BIMTECH PGDM 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.
IIM Kozhikode will retain its three-stage admission process for the MBA (PGP) 2026–28 batch, with CAT 2025 scores carrying a final weightage of 35 percent. The minimum overall CAT cut-off for general category candidates remains at 85 percentile, with sectional qualifying scores required in VARC, DILR, and QA. Shortlisting of candidates will be based on CAT performance, academic record, and personal interview rounds.
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
With 84.91 percentile in CAT (General, male, no work experience), top colleges like IIMs, IITs, FMS, MDI, etc. are not possible. You may get calls from private institutes such as IMT Nagpur/Hyderabad, IMI Bhubaneswar, XIME, SDMIMD, Welingkar (some programs) and similar colleges. Universities like Amity or LPU are also options.
It’s better to choose carefully, as placements and ROI may be average. Reattempting CAT or trying XAT/CMAT could improve options.
Hello,
With a CAT percentile of 88.77 and a strong CGPA of 9.0, you are in a competitive range for newer IIMs (like IIM Amritsar, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Nagpur) and several top non-IIM B-schools such as TAPMI, BIM Trichy, Great Lakes, IMI Delhi, FORE School of Management, and KJ Somaiya. You may not reach the older IIMs (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, etc.) since they usually require 98+ percentile, but you have excellent chances at mid-tier and emerging institutes.
For more details access mentioned link below:
Hope it helps.
Hello
The expected cutoff for the JAP (Joint Admission Process) is around 90 to 95th percentile, with a minimum sectional cutoff of around 75 percentile in Quantitative Ability. You have scored 82.2% which is very low; that's why you are unlikely to meet the minimum criteria for the JAP IIMs in the general Category.
I hope this information helps you.
Thank you.
Hello,
Here is your IIM Cutoff for Gen/OBC/SC/ST, CS Score Cut Off. I am providing you the link. Kindly open and check it out. From here you can get all the details.
I hope it will help you.
Thank you.
With a CAT score of around 80 percentile and about 2 years of work experience, getting a call from the top IIMs (IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore) is extremely difficult, as their cutoff percentiles are usually much higher, even for reserved categories. These institutes typically shortlist candidates above 95–99 percentile depending on category, academic profile, and diversity factors.
However, you may still have some chances at a few of the newer or baby IIMs, especially if you belong to a reserved category (SC/ST/OBC/EWS) and have a decent academic background. IIMs such as IIM Jammu, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Nagaland, IIM Amritsar, and IIM Vizag have historically called candidates in the 75–85 percentile range for certain categories. Your 2 years of work experience can also work in your favour, as most IIMs give weightage to professional experience during shortlisting and final selection.
That said, selection does not depend on CAT percentile alone. Factors like your 10th and 12th marks, graduation score, academic consistency, gender and academic diversity, work experience quality, and performance in the personal interview play a very important role. Even with an 80 percentile, a strong interview and profile can improve your chances at newer IIMs.
You should also keep strong non-IIM options open. At this percentile, good colleges like newer IIT MBA programs, some NITs, and reputed private B-schools can offer better and more realistic opportunities. Applying broadly and preparing seriously for the interview stage is very important.
In summary, while top IIMs are unlikely at 80 percentile, you may still have a realistic chance at some of the newer IIMs depending on your category and overall profile.
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