IIFT MBA 2026-28 OBC-NCL (NC-OBC) students need an expected overall CAT percentile of 90 to 92 to clear the IIFT Delhi shortlist and 88 to 90 for IIFT Kolkata, based on 2025-27 batch trends.
The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) uses CAT scores to shortlist students for its MBA in International Business (IB) program across Delhi, Kolkata and Kakinada campuses. For the OBC-NCL category, the initial shortlisting percentile is typically 7 to 8 points below the General category threshold. After clearing the CAT cutoff, the final merit is decided by a composite score that includes GD and PI performance, academic record, work experience and gender diversity.
- Expected OBC-NCL overall CAT percentile: 90 to 92 for IIFT Delhi shortlist, based on previous year patterns.
- Minimum sectional CAT percentile for OBC-NCL: 50 to 55 in each of the three sections (VARC, DILR, QA).
- Composite score minimum for PI shortlisting: 25 out of 100 for the OBC-NCL category.
- IIFT reserves approximately 27% of total MBA IB seats for OBC-NCL students, which is around 194 of the ~720 total seats.
- CAT carries the highest weight in the composite score at 55%, making it the single most decisive factor.
| Direct Link – IIFT MBA 2026-28 Admissions (ACTIVE) |
| iift.ac.in – New Admissions Portal |
IIFT 2026-28 OBC-NCL Expected CAT Cutoff
The table below shows the expected overall CAT percentile and sectional thresholds for OBC-NCL students at each IIFT campus for the 2026-28 batch. These figures are based on 2023-25 to 2025-27 batch shortlist patterns and are labelled as expected; official cutoffs will be published on iift.ac.in.
| Campus | Overall CAT Percentile (Expected) | Sectional CAT Percentile (Expected) | OBC-NCL Seats (Approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIFT Delhi | 90 – 92 | 55+ | ~65 |
| IIFT Kolkata | 88 – 90 | 50+ | ~65 |
| IIFT Kakinada | 85 – 88 | 50+ | ~27 |
The table below benchmarks the expected OBC-NCL cutoff against all other categories for IIFT Delhi to help you assess where your CAT score stands.
| Category | Expected Overall CAT Percentile (IIFT Delhi) | Expected Sectional Percentile (Each Section) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 98 – 99 | 65+ |
| EWS | 95 – 96 | 60+ |
| OBC-NCL (NC-OBC) | 90 – 92 | 55+ |
| SC | 83 – 85 | 30+ |
| ST | 73 – 75 | 30+ |
| PwD | 73 – 75 | 30+ |
Previous Year OBC-NCL Cutoff Comparison
The following table tracks the IIFT OBC-NCL CAT shortlisting percentile across the last three admission cycles. The OBC-NCL cutoff rose from around 88 in the 2023-25 batch to 90 in the 2024-26 cycle and has held at that level since, reflecting steady growth in high-scoring OBC-NCL applicants.
| Batch (CAT Year) | OBC-NCL Overall %ile | OBC-NCL Sectional %ile | General Overall %ile (Reference) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-25 (CAT 2022) | ~88 | ~45 – 50 | ~97 |
| 2024-26 (CAT 2023) | ~90 | ~50 – 55 | ~98 |
| 2025-27 (CAT 2024) | ~90 | ~50 – 55 | ~98 |
| 2026-28 (CAT 2025, Expected) | 90 – 92 | 50 – 55 | 98 – 99 |
Meeting the overall percentile cutoff is not enough on its own. Students who fail to meet the sectional percentile in any one section are disqualified, regardless of their overall score. A CAT percentile of 92 or above for OBC-NCL students significantly improves the probability of an IIFT Delhi call.
How IIFT Calculates the Composite Score
Clearing the CAT percentile cutoff secures a GD-PI call. The final merit list is then built on a composite score out of 100 that combines performance across all selection stages.
| Selection Component | Weightage |
|---|---|
| CAT Score | 55% |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 20% |
| Group Discussion (GD) | 10% |
| Academic Record (10th + 12th + Graduation) | 5% |
| Work Experience | 5% |
| Gender Diversity | 5% |
OBC-NCL students must score a minimum composite score of 25 out of 100 to qualify for the PI shortlisting stage. The actual closing composite score for final admission is higher and varies by campus and batch. Since CAT carries 55% of the total weight, students who score above 92 percentile in CAT and perform well in GD and PI comfortably exceed the minimum closing threshold. Work experience is not mandatory, and fresh graduates have been selected in previous batches on the strength of their CAT score and interview performance.
Factors Affecting the IIFT OBC-NCL Cutoff
Several variables influence where the OBC-NCL closing cutoff settles each year.
- CAT paper difficulty: A tougher CAT lowers raw scores and can bring the percentile cutoff down by 1 to 2 points, since normalisation does not fully flatten across slots.
- OBC-NCL applicant pool size: A rise in students scoring above 85 percentile in the OBC-NCL pool raises competition and pushes the closing percentile upward.
- Total seat intake: Any expansion in IIFT’s MBA IB intake directly increases OBC-NCL seats and can marginally ease the cutoff. The 2026-28 total intake is approximately 720 MBA IB seats.
- GD-PI conversion rate: A lower conversion among shortlisted OBC-NCL students may prompt IIFT to expand the initial CAT shortlist, effectively lowering the percentile floor.
- Campus demand: IIFT Delhi consistently attracts the strongest applicant pool and carries a 2 to 3 percentile higher OBC-NCL closing score than Kolkata or Kakinada.
IIFT MBA OBC-NCL Cutoff 2026 FAQs
Ques. What is the expected IIFT OBC-NCL CAT percentile cutoff for the 2026-28 batch?
Ans. Based on 2025-27 trends, the expected OBC-NCL overall CAT percentile is 90 to 92 for IIFT Delhi, 88 to 90 for IIFT Kolkata and 85 to 88 for IIFT Kakinada. These are expected figures; official cutoffs will be released on iift.ac.in after the shortlist is announced.
Ques. Is the OBC-NCL cutoff lower than the General category cutoff at IIFT?
Ans. Yes. The OBC-NCL CAT percentile cutoff is typically 7 to 8 points below the General category cutoff. For IIFT Delhi, the General category cutoff is around 98 to 99 percentile while OBC-NCL students have historically been shortlisted at 90 percentile and above.
Ques. What is the minimum sectional CAT percentile for OBC-NCL at IIFT?
Ans. OBC-NCL students must score a minimum of 50 to 55 percentile in each of the three CAT sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). Clearing the overall cutoff but missing the sectional threshold in any one section leads to disqualification.
Ques. How many OBC-NCL seats are available in IIFT MBA 2026-28?
Ans. IIFT follows Government of India reservation norms and reserves 27% of total seats for OBC-NCL students. With a total MBA IB intake of approximately 720 seats across all campuses, around 194 seats are earmarked for the OBC-NCL category.
Ques. What composite score do OBC-NCL students need to qualify for IIFT PI?
Ans. OBC-NCL students need a minimum composite score of 25 out of 100 to be shortlisted for the PI stage. The composite score is calculated as CAT 55% + PI 20% + GD 10% + Academics 5% + Work Experience 5% + Gender Diversity 5%. The final closing composite score for admission is higher and varies by campus and batch.
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