The cutoffs for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 are not a single, uniform number. Because each IIM (Indian Institute of Management) is an independent body, each institute sets its own unique cutoff criteria.
To understand where you stand, it is essential to distinguish between the qualifying cutoff (the bare minimum to be "eligible") and the competitive/shortlist cutoff (the actual percentile needed to receive an interview call).
While each IIM sets its own admission policy, the following percentiles serve as a reliable benchmark for the General category:
Sectional Cut-offs (Representative Thresholds)
Missing a sectional cut-off is a common reason for disqualification, regardless of a high overall score. While these vary by institute, you should aim for the following minimums to be safe:
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Lovely Professional University (LPU)
Jalandhar, Punjab
Type: Private University
IBS Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Telangana
Type: Private
Chandigarh University
Mohali, Punjab
Chandigarh University, Lucknow
Unnao, Uttar Pradesh
RV University
Bangalore, Karnataka
Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE)
ICFAI University (IFHE)
Type: Deemed to be University
KL University
Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
GITAM University
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad Business School, GITAM University
Medak, Telangana
MIT-WPU
Pune, Maharashtra
KLH Hyderabad
MIT VPU
Solapur, Maharashtra
Universal AI University
Raigad, Maharashtra
Maharishi Markandeshwar University
Ambala, Haryana
DOMS - Nalsar University
Type: Public
DIT University
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
MBU Tirupati
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
SRM University, AP
MNR University
Medchal, Telangana
VIT-AP University
VIT Vellore
Vellore, Tamil Nadu
SRM University - SRMIST Chennai
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka
Woxsen University
Christ University
Reva University
Sathyabama University, Chennai