Updated on 4th October 2024 | 11:59 am | #CATCutoff2024
CAT Cutoff 2024 is the criteria set by different B-schools for their admission process, comprising the minimum marks required by a candidate in CAT to be selected for further admission rounds. After the CAT exam, candidates keep an eye on the cutoff lists to see which colleges and institutes would accept their CAT scores. However, it is worth noting that the overall CAT cutoffs are different from the CAT sectional cutoffs. If a candidate clears the overall CAT cutoff but fails to clear the sectional cutoff in CAT/ IIM sectional cutoff, they will not receive a call from the B-School.
For General/NC-OBC category candidates, the expected CAT 2024 cutoff percentile for top IIMs is generally around 98-100 in the CAT exam, while for SC/ST/PwD categories, the cutoffs are even lower. For non-IIMs, the CAT 2024 cutoff can fall within the range of 94-100 percentile. Mark that the CAT score, along with the overall profile of the candidate, is taken into consideration in order to receive a call from the top B-schools. Only those candidates who meet the minimum marks requirement are shortlisted for further WAT-GD-PI rounds.
Know Your Percentile & B-school Predictions!
The CAT exam reaches up to approximately 3.3 lakh registrations, with the number increasing every year, out of which more than 2.8 lakh candidates appeared. This makes it difficult for colleges to select the ideal candidates from this vast pool. An added complexity to the criterion is that other colleges will also be selecting candidates for their own batch simultaneously.
Therefore, the top MBA colleges in India decided to bring in something called the CAT Cutoff. This represents a minimum percentile requirement that the particular B-school decides upon based on the following:
These two factors are somewhat interrelated because the better the reputation of the college, the more candidates would want to gain admission there.
There are other factors, such as the quality of the faculty, the placement record and even the college's location. The last factor matters because if there are two colleges with an equally competent student base, companies would rather visit the college which is closer to their location. This is why colleges tend to crop up in industrial hubs such as Mumbai and Bangalore.
We have jotted down an estimated CAT expected cutoff percentiles based on the difficulty level of CAT 2023; utilise the information and gear up your CAT preparation accordingly:
CAT Percentile |
VARC Score |
DILR Score |
QA Score |
Overall Score |
99.9 %ile |
48 |
36 |
48 |
106 |
99.5 %ile |
44 |
32 |
32 |
89 |
99 %ile |
40 |
28 |
28 |
80 |
98 %ile |
36 |
25 |
24 |
71 |
95%ile |
30 |
19 |
19 |
57 |
90%ile |
25 |
16 |
15 |
49 |
85%ile |
21 |
13 |
12 |
40 |
80%ile |
19 |
11 |
10 |
36 |
Don't miss out on any latest updates on CAT 2024, check CAT Exam Analysis 2024
Most applicants must be wondering if this year's IIM cutoffs will be higher now that the CAT 2024 exam is over. This is a common question among students' mind particularly because many people thought the CAT 2024 paper was a little simpler than the CAT 2023 exam
With all that said, it is difficult to predict the exact CAT 2024 cutoffs for IIMs as it depends on several factors whether they will be higher compared to previous year or not. Factors such as how applicants perform in the CAT exam, changes in the applicant pool, and the unique admission criteria set by each IIM.
The cutoffs could rise if a larger number of students excel and score highly. To manage the competition, the IIMs might also adjust their cutoffs based on the circumstances, especially if they receive an increased number of applications.
It’s important to keep an eye on last year's patterns and any official updates from the IIMs about their admission criteria to stay informed and in the loop.
CAT cutoff 2024 for each B-school will be been determined based on several factors that comprise the selection process for MBA/PGDM. Some of the key factors that determine the IIM cutoffs category-wise are mentioned below:
Based on the CAT cutoffs of 2023, we have collected similar data for CAT 2024 cutoffs to give an idea to all the aspiring CAT takers about the required percentiles of the colleges that they might be targeting and mould their CAT 2024 preparation accordingly.
The CAT cutoffs for percentile-based calls of general category candidates are higher than those of reserved categories. According to the trends over the past few years, the CAT Cutoffs for IIMs for the year 2024 are as follows:
B-schools |
CAT Cutoff 2024 |
IIM Ahmedabad |
99 %ile+ |
IIM Bangalore |
99 %ile+ |
IIM Calcutta |
99 %ile+ |
IIM Lucknow |
99 %ile+ |
IIM Kozhikode |
98 %ile+ |
IIM Indore |
98 %ile+ |
IIM Shillong |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Udaipur |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Ranchi |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Raipur |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Rohtak |
96 %ile+ |
IIM Trichy |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Kashipur |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Sirmaur |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Bodhgaya |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Vizag |
96 %ile+ |
IIM Amritsar |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Jammu |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Nagpur |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Sambalpur |
95 %ile+ |
IIM Mumbai |
97 %ile+ |
If you are a CAT aspirant and want to get into your dream b-school, the first step for you is to have a deep understanding of the CAT syllabus and CAT exam pattern before starting with your preparation. Refer to the above-mentioned CAT cutoffs and plan your study routine accordingly.
CAT cutoffs for IIM admission for the year 2024 will fall within the bracket of 95-100 percentile for General candidates. For the top 6 IIMs, the CAT 2024 cutoffs may reach as high as 99.99 and 100 percentile, whereas, for newer IIMs, it will range between 95-97 percentile. The CAT cutoff 2024 for NITIE Mumbai, which is now IIM Mumbai, is expected to be around 94 percentile.
Refer to the table below for a better understanding of the qualifying CAT sectional cutoffs for the year 2024.
Top B-School (With Sectional Cutoff) |
||||
College |
VARC |
DILR |
QA |
Aggregate |
IIM Ahmedabad |
70 |
70 |
70 |
80 |
IIM Bangalore |
80 |
75 |
75 |
85 |
IIM Calcutta |
80 |
80 |
75 |
85 |
IIM Kozhikode |
75 |
75 |
75 |
85 |
IIM Lucknow |
85 |
85 |
85 |
90 |
IIM Vishakhapatnam |
70 |
70 |
70 |
82 |
SPJIMR |
75 |
75 |
75 |
85 |
IIM Amritsar |
80 |
75 |
75 |
90 |
IIM Bodh Gaya |
73 |
73 |
73 |
94 |
IIM Jammu |
72 |
72 |
72 |
91 |
IIM Kashipur |
73 |
73 |
73 |
94 |
IIM Nagpur |
73 |
73 |
73 |
94 |
IIM Raipur |
73 |
73 |
73 |
94 |
IIM Ranchi |
73 |
73 |
73 |
94 |
IIM Shillong |
75 |
75 |
75 |
85 |
IIM Mumbai |
80 |
80 |
75 |
85 |
*Disclaimer - The above data has been consolidated from information available on official websites as of November 29, 2024.
If you are looking forward to improving your sectional scores, get your hands on the detailed preparation strategy for each section, you can refer to: Preparation Tips for CAT QA | Preparation Tips for CAT DILR | Preparation Tips for CAT VARC
While most aspirants aim to get into the older IIMs as they are considered to be the best B-schools in India, not everyone can accomplish this goal. However, several other colleges have almost the same level of repute as the IIMs. These colleges include SP Jain, FMS, MDI Gurgaon, IIT Delhi, JBIMS, NITIE, etc. The CAT cutoffs for these colleges are often as high as and occasionally even higher than those of the IIMs.
S.No. |
Institute Name |
CAT 2024 Cutoff |
1 |
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) |
99.3 %ile+ |
2 |
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) |
99.9 %ile+ |
3 |
Management Development Institute (MDI) |
97 %ile+ |
4 |
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal |
85 %ile+ |
5 |
MHRM, IIT Kharagpur |
94 %ile+ |
6 |
DMS, IIT Delhi |
98 %ile+ |
7 |
IMI Delhi |
88 %ile+ |
8 |
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune (SIBM-P) |
98.5 %ile+ |
9 |
Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD) |
97 %ile+ |
10 |
Vinod Gupta School of Management(VGSOM) |
94 %ile+ |
11 |
Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM), Chennai |
90 %ile+ |
12 |
University Business School (UBS), Punjab University, Chandigarh |
88 %ile+ |
13 |
Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad (MICA) |
45+ marks in MICAT |
14 |
K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR), Mumbai |
84 %ile+ |
15 |
Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) |
86 %ile+ |
16 |
Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa |
90 %ile+ |
17 |
Department of Management Studies (DOMS), Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) |
94 %ile+ |
18 |
Department of Industrial and Management Engineering (IME), Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT–K) |
92 %ile+ |
19 |
Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad |
90 %ile+ |
20 |
Delhi School of Economics (DSE), University of Delhi |
85 %ile+ |
21 |
Department of Management Studies (DoMS), Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) |
85 %ile+ |
22 |
Bharahidasan Institute of Management, Trichy (BIM Trichy) |
87 %ile+ |
23 |
Vivekananda Business School |
75 %ile |
24 |
NIBM Pune |
85 %ile+ |
25 |
Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA) |
80 %ile+ |
26 |
FORE School of Management |
85 %ile+ |
37 |
Welingkar Institute of Management |
77 %ile+ |
*Meeting the required percentiles does not guarantee a call, as it also depends on various profile parameters such as academic performance (10th &12th score, Graduation score), work experience, category, and diversity.
*Disclaimer - The above data has been consolidated from information available on official websites as of November 29, 2024.
All IIMs consider CAT scores for their MBA/PGP/PGDM admissions, but each one has its own CAT cutoff and weightage based on their availability and other criteria such as fee structures and selection processes. It is important for candidates to understand these differences if they are aiming for a specific IIM.
For CAT 2024, the cutoffs will vary depending on the category and the institution. By checking the requirements for each IIM, candidates can better prepare and set realistic expectations.
IIMs |
Overall CAT 2024 Cutoff Category-Wise |
|||||
UR |
EWS |
OBC |
SC |
ST |
PWD |
|
IIM Ahmedabad |
80+ |
80+ |
75+ |
70+ |
60+ |
70+ |
IIM Bangalore |
85+ |
75+ |
75+ |
70+ |
65+ |
60+ |
IIM Calcutta |
85+ |
75+ |
75+ |
70+ |
65+ |
55+ |
IIM Mumbai |
85+ |
75+ |
75+ |
70+ |
65+ |
55+ |
IIM Indore |
90+ |
90+ |
80+ |
60+ |
45+ |
45+ |
IIM Lucknow |
90+ |
82+ |
82+ |
65+ |
60+ |
60+ |
IIM Kozhikode |
85+ |
75+ |
75+ |
65+ |
55+ |
55+ |
IIM Udaipur |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Ranchi |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Trichy |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Rohtak |
96+ |
92+ |
82+ |
60+ |
50+ |
86+ |
IIM Kashipur |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Raipur |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Nagpur |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Sirmaur |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Amritsar |
88+ |
88+ |
78+ |
55+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Bodhgaya |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Sambalpur |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Jammu |
94+ |
77+ |
77+ |
60+ |
40+ |
40+ |
IIM Vishakhapatnam |
82+ |
72+ |
72+ |
50+ |
40+ |
40+ |
The given expected percentile and scores are based on inputs provided by CAT-takers in CL’s score calculator. The actual cutoffs for CAT 2024 will be collated after the CAT results 2024 are out.
Based on the CAT 2023 results and cut-offs, candidates can expect a higher level of difficulty for CAT 2024 this year. The ideal score required to gain admission to the top B-schools with a 99+ percentile is expected to be lower, ranging between 80-90. Here are the expected CAT scores vs percentiles 2024 for your reference:
Percentile |
CAT 2024 - SLOT 3 |
CAT 2024 - SLOT 2 |
CAT 2024 - SLOT 1 |
99 |
90-92 |
87-89 |
90-92 |
95 |
68-70 |
65-67 |
68-70 |
90 |
56-58 |
53-55 |
56-58 |
85 |
47-49 |
44-46 |
47-49 |
80 |
41-43 |
38-40 |
41-43 |
*The data has been collected by our own CAT students and is subject to change based on the number of responses collected on our CAT Score Calculator.
CAT Sections |
CAT 2024 - SLOT 3 |
CAT 2024 - SLOT 2 |
CAT 2024 - SLOT 1 |
VARC |
23-24 |
24-25 |
22-23 |
DILR |
15-16 |
15-16 |
17-18 |
QA |
12-13 |
11-12 |
13-14 |
Being an average student does not necessarily mean that you are someone with a poor academic foundation and weak analytical skills.
You need to understand that you have what it takes to get into an IIM and are viable to crack any sort of examination that comes your way, provided you work smartly and analyze your own learning pattern. Consistency is mandatory. Focus on your objectives and re-invent your working pattern in other formats.
Meticulous management of your time will help you stay focused. Breaking up your studying time into small chunks helps you concentrate more, and mind mapping can straightaway hit the nail on the coffin and help you ace CAT or any competitive test for that matter.
The CAT exam represents a milestone in the life of several candidates. Therefore, they need to plan their entire CAT Exam Preparation extremely carefully. This is where the CAT Cut Off and the CAT Score come into play.
Every candidate has a basic idea of what they can achieve in the CAT exam with a good level of preparation. Keeping this in mind, the candidate needs to build a shortlist of business scores for which they can aspire. While making this shortlist, the candidate must acknowledge the institutes' selection criteria and usual CAT scores.
These selection criteria are usually available on the college website itself or on some other internet source. With the help of the selection criteria, the candidate can make a realistic estimate of the B-schools that the candidate has a fair chance of getting selected.
Summarize the course curriculum - Identify and prioritize the topics that require the most attention and deep learning. You can refer to the previous year's CAT question papers, question banks framed specifically for the candidates and the individual weightage of each section in the CAT exam.
Devote your time to Online Sectional Tests
Plan your Schedule
Segregation of Time
Video lectures on QA and Reasoning by experts
Mock Practise Tests
Get in touch with your Peers and Faculty Members
Every tier 1 B-school, such as the IIMs, has its own specific admission criteria for selecting candidates to invite for further admission processes. These criteria have changed over time, and we have collected and used this data to create a tool that can estimate the likelihood of receiving an invitation from different schools.
To have a fair understanding of which of the top IIMs and B-schools you can get into and what is the required percentile to get shortlisted for the WAT-PI-GD round, you can check with the IIM Profilizer to set your goals for your dream B-School.
Some of the questions which will be asked through the IIM Call Predictor are:
Utilize our personalized B-school predictor to its fullest potential in the last few months before your CAT 2024 exam. Set your sights on your desired B-school and work on weaknesses in order to match up with the CAT Cutoff 2024. Benefit from our IIM Call predictor and accelerate your preparation for CAT 2024.
The CAT Cutoff is just another tool that the candidate has in his locker. It gives the candidate a better idea of where they need to focus their efforts and the kind of CAT Score and CAT Percentile that they need to aim for. This is especially important because while aiming for 100 %ile is good, there should also be a realistic target for the candidate to chase.
Yes, for admissions to the IIMs, 85% in 12th is sufficient. Getting admission to an IIM is dependent on various factors, along with 12th scores. The profile of the candidate, the CAT score, and the performance in the GDPI round together determine whether a candidate is admissible for admission or not.
Yes, candidates who score a high percentile might still not make the cut for IIM-A as the CAT scores are not the only criterion for admission to an IIM. The performance of the candidate in further admission rounds, the overall profile, including 10th and 12th grades, work experience, qualification, etc, also plays a role in the final score given to the candidate.
A good CAT percentile is necessary for the interview shortlisting and each IIM has a separate minimum cutoff as mentioned above. However, the final decision for admission to any IIM is based on various factors including profile, diversity, CAT scores, and other factors.