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If you’re refreshing your CAT scorecard right now trying to work out whether it’s “good enough” for IIM Indore, here’s the short, uncomfortable truth: the published cutoff and the percentile that actually gets you an interview call are two very different numbers — and most articles blur the two together.
This guide separates them clearly. You’ll get the exact IIM Indore CAT cutoff 2026 — overall, sectional, and category-wise — the five-year trend behind it, and the composite score formula that decides who actually gets called for a Personal Interview once the cutoff is cleared.
Quick Answer: IIM Indore CAT Cutoff 2026
- General / EWS: 90 percentile overall, 80 percentile in each section (VARC, DILR, QA)
- NC-OBC: 80 percentile overall, 70 percentile sectional
- SC: 60 percentile overall, 55 percentile sectional
- ST / PwD: 45 percentile overall, 40 percentile sectional
- Realistic interview-call range (General): 91–98 percentile depending on profile
- These minimums have stayed unchanged for four consecutive admission cycles (2023 through 2026)
Read on for the full breakdown, the historical trend, and exactly how your CAT score converts into an admission chance.
Also Read: IIM Indore: Ranking, Fees, Cutoff, Admission, IPM & Placements 2026 — Complete Guide
IIM Indore CAT Cutoff 2026: Category-Wise Overall & Sectional Percentile
IIM Indore uses a two-tier cutoff structure for its flagship two-year PGP (2027–29 batch, based on CAT 2026): candidates must clear an overall percentile and an individual minimum in all three CAT sections — Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). Missing even one section disqualifies the candidature, regardless of how high the overall percentile is.
| Category | Overall Percentile | VARC | DILR | QA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 90.00 | 80.00 | 80.00 | 80.00 |
| EWS | 90.00 | 80.00 | 80.00 | 80.00 |
| NC-OBC | 80.00 | 70.00 | 70.00 | 70.00 |
| SC | 60.00 | 55.00 | 55.00 | 55.00 |
| ST | 45.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 |
| PwD | 45.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 |
Figures based on IIM Indore’s published admission procedure for the most recent admission cycles. IIM Indore does not release cutoffs publicly — they’re visible only in a candidate’s CAT login account, so always cross-check against the official IIM Indore admissions page once CAT 2026 results are out.
Important nuance: these are described as “minimum” thresholds, but they’re not a single fixed floor — IIM Indore’s own admission policy sets them as ranges in some communications (the general overall cutoff has been cited anywhere from 90 to 90–93 percentile across different official-policy years), so always treat 90 percentile as the safe minimum to clear comfortably, not a target to graze.
Qualifying Cutoff vs Final Admission Cutoff: Why 90 Percentile Isn’t Enough
This is the single most misunderstood part of IIM Indore’s process, and it’s worth being blunt about it.
The 90/80 figures above are Stage I eligibility cutoffs — they only determine who’s considered for the next round. They are not the percentile at which people actually get admitted. Based on the composite score patterns of recent admitted batches, the realistic General-category range for an interview call and eventual admission runs closer to 91–98 percentile, with the exact figure depending heavily on your academic profile, sectional balance, and diversity factors.
| Stage | What It Means | Typical Percentile Needed (General) |
|---|---|---|
| Stage I — Qualifying Cutoff | Minimum score to be considered at all | 90 overall / 80 sectional |
| Stage II — PI Shortlist (Composite Score) | Ranked using CAT + academics + diversity | Effectively 91–95+ |
| Final Admission | After PI, based on Final Composite Score | Often 93–98 for General, engineer, male candidates |
In plain terms: clearing 90 percentile gets your application looked at. It does not get you a seat.
IIM Indore CAT Cutoff: 5-Year Historical Trend
One of the most useful things you can know before CAT 2026 is that IIM Indore’s minimum cutoff structure has been unusually stable — a sharp contrast to institutes like IIM Ahmedabad, which raised its General-category cutoff sharply in the 2026–28 cycle.
| Admission Cycle | General/EWS Overall | General/EWS Sectional (each) | NC-OBC Overall | SC Overall | ST/PwD Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–24 | 90 | 80 | 80 | 65* | 50* |
| 2023–25 | 90 | 80 | 80 | 60 | 45 |
| 2024–26 | 90 | 80 | 80 | 60 | 45 |
| 2025–27 | 90 | 80 | 80 | 60 | 45 |
| 2026–28 (Expected) | 90 | 80 | 80 | 60 | 45 |
In the 2023–25 admission policy, IIM Indore relaxed the SC cutoff from 65 to 60 percentile and the ST/PwD cutoff from 50 to 45 percentile — the only structural change to the cutoff table in recent cycles, and it has held steady since.
What this tells a CAT 2026 aspirant: unlike IIMs that adjust cutoffs year to year based on applicant volume, IIM Indore’s Stage I thresholds function almost like a fixed floor. Your prep target shouldn’t move much based on “expected cutoff” speculation — it should move based on where the realistic admission range sits, which is meaningfully higher than the published minimum.
Also Read: Colleges Accepting 85–90 Percentile in CAT 2026
How Your CAT Score Actually Converts to a Seat: The Composite Score Formula
Clearing the cutoff only earns you Stage I eligibility. From there, IIM Indore uses a two-part Composite Score (CS) system — one formula to decide who gets a Personal Interview call, and a second, re-weighted formula to decide final admission after the interview.
Stage II: Composite Score for PI Shortlisting
| Component | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Class 10 marks | 39% |
| Class 12 marks | 20% |
| Quantitative Ability (QA) | 15% |
| VARC | 10% |
| DILR | 10% |
| Diversity Factor | 6% |
Final Selection: Composite Score After Personal Interview
| Component | Weightage |
|---|---|
| VARC | 20% |
| Personal Interview | (largest single component; remainder of total) |
| Class 10 marks | 5% |
| Class 12 marks | 5% |
| DILR | 10% |
| QA | 10% |
| Diversity Factor | 5% |
Why this matters more than most aspirants realize: at the PI-shortlisting stage, your Class 10 marks alone carry more weightage (39%) than any single CAT section. This is precisely why two candidates with an identical 92 percentile CAT score can get completely different outcomes — one with strong, consistent board scores and one without. If your board marks are on the weaker side, the practical fix is aiming meaningfully above 90 percentile to offset that gap in the composite score, not just clearing the minimum.
Factors That Influence the IIM Indore Cutoff Every Year
- CAT difficulty and percentile distribution — a harder paper compresses the percentile curve, which can shift how many candidates cross 90 percentile in absolute terms.
- Total applicant volume — CAT typically sees 2.5–3 lakh test-takers annually; a spike in applications to IIM Indore specifically raises effective competition even if the published cutoff doesn’t move.
- Category-wise seat allocation — reservation norms (27% OBC, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 10% EWS, 5% PwD under Government of India guidelines) directly shape how many seats are contested within each cutoff band.
- Diversity policy weightage — gender and academic-background diversity factors can shift the effective competitiveness of a given percentile within the composite score, independent of the raw cutoff number.
- Admission policy revisions — as seen with the SC/ST relaxation introduced in the 2023–25 cycle, IIM Indore does occasionally revise category-wise cutoffs, even when the General category figure stays fixed.
How to Check If You Meet the IIM Indore Cutoff for CAT 2026
- Wait for the CAT 2026 result (expected late December 2026 / early January 2027) and log in to your official CAT candidate account to view your sectional and overall percentile.
- Compare against the category-wise table above — remember, you need to clear all three sectional minimums plus the overall, not just one or the other.
- Don’t stop at “did I clear it.” Cross-check your Class 10 and 12 percentage against the composite score weightage table, since that’s what actually determines your PI shortlisting rank.
- Track the official admission policy release, usually published on iimidr.ac.in a few weeks after CAT results, since minor category-wise revisions (like the SC/ST relaxation) are announced there first.
- Benchmark your current standing early with a free full-length CAT mock test, so you know exactly how far above 90 percentile you realistically need to score before results day.
IIM Indore Cutoff vs Other Top IIMs: Where It Stands
If you’re simultaneously preparing for multiple IIMs, it helps to see where Indore’s minimum threshold sits relative to peers — General category, most recent cycle.
| IIM | General Category Overall Cutoff | Sectional Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 95 (raised sharply for 2026–28) | Yes, section-wise |
| IIM Indore | 90 | 80 in each section |
| IIM Lucknow | 85 | High sectional (80–85 range) |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 | Yes, section-wise |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 | Yes, section-wise |
IIM Indore and IIM Lucknow currently carry among the highest sectional cutoffs of the older IIMs, meaning a lopsided CAT scorecard (strong overall, weak in one section) is riskier here than at some peer institutes.
Also Read: CAT Cutoff 2026 for IIMs: Percentile List & Category Cutoffs
Key Takeaways: Summary
- IIM Indore CAT cutoff 2026 (General/EWS): 90 percentile overall, 80 percentile in each of VARC, DILR, and QA.
- Category-wise: NC-OBC 80/70, SC 60/55, ST & PwD 45/40 (overall/sectional).
- These qualifying thresholds have held steady for four consecutive cycles, aside from a one-time SC/ST relaxation introduced in the 2023–25 admission policy.
- Clearing the cutoff only enables Stage I eligibility — the realistic General-category range for an actual PI call and admission is closer to 91–98 percentile.
- Class 10 marks alone carry 39% weightage in the PI-shortlisting composite score — more than any individual CAT section.
- Missing even one sectional minimum disqualifies a candidate, regardless of overall percentile.
- Always verify current-cycle figures directly on IIM Indore’s official admission procedure, since cutoffs are not published publicly and appear only in the candidate’s CAT login.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the IIM Indore CAT cutoff 2026 for the General category?
The General/EWS category cutoff is 90 percentile overall, with a mandatory 80 percentile minimum in each of VARC, DILR, and QA. This has remained unchanged across the past four admission cycles.
2. Is 90 percentile enough to get admission at IIM Indore?
Clearing 90 percentile only makes you eligible for Stage I shortlisting — it does not guarantee a Personal Interview call or admission. Based on recent admitted-batch patterns, the realistic General-category range for an actual seat runs closer to 91–98 percentile, depending on your academic profile and diversity factors.
3. What is the sectional cutoff at IIM Indore?
General/EWS candidates need a minimum of 80 percentile in each of VARC, DILR, and QA individually. A high overall score cannot compensate for missing even one sectional minimum — all three must be cleared simultaneously.
4. How much weightage does CAT score carry in IIM Indore’s final selection?
CAT sectional scores (VARC, DILR, QA combined) carry roughly 35–40% weightage across the composite score stages, with Class 10 and Class 12 marks, Personal Interview, and diversity factors making up the rest — meaning CAT score alone does not determine admission.
5. What is the CAT cutoff for reserved categories at IIM Indore?
NC-OBC candidates need 80 percentile overall (70 sectional); SC candidates need 60 percentile overall (55 sectional); ST and PwD candidates need 45 percentile overall (40 sectional).
6. Has the IIM Indore CAT cutoff changed for 2026?
The General category cutoff has remained at 90 percentile for four consecutive cycles. The only recent structural change was a relaxation of the SC cutoff (65→60) and ST/PwD cutoff (50→45) introduced in the 2023–25 admission policy, which has since stayed constant.
Conclusion
The IIM Indore CAT cutoff 2026 — 90 percentile overall with an 80 percentile sectional floor for General/EWS candidates — has been one of the most stable admission thresholds among India’s top IIMs for four consecutive cycles. But the real number to plan around isn’t the published minimum; it’s the composite-score-driven range of roughly 91–98 percentile that actually converts into a Personal Interview call and, eventually, a seat. Since board exam marks carry substantial weightage in that formula, your preparation strategy should account for more than just CAT percentile alone.
The most useful next step isn’t reading another cutoff estimate — it’s knowing exactly where you stand today. Take a free CAT mock test to benchmark your current percentile, and read our companion guides on IIM Indore’s full admission and placement profile and the IIM Indore Batch Profile 2026-28 to understand exactly who gets in and why.
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