Official data from IIM Kozhikode confirms there is a drop in CAT 2025 registrations, with only 2.95 lakh candidates registered for CAT 2025. This is a sharp 10.3% drop from 3.29 lakh registrations in CAT 2024, marking the lowest registration in the last five years.

One of the reasons CAT registrations are low is, this year is a return to a more normal registration level after an unusually high jump in CAT 2023 and 2024. This is due to factors such as the rising cost of MBA programs, a growing preference for stable job roles, and the increasing shift toward alternative career pathways like tech certifications and online business programs

In this article, we break down the reasons for low registrations in CAT 2025 and how it may affect the registered candidates.

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Cat 2025

Historical Trends in CAT Exam Registrations

The CAT exam has grown a lot over the years, but not always steadily. In the last decade, registrations shot up during tough job times, but now facing a pullback.

  • From 2020 to 2022, the CAT exam saw ups and downs due to the pandemic. But, 2023 onwards, it climbed to over 3 lakh, with registration around 3.30 lakh in CAT 2023.
  • CAT 2024 also saw a slight decrease in registrations, but CAT 2025‌ saw the big dip of 10.3% in registrations from CAT 2024.

Here are the historical trends of CAT registrations over the years

Year CAT Exam Registrations Change from the previous year (in %)
2025 2.95 Lakh -10.3
2024 3.29 Lakh -0.3
2023 3.30 Lakh +29.4
2022 2.55 Lakh +10.4
2021 2.31 Lakh +1.8
2020 2.27 Lakh -7.0
2019 2.44 Lakh +1.2
2018 2.41 Lakh +4.3
2017 2.31 Lakh -0.4
2016 2.32 Lakh +5.9%
Cat 2025

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Ques. Why did registration jump so much in 2023?

Ans. Post-COVID recovery + poor campus placement in 2022-23 pushed more students towards MBA

Ques. When was the last time registrations were below 3 Lakh before 2025?

Ans. CAT 2023 was the first year that got registration over 3 lakh. So, before CAT 2023, registrations were under 3 lakhs.

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Actual Number of Candidates Taking the CAT 2025?

The actual number of candidates who are appearing for the CAT exam will be less than the 2.95 lakhs who registered for the exam.

Based on analysis of the previous year’s data, approximately 2.7 lakh candidates may appear for the exam. According to historical trends, fewer than 90% of candidates take the exam.

Check the table below for the historical trends of candidates who actually appeared for the CAT exam.

Year Number of registered candidates Number of Appeared Candidates % of Candidates who appeared
2025 2.95 Lakh 2.65 Lakh (Expected) 90%
2024 3.29 Lakhs 2.93 Lakh 89%
2023 3.30 Lakhs 2.88 Lakh 87%
2022 2.55 Lakh 2.23 Lakh 87%
2021 2.30 Lakh 1.91 Lakh 83%
2020 2.28 Lakh 1.90 Lakh 83%
2019 2.44 Lakh 2.09 Lakh 85%
2018 2.41 Lakh 2.09 Lakh 86%
2017 2.31 Lakh 1.99 Lakh 86%
Cat 2025

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Ques. How many are expected to actually appear for CAT 2025?

Ans. By looking at past data trends, it is expected that around 2.65 lakhs students will appear for the exam.

Ques. Why do 10-15% students skip the exam?

Ans. Job offers, exam fears, health issues, or they treat CAT registration as a backup.

Gender-wise CAT Registration Trends Over the Last 5 Years

Based on the past trends of the registrations, the expected breakdown of CAT 2025 is approximately 64% male and 36% female candidates registered for the CAT among the total registrations of 2.95 lakh registrations.

Here are the historical trends of gender-wise CAT registrations

Year Total Male Registrations Total Female Registrations
2025 1,88, 800 (Expected) 1,06,200 (Expected)
2024 2,19,000 1,19,000
2023 2,23,000 1,17,000
2022 1,44,417 77,673
2021 1,24,808 66,850
2021 1, 15,143 75,000

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Reasons Behind the Drop in the CAT Exam Registrations

Why did CAT 2025 registrations fall? It's not one thing; it's a mix of real-world factors.

  • The job market is hot and cold at the same time. Tech and finance firms hire fresh grads at good pay, and many skip a 2-year MBA break. Already employed candidates don’t want to leave a stable career for an unsure, volatile future.
  • The job market's other side is tough, and many people have lost their jobs. Given the high expense of an MBA and the uncertain job market, someone might be hesitant to invest a significant sum if they risk being unemployed afterward.
  • MBA costs are rising fast; any program in a top MBA college may hit 25 lakhs, plus living expenses. It's a big burden.
  • Saturation phase after the unusual spike post-COVID. CAT registrations are coming back to normal trends before CAT 2023. Overlapping exams are also one of the reasons for fewer registrations.
Reason Impact Example
Job Market High: Fewer see the need for an MBA Tech salary rising up 15%Most people don’t want to leave stable careers
Rising MBA College Fee Medium: Education loans scare off people IIM Fees rise 10% every year
Overlapping exams Medium: Split Choices NMAT in December
Saturation Phase Medium: Returning to the same registration trend after the unusual spike in 2023 CAT 2023 got a huge spike due to the post-pandemic recovery
Early application burnout Low: registration period overlapped with other exams NMAT and SNAP had the same registration period

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Ques. Is the strong job market the main reason for low registration?

Ans. It might be one of the factors, though not the primary one. The job market's other side is tough, and many people have lost their jobs. So they might not want to spend lakhs at the risk of unemployment.

Impact of Fewer Registrations on CAT Exam Competition and Cutoffs

A drop in overall registrations should not be mistaken for a decrease in competition for top IIMs.

  • The drop is likely to filter out less serious students. Competition for the IIMs is expected to stay the same.
  • For Mid to new IIMs, one may see a slight potential easing in the overall qualifying cutoff, and candidates may have high chances of getting shortlisted.
  • Meeting the sectional cutoff is mandatory for candidates; there will be no change to its importance.
Factor Impact on CAT Exam Competitions Impact on Candidates
Overall Candidate pool Reduced. Approximately 34,000 lesser candidates will compete. A better rank for the same marks. Focus on accuracy rather than attempts
Top-Tier IIMs Competition remains high: the group of 98 - 100 percentiles is stable Cutoffs for IIMs are expected to remain in 99 percentile
Mid to new IIMs Potential slight easing of the minimum overall qualifying cutoff. This offers a higher chance of shortlisting at the newer or mid-tier IIMs.
Sectional cutoff Sectional cutoff remains critical and is not impacted by fewer registrations Must clear sectional cutoff

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Ques. Will overall cutoffs drop because of fewer candidates?

Ans. Slightly possible for mid or low tier colleges, but top IIMs are likely to stay at 99 percentile.

Reddit’s Discussion on CAT 2025 Registration Drop

Reddit users are guessing why CAT 2025 registrations are low compared to previous years.

One of the users on the Reddit thread guessed that it may be a positive impact from the job market, saying, “It means the economy is doing well and people are finding better positions. Overall, a positive trend. If a lot of core engineering folks really find good-paying jobs within their sectors, it's really good for the country. We don't need too many MBAs before becoming an advanced economy.”

Another user also wrote “Is this a sign of an increase in job opportunities?, cause i have heard that there are more people pursuing higher education when the economy and job market are down…”

Users on the internet are guessing it may be the strong job market, due to which fewer people want to pursue an MBA.

Cat 2025

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The drop in CAT 2025 registration marks a significant shift in the MBA landscape. While this represents a significant drop in the last 5 years, it's not necessarily a negative indicator; instead, it reflects the changing career aspirations of students in India.

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