Minimum Marks Required in CAT for Government Colleges

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the primary entrance exam for admission into top government-affiliated MBA programs, including the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other public institutions such as IITs, FMS Delhi, NITIE Mumbai, and others. Understanding the minimum percentile and the marks required to get admission into these colleges is critical for aspirants targeting these institutions.

This article provides a comprehensive look at the minimum marks required in CAT for government colleges, focusing on IIMs and other top MBA colleges. We will examine the qualifying and final cutoffs, sectional requirements, and previous years' data to give you the best possible insights.

Introduction to CAT and Government College Admissions

The CAT exam is conducted annually to admit students into top business schools across India, including the prestigious IIMs. However, several other government-affiliated institutions such as the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi, the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai, and various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) also accept CAT scores for their MBA or PGDM programs.

Securing admission to these institutions depends not just on overall CAT performance but also on meeting specific percentile cutoffs and clearing sectional cutoffs. Different institutions have varying percentile requirements, but the highest-ranked government colleges, especially the IIMs, generally demand above 95-99 percentile for general category candidates.

Understanding CAT Cutoffs: Qualifying vs. Final Cutoff

CAT cutoffs are broadly categorized into two types:

• Qualifying Cutoff: This is the minimum percentile a candidate needs to qualify for the interview or the next stage of the admission process, such as Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). Meeting this cutoff does not guarantee admission but makes you eligible for the next round.
• Final Cutoff: This is the cutoff score required to secure a seat after all rounds, including GD, PI, and sometimes a Written Ability Test (WAT).

For top government colleges like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta, the final cutoff is generally higher than the CAT qualifying cutoff. For instance, while the qualifying cutoff for IIM Ahmedabad is 85 percentile, the final cutoff often reaches around 99-100 percentile for the general category.

List of Top Government Colleges Accepting CAT Scores

Here’s a list of top government institutions that accept CAT scores, along with their general qualifying cutoffs from previous years:

College	Qualifying Cutoff (2024)	Final Cutoff (Expected)
IIM Ahmedabad	80 percentile	99-100 percentile
IIM Bangalore	85 percentile	99-100 percentile
IIM Calcutta	85 percentile	98-99 percentile
IIM Lucknow	90 percentile	97-99 percentile
IIM Kozhikode	85 percentile	97-98 percentile
IIM Indore	90 percentile	97-98 percentile
IIM Udaipur	92 percentile	92-94 percentile
IIM Trichy	93 percentile	94-95 percentile
IIM Ranchi	92 percentile	94-95 percentile
IIM Jammu	90 percentile	94-95 percentile
IIM Shillong	75 percentile	90 percentile
FMS Delhi	98 percentile	98-99 percentile
NITIE Mumbai	97 percentile	97-99 percentile

For most of these institutions, meeting the minimum qualifying cutoff is the first step, but candidates often need to score much higher to make it through the final merit list. Additionally, sectional cutoffs play a vital role, and failure to meet them can disqualify even high overall percentile candidates.

Refer to: List of MBA Colleges for 80-90 percentile in CAT

Previous Year Cutoffs for IIMs and Other Top Colleges

Here’s a detailed table of the CAT cutoffs for various Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for the past three years, broken down by category. This includes the qualifying cutoffs (which make you eligible for the next stage like PI, and WAT) and final cutoffs (after which admissions are granted) across different categories (General, OBC, SC, ST, etc.).

The table provides an overview based on recent data CAT Cutoff for IIMs (2021, 2022, 2023):

IIM	Year	General	OBC	EWS	SC	ST	PWD
IIM Ahmedabad	2023	99.32	75-80	80	70	60	60
	2022	99-100	75	80	70	60	60
	2021	99-100	75	80	70	60	60
IIM Bangalore	2023	99-100	75	75	70	65	60
	2022	99-100	75	75	70	65	60
	2021	99-100	75	75	70	65	60
IIM Calcutta	2023	99	75	75	70	65	65
	2022	99	75	75	70	65	65
	2021	99	75	75	70	65	65
IIM Lucknow	2023	97-99	82	82	65	60	60
	2022	97-99	82	82	65	60	60
	2021	97-99	82	82	65	60	60
IIM Kozhikode	2023	97-98	75	75	65	55	55
	2022	97-98	75	75	65	55	55
	2021	97-98	75	75	65	55	55
IIM Indore	2023	97-98	80	90	60	50	50
	2022	97-98	80	90	60	50	50
	2021	97-98	80	90	60	50	50
IIM Udaipur	2023	92-94	74	70	54	40	40
	2022	92-94	74	70	54	40	40
	2021	92-94	74	70	54	40	40
IIM Shillong	2023	90	75	75	60	50	50
	2022	90	75	75	60	50	50
	2021	90	75	75	60	50	50

Factors Affecting CAT Cutoffs

The cutoff percentile required to gain admission to top government colleges depends on several factors:

1. Number of Candidates: Higher participation in the exam raises the cutoff percentile.
2. Difficulty Level of the Exam: In years where the CAT exam is considered difficult, cutoffs may drop slightly.
3. Seat Availability: Colleges with fewer seats (such as IIM Ahmedabad) have higher cutoffs due to increased competition.
4. Category of the Candidate: General category cutoffs are typically the highest, while reserved categories have lower cutoffs.

College-Specific Selection Criteria: Some colleges like IIM Bangalore focus heavily on past academic records, which can also affect the final cutoff.

Also Check: How to Score 95 percentile in CAT?

Sectional Score Requirements for Top IIMs

Apart from the overall percentile, candidates must clear the sectional cutoffs. Here's an example of the sectional requirements for IIM Bangalore (general category):

Section	VARC	DILR	QA	Overall
General	80	75	75	85
NC-OBC	70	65	63	75
EWS	72	65	65	75
SC	64	60	64	68
ST	55	55	55	65

How to Interpret CAT Percentiles?

The CAT percentile is not a direct reflection of the number of questions answered correctly, but rather a ranking among test-takers.

For example:

• 99 percentile means you scored higher than 99% of the candidates.
• To achieve 99 percentile, candidates typically need a raw score of around 110-120 marks out of 198 (this can vary slightly based on the difficulty of the exam).

Also Check: MBA Colleges in Delhi without CAT

Tips for Securing Admission to Government Colleges

1. Target 99+ Percentile: For IIMs and other top government colleges, aim for a 99+ percentile to increase your chances.
2. Focus on Sectional Scores: Clearing sectional cutoffs is essential, especially for institutes like IIM Bangalore and FMS Delhi.
3. Balance Your Preparation: Ensure you have strong performance across all three sections—Quantitative Ability (QA), Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR).
4. Prepare for the Next Rounds: Scoring high in CAT is just the beginning. Prepare for GD, PI, and WAT, as these carry significant weight in the final selection process.

Read More: CAT Percentile wise Colleges