IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta require top-notch performance and a high CAT 2025 percentile to get shortlisted. Considering CAT typically sees over 2.5 lakh test-takers every year, only a fraction, specifically 0.5% achieve the percentile necessary for the final admission call from the top IIMs.
Based on past-year trends, the sectional and overall cutoff percentiles for top IIMs have remained high. IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta typically require an overall CAT percentile well above 99, often in the 99.5 percentile range.
Registrations are down 10% since last year. This could mean slightly lower competition in CAT 2025, with expected cutoffs easing by 1-2 percentiles for top IIMs. Note that general category candidates still need 98-100 percentiles for calls from the big ones like IIM A, B, and C.
Also Read
- Check CAT Category-wise cutoff for IIMs
- IIM Shortlist Criteria: Check the Admission process, fees, and seats
| Check IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cutoff 2025 |
| Check IIM Bangalore CAT Cutoff 2025 |
| Check IIM Calcutta CAT Cutoff 2025 |
Expected CAT 2025 for Top IIMs(For General Category)
While the overall qualifying percentile can be low but the percentile to get a call from the top IIMs is significantly higher, often around the 99 percentile. The gap emphasizes the competitive nature of the admission process.
Furthermore, to be eligible for the shortlist, candidates must meet sectional cutoffs at every IIM.
Here is the table with the expected percentile, which is based on past years' CAT data.
| IIM College | Qualifying Overall Percentile | Expected Call Percentile | Sectional Cutoffs VARC/DILR/QA |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 95 | 99-100 | 85/85/85 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | 98-99.5 | 80/75/75 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | 98-100 | 80/80/75 |
| IIM Lucknow | 85 | 97-99 | 80/75/75 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | 97-98.5 | 75/70/70 |
Also Read
- CAT 2024 Question Paper with Answer: Download pdf
- CAT 2023 Question Paper with Answers: Download CAT question paper with solutions
- CAT 2022 Question Paper with Solutions Pdf
Why Might CAT 2025 Cutoffs Be Slightly Lower Than 2024?
With fewer candidates registered for CAT 2025, than for CAT 2024, the competition pool is smaller by 10%. This reduction could ease the pressure on percentiles, potentially lowering the raw marks needed to achieve the same percentile as last year.
In CAT 2024, 99 percentile required around 76-96 marks, expect 74-94 this year if the paper is moderate. Balanced sections are crucial; don’t let one weak area to reduce your score.
| Factor | CAT 2024 | CAT 2025 (Prediction) | Impact on Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registrations/Appearances | 3.29 Registered 2.93 Appeared (89% attendance) | 2.95 L Registrations~2.65L Appeared (prediction) | Lower pool → Easier to rank high. 1-2 percentile shift possible |
| Exam Difficulty | Moderate (Easier than 2023 tough QA and DILR) | Moderate (Cyclic difficulty expected) | Stable percentiles. Raw marks may drop 2-4 if easier. |
| 99 percentile raw marks | 76-96 Overall | 74-94 Overall | Slight relief for mid-90s scorer targeting new IIMs |
| Top IIM qualifying Percentile | 99+ Overall70-85 Sectional | Similar, but final calls at 98-99 due to less competition | More calls are expected |
Reddit Buzz on IIM Cutoff Changes
Discussion on Reddit forum r/CATpreparation expressed concern, writing, “Honestly, it feels like the bar for CAT aspirants just got a lot tougher.”
Also Read: How to manage sectional time in CAT 2025
Qualifying vs Call Cutoffs for Top 7 IIMs + Newer Ones
For general category candidates, securing interview calls from top IIMs typically requires 99 percentile score, and a 94th-96th percentile score for newer IIMs like IIM Trichy.
The short-listing criteria are significantly moderated for reserved candidates, where EWS/OBC candidates see cutoffs in the 85-90 percentile range.
For SC/ST candidates, cutoff percentiles are even lower, ranging from 65 to 75.
This table summarises the expected cutoffs for the top IIMs for CAT 2025.
| IIM | Qualifying Overall (Gen) | Call Percentile (Gen) | EWS/OBC | SC/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | 95 | 99+ | 90-95 | 70-75 |
| Bangalore | 85 | 99+ | 90 | 70 |
| Calcutta | 85 | 99+ | 90 | 65-70 |
| Lucknow | 85 | 98 | 85-90 | 70 |
| Kozhikode | 85 | 97 | 85 | 65 |
| Indore | 90 | 96-98 | 85 | 70 |
| Trichy | 85 | 94-96 | 80 | 60 |
Also Read: CAT Marks vs Percentile Trends for last 4 Years
Critical Role of Sectional Cutoffs
Meeting sectional cutoffs has become increasingly important, particularly at IIM Ahmedabad, which has raised the bar.
Admissions experts note that missing sectional cutoffs by even 1-2 percentiles can result in zero interview calls from top IIMs like IIM A, B, and C.
Reserved category candidates can expect the sectional cutoff approximately 10-15 percentile points lower.
| Section | IIM Ahmedabad (Gen) | IIM Bangalore (Gen) | IIM Calcutta (Gen) | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARC | 85 | 80 | 80 | Focus on RC; aim for 25+ accurate attempts |
| DILR | 85 | 75 | 80 | Attempt 3-4 sets with high accuracy |
| QA | 85 | 75 | 75 | Arithmetic-heavy; target 30+ correct. |
Check Out: DILR Score vs Percentile: CAT 2025 slot-wise predictions
Sectional Cutoffs for the Reserved Category (In IIM A, B, and C)
The sectional cutoffs for reserved candidates at IIMs are slightly lower than those for the general category.
It is important to know that these are the minimum cutoffs used for eligibility; the actual percentile required to receive an interview call can be slightly higher due to the high competitiveness of the admissions process.
| IIM | Category | VARC cutoff Percentile | DILR Cutoff Percentile | QA Cutoff Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | NC-OBC | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| EWS | 70-85 | 70-85 | 70-85 | |
| SC | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | |
| IIM Bangalore | NC-OBC | 70 | 65 | 65 |
| EWS | 70 | 65 | 65 | |
| SC | 65 | 60 | 60 | |
| ST | 55 | 55 | 55 | |
| IIM Calcutta | NC-OBC | >=70 | >=65 | >=65 |
| EWS | >=70 | >=65 | >=65 | |
| SC | >=65 | >=60 | >=60 | |
| ST | >=55 | >=55 | >=55 |
Last 5 Years Cutoff Trends (2021–2025)
As we can see, regardless of the year, a CAT percentile of 99 or higher is a prerequisite for general candidates to be shortlisted for a call from any of the IIM ABC Institutions.
| Year | IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Bangalore | IIM Calcutta |
| CAT 2025 (Expected) | 99.5+ | 99+ to 99.5+ | 99+ to 99.5+ |
| CAT 2024 | 99.3 - 99.8 | 99.2 - 99.7 | 99.0 -99.6 |
| CAT 2023 | 99.5 + | 99.5+ | 99.3+ |
| CAT 2022 | 99.3 - 99.7 | 99.2 - 99.6 | 99.0 - 99.5 |
| CAT 2021 | 99.5 | 99.5 | 99.3 |
CAT 2025 Percentile Predictor Tool
Collegedunia offers a free CAT percentile predictor tool that helps you in calculating your expected percentile based on your CAT 2025 score. The Percentile Predictor tool uses the previous year’s cutoff data to provide the most accurate results.
CAT Cutoff Highlights
- The cutoff percentile for the top-rated IIM is usually at 97+
- Other top B-schools accept a 91 - 98 percentiles
- Other good B-schools also admit students with 70-80 percentiles.
Check out: Check how to use the CAT 2025 Percentile Predictor.
Discussion on r/CATPreparation, talks about the CAT 2025 percentile prediction tool created (Vercel tool) by one of the users. That can predict “Percentile required for CAT 2025 aspirants to get PI calls for each college as per their profile, according to the composite score and category.”
FAQs: Common CAT Cutoff Questions
Ques. What percentile for IIM Ahmedabad CAT 2025?
Ans. IIM Ahmedabad’s qualifying cutoff is around 95 percentile, with a sectional cutoff of 85 percentile across sections. The calling cutoff percentile can be expected around 99 - 100.
Ques. How does category affect IIM Cutoffs?
Ans. The cutoff for general candidates will be 99+. Cutoffs for OBC and EWS candidates will be slightly relaxed at the 90-95 percentile. Whereas the cutoff for SC/ST is still lowered at the 70-75 percentile.
Ques. Will there be easier cutoffs in CAT 2025?
Ans. There may be a minor dip due to the drop in registrations. However, cutoffs for top IIMs like IIM A, B, and C could remain relatively stable.
Ques. What is the sectional cutoff for IIM Bangalore?
Ans. Sectional cutoff for IIM Bangalore is 80, 75, and 75 for VARC, DILR, and QA, respectively. The sectional cutoff for the reserved category is around 55-70 across sections.
Ques. What is the Cutoff for newer IIMs like Kozhikode?
Ans. 97 - 98 percentile candidates can expect a call from IIM Kozhikode.
Final Thoughts from Reddit
In a Discussion from the r/CATPreparation, aspirants discussed much-required percentile to get calls from IIMs BLAKI, and another user suggested
“A - 99.6 should do with your profile. Good acads + Workex.
B - Again, good grades + workex - 99.5 around will also be enough
C - 99.6 minimum. Can go higher also
L - 99.3 should do because your 12th and Grad marks are good”
Another user suggested “Target minimum 95%ile. You'll surely get all PI calls from top institutes. And prepare well for GD WAT PI, then there are high chances you'll convert many top colleges.”
To summarize, Reddit users suggest that achieving a 99th percentile score is a prerequisite for receiving a call from top-tier institutions like IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta.
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