Eligibility vs Reality: The Real CAT Percentiles You Need for IIM Interview Calls - 2026 Analysis

Every year, thousands of CAT 2025 aspirants breathe a sigh of relief when they cross the “official cutoff” listed on an IIM website.

85 percentile. Eligible. Box ticked.

And yet, a few weeks later, reality hits.

No interview call.

This gap between eligibility and outcome is one of the most misunderstood and emotionally costly, parts of the IIM admissions process. On paper, the cutoffs look forgiving. In practice, they are anything but.

The truth is simple: IIM admissions are not percentile-based. They are composite-score driven. Your CAT percentile is only one input in a much larger decision engine that weighs academics, work experience, gender and academic diversity, category, and sometimes even section-wise performance, often in ways that aren’t obvious until it’s too late.

That’s why two candidates with the same CAT percentile can walk away with very different outcomes.Why a 95 percentile can be a golden ticket for one profile and meaningless for another.And why many General Engineer Males discover, painfully late, that even a 99 is sometimes not enough.

This article breaks down the real CAT percentiles required to get IIM interview calls, not the brochure numbers. Using verified RTI data, recent admission criteria, and CAT 2025 score normalization trends, we map out:

• The difference between minimum eligibility and safe percentiles

• How cutoffs actually shift by category, gender, and academic background

• Which IIMs and top B-schools are realistically achievable at each score band

• And most importantly, how to make strategic application decisions instead of emotional ones

If you’re serious about converting your CAT score into a real interview call, not just hope, this is the reality you need to see.

While official "Qualifying Cutoffs" for IIMs often appear low (e.g., 85th percentile for General), the "Actual Call Cutoffs", the score required to receive an interview call, are significantly higher. Admission is based on a Composite Score (CS), where CAT weightage varies (30%–65%).

• General Engineer Males (GEM): Face the stiffest competition; typically need 99.5+ for top IIMs.

• Diversity (Non-Engineers/Females): Receive "Gender/Academic Diversity" points (ranking from 3–10% of total score), effectively lowering their safe CAT percentile by 2–5% points compared to GEMs.

• Reserved Categories: Experience significantly lower cutoffs, often 15–30 percentile points below General requirements.

1. CAT 2025 Score vs. Percentile Mapping

Based on Slot 1, 2, & 3 difficulty levels (Nov 2025) and normalization trends.

Percentile	Scaled Score (Out of 198)	Proficiency Level
99.9+ %ile	105 - 110+	Top 250 Rankers
99.5+ %ile	94 - 100	Elite Applicants
99.0+ %ile	84 - 90	Tier 1 Contender
98.0+ %ile	76 - 80	Strong Candidate
95.0+ %ile	55 - 65	Tier 1.5 / New IIMs
90.0+ %ile	45 - 52	Tier 2 / Baby IIMs
85.0+ %ile	39 - 44	Competitive Tier 2
80.0+ %ile	35 - 38	Tier 3 Qualifying
70.0+ %ile	28 - 32	Niche / Reserved Cat.

2. Achievable B-Schools by Percentile & Category

Tier 1: The "BLACKI" & Top Non-IIMs (98–100%ile)

Target Schools: IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore, FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon.

Category	Safe Percentile	Achievable Colleges & Notes
General (Male Engineer)	99.6+	IIM A/B/C: Extremely difficult without 99.8+. FMS: Safe at 99.7+ (High weight to VARC). MDI/SPJIMR: 98.5+ is safe; SPJIMR calls at 85+ only for stellar profiles.
General (Female / Non-Engg)	96.5 – 98+	IIM Kozhikode/Indore: actively favor females; calls possible at 97+. IIM A/B: Non-engineers with strong academics can get calls at ~96.5–97.
NC-OBC	95+	IIM A/B/C: achievable at 96+. FMS: 95+ is safe. MDI/SPJIMR: 90–92+ is competitive.
EWS	96+	EWS cutoffs are rising, often higher than OBC. Safe range is 97+ for OLD IIMs.
SC	85 – 90+	IIM A/B/C: possible at 88+. FMS: 85+ is a strong score.
ST / PwD	70 – 80+	IIM A/B/C: Calls achievable at 75–80+. FMS: 65–70+ often suffices.

Analyst Insight: IIM Rohtak is an outlier that invites a massive number of female candidates. A General Female can expect a call at 92–94%ile, whereas a Male might need 98+.

Tier 1.5 & New IIMs (90–98%ile)

Target Schools: IIM Shillong, Trichy, Udaipur, Raipur, Ranchi, Kashipur, IIT Bombay/Delhi, IIFT, MDI (IB Program).

Category	Safe Percentile	Achievable Colleges & Notes
General (Male Engineer)	94 – 96+	New IIMs (CAP): 94+ guarantees interview calls. IIT Bombay/Delhi: 98+ is safe (Engineer dominant). IIT Kharagpur/Madras: 94–95+ is achievable.
General (Female / Non-Engg)	90 – 93+	New IIMs (CAP): 92+ is very safe. IIM Shillong: Profile-based, women often called at 90–92.
NC-OBC	80 – 85+	CAP IIMs: 80+ is the "Safe Zone". IITs: 85–90 range is strong for IIT B/D.
EWS	85 – 90+	Similar to General but with ~5 percentile relief.
SC	65 – 70+	New IIMs: 65+ ensures calls from most CAP IIMs.
ST / PwD	50 – 60+	New IIMs: 50+ is often the eligibility floor and call score.

Tier 2: Baby IIMs & Strong Private Schools (80–90%ile)

Target Schools: IIM Nagpur, Vizag, Amritsar, Bodh Gaya, Jammu, Sirmaur (CAP), IMT Ghaziabad, IMI New Delhi, GIM Goa, TAPMI, GLIM Chennai.

Category	Safe Percentile	Achievable Colleges & Notes
General	85 – 90+	IMT-G / IMI-D: 90+ is standard. GIM / TAPMI / GLIM: 85–88 is the sweet spot. Baby IIMs: 90–92 for General Males.
Diversity Profiles	80 – 85+	GIM: Has an "Achiever's Round" where profile > score (calls at 80-85). TAPMI: Offers profile-based calls at ~82+.
NC-OBC / EWS	70 – 75+	Baby IIMs: 72–75 is the verified cutoff for CAP calls. IMT/GIM: Do not typically have reservation quotas (Private).
SC / ST	45 – 55+	Baby IIMs: 50+ is safe. (Sectional cutoffs of 40-45 apply).

Tier 3: Emerging Schools (70–80%ile)

Target Schools: FORE Delhi, LBSIM, BIM Trichy, LIBA Chennai, Welingkar (Mumbai/Bangalore), BIMTECH Noida, XIME.

Category	Achievability
General (All)	75 – 80%ile is the battleground here. FORE/LBSIM: Strict around 80–83. Welingkar: Calls at 75–80 but selection depends heavily on GD/PI. BIMTECH/XIME: 70–75 is achievable.
Reserved	Not Applicable for most Private Colleges. Note: Private colleges (FORE, LBSIM, etc.) generally do not have category-based cutoffs. You compete on General merit.

3. Verified "Minimum vs. Safe" Reference (2026 Admission)

Institute Group	Category	Official Minimum (Eligibility)	Real Safe Score (Target)
IIM Ahmedabad	General	85%ile	99.6+ %ile (Engineers) 96.5+ %ile (Non-Eng/Females)
IIM Bangalore	General	85%ile	99.2+ %ile (High work-ex helps)
IIM Calcutta	SC / ST	70 / 65%ile	88+ / 75+ %ile
IIM CAP (New/Baby)	General	92–94%ile (Estimated)	95+ %ile
IIM CAP (New/Baby)	EWS / OBC	75 / 75%ile (Estimated)	82+ %ile
IIM CAP (New/Baby)	SC / ST	55 / 40%ile (Estimated)	60+ / 50+ %ile

Strategic Recommendation

• For Diversity Candidates: If you are a Female and/or Non-Engineer, do not lose hope if your CAT is 90–95. You are a prime target for IIM Kozhikode, IIM Rohtak, and MDI Gurgaon, which heavily weight diversity.

• For Reserved Candidates: Focus on clearing Sectional Cutoffs (usually 40–50%ile per section). Many SC/ST candidates get a high overall score but miss a sectional cutoff, disqualifying them from IIMs.

• For General Males (80-90%ile): Pivot immediately to GIM, TAPMI, and FORE. These applications often close in Jan/Feb. Do not wait for IIM results.

CAT Percentile → MBA School Decision Matrix (2026 Intake)

How to read this table: “Strong Target” = realistic interview call probability “Stretch” = possible, profile-dependent “Avoid Waiting” = apply elsewhere immediately

99.5+ Percentile

Profile	Strong Target Schools	Notes
General Engineer Male (GEM)	IIM A, B, C, FMS Delhi	99.7–99.8+ safer for A/B
General Female / Non-Engineer	IIM A, B, C, K, I	Diversity + academics help
NC-OBC / EWS	IIM A, B, C	96+ often enough
SC / ST	All IIMs	Sectionals must be clear

98.0 – 99.4 Percentile

Profile	Strong Target Schools	Stretch / Profile-Based
GEM	FMS, IIM L/K/I, SPJIMR, MDI	IIM A/B (only with stellar acads)
Female / Non-Engineer	IIM K, I, L, SPJIMR, MDI	IIM A/B possible
NC-OBC	IIM A/B/C, FMS	—
SC / ST	All IIMs	—

95.0 – 97.9 Percentile

Profile	Strong Target Schools	Avoid Waiting For
GEM	New IIMs (CAP), IIT Delhi, MDI	IIM A/B/C
Female / Non-Engineer	IIM Rohtak, CAP IIMs, MDI	IIM A/B (unless acads are 9/9/9)
NC-OBC	IIM L/K/I, CAP IIMs	—
SC / ST	Most IIMs	—

90.0 – 94.9 Percentile

Profile	Strong Target Schools	Notes
GEM	IMT Ghaziabad, Baby IIMs, IITs	Apply early
Female / Non-Engineer	CAP IIMs, IIM Rohtak	92+ is safe
NC-OBC / EWS	CAP IIMs	Calls likely
SC / ST	IIMs + Top Private	Sectionals critical

85.0 – 89.9 Percentile

Profile	Strong Target Schools	Strategy
General (All)	GIM Goa, TAPMI, GLIM Chennai	Do NOT wait for IIMs
Diversity Profiles	GIM (Achievers), TAPMI	Profile > Score
NC-OBC / SC / ST	Baby IIMs, CAP IIMs	Clear sectionals

80.0 – 84.9 Percentile

Profile	Strong Target Schools	Reality Check
General	Welingkar, BIMTECH, XIME	Interview performance key
SC / ST	New/Baby IIMs	Eligibility still alive
All	GIM / TAPMI (Profile rounds)	Apply immediately

Below 80 Percentile

Profile	Viable Options	Guidance
General	IBS, BIMTECH, Tier-3 Schools	ROI varies
SC / ST	Some IIMs still possible	Sectionals decide
All	Consider reattempt	If Tier-1 is the goal

Quick Strategic Lens (Use This Box)

• GEMs: Treat <97 as a non-old-IIM zone

• Females / Non-Engineers: 90–95 is a high-opportunity band

• Reserved categories: Sectional cutoffs matter more than overall score

• Everyone: Eligibility ≠ Achievability

Detailed Analysis of CAT Percentiles 2025:

Further detailed analysis combines verified RTI (Right to Information) data, Admission Criteria for the Class of 2026-28, and confirmed CAT 2025 score trends.

1. CAT 2025: The Verified Score vs. Percentile Ledger

Data verified against Slot 1, 2, & 3 difficulty levels and coaching institute (IMS/CL) estimates.

The "Score" column refers to the Scaled Score (out of 198), not the raw score.

Percentile	Scaled Score Range	Proficiency Level	Estimated Rank (approx.)
99.9+ %ile	102 – 110+	The Top 0.1% (Elite)	Top ~300
99.5+ %ile	92 – 98	Top Tier Contenders	Top ~1,500
99.0+ %ile	84 – 88	IIM BLACKI Gateway	Top ~3,000
98.0+ %ile	76 – 80	FMS / MDI Safe Zone	Top ~6,000
95.0+ %ile	60 – 65	New IIMs / IITs	Top ~15,000
90.0+ %ile	48 – 52	Baby IIMs / IMT / IMI	Top ~30,000
85.0+ %ile	40 – 44	Tapmi / GIM / GLIM	Top ~45,000
80.0+ %ile	35 – 38	Tier 3 Colleges	Top ~60,000

2. The "Achievability Matrix": Verified School Recommendations

This matrix moves beyond "Eligibility" (which is often misleadingly low) to "Achievability" (the score required to realistically get an interview call).

Category 1: General Engineer Male (GEM)

The most competitive pool. High CAT scores are non-negotiable unless you have 9/9/9 academics.

Percentile	Achievable Schools (Trustworthy Recommendations)	Strategy / Remarks
99.6+	IIM A, B, C	IIM A: Needs 99.8+ if academics are average. 99.6+ possible with 90%+ in 10th/12th. IIM C: Purely CAT heavy. 99.7+ is the verified safe zone.
99.0 – 99.5	FMS Delhi, IIM L/K/I, SPJIMR	FMS: High weightage to VARC. If VARC >99.5, overall 99.2 is safe. SPJIMR: "Profile-cum-Score" call possible here if acads are >85%.
98.0 – 99.0	MDI Gurgaon, IIT Bombay, IIFT	MDI: 98.5+ is the "Lock" score. IIT Bombay: Heavily favors engineers. 98.5+ is very safe.
95.5 – 98.0	New IIMs (Udaipur, Trichy), IIT Delhi	IIM Udaipur/Trichy: Part of CAP. 96+ guarantees a call. IIT Delhi: 96-97+ is the sweet spot for GEMs.
92.0 – 95.0	Baby IIMs (Nagpur, Vizag), IMT-G	IMT Ghaziabad: 93+ is safe. IIM Nagpur: 94+ is the realistic cutoff for GEMs.

Category 2: General Non-Engineer & Female (Diversity)

RTI data confirms lower cutoffs due to "Academic Diversity" and "Gender Diversity" points.

Percentile	Achievable Schools	The "Diversity Advantage"
97.0 – 98.5	IIM A, B, K, I	IIM Kozhikode/Indore: Heavily favor females. 97.5+ is often a "Safe" score. IIM A: Non-Eng Males with strong acads get calls at ~97-98%.
95.0 – 97.0	MDI, IIM L (ABM), SPJIMR	SPJIMR: Females/Non-Eng with good profiles get calls at 85-90%ile (Profile-based). MDI: 95+ is often sufficient for females.
90.0 – 95.0	IIM Rohtak, New IIMs, NMIMS	IIM Rohtak: Almost exclusive female focus in recent batches. 92-94%ile is the target. CAP IIMs: 92+ guarantees calls for females.
85.0 – 90.0	GIM, TAPMI, GLIM Chennai	GIM Goa: "Achiever's Round" invites profile-strong candidates at 85%.

Category 3: Reserved Categories (OBC / SC / ST)

Based on RTI cutoffs for the 2024-2026 Batch.

Percentile	NC-OBC (Safe Target)	SC (Safe Target)	ST (Safe Target)	Schools & Notes
IIM BLACKI	95 – 97+	85 – 90+	70 – 75+	IIM A: OBC needs 96+ for safety. IIM C: SC candidates often get calls at 80-82%ile.
FMS Delhi	94 – 96+	82 – 85+	65 – 70+	FMS is strictly score-based. Do not rely on profile here.
New IIMs	80 – 85+	65 – 70+	50 – 55+	CAP Calls: OBC cutoffs are usually ~75%ile, but 80+ converts.
Baby IIMs	72 – 75+	55 – 60+	40 – 45+	Warning: Ensure you clear Sectional Cutoffs (usually 40-45%ile).

3. Deep Dive: Top Institutes & Trustworthy Selection Criteria

IIM Ahmedabad (The "Composite" Reality)

• Verdict: Don't trust the "80 percentile" minimum.

• The Criteria: Selection is based on Composite Score = (0.65 CAT Score) + (0.35 Academic/Diversity Score).

• RTI Fact: For the Class of 2026, the Composite Score Cutoff for General was 0.659. Practically, this means a GEM needs 99.7+. A General Female with 90%+ in 10th/12th might make it at 97%.

IIM Bangalore (The Profile Heavyweight)

• Verdict: Best bet for candidates with Work Experience.

• RTI Fact: IIMB weights CAT at only 55%. The rest is 10th (10%), 12th (10%), Graduation (10%), Work Ex (10%), and Gender Diversity (5%).

• Implication: A candidate with 3 years Work Ex + Good Academics can get a call at 98.5%ile, while a fresher with 99.5%ile might be rejected.

FMS Delhi (The ROI King)

• Verdict: The haven for high CAT scorers with "Average" profiles.

• Selection: 100% weightage to CAT Score for the interview call.

• Formula: VARC (40%) + DILR (30%) + QA (30%).

• Recommendation: If your VARC is strong (>99.5), you can get a call even with a lower overall percentile (e.g., 99.0).

SPJIMR Mumbai (The Profile Specialist)

• Verdict: The only top school where 85%ile is genuinely enough.

• Two Tracks:

  1. Profile-Based: Calls released before or immediately after CAT. Requires consistent 85%+ in academics and extracurriculars. Safe CAT: 85%ile (Qualifying).

  2. Score-Based: For those rejected in Profile round. Safe CAT: 98.5%ile.

4. Summary Recommendations by Profile

1. If you have 99+ %ile (General):

   • Apply: All IIMs, FMS, SPJIMR, MDI.

   • Risk: If you are a fresher GEM, IIM B might still be tough. Focus on A, C, and FMS.

   
   

2. If you have 90–95%ile (General):

   • Male: Aggressively target IIM Udaipur, Trichy, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI Delhi, XIMB. Do not rely on OLD IIMs.

   • Female: You are in the "Golden Zone" for IIM Rohtak and the New IIMs. Apply to MDI Gurgaon—you have a fighting chance.

     
     

3. If you have 80–90%ile (General):

   • Must Apply: GIM Goa, TAPMI, FORE School, GLIM Chennai, LBSIM.

   • Strategy: Apply now. Many of these close applications in January. GIM and TAPMI are excellent for this range and offer placements rivaling New IIMs.

     
     

4. If you have <80%ile:

   • General: Look at Welingkar, BIMTECH, IBS Hyderabad.

   • SC/ST: You still have a shot at New/Baby IIMs. Ensure your form forms are correct and prepare for PI.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Which MBA Programs Can I Target at My CAT Percentile? (2026 Intake)

What MBA colleges can I target at 99+ percentile in CAT?

At 99+ percentile, you are competitive for top-tier IIMs and elite non-IIMs, depending on your profile.

• General Engineer Male: IIM A/B/C (99.6+ safer), FMS Delhi, IIM L/K/I, SPJIMR, MDI

• General Female / Non-Engineer: IIM A/B/K/I possible from ~97–98+, strong chances at Kozhikode & Indore

• NC-OBC / EWS: IIM A/B/C achievable from ~96–97+This percentile puts you firmly in the Tier 1 applicant pool.

What MBA programs should I apply to at 98 percentile?

At 98 percentile, you should target upper Tier 1 and Tier 1.5 schools.

• IIM Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore (profile-dependent)

• FMS Delhi (especially if VARC is strong)

• MDI Gurgaon, SPJIMR (score-based calls)

• IIT Bombay, IIT DelhiFor females and non-engineers, 98 is often enough for old IIM calls.

What MBA colleges can I get at 95 percentile in CAT?

At 95 percentile, outcomes diverge sharply by profile.

• General Engineer Male: New IIMs (CAP), IIT Delhi/Kharagpur, IMT Ghaziabad

• General Female / Non-Engineer: Strong chances at IIM Rohtak, CAP IIMs, MDI Gurgaon

• NC-OBC: Old IIM calls possible from ~95–96+

• SC/ST: Very competitive for most IIMsThis is the decision zone—strategy matters more than optimism.

Which IIMs can I realistically target at 90 percentile?

At 90 percentile, old IIMs are unlikely for General candidates, but strong options remain.

• General: Baby IIMs, IMT Ghaziabad, IMI Delhi, GIM Goa

• Female / Non-Engineer: CAP IIMs are realistic; IIM Rohtak possible

• NC-OBC / EWS: CAP IIMs are a safe bet

• SC/ST: Calls from multiple IIMs likelyDo not wait for old IIM results at this percentile.

What MBA colleges should I apply to at 85 percentile?

At 85 percentile, your best outcomes come from strong private schools and Baby IIMs.

• GIM Goa, TAPMI, GLIM Chennai

• FORE School of Management, LBSIM

• Baby IIMs (for reserved categories; General males may need 90+)This range offers solid ROI schools if you apply early and prepare well for interviews.

What options do I have at 80 percentile in CAT?

At 80 percentile, focus on profile-driven and emerging schools.

• GIM (Achiever’s Round), TAPMI (profile-based calls)

• Welingkar Mumbai/Bangalore

• BIMTECH Noida, XIME

• SC/ST candidates may still be eligible for New/Baby IIMsYour interview performance becomes critical at this stage.

Can I get an IIM call at 85–90 percentile?

Yes—but only in specific cases.

• Females / Non-Engineers: CAP IIMs and IIM Rohtak are realistic

• NC-OBC / SC / ST: Multiple IIM calls possible

• General Engineer Males: Very unlikely for IIMs below 90Category, academics, and sectionals matter more than the headline percentile.

What colleges should General category candidates target below 90 percentile?

General candidates below 90 percentile should pivot early to:

• GIM Goa

• TAPMI

• GLIM Chennai

• IMI Delhi

• FORE SchoolWaiting for IIM calls at this range often results in missed application deadlines.

Is it worth applying to non-IIM colleges at 95+ percentile?

Yes. Many non-IIMs offer comparable or better ROI than New IIMs.

• FMS Delhi, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon, IIT BombayA 95–98 percentile candidate who ignores these schools often limits their best outcomes.

What is the smartest application strategy after CAT results?

The smartest strategy is to apply based on achievability, not eligibility:

• Shortlist schools where your percentile is safe, not borderline

• Apply to non-IIMs early

• Prepare for interviews in parallel instead of waiting for IIM calls

Real CAT Cutoffs & IIM Calls

Is clearing the IIM cutoff percentile enough to get an interview call?

No. Clearing the official cutoff (often 70–85 percentile) only makes you eligible. Actual IIM interview calls depend on your Composite Score, where CAT weightage ranges from 30% to 65%. In practice, General category candidates usually need 95–99.7+ percentile depending on the IIM and profile.

What CAT percentile is actually “safe” for IIM interview calls?

A “safe” CAT percentile is one where your chances of receiving an interview call are high, not just eligible.

• General Engineer Male (GEM): 99.5+ for top IIMs

• General Female / Non-Engineer: 96–98+

• NC-OBC: 85–95+

• SC: 70–88+

• ST / PwD: 60–75+Safe percentiles vary sharply by institute and profile.

Why do two candidates with the same CAT percentile get different IIM calls?

Because IIMs do not shortlist purely on percentile. Shortlisting is based on a Composite Score, which includes:

• CAT score

• 10th, 12th, and graduation marks

• Work experience

• Gender and academic diversity pointsTwo candidates with identical percentiles but different profiles can fall on opposite sides of the cutoff.

Is 95 percentile enough for IIMs?

It depends on your profile.

• For General Engineer Males, 95 percentile is usually not enough for old IIMs and may only fetch New or Baby IIM calls.

• For Females or Non-Engineers, 95 can be competitive for IIM Rohtak, Kozhikode, Indore, and CAP IIMs.Percentile alone never tells the full story.

Which IIMs give the most weight to CAT score?

• IIM Calcutta and FMS Delhi are the most CAT-heavy.

• FMS shortlists 100% on CAT score for interview calls.

• IIM Calcutta gives up to 65% weightage to CAT, making it more score-driven than profile-driven.

Which IIMs favor work experience and profile over CAT score?

• IIM Bangalore places strong weight on work experience and academics.

• IIM Kozhikode and IIM Indore actively award gender and academic diversity points.Candidates with strong profiles can get calls at lower CAT percentiles compared to score-only schools.

Is 85 percentile enough for IIM Ahmedabad?

No. While the official eligibility cutoff is 85 percentile, actual interview calls for General category candidates typically require:

• 99.6+ percentile for Engineer males

• 96.5–98 percentile for Non-Engineers or FemalesThis is due to the high Composite Score cutoff used internally.

Do reserved category candidates have lower CAT cutoffs for IIMs?

Yes. Reserved category candidates generally have significantly lower cutoffs:

• NC-OBC: ~5–10 percentile points lower than General

• SC: ~15–25 points lower

• ST / PwD: ~25–35 points lowerHowever, sectional cutoffs are critical and often cause eliminations despite a high overall percentile.

What should General category candidates do if they score 80–90 percentile?

They should not wait for IIM results. At 80–90 percentile, General candidates should aggressively apply to:

• GIM Goa

• TAPMI

• GLIM Chennai

• FORE School of Management

• IMI Delhi: Many of these applications close before IIM calls are released.

What is the biggest mistake CAT aspirants make after results?

The biggest mistake is confusing eligibility with achievability—waiting for IIM calls based solely on clearing minimum cutoffs and missing strong non-IIM options whose deadlines close early.

Is CAT percentile more important than profile?

Neither works in isolation.

• High CAT scores matter more at FMS and IIM Calcutta.

• Strong profiles matter more at IIM Bangalore, SPJIMR, and IIM Kozhikode.The strongest applicants align score strategy + profile fit + institute selection.