CAT Examination Cut-offs

CAT 2019 cutoffs for IIM admission will be declared on the official website of each IIM once the results are published (on January 5th, 2020). Only the candidates who appeared for the exam can access these cut-offs. Candidates who meet the cut off can apply for the Written Ability Test and Personal Interview round of IIMs. 

For their admission process, the IIMs have two cut-offs in place – qualifying cut off and final cut off. While the former is announced before the CAT result declaration, the latter is announced after the result declaration. Other institutes that accept CAT exam scores also fix a minimum cut off to shortlist candidates for admission. Read through this article to get a better idea of CAT cut-offs including determining factors, the difference between qualifying and final cutoffs, previous years cut-offs and expected cut-offs for 2019 admission.

Minimum percentile of 90 is the expected cut off of IIMs and other Top MBA colleges in India

All the top B-schools including the IIMs set their own cut-off. For selection into top IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, and IIM Kozhikode, the cut off is 99 percentile and above. 

Also Check CAT 2020 Examination Question Papers

CAT Cut Offs 2019: Highlights 

  • IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, and a few other institutes have announced the qualifying cut-offs for admission to MBA/PGP
  • Both IIM Calcutta and IIM Bangalore have fixed 85 percentile (General category) as their qualifying cut off
  • IIM Lucknow has set 90 percentile (General category) as qualifying cut off for the upcoming academic year
  • IIM Ahmedabad has fixed the qualifying cut-off at 80 percentile
  • The cut-offs of top MBA institutes like SPJIMR-Mumbai, FMS-Delhi, MDI-Gurgaon and IMT-Ghaziabad are expected to remain above 95 percentile.

CAT 2020 Expected Cut-Offs

Refer to the table below for the expected final cut off percentiles at IIMs for the General category. Based on these cut-offs, candidates will be called for the interview round. It is worth noting that while the CAT cut-offs are high each year (90-100) for general category students it is relatively less for students from the Reserved category.

Why High CAT 2018 Scores Alone Are Not Enough To Gain IIM Admission

Expected CAT cut-offs for IIMs

 

IIMs      Expected CAT cut-offs (percentile)
IIM Ahmedabad99
IIM Bangalore99
IIM Calcutta99
IIM Lucknow97-98
IIM Indore97-98
IIM Kozhikode97-98
IIM Amritsar95-96
IIM Nagpur95-96
IIM Sambalpur95-96
IIM Trichy94-95
IIM Raipur94-95
IIM Ranchi94-95
IIM Kashipur94-95
IIM Vizag92-94
IIM Udaipur92-94
IIM Bodhgaya92-94
IIM Shillong90
IIM Sirmaur90

 

Also Check CAT Mock Test 2020

Expected CAT Cut-off  for Top Non-IIM MBA Colleges

Featured below are the expected CAT 2020 cut off percentiles for General category students for top non-IIM MBA colleges that accept the CAT score:

B-SchoolExpected CAT cut-offs (percentile)
FMS, Delhi98
SPJIMR, Mumbai92
IMT, Ghaziabad90
JBIMS, Mumbai96
MDI, Gurgaon94
IMI, New Delhi90
XIM Bhubaneshwar91
GIM Goa85
K J Somaiya, Mumbai86
TAPMI, Manipal80
FORE, New Delhi85
IFMR, Chennai80
IRMA, Anand80
MICA, Ahmedabad80
LIBA, Chennai70
XIME, Bangalore70

 

Factors Determining Cat Cut-Offs

CAT cut off percentile for each institute is calculated based on several parameters. The main ones are mentioned below:

  • The difficulty level of the exam
  • Number of aspirants who took the exam
  • Number of aspirants who cleared the exam
  • Number of seats for PGP/MBA in a particular institute
  • Ranking of the institute

IIMs Announce Cut-offs for CAT 2016

CAT Qualifying Cut-Off Vs CAT Final Cut-Off

IIM aspirants should understand the difference between the two types of CAT cut-offs that are key elements in the admission process. The two types of cut-offs are: Qualifying CAT cut-offs (IIM eligibility cut off) and final CAT cut-offs (IIM call cut off) and the main difference between these two is highlighted below:

 

Qualifying CAT cut-offsFinal CAT cut-offs
Also referred to as IIM eligibility cut off or IIM shortlist cut off, it is the minimum marks a candidate must score so that he/she is eligible for interview call (for WAT/GD-PI round) from the IIMs.Also referred to as IIM call cut-offs, it is the minimum percentile score fixed by the IIMs for the selection of candidates for WAT/GD-PI round.
Meeting the qualifying cut off does not mean the candidate will be selected for WAT/GD-PI round.Meeting the final CAT cut off does not mean that the candidate will be selected for admission.
The qualifying CAT cut off is fixed before the announcement of CAT result.The final cut off is fixed after the declaration of CAT result.
The qualifying CAT cut off percentiles are announced by each campus in their notification of admission criteria and selection process for that academic year.The final CAT cut-offs are not announced officially by any IIM or even other top MBA institutes.
The qualifying CAT cut-offs remain above 90 percentile for all IIMs, the exception being IIM Ahmedabad whose qualifying cut off has remained 80 percentile since 2016.The final CAT cut-offs remain as high as 99+ percentile for all top IIMs and 95+ percentile for new IIMs.
The qualifying CAT cut-offs include sectional and overall cut-offs.The final CAT cut-offs include sectional and overall cut-offs.
The qualifying CAT cut off is fixed category-wise. The cut off for General category students is high (90), while for reserved category students, it is low (70 and below).The final CAT cut off is fixed category-wise. For General category male students with Engineering background, the final cut off is high as compared to reserved category students, female students and those with a non-engineering background.

 

Previous Years’ CAT Cut Offs of Top IIMs

IIM CAT 2018 Cut Off

The given table includes CAT cut off percentiles of top IIMs on the basis of which selection was made:

 

IIMsCAT 2018 cut-offs
IIM Ahmedabad81.53
IIM Bangalore90+
IIM Calcutta95+
IIM Lucknow90+
IIM Indore90
IIM Kozhikode95.5
IIM Rohtak90+
IIM Trichy96
IIM Udaipur90

 

Take a look at the category-wise CAT cut-offs for previous years (CAT 2017 and CAT 2016) for each of the top IIMs:

IIM Ahmedabad CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT 2017 cut off (percentile)CAT 2016 cut off (percentile)
General100100
NC-OBC10099.99
SC99.8299.97
ST99.9299.88
DA99.2899.97

 

IIM Bangalore CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General90.7292.48
NC-OBC81.4881.14
SC75.2276.35
ST70.0175.22
DA64.2176.21

 

IIM Kozhikode CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General95.1694.82
NC-OBC80.1981.14
SC65.0365.56
ST55.2855.23
DA56.0255.86

 

IIM Indore CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General90.0590.01
NC-OBC80.0580.08
SC50.1950.03
ST60.1661.38
DA50.8750.59

 

IIM Trichy CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

CategoryCAT 2017 cut off (percentile)CAT 2016 cut off  (percentile)
General9596
NC-OBC78 (78.01)78
SC60 (60.01)60
ST40 (40.01)42 (42.07)
DA40 (40.16)40 (40.19)

 

IIM Raipur CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General9596
NC-OBC78.0178
SC60.0160
ST40.0142.07
DA40.1640.19

 

IIM Rohtak CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General9596
NC-OBC78.0175.36
SC60.0165.05
ST40.0142.12
DA40.1640

 

IIM Udaipur CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General9596
NC-OBC78.0378
SC64.1461.16
ST54.1046.60
DA43.4641.91

 

IIM Sirmaur CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General9581.23
NC-OBC78.0176.54
SC60.0169.61
ST40.0161.81
DA40.1672.81

 

IIM Nagpur CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General90.0990.08
NC-OBC81.8981.48
SC65.4879.78
ST45.0973.73
DA66.4NA

 

IIM Vishakhapatnam CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General90.0990.02
NC-OBC80.0180.04
SC75.0375.12
ST56.9255.26
DA57.359.58

 

IIM Amritsar CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General94.7694.9
NC-OBC85.3575.09
SC71.9255.42
ST43.1936.26
DA35.5835.33

 

IIM Sambalpur CAT cut off (2017, 2016)

 

CategoryCAT cut off 2017 (percentile)CAT cut off 2016 (percentile)
General95NA
NC-OBC78NA
SC60NA
ST40NA
DA40NA

 

CAT 2020: IIM Admission and Selection Criteria

Once the CAT 2020 result is announced, the candidates who clear the minimum cut-offs will be eligible to apply for WAT/PI-GD round at the IIMs they had selected at the time of filling the CAT application form.

The IIM selection process involves the screening of candidates based on CAT score, WAT/GD-PI round, and final selection. The WAT/GD-PI round is usually held in the months of February and March, and the ‘offer of admission’ letters are issued to successful candidates in the months of April and May.

Also Check CAT 2020 Application Form

On being called for WAT/GD-PI round, the following documents are to be presented:

  • The original mark sheet and self-attested photocopies of mark sheets of class 10, class 12 and Graduation
  • Caste/class and/or disability certificate in case of SC, ST, NC-OBC, and PWD candidates- in original and self-attested photocopy
  • Candidates who are in their final year of bachelor’s degree or equivalent must produce an original certificate indicating that the applicant has earned 50 percent or equivalent marks (45 percent for SC, ST, and PWD candidates) based on the latest available grades / points. This certificate should be signed by the Principal / Registrar / Director of the university / institution

The final offer of admission at the IIMs is dependent on the candidate’s composite score and takes into consideration the following:

  1. CAT score: Both sectional percentile and overall percentile scored in CAT exam
  2. WAT/GD-PI score: Marks obtained in the WAT/GD-PI round
  3. Class 10 score: Class 10 marks or equivalent
  4. Class 12 score: Class 12 marks or equivalent
  5. Graduation score: Aggregate of three-year Bachelor’s program or equivalent
  6. Gender diversity:0-5 extra points are given to female/transgender candidates
  7. Academic diversity:0-5 extra points are given to candidates belonging to academic background other than Engineering
  8. Work experience:0-5 extra points are awarded to candidates having relevant work experience in an executive or managerial level

The details of the admission process and the eligibility criteria followed at MBA colleges are mentioned in advance on their official websites so that the candidates can gain a fair idea of the process and decide accordingly.

Also read:

CAT Cut-offs FAQs

Q: What does CAT cut off mean?

A: The CAT cut off is the minimum percentile score set by each institution for screening candidates for the selection process for admissions to their MBA programs.

Q: Is the CAT cut off released by only a single institute?

A: Each institute sets a category- wise cut off of their own, based on which candidates can check their eligibility for the selection process.

Q: When will CAT 2020 cut-offs be announced?

A: The cut-offs will be announced by the IIMs almost immediately after the CAT results are declared. The CAT 2020 result is most likely to be announced in the second week of January 2020. Only registered candidates with valid login details can view the CAT cut-offs set by institutions.

Q: Will I get admission to the IIM/other institutes if I meet the CAT cut-off?

A: No, meeting the cut off is not the only criteria for admission. You also need to clear the WAT/GD-PI rounds for securing admission.

Q: Are the CAT cut-offs the same for every student?

A: No. The CAT cut-offs are set category-wise. The cut off for candidates belonging to reserved categories is lower than that for general category candidates.

Q: Does a candidate have to clear sectional cut-offs as well?

A: Yes, it is mandatory to clear sectional cut-offs. The shortlisting process by IIMs and top B-Schools is based on both the overall cut off as well as sectional cut-offs.

Q: What is the difference between qualifying cut off and final cut off?

A: Qualifying CAT cut off is the minimum percentile required to be eligible for WAT-PI round. Final CAT cut off is the percentile required to be called for WAT/GD-PI round.

Q: How can I find out the final cut off of IIMs?

A: The final cut-offs are not released officially by the IIMs. It can only be viewed by candidates selected for the WAT/PI-GD rounds.

Q: What if I clear the overall cut off but not the sectional cut off? Can I still be shortlisted for WAT/GD-PI?

A: No, it is necessary to clear both the cut-offs to be eligible for the shortlisting process.

Q: What if I meet qualifying cut off but not the final cut off? Will I still get an interview call from IIMs?

A: A candidate has to necessarily clear both the qualifying and the final cut off, to be able to attend the interview round at the IIMs.




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