CAT Application Date:01 Aug' 25 - 13 Sep' 25
There are a total of approximately 5500 IIM seats that are available through the CAT exam. Out of the 5500 seats available, around 60% of the IIM seats are reserved for the candidates belonging to the various reserved categories. The non-reserved IIM seats for the General category are around 2200. Over 2 lakh candidates compete every year for these IIM seats by appearing for the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam.
This Story also Contains
The candidates for the IIM seats are selected through a series of evaluation rounds. Several important parameters like CAT score, Academic performance, Work experience, etc are rated for the final selection of candidates through a merit list.
The total seats in IIM for the General category candidates are 2200 (approx.) which is around 40% of the total IIM seats. The distribution of the total IIM seats in terms of percentage for each category (open and reserved) is given in the table below.
Category | Distribution of IIM Seats |
General | 40.5% |
27% | |
7.5% and 15% | |
PwD and EWS | 10% |
Check out the Total Seats in IIM for MBA/PGDM
IIMs across the nation have their seat matrix upon which the number of IIM seats for each category in a particular IIM is calculated. The IIM seats for General category candidates across different IIMs have been mentioned in the table below.
Name of the IIM | Total IIM Seats | IIM seats for the General Category |
398 | 194 | |
412 | 193 | |
462 | 233 | |
436 | 211 | |
450 | 226 | |
525 | 189 | |
240 | 60 | |
240 | 60 | |
120 | 80 | |
210 | 52 | |
210 | 60 | |
210 | 60 | |
120 | 27 | |
150 | 60 | |
120 | 60 | |
180 | 60 | |
170 | 30 | |
240 | 60 | |
550 | 220 |
The candidates need to score at par with the required CAT cutoff to secure themselves a seat in the prestigious IIM. The CAT cutoff for IIM seats for the General category candidates for different IIMs is listed in the table below.
Name of the IIM | CAT 2024 cutoff for IIM seats for General Category (Expected) |
99-100 | |
99-100 | |
99-100 | |
97-98 | |
97-98 | |
97-98 | |
95-96 | |
95-96 | |
95-96 | |
94-95 | |
94-95 | |
94-95 | |
92-94 | |
92-94 | |
92-94 | |
90 | |
90 | |
92-94 | |
94 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The seats for the General category in all the IIMs combined come to around 2200 approximately. The seats are offered to candidates clearing the cutoff prescribed by the IIM for the CAT exam.
The lowest IIM cutoff for General is 90. Most of the selections for the General category happen in the 98-99.9 percentile range. At 90 the lower tier IIMs like IIM Nagpur, and IIM Shillong can be aimed for by General category candidates.
IIM Mumbai has the highest number of seats 550 across MBA/PGDM programs combined. Out of the total 550 seats, only 220 seats are available for the General category candidates.
For a General category candidate the IIMs close their applications at a minimum CAT percentile of 90. With a CAT percentile of 85 candidates from the General category can target non-IIM colleges with good ratings.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Aspirant,
Yes, you can apply for the CAT exam as a final-year student. You must declare your backlog on the online application form. You do not write about it on the final-year student certificate; that document is to certify your enrollment status. You must clear all backlogs before the final admission process to any MBA college.
Hello,
Thank you for your question!
KL- MAT syllabus: Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning, English/Verbal Ability, and General Awareness (similar to MAT/CMAT pattern).
CAT scores are valid in many private universities including KL University, but always check the year’s admission notification.
CAT vs other exams: CAT is toughest (IIMs + top B-schools), while MAT/CMAT/ATMA are relatively easier and accepted by many mid-level private universities.
Hello it will clear your doubt!
Hello Aspirant,
I saw a cat. The cat found an old map inside a drawer of the king's palace.
Here's why:
"a cat": It's the first time we mention the cat, so it's indefinite.
"The cat": Now we're talking about that specific cat we just mentioned, so it's definite.
"an old map": It's the first time we mention a map, and "old" starts with a vowel sound, so "an."
"a drawer": It's one of possibly many drawers, not a specific one known to us yet.
"the king's palace": This is a specific, unique place, so "the."
Hello Kapish
You can find the last 5 year questions of DILR for CAT at Careers360 website. Moreover, you can find the previous year papers of all the subjects i.e. DILR, Quants and VARC. I am attaching the link through which you would be able to access the same.
Here's the link:
CAT Previous Year Papers by CAREERS360
Sample paper of DILR:
CAT Sample Paper (DILR) by CAREERS360
Thank You!!!
Hello Divya,
Yes, candidates with an online BBA can sit for both CAT and GMAT provided that the degree is from a recognized (UGC approved in India or accredited abroad) institution. The leading B-schools in both India and abroad do not look down upon online degrees as long as the degree is from a recognized body, they will mostly be looking at your test scores, academic performance, work experience, and profile holistically. What matters is the legitimacy of the institution and how you showcase your abilities, not whether your degree was obtained online or in-person.
Admissions Open | Globally Recognized by AACSB (US) & AMBA (UK) | 17.3 LPA Avg. CTC for PGPM 2024
IBSAT 2025-Your gateway to MBA/PGPM @ IBS Hyderabad and 8 other IBS campuses | Scholarships worth 10 CR
Amongst top 3% universities globally (QS Rankings) | Ranked among top 10 B-Schools in India by multiple publications
75+ years of legacy | #1 Entrance Exam | Score accepted by 250+ BSchools | Apply now
NAAC A+ Grade | Among top 100 universities of India (NIRF 2024) | 40 crore+ scholarships distributed
1 Exam accepted by 17 Top Symbiosis Institutes for 29 MBA programmes.