A 97 percentile in CAT 2025 can easily put a candidate in the top 3% of over 2.9 lakh candidates with a rank of 3000-3500. With this percentile, candidates can secure admission to top CAT 97 percentile colleges in India, such as both IIMs like Rohtak, Ranchi, Udaipur, and Ahmedabad, along with prestigious non-IIMs like MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR Mumbai, IIFT Delhi, and DSE Delhi.
Many candidates on the the CAT 97th percentile colleges Reddit threads report interview calls from these institutes with scores of 98–105 marks.
- 97 percentile in CAT colleges are very competitive for the selection, and weightage is given to academics, work experience, and personal interviews.
- If you’re aiming for strong ROI, you can also target colleges at 97 percentile in CAT, like IIFT Delhi, IIT Bombay SJMSOM, and IIM Trichy.
- Most of these institutes have average placement packages above ₹20 LPA and strong alumni networks.
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Key Summary
- A CAT 97 percentile means that you are in the top 3% and the doors to IIMs and non-IIMs are open to you.
- Placement packages in these CAT 97 percentile colleges range from ₹17 to 25 LPA and sometimes even cross this limit of ₹25 LPA.
- Focus on building a strong application and good interpersonal skills to get into top business institutions.
97 Percentile in CAT, which IIM?
To get into the top IIMs and other IIMs after scoring 97 percentile in CAT can depend on your overall profile and performance in PI and WAT rounds. IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Lucknow, IIM Calcutta, and IIM Shillong are well known for the profile-based selection, where your academic and professional experience is considered in the screening test.
CAT 97 percentile college: IIMs
| IIM | Cut-off (Percentile) | Average Package |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Kashipur | 94–95 percentile | ₹18.1 LPA |
| IIM Trichy | 94–95 percentile | ₹19.27 LPA |
| IIM Ranchi | 94–95 percentile | ₹17.3 LPA |
| IIM Bodhgaya | 95 percentile | ₹13.73 LPA |
| IIM Udaipur | 95 percentile | ₹20.3 LPA |
| IIM Nagpur | 94–95 percentile | ₹16.29 LPA |
| IIM Sirmaur | 95 percentile | ₹13.93 LPA |

CAT 97 Percentile Colleges: Non-IIMs
| College Name | Cut Off (Percentile) | Average Package |
|---|---|---|
| MDI Gurgaon | 95-97.5 | ₹25.6 LPA |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 95-97 | ₹33 LPA |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 94-96 | ₹17.35 LPA |
| XIMB Bhubaneshwar | 90-93 | ₹17.5 LPA |
| DFS, DU | 96-97 | ₹19.52 LPA |
| DSE, DU | 94-96 | ₹14.5 LPA |
| IMI, Delhi | 90-94 | ₹17.01 LPA |
| GIM, Goa | 90-95 | ₹14.3 LPA |
| KJ Somaiya, Mumbai | 90-93 | ₹12.3 LPA |

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MBA Through CAT97 percentile in CAT: Year-wise comparison
The raw score in CAT does not account for the percentile; it all depends on the difficulty level of the exam. Looking at the year trend of the CAT exam, the selection in the B-schools with 97th percentile in CAT depends on the difficulty level of the paper. Here is a year-wise trend of the CAT exam with 97th percentile:
| Year | Approximate Raw Score |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 79 |
| 2023 | 61 |
| 2022 | 72 |
| 2021 | 82 |
| 2020 | 85 |
Scoring 97 percentile in CAT can provide a rank of 3000-3500, but the final selection depends on your performance in the PI and WAT rounds. For reserved candidates, this 97 CAT percentile is good enough to be in the top IIMs, but for general candidates.

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CAT College PredictorCAT 97 percentile colleges FAQs
Ques. Is 97 percentile good for IIM?
Ans. Yes, a 97th percentile in the CAT exam is considered good for IIM admissions, especially for newer or baby IIMs. While it may not guarantee a call from the top IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, if you are a category student you may receive a call from them too. To get into top-tier or mid-tier IIMs, you must focus on your WAT and PI to increase your chances significantly.
Ques. Which college can I get if I got 97 percentile in CAT?
Ans. A CAT score of 97 percentile can potentially get you into several well-respected institutions, including IIMs and non-IIMs like IIM Kashipur, IIM Udaipur, IIM Sirmaur, SPJIMR, XLRI, XIMB, and many more.



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