The CAT Sectional cutoffs refer to the minimum percentiles required in each of the three sections: VARC(Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension), DILR(Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning), and QA(Quantitative Ability).
Recently, IIM Ahmedabad increased its qualifying sectional cut-off for the General category from the 70th percentile to the 85th percentile.
At the same time, IIM A also raised the overall cut-off from the 80th percentile to the 95th percentile, making shortlisting more competitive for General category candidates.
- For IIM Calcutta, the qualifying sectional cutoff is 80+ for VARC and DILR, and 75+ for QA.
- The Newer IIMs mostly require low qualifying sectional cutoffs, 70-75+ per section.
- Reserved categories (EWS/NC-OBC/SC/ST/PwD) get up to 5-30 points lower sectional cutoffs than the unreserved category.
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Key Summary
- The CAT 2025 result has been declared on December 24. Candidates can download their official CAT 2025 scorecards at iimcat.ac.in
- This year, 12 candidates achieved an overall 100th percentile, including 2 females.
- Some of the IIMs, like IIM Rohtak and IIM Sambalpur, do not have sectional cutoffs.
- Sectional cutoffs remained largely stable from 2022 to 2024 across most top IIMs.
- This year, non-engineering candidates have dominated the 100th percentile list with 9 out of 12 candidates from non-engineering backgrounds.
Understanding CAT 2025 Cut-off
Understanding the IIM cut-off is crucial, as it comes in two forms: qualifying cut-off and calling cut-off.
- Qualifying cut-off: It is the minimum percentile to be eligible for shortlisting.
- Calling cut-off: Actual percentiles at which interview calls are issued, often much higher.
Most IIMs emphasise both overall and sectional percentiles. Final admissions depend on a composite score including academics, work experience, and performance in the Written Ability Test/Group Discussion/Personal Interview(WAT/GD/PI).
Ques. What are sectional cutoffs in CAT 2025?
Ans. Sectional cutoffs are the minimum percentiles required in each section- VARC, DILR, and QA to be eligible for shortlisting at IIMs.
Also Read:
CAT 2025: Qualifying Sectional Cut-off For IIMs
These are the minimum qualifying percentiles (eligibility for shortlisting consideration), as per official admission policies released by IIMs.
| IIM | VARC | DILR | QA |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Amritsar | 75 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Bangalore | 80 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Calcutta | 70 | 80 | 75 |
| IIM Indore | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| IIM Jammu | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Kashipur | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| IIM Lucknow | 85 | 85 | 85 |
| IIM Nagpur | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Raipur | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Ranchi | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Rohtak | No Sectional | – | – |
| IIM Sambhalpur | No Sectional | – | – |
| IIM Shillong | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Sirmaur | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Trichy | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Udaipur | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Vishakhapatnam | 75 | 70 | 70 |
| IIM Mumbai( formerly NITIE) | 80 | 80 | 80 |
Check: CAT Total MBA Seats in IIM and Other Colleges
Ques. Do all IIMs have sectional cutoffs?
Ans. No. Most IIMs have sectional cutoffs, but there are some exceptions, like IIM Rohtak, which only has overall Cutoffs.
CAT 2025: Qualifying Overall Cut-off For IIMs
| IIM | Qualifying Overall Cutoff | IIM | Qualifying Overall Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 95 | IIM Rohtak | 95 |
| IIM Amritsar | 92 | IIM Sambhalpur | 92 |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 | IIM Shillong | No Overall Cut-off |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 92 | IIM Sirmaur | 92 |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | IIM Trichy | 92 |
| IIM Indore | 90 | IIM Udaipur | 92 |
| IIM Jammu | 92 | IIM Vishakhapatnam | 92 |
| IIM Kashipur | 92 | IIM Mumbai( formerly NITIE) | 90 |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | IIM Raipur | 92 |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 | IIM Ranchi | 92 |
| IIM Nagpur | 92 |
Check:
Ques. Can I get a call for an interview with a high overall percentile but low in one section?
Ans. You must clear the minimum qualifying sectional cutoff for a call from IIM. The minimum qualifying sectional cutoffs vary for older and newer or baby IIMs.
CAT 2025: Expected Sectional Cut-off For IIMs
These are the real percentiles at which candidates actually receive interview calls, and typically range 85-95+ across sections for older IIMs, ensuring balanced performance. These remain stable year to year, with minor variations based on competition and profiles.
| IIM | Expected VARC Percentile | Expected DILR Percentile | Expected QA Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 85-95+ | 85-90+ | 85-90+ |
| IIM Lucknow | 90+ | 90+ | 90+ |
| IIM Kozhikode | 80-90+ | 80-90+ | 80-90+ |
| IIM Indore | 85-90+ | 85-90+ | 85-90+ |
| IIM Bangalore | 85-95+ | 85-90+ | 85-90+ |
| IIM Calcutta | 85-90+ | 85-90+ | 80-90+ |
| Newer IIMs (Ranchi, Raipur, Udaipur, etc.) | 75-85+ | 75-85+ | 75-85+ |
| Other Baby IIMs (Amritsar, Bodh Gaya, Jammu, Nagpur, etc.) | 70-85+ | 70-85+ | 70-85+ |
Read Also: Top B Schools Without Sectional Cutoffs
Ques. What sectional percentiles are needed for the overall score of 99+ in CAT 2025?
Ans. Approximately 39-40 marks in VARC, 31-32 in DILR, and 30-31 in QA (scaled scores) for balanced performance.
CAT 2025: Expected Overall Cut-off For IIMs
Overall cutoffs are significantly higher than qualifying/minimum cutoffs due to competition and diversity. Candidates get calls for an interview based on these percentiles.
| IIM | Expected overall percentile |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 99.5-99.9+ |
| IIM Bangalore | 99.5-99.9+ |
| IIM Calcutta | 99-99.9+ |
| IIM Lucknow | 97-99+ |
| IIM Kozhikode | 97-99+ |
| IIM Indore | 97-99+ |
| IIM Shillong | 95-98 |
| IIM Rohtak | 95-97 |
| IIM Mumbai (ex-NITIE) | 97-99 |
| Newer IIMs (Ranchi, Raipur, Trichy, Udaipur, Kashipur, etc.) | 94-97 |
| Other Baby IIMs(Amritsar, Bodh Gaya, Jammu, Nagpur, Smbhalpur, Sirmaur, Vishakhapatnam) | 92-96 |
Key Factors Influencing CAT 2025 Cut-offs
- Exam Difficulty: The difficulty level impacts the overall cutoffs.[For example, 2024(easier paper)-high cutoffs and 2023(tough paper)-low cutoffs]
- Candidate Performance: Overall scores across ~2.58 lakh test takers influence the percentile curve; stronger collective performance raises cutoffs.
- Seat Availability: Limited seats in IIMs and competition for top programs push calling cutoffs.
- Normalisation Across Slots: It ensures fairness despite slot variations.
- Reservation Norms: Relaxations for reserved categories — NC-OBC, SC, ST, and PwD face lower qualifying and calling cutoffs.
Also Read:
Ques. Are sectional cutoffs the same across all IIMs for CAT 2025?
Ans. No, older IIMs have higher sectional cutoffs, while newer/baby IIMs typically require 70 in each.
Ques. Why is sectional balance important even with a high overall percentile?
Ans. Failing to meet sectional cutoffs disqualifies you from shortlisting, regardless of overall score.
Ques. Which section was toughest in CAT 2025, and how might it affect sectional cutoffs?
Ans. DILR was the toughest in CAT 2025. Normalisation may help, but strong DILR performance remains key for a good overall score.
Ques. Do reserved categories have lower sectional cutoffs in CAT 2025?
Ans. Yes, NC-OBC/EWS: ~65-80, SC: ~60-75, ST/PwD: ~50-65 sectional, varying by IIMs.
Ques. Do sectional cutoffs apply to non-IIM colleges accepting CAT?
Ans. Many top non-IIMs (For example, FMS, SPJIMR) consider sectional balance but may not enforce strict cutoffs.
Sectional cutoffs remain a critical gatekeeper for IIM shortlistings, ensuring candidates demonstrate balanced skills across VARC, DILR, and QA. While overall percentiles often grab headlines, failing even one sectional cutoff can disqualify you, regardless of a high total score.
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