IIM CAP 2026 vs 2025 Cutoff: Closing Percentile Trends, New IIMs

IIM CAP 2026 closing percentiles for General category students are expected to range from 87 to 96 across the seven participating new IIMs, showing a marginal upward shift compared to IIM CAP 2025 figures.

The Indian Institutes of Management Common Admission Process (IIM CAP) is the centralized selection route used by seven newer IIMs — IIM Amritsar, IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Nagpur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, and IIM Visakhapatnam. Based on CAT 2025 scores, IIM CAP 2026 shortlisting, WAT, and personal interview rounds are scheduled to conclude by June 2026. Knowing how 2026 cutoffs compare to 2025 trends helps you assess your admission prospects accurately.

• IIM Nagpur holds the highest CAP closing percentile among new IIMs, expected at 95–96 for General category in 2026.
• IIM Sirmaur recorded the lowest General cutoff in 2025 at 87 percentile and is expected to stay in the 87–89 range in 2026.
• SC category cutoffs across new IIMs ranged from 55 to 65 percentile in 2025 and are expected to follow a similar band in 2026.
• CAT 2025 difficulty was broadly comparable to CAT 2024 — IIM CAP 2026 cutoffs are expected to be broadly stable with a marginal rise of 1–2 percentile points.
• IIM CAP 2026 final results are expected by June 30, 2026 on each participating IIM’s official portal.

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What is IIM CAP and Which IIMs Participate?

IIM CAP is a joint selection process run by seven IIMs established in 2015–16. It consolidates CAT shortlisting, written ability test (WAT), and personal interview (PI) rounds under one common schedule. Each participating IIM uses the same WAT-PI scores but applies its own weightage formula to arrive at an independent final merit list.

The seven IIMs participating in IIM CAP 2026 are listed below:

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IIM CAP 2025 vs 2026 Closing Percentile Comparison

The table below compares the General category closing CAT percentile from IIM CAP 2025 with the expected closing percentile for IIM CAP 2026. The 2026 figures are expected values based on CAT 2025 score distribution and historical intake patterns at each IIM.

All 2026 closing percentiles are expected figures based on 2025 observed trends and CAT 2025 score distribution. Actual cutoffs will be confirmed on the respective IIM portals once final merit lists are released.

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Category-wise Cutoff Trends: 2025 vs 2026

IIM CAP shortlisting thresholds differ considerably across reservation categories. The table below shows the category-wise closing CAT percentile ranges observed across all participating new IIMs in 2025 and the expected range for 2026.

OBC-NC cutoffs typically sit 6–8 percentile points below General category cutoffs at each IIM. EWS cutoffs track 2–4 points below the General band. SC and ST thresholds are significantly lower reflecting the reservation policy, and PWD cutoffs vary based on the number of applicants in each disability sub-category.

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IIM-wise Category Closing Percentile Trends

Here is the category-wise breakdown for five key new IIMs — from highest to lowest General cutoff — comparing IIM CAP 2025 figures with expected IIM CAP 2026 cutoffs. These are expected figures based on 2025 data.

WAT and PI performance can offset a lower CAT percentile in the final merit list. Students who score near the cutoff boundary should focus on presenting a coherent and well-prepared profile during the interview rounds.

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Factors Affecting IIM CAP 2026 Cutoffs

Several variables shape where IIM CAP 2026 closing percentiles ultimately land:

• CAT 2025 exam difficulty and score distribution — a more competitive score distribution in the 85–95 band raises pressure on new IIM cutoffs.
• Seat intake changes — any increase in MBA batch size at participating IIMs reduces the effective closing percentile since more seats must be filled from the applicant pool.
• Total CAT 2025 applicants — with over 3.3 lakh students appearing for CAT 2025, higher participation generally raises competition at the new IIM level.
• WAT-PI performance weightage — each IIM assigns different weights to CAT score, WAT, and PI in its final composite score. Students with borderline percentiles can still secure a seat through strong interview performance.
• Category-wise applicant pool — SC and ST cutoffs depend on how many reserved-category students clear each IIM’s minimum sectional percentile threshold.

Overall outlook for IIM CAP 2026: With CAT 2025 difficulty broadly similar to CAT 2024, most analysts expect closing percentiles to remain near 2025 levels with a marginal upward drift of 1–2 percentile points across General and OBC-NC categories.

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