CAT Attempt Limit 2025: How Many Times Can You Take the CAT Exam?

CAT Attempt Limit 2025: How Many Times Can You Take the CAT Exam?

Team Careers360Updated on 30 Nov 2025, 09:18 AM IST

The CAT attempt limit is not specified. The CAT (Common Admission Test) is held once every year for admission to IIMs and other top-rated MBA/PGDM colleges. CAT 2025 will be held on November 30, 2025. Candidates can attempt the CAT 2025 on the day in three slots. There is no specific CAT attempt limit, which is a relieving factor as the CAT exam itself puts a bit of pressure on the aspirants. Moreover, there is no CAT attempt age limit. The CAT attempt limit might not be there, but the candidates should go for a CAT exam a maximum of 2 (3 in rare cases), as it does take a toll on the personal and professional life of the candidate.

CAT Attempt Limit 2025: How Many Times Can You Take the CAT Exam?
CAT Attempt Limit

CAT Attempt Limit for Different Categories

For candidates belonging to different categories, there is no CAT attempt limit specified. There is no CAT attempt limit for the general category as well. The eligibility criteria, however, differ slightly for different categories. The CAT eligibility criteria for various categories are given in the table below.

Category

CAT Eligibility Criteria

CAT Exam Attempt Limit

General

Bachelor’s Degree with 50% marks or equivalent CGPA from a UGC-recognised institute.

Unlimited

SC/ST/PwD

Bachelor’s Degree with 45% marks or equivalent CGPA from a UGC-recognised institute.

Unlimited

CAT Attempt Limit for IIM Admission 2026-28

The IIMs have not prescribed any CAT exam attempt limit as part of their eligibility criteria. The candidates across all age groups are shortlisted based on their CAT 2025 percentiles. To get shortlisted, candidates need to have a CAT percentile at par with the CAT cutoff for a particular IIM. For final selection, the candidate needs to perform well in the group discussion (GD) and personal interview (PI) rounds.

Candidates with work experience in significant roles have the chance to make their profile stand out among other applicants. Work experience is not mandatory as per the eligibility criteria of the IIMs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Which is the best IIM in India?
A:

IIM Ahmedabad is considered to be the best IIM in India. It has the highest CAT cutoffs among the peer IIMs. As per the NIRF ranking, IIM Ahmedabad bagged the number one spot for colleges in the management category.

Q: How many times can CAT be taken?
A:

The CAT exam can be taken by the candidates for any number of times they wish to. There is no specified number of CAT attempts limit barring a candidate. The CAT exam is held once every year by one of the IIMs. The CAT score is accepted by different IIMs and top management institutes across the country.

Q: What is the validity of the CAT score?
A:

The validity of the CAT score is one year from the date of declaration. The valid CAT score for admission will be acceptable by a college for a given academic year only. For the next year, candidates will be required to take the CAT exam for a valid CAT score.

Q: What is the fee for the CAT exam?
A:

The registration fee for the CAT exam is Rs. 2400 for General Category candidates and Rs. 1200 for candidates belonging to reserved categories. The CAT exam fee can be paid online through various modes like credit/debit cards, net banking, and UPI.

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Questions related to CAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CAT ?

Hello,

Here are some top colleges accepting XAT and CAT exams :

Top colleges accepting CAT:

  • IIMs (All Indian Institutes of Management)

  • FMS Delhi

  • SPJIMR Mumbai

  • MDI Gurgaon

  • IIT Bombay (SJMSOM)

  • IIT Delhi (DMS)

  • IIFT

  • IMT Ghaziabad

  • JBIMS Mumbai

Top colleges accepting XAT:

  • XLRI Jamshedpur

  • XIMB Bhubaneswar

  • IMT Ghaziabad

  • Great

Hi there,

A female candidate with a CAT percentile of 67.97 and low sectional scores should target private and tier-2/3 B-schools that accept overall CAT scores in the 60–70 percentile range and have flexible sectional criteria.

Some suitable options include AIMS Institute Bangalore, Doon Business School Dehradun, Christ Institute of

Hi there,

Yes, you are eligible for XISS Ranchi with a CAT percentile of 67.60.

According to recent admission trends, the CAT cutoff for the PGDM in Human Resource Management for the general category has been around 60 percentile. For other programs such as Marketing, Finance, and Rural Management, the

Hi there,

Careers360 offers a wide range of eBooks and study materials to assist with CAT preparation. You can access past CAT question papers with solutions to understand the exam pattern and difficulty level. Additionally, there are quantitative aptitude handbooks, cheat sheets, and section-specific practice sets for arithmetic, algebra, and

Hi there,

The minimum eligibility criteria for a general candidate to receive a call from IIM Sambalpur are as follows:
VARC: 65%ile
QUANTS: 65%ile
LRDI: 65%ile
Overall: 90%tile
Keep practising and aim to improve your score. You can also focus on other management exams where you may secure a strong