Great Lakes - PGDM & PGPM Admissions 2026
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As per the new CAT 2025 notification, CAT 2025 registration number is 2.95 Lakhs. For all Indian students who are management education aspirants and want to get into the top management schools in India, it is the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam score that holds the key. CAT 2025 is going to be as tough and competitive as its predecessors. Hence, it is imperative that you understand the CAT exam trends really well. By knowing how many people register for the CAT 2025 exam, what scores they get and which subjects are tested more, you can get better insight and prepare smartly to score well.
This article is all about the evolution of the CAT exam, giving CAT aspirants an in-depth look into the exam. By carefully studying past CAT exam trends, you can set yourself up for a successful career in management.
There has been a continuous increase in CAT exam registrations over the years, indicating its popularity and the importance of its scores among management aspirants. Year 2023 witnessed the highest number of registrations – 3.5 lakh. This upward trend emphasises the importance of strategic preparation by CAT aspirants aiming for top B-Schools.
The number of registration has increased around 70 per cent and the number of appeared candidates has increased more than 72 per cent in the span of three years. Let's take a look at the registration data over the past few years:
CAT 2025 Exam Trends: Number of Registrations Over The Years
Year | No. of Applications Registered | No. Of Applicants Appeared |
| 2025 | 2.95 Lakh | - |
| 2024 | 3.29 Lakhs | 2.93 Lakh |
2023 | 3.5 lakh | 2.88 lakh |
2022 | 2.55 lakh | 2.22 lakh |
2021 | 2.30 lakhs | 1,91,660 |
2020 | 2.3 Lakh (Approx) | 1.90 lakh |
2019 | 2,44,169 | 2,09,926 |
Management education aspirants saw the evolution of the CAT exam in 2009. It was in this year that the coveted management exam switched to online mode instead of pen and paper for the first time. Such changes in CAT 2025 Exam were a big adjustment for aspirants who were used to marking answers on optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets. The exam duration also increased to two hours and 15 minutes because of the online mode.
Percentile scores serve as a crucial metric in the CAT exam, determining candidates' relative performance. The table below presents percentile scores alongside the number and gender distribution of candidates. It also gives information on how many toppers belonged to which states within India.
The male dominance is clearly shown in the toppers list, emphasising the need for initiatives to promote gender diversity in management education. Also most of the toppers students came from states like Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujrat etc.
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
Overall Percentile | Total Numbers | Total Gender numbers | Total State Wise Numbers | Total Numbers | Total Gender numbers | Total State Wise Numbers | Total Numbers | Total Gender numbers | Total State Wise Numbers |
100 | 14 | Female - 1 Male - 13 | 1 – Andhra Pradesh 1 - Delhi 1 Haryana 1- Kerala 1- Madhya Pradesh 5- Maharashtra 1- Odisha 2- Telangana 1- Uttar Pradesh | 14 - Nos | All Males | 1 – Andhra Pradesh 1 - Delhi 1 – Gujarat 1 – Jammu & Kashmir 1 - Karnataka 1 - Kerala 4 – Maharashtra 1 – Tamil Nadu 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh | 11 - Nos | All Males | 2 - Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 2 - Maharashtra 2 - Telangana 1 - Uttar Pradesh |
99.99 | 29 - Nos | Male-28 Female-01 | 1 – Bihar 7 - Delhi 2 – Haryana 4 4 - Karnataka 9 - Maharashtra 1 - Tamil Nadu 2 - Telangana 2 - Uttar Pradesh 1 - West Bengal | 22 - Nos | Male-21 Female-01 | 2 - Delhi 3 - Gujarat 2 - Karnataka 3 - Madhya Pradesh 3 - Maharashtra 1 - Punjab 1 - Rajasthan 1 - Tamil Nadu 1 - Telangana 2 - Uttar Pradesh 3 - West Bengal | |||
99.98 | 29 - Nos | All Males | 1 - Bihar 3 – Delhi 1 - Gujarat 1 - Haryana 1 - Karnataka 1 - Kerala 8 - Maharashtra 1 - Odisha 3 – Rajasthan 1 – Tamil Nadu 3 - Telangana 3 – Uttar Pradesh 2- West Bengal | 22 - Nos | Male-19 Female-03 | 1 - Andhra Pradesh 1 - Bihar 2 - Delhi 2 - Haryana 1 - Karnataka 1 - Kerala 1 - Madhya Pradesh 4 - Maharashtra 2 - Odisha 5 - Rajasthan 1 - Uttar Pradesh 1- West Bengal | |||
Discipline-wise performance analysis gives insight into the strengths and weaknesses of candidates across different educational backgrounds. While engineering graduates dominate the top percentiles, non-engineering candidates also demonstrate competitive performance. However, the inclusion of female candidates in engineering disciplines seems like a positive shift towards gender-inclusive education.
Before going for the personal interview round, it will be beneficial to identify which IIM is most suited for your academic journey.
Discipline and Percentiles: | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
Percentile | Discipline | Discipline | |||
100 | Eng -13 Non Eng- 1 | Engg – 11 Non-Engg – 3 | All Males | Engg – 10 Non-Engg – 1 | All Males |
99.99 | Eng- 28 Non Eng - 1 | Engg – 22 Non-Engg - 07 | 1-Female (Engg) | Engg – 16 Non-Engg - 06 | 1-Female (Engg) |
99.98 | Eng 22 Non Engg -8 | Engg – 20 Non-Engg -09 | All Males | Engg – 15 Non-Engg -07 | 3-Female (Engg) |
Out of the 3.28 lakhs registered candidates, 36 per cent were females, 64 per cent were males, with a nominal representation from the transgender community. Category-wise distribution showcased varied proportions, with General category candidates comprising the majority with 68 per cent, EWS at 4.8 per cent among other categories. .
CAT in 2022: Among the 2.22 lakh candidates who appeared for the exam, 35 per cent were females, 65 per cent were males, with a marginal representation (just four candidates) from the transgender community.
The CAT exam is one of the most popular and major management entrance exams in India. It is most important to understand the CAT registration trends, percentile distributions, CAT Exam Trends and changes in CAT Exam as these will help you understand your changes at the coveted IIMs and other B-schools which accept CAT scores.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
With a projected CAT percentile of 87% but not clearing sectional cutoffs, your chances at top IIMs are limited because they require both overall percentile and sectional minimums. However, you still have a good shot at other reputed management institutes and non-IIM B-schools. Consider colleges like NMIMS, SPJIMR, IMT, TAPMI, Great Lakes, and other well-ranked private or state-level B-schools that accept CAT scores and weigh your profile holistically. Your academic record, BSc in Animation with 80%, and 5 years of work experience at Ubisoft India are strong points and may help in institutes that value work experience in their selection process. Also, explore institutes that accept XAT, MAT, or CMAT, where your profile can be competitive.
Hope this helps you.
Good Morning,
NIT Rourkela CAT cutoff range is between 70-85 percentiles for the general category. 70 is the minimum percentile needed to apply, and 85 is the highest percentile. However, the maximum percentile depends on the particular year competition. It can be changed.
Thank You.
If you filled the UGC NET form under EWS but you don’t have a valid EWS certificate, then forget using the EWS category. They won’t accept it. You’ll automatically be treated as General category during document verification.
And no, this won’t make your form “invalid” or “illegal.” It just means you won’t get the EWS benefit.
So yes — you can still go for General category posts and Professor recruitment. Just don’t try to submit a fake/invalid certificate; that will get you disqualified.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card shows your surname first followed by your first name as entered in the form, it is correct. You do not need to worry about this format as long as it matches the details you provided. Ensure all other information on the admit card is accurate and carry it to the exam along with the required identification documents.
Hope this helps you.
Hello,
If your CAT admit card has a different date of birth than your Aadhaar card, you should get it corrected immediately . Here’s what you can do:
Check the CAT website : Log in to your candidate portal and look for the option to correct personal details.
Contact the CAT helpdesk : Email or call them explaining the issue. Attach a copy of your Aadhaar card as proof.
Do not ignore it : The date of birth must match your ID, otherwise you may face problems at the exam or during admission.
Usually, the CAT authorities allow corrections before the exam, so act quickly.
Hope it helps !
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