Every serious MBA aspirant eventually asks the same question: “What percentile do I actually need?” The CAT Cutoff 2026 is the number that turns that anxiety into a plan. It tells you exactly where you stand against IIM Ahmedabad’s 99+ percentile demand, where the newer IIMs open their doors at 85-90 percentile, and where non-IIM B-schools like FMS, SPJIMR, and MDI sit in between.
Most aspirants only discover the real percentile requirement midway through their preparation, which wastes valuable months that could have gone into targeted practice. This guide breaks down the expected cutoff category-wise, sectional-wise, and college-wise, using official admission policy data and verified exam trends — so you can set a realistic target from day one instead of guessing halfway through the year.
What Is CAT Cutoff 2026?
The CAT Cutoff 2026 is the minimum percentile a candidate must score in the Common Admission Test to become eligible for the next stage of MBA admissions — Written Ability Test (WAT), Group Discussion (GD), or Personal Interview (PI) — at IIMs and other participating institutes. It’s important to understand that this benchmark works on two distinct levels:
- Qualifying cutoff: the minimum percentile to even be considered eligible for shortlisting. This is published in an institute’s admission policy, often before the exam is even conducted.
- Final or actual cutoff: the real percentile at which candidates are actually called for interviews, which is almost always considerably higher than the qualifying number.
Confusing these two figures is the single biggest mistake aspirants make while reading any percentile table online, and it often leads to a false sense of security after clearing only the qualifying stage.
CAT 2026 Exam Snapshot Before You Check the Cutoff
Before diving into percentile numbers, it helps to know the exam calendar, since the official percentile requirement will only be published after results are declared.
| Particular | Expected Detail |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | IIM Indore |
| Exam Date | November 29, 2026 (Sunday) |
| Notification Release | Last week of July 2026 |
| Registration Window | Early August to mid-September 2026 |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT), 3 slots |
| Total Questions | 68 questions across VARC, DILR, QA |
| Result Declaration | Expected around December 21-24, 2026 |
| Number of Test Cities | 170+ cities across India |
Source: Official CAT website – iimcat.ac.in
Since results typically arrive in the first or second week of January, most institutes release their official cutoff shortly after, and shortlists for WAT-PI rounds usually go out within a few weeks of that. Keeping this timeline in mind is useful for planning your interview preparation window well in advance, rather than scrambling once shortlists are announced.
CAT Cutoff 2026 for Top IIMs
This is the section most aspirants search for first — the IIM-wise percentile requirement for the General category. Based on 2026-28 admission policies and CAT 2025 trends, here’s how the top institutes compare.
| IIM | Qualifying Cutoff (General) | Expected Final Calling Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 95 percentile | 99-100 percentile |
| IIM Bangalore | 85 percentile | 97-100 percentile |
| IIM Calcutta | 85 percentile | 97-99 percentile |
| IIM Lucknow | 90 percentile | 97-99 percentile |
| IIM Kozhikode | 85 percentile | 95-97 percentile |
| IIM Indore | 90 percentile | 95-98 percentile |
| IIM Mumbai (NITIE) | 85 percentile | 95-97 percentile |
| Newer IIMs (Nagpur, Udaipur, Jammu, Bodh Gaya) | 90-92 percentile | 88-95 percentile |
Source: Individual IIM admission policy brochures for the 2026-28 batch, cross-checked with IIM Ahmedabad official site and IIM Bangalore official site.
Notice the gap between the qualifying number and the final calling percentile — at IIM Bangalore, for instance, the qualifying threshold is 85 percentile, but candidates who actually receive a call typically score close to 97 or above. This gap widens further at IIM Ahmedabad, where a jump from 80 to 95 percentile in the qualifying threshold has already reshaped how aspirants should benchmark their preparation for this cycle.
CAT Cutoff 2026 Category-Wise: General, OBC, EWS, SC, ST, PwD
Reservation categories significantly change the percentile requirement. A candidate from the SC, ST, or PwD category typically needs a considerably lower score than the General category to be shortlisted at the same institute, in line with government reservation norms for centrally funded institutions.
| Category | IIM Ahmedabad | IIM Bangalore | IIM Calcutta | IIM Lucknow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 95 | 85 | 85 | 90 |
| EWS | 85-90 | 75-80 | 75 | 82 |
| OBC-NCL | 80-85 | 75-80 | 75 | 82 |
| SC | 70-75 | 65-70 | 65 | 70 |
| ST | 70-75 | 60-65 | 65 | 65 |
| PwD | 60-70 | 55-65 | 60 | 65 |
Source: Category-wise admission policy data published by respective IIMs for the 2026-28 admission cycle, in accordance with Department of Higher Education reservation guidelines.
This category-wise structure exists to ensure diversity in the incoming batch, and it’s one of the most searched-for breakdowns among CAT aspirants, since a large share of test-takers fall under reserved categories. Aspirants applying under EWS or OBC-NCL should also keep their non-creamy-layer or income certificates updated, since institutes verify eligibility strictly at the document-checking stage.
CAT Cutoff 2026 for Non-IIM Colleges
The percentile requirement isn’t limited to IIMs — over 1,300 B-schools across India accept CAT scores, including some of the most reputed private and government-funded institutes.
| College | Expected Cutoff (General) |
|---|---|
| FMS Delhi | 98-99 percentile |
| SPJIMR Mumbai | 90-95 percentile |
| MDI Gurgaon | 90-95 percentile |
| IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) | 90-95 percentile |
| IIFT Delhi/Kolkata | 90-94 percentile |
| NITIE-affiliated & Tier-2 IIMs | 85-92 percentile |
| Great Lakes Chennai | 80-85 percentile |
| IMT Ghaziabad | 80-85 percentile |
Source: Aggregated from previous-year (CAT 2025) admission trends published by respective institutes.
FMS Delhi deserves a special mention here — despite its nominal fee structure, its expected requirement rivals that of the top IIMs, making it one of the most competitive non-IIM options on this list.
CAT Cutoff Trends: How the Numbers Have Shifted Over the Years
Looking at how the CAT Cutoff 2026 compares with previous years gives useful context on whether competition is rising or holding steady.
| Year | IIM Ahmedabad (General) | IIM Bangalore (General) | Total Test-Takers (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 2023 | 80 percentile (qualifying) | 80 percentile (qualifying) | 2.9 lakh |
| CAT 2024 | 80 percentile (qualifying) | 85 percentile (qualifying) | 2.9 lakh |
| CAT 2025 | 90-95 percentile (qualifying) | 85 percentile (qualifying) | 2.5 lakh |
| CAT 2026 (Expected) | 95 percentile (qualifying) | 85 percentile (qualifying) | 2.5 lakh (est.) |
Source: Historical admission policy data compiled from respective IIM notifications for CAT 2023-2026 cycles.
The clear takeaway is that while the total number of test-takers has slightly dipped, qualifying thresholds at the very top institutes have moved upward rather than down — largely a policy-driven shift rather than a reflection of the exam getting tougher.
Sectional Cutoff Trends for CAT 2026
Scoring an overall percentile above the target benchmark isn’t enough on its own. Every IIM applies independent sectional cutoffs across Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). A candidate who scores exceptionally well in QA but falls short in VARC can still be eliminated, even with a strong composite score.
| Section | Typical Qualifying Range (General) |
|---|---|
| VARC | 70-85 percentile |
| DILR | 70-85 percentile |
| QA | 70-85 percentile |
This is precisely why sectional accuracy matters as much as overall speed when you’re preparing against the required percentile target — a single weak section can undo an otherwise strong attempt, regardless of how high your overall composite score looks on paper. Aspirants who consistently practice all three sections, rather than over-indexing on their strongest area, tend to clear sectional thresholds far more comfortably than those who don’t.
Qualifying Cutoff vs Final Calling Cutoff for CAT 2026
One of the most misunderstood parts of the cutoff conversation is the difference between “qualifying” and “final” numbers.
The qualifying figure is published in an IIM’s admission policy before results are declared. Meeting it only opens the door to the shortlisting process — it does not guarantee anything beyond eligibility. The final or actual cutoff, on the other hand, is the real percentile at which candidates receive a WAT-PI call, and it can only be estimated after results, RTI data, or reported candidate experiences become available each year.
At institutes like IIM Bangalore, the qualifying threshold sits around 85 percentile, yet the actual percentile needed for a call regularly touches 97 to 100. Treating the qualifying number as your final CAT Cutoff 2026 target is the most common planning error aspirants make, and it often leads to disappointment when shortlists are released despite having “cleared the cutoff” on paper.
Key Factors That Influence CAT Cutoff 2026
Several variables shift the required percentile year over year, and understanding them helps you set a more accurate personal target rather than relying on last year’s number alone. No two admission cycles are identical, so treating any single year’s figures as permanent is risky — the factors below explain why the numbers move the way they do.
- Number of applicants: A higher number of test-takers increases competition for a fixed number of seats, which naturally pushes cutoffs upward.
- Overall exam difficulty: A tougher paper spreads out percentiles differently, which can shift how raw scores map to percentiles even if the underlying competition level stays similar.
- Seat availability: Institutes with fewer seats set a comparatively higher cutoff to manage the shortlisting funnel efficiently.
- Category-wise reservation policy: Government-mandated reservation percentages for EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD candidates directly affect how category-wise cutoffs are calculated.
- Sectional performance trends: If test-takers as a group struggle more in one particular section that year, that section’s qualifying threshold may adjust accordingly to reflect the overall difficulty.
- Institute-specific policy changes: As seen with IIM Ahmedabad’s shift from 80 to 95 percentile, individual institutes can revise their own qualifying norms independent of exam-wide trends.
How to Prepare Once You Know the CAT Cutoff 2026 Target
Once your target percentile is clear, preparation needs to become just as targeted. Two things consistently separate candidates who clear a high CAT Cutoff 2026 requirement from those who fall short: sectional consistency and genuine exposure to real exam-pattern questions.
Practicing with previous years’ papers is one of the fastest ways to understand how questions are actually framed and timed under exam conditions. Next, explore CAT Previous Year Papers to get a real feel of past exam patterns before you sit for a full-length attempt.
Beyond PYQs, taking full-length, CAT-level mock tests under strict timing conditions is what builds the accuracy and composite-score consistency needed to comfortably clear a demanding target. You can explore the CAT Mock Test Series to simulate the real exam environment and track your section-wise performance with detailed analytics, so you know exactly which section is holding back your overall percentile before the actual exam day arrives.
Quick Summary: CAT Cutoff 2026 at a Glance
| Category / Metric | Key Number |
|---|---|
| Top IIMs (A, B, C) General qualifying cutoff | 85-95 percentile |
| Top IIMs final calling cutoff | 97-100 percentile |
| Newer IIMs qualifying cutoff | 85-92 percentile |
| SC/ST category cutoff (Top IIMs) | 60-75 percentile |
| Sectional qualifying cutoff (each section) | 70-85 percentile |
| Non-IIM top colleges (FMS, SPJIMR, MDI) | 90-99 percentile |
| CAT 2026 exam date | November 29, 2026 |
Source: Compiled from official IIM admission policies and CAT exam conducting body data (2026-28 cycle).
Frequently Asked Questions on CAT Cutoff 2026
Q1. What is the CAT Cutoff 2026 for IIM Ahmedabad?
IIM Ahmedabad’s qualifying threshold for the General category has been raised to around 95 percentile, while the final calling cutoff typically lands between 99 and 100 percentile.
Q2. Is the CAT Cutoff 2026 the same across all categories?
No. The requirement varies significantly by category — General candidates need the highest percentile, while EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD candidates have progressively lower qualifying thresholds as per reservation policy.
Q3. When will the official CAT Cutoff 2026 be released?
It will be published by individual IIMs and participating colleges after CAT 2026 results are declared, expected around late December 2026 or early January 2027.
Q4. Does clearing the CAT Cutoff 2026 guarantee an IIM interview call?
Clearing the qualifying threshold only makes you eligible for the next stage. The actual WAT-PI call depends on the final or actual cutoff, which is usually much higher than the qualifying number.
Q5. How is the CAT Cutoff 2026 different from the CAT 2025 cutoff?
While the overall structure is expected to remain similar, some IIMs — most notably IIM Ahmedabad — have already revised their qualifying percentile upward for the 2026-28 cycle, meaning this year’s requirement may be stricter for General category candidates compared to CAT 2025.
Q6. What percentile is considered safe against the CAT Cutoff 2026?
For Tier-1 IIMs, aiming above 99 percentile is considered safe. For newer IIMs and most non-IIM colleges, a percentile above 90-95 is generally competitive against the expected requirement this year.
Q7. Do sectional cutoffs matter as much as the overall CAT Cutoff 2026?
Yes. Even if your overall percentile clears the required benchmark, falling below the sectional qualifying range in VARC, DILR, or QA can still get you eliminated from the shortlist.
Conclusion
The CAT Cutoff 2026 isn’t a single fixed number — it’s a layered system that depends on the institute, category, and section-wise performance. Tier-1 IIMs like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta will likely continue demanding 97-100 percentile for General category calls, while newer IIMs and non-IIM colleges offer relatively more accessible entry points between 85 and 95 percentile. Category-wise relaxations under SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwD further widen the pool of realistic targets for different aspirants.
Rather than fixating on last year’s numbers, use the trends in this guide as a working benchmark, and pair that target with consistent sectional practice and full-length mock attempts. The gap between a qualifying threshold and an actual interview call is closed by preparation — not guesswork.
If you’re targeting a Tier-1 IIM, treat 99 percentile as your working floor rather than your ceiling, since final calling cutoffs at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta rarely dip below that mark. If your goal is a newer IIM or a strong non-IIM college, a well-rounded 90-95 percentile with balanced sectional scores is usually enough to stay competitive. Either way, start early, track your sectional weaknesses honestly, and let the data in this guide shape a realistic, achievable CAT Cutoff 2026 target for the institutes you’re aiming for.
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