CAT 2023 Expected Cut-Off Percentile For IIMs And Other Top B-Schools

CAT 2023 Answer Key will be released on the examination website at iimcat.ac.in.

BY Hemang Panchmatia

With nearly 2.88 lakh candidates appearing for CAT 2023, the competition to land a seat in the best colleges, both IIMs and non-IIMs, is intense. But just taking the CAT isn’t enough. Students also need to start preparing for the GDPI process for all the colleges. However, before they begin that, students also need to have a fair idea of the various cutoffs for different colleges. Based on the predicted cutoffs, students can list the probable colleges they might get shortlisted for and prepare accordingly.

Although this year’s cut-off will only be revealed once the admission process is completed, it is possible to predict the CAT cut-offs for 2023 based on last year's percentile and score. As such, it is critical to understand these cut-offs not just to get a call but also to ace the intensive GDPI process. So, let's delve into anticipated CAT percentile cut-offs for IIMs and other acclaimed institutions and unravel the complex process a bit.

Expected Cut-Off Percentile For CAT 2023

It's no secret that the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are the premier choice for all MBA hopefuls. To earn a GDPI call from their desired IIM institute, aspirants must score above the designated threshold in CAT 2023. The CAT cut-off, however, fluctuates significantly from year to year, depending on how well-regarded the IIM is, how difficult the paper was, and how many students applied. This year, CAT cut-offs for 2023 are anticipated to be strict, with leading IIMs such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta setting the bar at 99–100 percentiles. Students with a stellar academic record can expect calls at a slightly lower percentile as well.

For second-generation IIMs, the range could be 93% to 97%. And for the Common Admission Process (CAP) calls for third-gen IIMs, the minimum threshold will be 92%, although students with percentiles as low as 89% to 90% can also land seats based on availability.

Here, let's take a glimpse of the expected CAT percentile cut-offs for some prominent IIMs:

• IIM Ahmedabad: 99-100


• IIM Bangalore: 99-100


• IIM Calcutta: 99-100


• IIM Lucknow: 97-99.5


• IIM Indore: 97-99.5


• IIM Kozhikode: 97-99.5


• IIM Mumbai: 97

Other than IIMs, several other institutions command high cut-offs. These prestigious names include FMS, MDI, and IIT Delhi, among others. The expected cut-offs for these institutions are as follows:

• Faculty of Management Studies (FMS): 99


• IIT Delhi: 98


• IIT Bombay: 98.5


• MDI Gurgaon: 95


• IIT Madras: 95


• IMT Ghaziabad: 93


• SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR): 85 (profile-based calls)

All Things Considered!

As this year’s CAT exam is over, students should understand how percentile scores are related to cut-off marks. The cut-offs determine the minimum percentile required to get a call, whereas the percentile ranking reflects one’s placement among other examinees. While CAT scores will be revealed by the end of December or in January, the answer key will be released much sooner at the beginning of December. You can then predict your marks, likely cutoffs, and colleges from which you can expect a call.

(The Author is Chief Business Officer of Postgraduate & Undergraduate Management at IMS)

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