Lowest CAT Cutoff For IIM 2026: Category-Wise Percentiles, Admission Criteria & Selection Process
At 40 percentile, the lowest CAT cutoff for IIM was recorded for PwD candidates in the Common Admission Process (CAP) 2025 for admission to the 2026-28 batch. This lowest CAT cutoff for IIM is the minimum qualifying percentile required for candidates to be considered for the Personal Interview (PI) and Written Ability Test (WAT) rounds across various Indian Institutes of Management, with General category cutoffs typically starting from 85 percentile for some older IIMs. The 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
Lowest CAT Cutoff For IIM 2026: Notification, Application & Exam Date Schedule
The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 schedule outlines key dates for notification, application, and the examination, providing a roadmap for aspiring candidates.
| Event | Date (Expected) |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | July 26, 2026 |
| Application Start | August 1, 2026 |
| Application Close | September 20, 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | November 12, 2026 |
| Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
| Result Announcement | December 21, 2026 |
Lowest CAT Cutoff For IIM 2025 (Latest — 2026 awaited): Category-wise Qualifying Percentiles
The qualifying CAT percentiles for IIM admissions in 2025 varied significantly by category, representing the minimum threshold for interview shortlisting.
| Category | Overall Qualifying Percentile (2025) |
|---|---|
| General | 85 |
| EWS | 70 |
| OBC | 75 |
| SC | 70 |
| ST | 55 |
| PwD | 40 |
IIM CAT Cutoff Trends: Qualifying Percentiles 2023 vs 2024 vs 2025 for General Category
Analyzing the qualifying CAT cutoff trends for the General category across prominent IIMs reveals shifts in minimum percentile requirements over recent years.
| IIM | General Qualifying Percentile 2023 | General Qualifying Percentile 2024 | General Qualifying Percentile 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 80 | 85 | 95 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Indore | 90 | 90 | 90 |
Lowest CAT Cutoff For IIM 2026 Counselling Schedule: Registration, Choice Filling & Seat Allotment Dates
The CAT 2026 counselling process, encompassing shortlisting, interviews, and final offers, follows a structured timeline post-result declaration.
| Event | Date (Expected) |
|---|---|
| CAT 2025 Result Announcement | December 24, 2025 |
| IIM Shortlisting (PI Calls) | January 2026 |
| Personal Interview (PI) Rounds | February – April 2026 |
| Final Admission Offers | May 2026 |
| Provisional Admission & Document Submission | June 2026 |
FAQs
Q: What is the lowest CAT cutoff for IIM in 2026?
A: The official CAT 2026 cutoffs for IIMs are not yet released. Based on 2025 data, the lowest qualifying percentile was 40 for PwD candidates in the IIM CAP process.
Q: When will the CAT 2026 cutoff be officially released?
A: The official CAT 2026 cutoffs for IIMs are typically released by individual IIMs after the CAT 2026 results are declared, which is expected in December 2026.
Q: Do all IIMs have the same CAT cutoff?
A: No, each IIM sets its own overall and sectional CAT cutoffs, which can vary significantly based on the institute’s ranking, program, and category of the applicant.
Q: What is the difference between qualifying and final CAT cutoffs?
A: Qualifying cutoffs are the minimum percentiles required to be eligible for the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds. Final cutoffs, often much higher, are the actual percentiles at which candidates receive admission offers after all selection rounds.
Q: Is a 90 percentile in CAT enough for IIM admission?
A: A 90 percentile can be sufficient for qualifying for some newer IIMs or reserved categories. However, for older IIMs and the General category, final admission typically requires a percentile of 95 or above.
