CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks 2026: IIM Admission Percentiles, Eligibility & Trends
CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks for IIM Ahmedabad’s General category significantly tightened, increasing from an 80 percentile overall in 2024 to 95 percentile in 2025, reflecting a more competitive admission landscape. This CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks is the minimum percentile required in each of the three sections—VARC, DILR, and QA—along with an overall percentile, for candidates to be shortlisted for further admission rounds at various IIMs. Many top IIMs, including IIM Lucknow and IIM Indore, maintained consistent sectional cutoffs of 85 and 80 percentiles respectively for the General category across 2023-2025. The 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks 2026: Notification, Application & Exam Date Schedule
The following table outlines the key dates for the CAT 2025 examination, serving as the latest available schedule while the 2026 dates are awaited.
| Event | Date (2025) |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | July 28 |
| Application Start | August 1 |
| Application Close | September 13 |
| Correction Window | September 23 (Tentative) |
| Admit Card Release | November 5 |
| Exam Date | November 30 |
| Result Announcement | December 24 |
CAT 2025 Sectional & Overall Cutoffs: Top IIMs (General Category)
Below are the CAT 2025 sectional and overall cutoff percentiles for the General category at leading IIMs, representing the latest available data (2026 awaited).
| IIM | VARC Percentile | DILR Percentile | QA Percentile | Overall Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85 | 85 | 85 | 95 |
| IIM Bangalore | 75 | 75 | 75 | 85 (Qualifying) |
| IIM Calcutta | 80 | 80 | 75 | 85 (Qualifying) |
| IIM Lucknow (MBA) | 85 | 85 | 85 | 90 |
| IIM Indore | 80 | 80 | 80 | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 75 | 75 | 75 | 85 (Qualifying) |
CAT 2025 Category-wise Cutoff: IIM Indore Sectional & Overall Percentiles
The table below details the CAT 2025 sectional and overall cutoff percentiles for various categories at IIM Indore, reflecting the latest admission criteria (2026 awaited).
| Category | VARC Percentile | DILR Percentile | QA Percentile | Overall Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 80 | 80 | 80 | 90 |
| EWS | 80 | 80 | 80 | 90 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| SC | 55 | 55 | 55 | 60 |
| ST | 40 | 40 | 40 | 45 |
| PwD | 40 | 40 | 40 | 45 |
CAT Cutoff Trends: IIM Ahmedabad, Indore & Lucknow 2023 vs 2024 vs 2025
This section illustrates the year-on-year trends in CAT overall and sectional cutoffs for the General category at select IIMs.
| IIM | Cutoff Type | 2023 Percentile | 2024 Percentile | 2025 Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | Overall (General) | ~80 | 80 | 95 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | Sectional (General) | ~70 | 70 | 85 |
| IIM Indore | Overall (General) | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| IIM Indore | Sectional (General) | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| IIM Lucknow | Overall (General) | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| IIM Lucknow | Sectional (General) | 85 | 85 | 85 |
FAQs
Q? When will the CAT 2026 cutoff be released?
A. The official CAT 2026 cutoff will be released by individual IIMs and other B-schools after the CAT 2026 results are announced, which is expected in December 2026 or January 2027.
Q? Do all IIMs have the same CAT sectional cutoffs?
A. No, each IIM decides its own CAT sectional cutoffs, which can vary based on the program, category, number of applicants, and the difficulty level of the CAT paper. While some IIMs might have similar qualifying cutoffs, the actual percentiles for interview calls often differ significantly.
Q? Can I get into an IIM with a low sectional score but high overall CAT percentile?
A. It is highly unlikely to get into an IIM with a low sectional score, even with a high overall CAT percentile. IIMs emphasize balanced performance across all sections, and failing to meet the minimum sectional cutoff in any one area can lead to automatic elimination from the shortlisting process.
Q? What were the sectional cutoffs for IIM Ahmedabad General category in 2025?
A. For the General category in CAT 2025, IIM Ahmedabad required a sectional cutoff of 85 percentile in each of the three sections (VARC, DILR, QA), along with an overall percentile of 95.
Q? What is the difference between qualifying and final CAT cutoffs?
A. Qualifying CAT cutoffs are the minimum percentile scores required to be eligible for the next stages of the admission process, such as the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI). Final CAT cutoffs, however, are the much higher percentiles at which candidates actually receive interview calls and final admission offers, considering the overall applicant pool and selection criteria.
Q? Which IIMs have the highest sectional cutoffs?
A. IIM Lucknow and IIM Indore often have some of the highest sectional cutoffs among the older IIMs, typically requiring 80-85 percentile in each section for the General category.
What are CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks 2026?
CAT sectional cutoffs are minimum percentile scores that aspirants must achieve in each section of the exam. Many institutions, including some top IIMs, implement these to ensure candidates perform well across all areas.
When are CAT 2026 results and cutoffs expected to be announced?
CAT results are expected to be announced in December 2026. Following this, students will receive calls from various B-schools based on their CAT cut-off and profile.
Why are CAT sectional cutoffs important for MBA admissions?
CAT sectional cutoffs are equally important as the overall exam score, as many top institutes consider them. A high overall score won't help if candidates fail to clear the sectional cutoffs for these colleges.
What factors influence the CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks 2026?
The difficulty level of the paper is the biggest single driver for CAT cutoffs. The exact mapping of scores to percentiles shifts every year based on slot difficulty and normalisation.
How can students check the CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks 2026?
Students can check the CAT 2026 cutoff for IIMs and top MBA colleges. This includes expected percentile, category-wise, and sectional cutoffs, along with marks vs percentile trends.
What happens after meeting the CAT Sectional Cutoff Marks 2026?
Surpassing CAT cut-offs serves as the initial, critical benchmark that MBA aspirants must surpass to progress in their admission journey. Meeting these cutoffs helps candidates qualify for the next admission round, which may include WAT/GD/PI shortlisting.
