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.
The CAT exam 2025 contains a total of 68 questions divided into three sections. Each questions carry 3 marks, making the CAT exam a maximum of 204 marks.
Candidates get 3 marks for every correct answer, while 1 mark is deducted for each incorrect response in the CAT exam. However, there’s no negative marking for type-in-the-answer questions.
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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,
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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