{"id":4714,"date":"2026-09-12T11:29:25","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T05:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.catmock.com\/blog\/?p=4714"},"modified":"2026-09-12T11:29:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T05:59:28","slug":"iim-lucknow-cutoff-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catmock.com\/blog\/iim-lucknow-cutoff-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"IIM Lucknow Cutoff 2026: CAT Percentile, Category-Wise Trends & Expected Shortlist Score"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Reading time: ~9 minutes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re staring at your CAT score wondering whether it’s “good enough” for IIM Lucknow, here’s the short, slightly uncomfortable truth: clearing the official cutoff and actually getting a call are two very different things. IIM Lucknow’s published qualifying percentile is just the entry ticket \u2014 thousands of candidates clear it every year, and only a fraction get shortlisted for the Written Ability Test and Personal Interview (WAT-PI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide breaks down everything the IIM Lucknow cutoff<\/strong> actually means: the official qualifying percentile, the category-wise and sectional minimums, how the cutoff has moved over the past few years, the programme-wise split across PGP, MBA-ABM, and MBA-SM, and \u2014 most importantly \u2014 the realistic percentile you should be targeting for a genuine shortlist chance in the CAT 2026 admission cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also Read: IIM Lucknow: Courses, Admission, Fees, Placements & Ranking (2027 Guide)<\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

IIM Lucknow Cutoff 2026 at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Category<\/th>Overall Qualifying Cutoff<\/th>VARC<\/th>DILR<\/th>QA<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
General<\/td>90<\/td>85<\/td>85<\/td>85<\/td><\/tr>
EWS \/ NC-OBC<\/td>82<\/td>75\u201377<\/td>75\u201377<\/td>75\u201377<\/td><\/tr>
SC<\/td>65\u201370<\/td>55\u201360<\/td>55\u201360<\/td>55\u201360<\/td><\/tr>
ST \/ PwD<\/td>55\u201360<\/td>50<\/td>50<\/td>50<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figures reflect the most recently published qualifying cutoff (used for the previous admission cycle) and serve as the planning benchmark until IIM Lucknow releases the CAT 2026-linked cutoff after results are declared. Always cross-check the live figure on IIM Lucknow’s official admission policy page before finalising your target.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number that actually matters more than this table:<\/strong> clearing the qualifying cutoff only makes you eligible for the composite-score calculation. It does not mean you’ll get a WAT-PI call. Keep reading \u2014 that distinction is the whole point of this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What “IIM Lucknow Cutoff” Actually Means<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

IIM Lucknow’s cutoff exists in two layers, and conflating them is the most common mistake CAT aspirants make:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The qualifying cutoff<\/strong> \u2014 the minimum overall and sectional percentile a candidate must cross to even be considered. This is a fixed, published threshold, and it barely moves year to year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The shortlisting (or “real”) cutoff<\/strong> \u2014 the effective percentile candidates in a given category actually need to make it into the composite-score merit list and receive a WAT-PI call. This number is not published in advance; it emerges from that year’s applicant pool, seat availability, and how many candidates cleared the qualifying threshold.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The gap between these two numbers is large and consistent: the qualifying cutoff for General category has sat at 90 percentile overall for several years, while the actual<\/em> percentile needed for a shortlist has typically been in the high-90s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    IIM Lucknow Cutoff Trend: How It Has Moved Over the Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Cutoffs at IIM Lucknow have been remarkably stable at the qualifying level, with most movement happening in the reserved-category sectional minimums rather than the General category figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Admission Cycle<\/th>General Overall<\/th>General Sectional (each)<\/th>EWS\/NC-OBC Overall<\/th>SC Overall<\/th>ST\/PwD Overall<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    2022\u201324 batch<\/td>90<\/td>85<\/td>82<\/td>65<\/td>60<\/td><\/tr>
    2023\u201325 batch<\/td>90<\/td>85<\/td>82<\/td>65<\/td>60<\/td><\/tr>
    2024\u201326 batch<\/td>90<\/td>85<\/td>82<\/td>65<\/td>55<\/td><\/tr>
    2025\u201327 batch<\/td>90<\/td>85<\/td>82<\/td>65<\/td>55<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Year-on-year figures are compiled from IIM Lucknow’s published admission policies for each cycle. Minor category-level revisions (typically \u00b15 percentile) are common; the General category figure has been the most consistent number across recent cycles. Confirm the CAT 2026-linked figure once released.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What this trend tells you:<\/strong> don’t expect a dramatically different qualifying cutoff for CAT 2026. What does<\/em> shift meaningfully year to year is the number of candidates crossing that threshold \u2014 which is what actually moves your real shortlisting chances, not the published number itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Programme-Wise Cutoff: PGP vs. MBA-ABM vs. MBA-SM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    IIM Lucknow runs three full-time programmes admitted through CAT, and each carries a distinct cutoff. Most guides only cover the flagship PGP \u2014 here’s the complete picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Programme<\/th>General Overall Cutoff<\/th>General Sectional<\/th>Typical Applicant Pool<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    PGP (flagship MBA)<\/td>90<\/td>85 each<\/td>Largest; freshers + light work-ex candidates<\/td><\/tr>
    MBA-ABM (Agribusiness)<\/td>~85<\/td>~80 each<\/td>Smaller, agri\/food-sector interest<\/td><\/tr>
    MBA-SM (Sustainable Management)<\/td>~85<\/td>~80 each<\/td>Requires 24 months’ work experience; smaller pool<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Because MBA-ABM and MBA-SM draw a smaller, more self-selected applicant pool, their effective<\/em> shortlisting percentile tends to run a few points lower than the flagship PGP, even though the published qualifying cutoff is similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Qualifying Cutoff vs. Realistic Shortlisting Percentile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    This is the table most aspirants actually need and most articles skip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Programme<\/th>Published Qualifying Cutoff (General)<\/th>Realistic Percentile for a WAT-PI Call<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    PGP<\/td>90 overall<\/td>97\u201399+<\/td><\/tr>
    MBA-ABM<\/td>~85 overall<\/td>93\u201396<\/td><\/tr>
    MBA-SM<\/td>~85 overall<\/td>92\u201395<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Why the gap is so wide: IIM Lucknow’s shortlisting formula for WAT-PI calls weights CAT score heavily (commonly cited around 60%) alongside Class 12 marks, graduation marks, and diversity factors (gender and academic-background diversity). Because the applicant pool clearing the 90-percentile qualifying mark is large, only candidates near the top of that pool \u2014 after the composite-score calculation \u2014 receive a call. A 90-percentile General-category candidate technically “clears the cutoff” but is statistically very unlikely to be shortlisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Also Read: IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cutoff 2026: Category-Wise Percentile<\/mark><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How the Composite Score Works (Shortlisting \u2192 Final Selection)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    IIM Lucknow’s admission process runs on two different weightage formulas, applied at two different stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stage<\/th>CAT Weight<\/th>Academics Weight<\/th>Other Factors<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    WAT-PI Shortlisting<\/td>~60%<\/td>~20% (Class 12 + graduation)<\/td>~20% diversity (gender, academic background)<\/td><\/tr>
    Final Merit List<\/td>~30%<\/td>Significant weight to WAT + PI performance<\/td>Work experience, diversity carried forward<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    This two-stage design is exactly why the “cutoff” conversation matters less than most aspirants think once you’re past the shortlisting stage. A strong CAT percentile gets your composite score into shortlisting range, but the WAT and PI performance \u2014 plus consistent academics \u2014 decide the final outcome. Candidates sometimes clear a high percentile and still miss the final list due to a weak interview or thin academic profile, while a slightly lower percentile with a strong all-round profile and good WAT-PI performance can still convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Factors That Influence the Cutoff Every Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n