MBA CAT Cutoff 2026: Overall & Sectional Percentiles For Top Iims
MBA admissions for top IIMs in 2025 saw General category candidates requiring an overall CAT percentile of 95 for IIM Ahmedabad, while IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta set their qualifying thresholds at 85 percentile. The MBA CAT Cutoff is the minimum percentile score required for shortlisting to the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds, with actual final admission percentiles often reaching 99+ for premier institutes. 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
Mba Cat Cutoff 2026: Notification, Application & Exam Date Schedule
The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 schedule outlines key dates for aspirants, from notification release to the examination day.
| Event | Date (Expected) |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | July 26, 2026 |
| Application Start | August 1, 2026 |
| Application Close | September 20, 2026 |
| Correction Window | September 24-27, 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | November 12, 2026 |
| Exam Date | November 29, 2026 |
| Result Announcement | December 2026 |
Top IIMs CAT 2025 Overall Cutoff: General, OBC, SC, ST & EWS Percentiles (Latest — 2026 awaited)
The overall CAT 2025 percentiles for shortlisting to the PGP programs varied across top IIMs for different categories.
| IIM | General | NC-OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 95 | 90 | 85 | 75 | 95 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 75 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 75 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 | 82 | 65 | 60 | 82 |
| IIM Indore | 90 | 80 | 60 | 45 | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | 75 | 65 | 55 | 75 |
Top IIMs CAT 2025 Sectional Cutoff: VARC, DILR & QA Percentiles (Latest — 2026 awaited)
Meeting sectional cutoffs in Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA) is crucial for IIM shortlisting.
| IIM | VARC | DILR | QA |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Bangalore | 80 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Calcutta | 80 | 80 | 75 |
| IIM Lucknow | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Indore | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 75 | 75 | 75 |
Top IIMs CAT Cutoff Trends: Overall Percentiles 2023 vs 2024 vs 2025 (General Category)
Analyzing the trend of overall CAT percentiles for the General category reveals consistent qualifying thresholds for most top IIMs, with some notable shifts.
| IIM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 95 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| IIM Indore | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | 85 | 85 |
FAQs
Q: When will the CAT 2026 cutoff be released?
A: The official CAT 2026 cutoff percentiles are typically released by individual IIMs after the CAT 2026 results are declared, which is expected in December 2026.
Q: What is a good CAT percentile for IIMs?
A: For top-tier IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, a good CAT percentile for final admission generally ranges from 99+ for the General category, while newer IIMs may accept 95+ percentiles.
Q: Do IIMs have sectional cutoffs?
A: Yes, most IIMs enforce both overall and sectional CAT cutoffs, meaning candidates must meet minimum percentile requirements in each of the three sections (VARC, DILR, QA) in addition to the overall score.
Q: What is the difference between qualifying and final CAT cutoff?
A: The qualifying CAT cutoff is the minimum percentile required to be considered for the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) rounds, while the final CAT cutoff is the much higher percentile at which candidates are actually offered admission after all selection stages.
Q: Are CAT cutoffs the same for all IIMs?
A: No, CAT cutoffs vary significantly across different IIMs and also depend on the specific program and candidate category (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD).
Q: What was the CAT 2025 cutoff for IIM Ahmedabad?
A: For IIM Ahmedabad, the qualifying CAT 2025 cutoff for the General category was 95 percentile overall, with 85 percentile required in each sectional area.
Q: Is there a specific branch-wise CAT cutoff for MBA programs?
A: MBA programs typically do not have “branch-wise” cutoffs in the same way as undergraduate engineering courses. Instead, IIMs consider overall and sectional CAT percentiles for admission to their flagship Post Graduate Program (PGP) or MBA programs.
