-80 for EWS candidates, depending on the overall applicant pool and profile.
Q? Is there a sectional cutoff for EWS candidates in CAT?
A. Yes, most IIMs apply sectional cutoffs for all categories, including EWS. This means candidates must meet minimum percentile requirements in each of the three sections (VARC, DILR, and QA) in addition to the overall cutoff.
Q? How does the EWS cutoff compare to the General category cutoff for CAT?
A. The EWS cutoff is generally lower than the General category cutoff, offering a relaxation in percentile requirements. However, for some highly competitive IIMs, the actual call percentiles for EWS can sometimes be close to or even higher than the qualifying General cutoffs, depending on the candidate’s overall profile.
