IIM cut-offs for CAT
Each IIM publishes a minimum CAT percentile you must clear to be considered for an interview, overall and for each section. Below are the General category minimums for the 2026-28 batch (CAT 2025), read from each IIM's own admission document. They are floors, not the scores that won calls: several IIMs say their real cut-offs were higher. Where an IIM has not published a number, we say so.
Minimum CAT percentiles by IIM (General category)
| IIM | Overall | VARC | DILR | QA | Official source and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | 95 | 85 | 85 | 85 | PGP 2026-28 shortlisting criteria. Same minimums already published for 2027-29 (CAT 2026). |
| Bangalore | 85 | 80 | 75 | 75 | PGP 2026 admissions process. IIMB says the actual cut-offs were higher. |
| Calcutta | 85 | 80 | 80 | 75 | Admission procedure, domestic candidates. 2027-29 policy (CAT 2026). The 2026-28 policy is no longer on IIMC's site, so we have no 2026-28 numbers. |
| Lucknow | 90 | 85 | 85 | 85 | Admission policy 2026-2028 |
| Kozhikode | 85 | 75 | 75 | 75 | PGP admissions policy 2026-28. IIMK prints one sectional figure (75) for all three sections. |
| Indore | 90 | 80 | 80 | 80 | Admissions procedure PGP 2026-28 |
| Shillong | Not printed | 75 | 75 | 75 | PGP 2026-28 admission process. Sectional minimums only; the shortlist then uses a composite score. |
| Mumbai | 85 | 80 | 80 | 75 | MBA admission policy 2026. IIM Mumbai says the actual cut-offs were higher. |
| Tiruchirappalli | 95.25 | 75 | 75 | 75 | PGPM admission criteria. JAP 2026 member. |
| Ranchi | 95.25 | 75 | 75 | 75 | Admission criteria 2026. JAP 2026 member. IIM Ranchi calls the figure "just indicative". |
| Raipur | 90 | 75 | 75 | 75 | Admission policy. No Raipur-specific table; the JAP 2026 common minimum applies (printed in IIM Ranchi's document). |
| Kashipur | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | MBA admission policy 2026-28. JAP 2026 member. Its 2026-28 policy shows only the CAT 2024 table and says new cut-offs will be updated. |
| Udaipur | 94 | 75 | 75 | 75 | MBA admissions |
| Rohtak | 97 | None | None | None | PGP admission policy 2026-28. No sectional cut-offs. |
| Nagpur | 95 | 70 | 70 | 70 | MBA admissions policy |
| Visakhapatnam | 82 | 70 | 70 | 70 | PGP admission process and criteria. Phase 1 shortlist only; a positive raw score in every section is also required. IIMV says offer cut-offs could be much higher. |
| Amritsar | 90 | 80 | 75 | 80 | MBA admission |
| Sambalpur | 90 | None | None | None | MBA 2026-28 admission policy. 85 for women and for men with at least a year of relevant work experience. No sectional percentile cut-off, but a positive score in each section is required. |
| Bodh Gaya | 90 | 65 | 65 | 65 | Percentile cut-offs for CAP 2026. CAP 2026. Its own policy lists 95 and 75 "for reference only"; the CAP figures were the ones used. |
| Jammu | 90 | 65 | 65 | 65 | Admission policy (links the CAP notice). CAP 2026 coordinator; 85 overall for female and transgender candidates. Its policy page, written before CAT results, shows 91 and 72 for male candidates. |
| Sirmaur | 90 | 65 | 65 | 65 | MBA admissions policy 2026. CAP 2026; 85 overall for women. |
Read on 9 Nov 2026. Percentiles are CAT percentiles. Minimums for EWS, NC-OBC, SC, ST and PwD candidates are lower and differ by IIM; they are in each linked document. Many IIMs also use Class 10, Class 12 and graduation marks, work experience and diversity points after this first filter.
What is the difference between a minimum and a real cut-off?
The minimum is the first gate. Clear it and your application goes into the IIM's composite score, which usually adds your academics and other factors to your CAT score. Interview calls go to the top of that list, so the CAT percentile of the last person called is usually well above the minimum. IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta and IIM Mumbai say in their documents that the actual cut-offs were higher than the minimums.
Few IIMs publish what actually happened. IIM Tiruchirappalli is one: in its 2026-28 merit list, the lowest CAT percentile among first-round offers in the General category was 95.25. IIM Lucknow and IIM Indore publish the lowest composite score that got an interview call (49.85 and 54.40 for General), but those are composite scores on their own scale, not CAT percentiles.
Which IIMs shortlist together?
- JAP 2026 (Joint Admission Process): IIM Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi and Tiruchirappalli, coordinated by IIM Raipur. The common minimum was 90 overall and 75 in each section, as printed in IIM Ranchi's admission criteria.
- CAP 2026 (Common Admission Process): IIM Bodh Gaya, Jammu and Sirmaur, coordinated by IIM Jammu. The minimum was 90 overall (85 for women) and 65 in each section. IIM Jammu's copy of the notice is a Google Drive file linked from its admission policy page.
- All other IIMs run their own process.
What we could not source
- IIM Calcutta, 2026-28: the policy has been replaced on IIMC's site by the 2027-29 one, and no official copy of the old one is online.
- IIM Kashipur, 2026-28: cut-offs for CAT 2025 were not published.
- JAP 2026 final cut-offs: the JAP portal did not open when we checked.
- CAT 2026 (2027-29 batch): only IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta had published minimums when we checked. IIM Bangalore's 2027-29 document still carries the CAT 2025 table.
We do not fill these gaps from coaching websites. Their "expected cut-off" lists are estimates, and many mix minimums with call cut-offs.
What score do you need for these percentiles?
Percentiles move with paper difficulty. In CAT 2025, published score bands put the 90th percentile at about 51.5 marks and the 95th at about 62.3. Check any score in the percentile predictor, and see the full CAT 2025 marks vs percentile table. Remember the sectional minimums: a high total does not help if one section falls under the line.
Common questions
What is the CAT cut-off for IIM Ahmedabad?
IIM Ahmedabad's minimum for the 2026-28 batch was 95 percentile overall and 85 in each section for General and EWS candidates. It has published the same minimums for 2027-29. The percentile that actually won an interview call is not published and is usually higher.
Which IIM has the lowest CAT cut-off?
Among the official minimums we found for 2026-28, the CAP IIMs (Bodh Gaya, Jammu and Sirmaur) had the lowest: 90 overall and 65 per section for General candidates. These are floors for consideration, not admission guarantees.
Do the IIMs publish their actual cut-offs?
Mostly no. They publish minimum eligibility percentiles. IIM Tiruchirappalli published the lowest CAT percentile among its first-round offers, and IIM Lucknow and IIM Indore publish the lowest composite score called for interview.
Are sectional cut-offs important?
Yes. Most IIMs require a minimum percentile in each of VARC, DILR and QA as well as overall. IIM Rohtak and IIM Sambalpur printed no sectional cut-offs for 2026-28.
Where do these numbers come from?
Only from each IIM's own admission criteria document or page, read on 9 Nov 2026. Each row links to its source. Where no official number exists, the table says so.
Take a free mock and see where you stand
Last checked 9 Nov 2026. Found an error? Tell us and it goes on the errata page.