IIM CAP Cutoff 2026: Out at 95 Percentile, Category Wise Cutoff and Waitlist Movement

The IIM CAP cutoff 2026 is the CAT 2025 percentile you need for the Common Admission Process. Three IIMs run this process together. For the 2026-28 batch, the general category overall cutoff is fixed at 95 percentile. The final merit lists for IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu and IIM Sirmaur were declared on 8-9 May 2026.

The CAP 2026 final result and Merit List 1 are now live. Each candidate must log in to the official portal to see their personal admission or waitlist status.

Here are quick answers to the most-searched questions on the cutoff:

• The general category overall cutoff is 95 percentile in CAT 2025 for the 2026-28 batch.
• The cutoff is 81 percentile for EWS and NC-OBC, and 66 percentile for SC. It is 42 percentile for ST and PwD.
• Female candidates get a relaxation of 2 percentile in every category.
• Only three IIMs run CAP this year. Last year the count was eight.
• The final merit list uses a composite score of roughly CAT 50%, PI 25% and profile 25%.
• The result was declared on 8-9 May 2026. Waitlist movement runs through June and July 2026.
• IIM Jammu also runs a separate Supplementary Admission Process (SAP) for extra candidates.

IIM CAP 2026 Cutoff: Important Dates

The CAP 2026 cycle is almost over. The interviews and the result are done. Only waitlist movement and the session start are still ahead.

The first merit list came on 8 May for IIM Jammu and IIM Sirmaur. IIM Bodh Gaya followed on 9 May. Selected students then got a short window to accept the offer and pay the fee.

Factors That Decide the IIM CAP 2026 Cutoff

Several things shape the cutoff each year. The numbers move when any of these change. Here are the main ones.

• CAT difficulty: A tough CAT paper lowers raw scores. The percentile cutoff often holds steady because percentiles adjust for difficulty.
• Number of applicants: More candidates for the same seats push the cutoff higher.
• Seat count: If an IIM adds seats, the cutoff can ease a little.
• Number of participating IIMs: CAP dropped from eight IIMs to three. Fewer institutes means tighter competition for each seat.
• Category reservation: Each category has its own cutoff under government rules.
• Past trend: The IIMs use last year’s data to set a fair bar for the new batch.

IIM CAP 2026 Cutoff: Institute-Wise

All three CAP IIMs use the same CAT percentile cutoff to shortlist candidates. The difference shows up in seat numbers and final composite scores. The table below gives a quick view.

The seat ranges are approximate and based on previous batch intake. IIM Jammu runs a separate SAP round for candidates who miss the common cutoff but meet its own bar. This gives Jammu a slightly wider pool.

IIM CAP 2026 Cutoff: Category-Wise and Sectional

The cutoff stays uniform across the three IIMs for each category. You must clear both the overall percentile and the sectional percentile. The table lists both for the 2026-28 batch.

The sectional cutoff applies to each of the three CAT sections. Female candidates get a 2 percentile relaxation on the overall mark in every category. So a general female candidate needs 93 percentile instead of 95.

IIM CAP Shortlisting Cutoff vs Final Merit List

Many students mix up these two cutoffs. They are not the same. Knowing the gap helps you read your result correctly.

The shortlisting cutoff is the CAT percentile for an interview call. The final merit list cutoff is the lowest composite score that wins a seat. The composite score blends your CAT score, interview, write-up and profile.

The rough split is CAT 50%, personal interview 25% and profile 25%. The profile part covers your past academics, work experience and gender diversity. A strong interview can lift a candidate who just scraped past the CAT cutoff.

A high CAT percentile only gets you the call. Your final seat depends on how well you do in the common interview and how strong your profile reads.

IIM CAP Previous Year Cutoff Trends

The cutoff has tightened slowly over the last five batches. The general bar moved up by small steps. The reserved category bars rose faster.

The general cutoff went from 90 in 2022-24 to 95 in 2026-28. That is a gain of 5 percentile points across five batches. The EWS and NC-OBC bar rose from 73 to 81, a jump of 8 percentile points.

The SC cutoff showed the sharpest climb. It moved from 53 to 66 over the same period, up 13 percentile points. The ST and PwD bar stayed near 40 for most years before reaching 42 this batch.

The drop from eight IIMs to three is the big shift this year. With fewer seats spread across fewer institutes, the general cutoff held at its highest point yet. Expect this bar to stay near 95 percentile in the near future.

IIM CAP 2026 Merit List and Waitlist Movement

The final result powers two things. First, it sets the merit list of selected candidates. Second, it builds the waitlist for the empty seats.

Merit List 1 came out on 8-9 May 2026. Selected students got 5-7 days to accept and pay the fee. After that, the seats left open passed to the next candidates on the waitlist.

This is where Merit List 2 and later lists matter for waitlisted students. As of now, the waitlist is moving across all three IIMs. IIM Sirmaur usually shows the deepest general-category waitlist movement. The movement should continue through June and July 2026.

You should keep checking your login status daily during this window. A spot can open at short notice when someone ahead of you declines a seat.

How to Check the IIM CAP 2026 Cutoff and Result

You can check your status on the official CAP portal. There is no public PDF merit list. Follow these steps.

• Open the official portal at cap2026.iimj.ac.in.
• Click the login or candidate status link.
• Enter your CAT registration number and password.
• View your offer, waitlist rank or rejection status.
• Accept the offer and pay the fee within the given window.