The reservation of IIM seats for the ST and SC categories is done as per the reservation policy for backward classes in the education institutes. The Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste have been assigned 7.5% and 15% of the total IIM seats through the CAT exam under the reservation quota. It is done to make sure the extent of high-quality education penetrates the lower strata of society. IIMs also are prioritizing candidates that bring the diversity factor into it.
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.
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Approximately 538 seats are reserved in IIMs for the ST and SC categories which is about 22.5%. The percentage-wise distribution of total IIM seats across different categories is given in the table below.
Category | Distribution of IIM Seats |
40.5% | |
27% | |
IIM Seats for ST and SC Category | 7.5% and 15% |
PwD and EWS | 10% |
Check out the Total Seats in IIM for MBA/PGDM
IIMs across the nation have different numbers of seats reserved for the ST and SC category candidates. The number of seats for the ST and SC category candidates in different IIMs is mentioned in the table below.
Name of the IIM | Total IIM Seats | IIM seats for the SC Category | IIM seats for the ST Category |
398 | 58 | 29 | |
412 | 57 | 29 | |
462 | 69 | 37 | |
436 | 63 | 32 | |
450 | 68 | 34 | |
525 | 56 | 28 | |
240 | 18 | 9 | |
240 | 18 | 9 | |
120 | 20 | 10 | |
210 | 15 | 8 | |
210 | 18 | 10 | |
210 | 18 | 10 | |
120 | 20 | 10 | |
150 | 28 | 10 | |
120 | 18 | 9 | |
180 | 18 | 10 | |
170 | 9 | 5 | |
240 | 18 | 10 | |
550 | 82 | 41 |
The selection criteria for IIMs is purely merit-based. Candidates across all categories need to qualify for the IIM CAT cutoff for applying to the prestigious IIMs. The CAT cutoff for different IIMs for the ST and SC category is given in the table below.
Name of the IIM | CAT 2024 cutoff for IIM seats for SC Category (Expected) | CAT 2024 cutoff for IIM seats for ST Category (Expected) |
70 | 60 | |
70 | 65 | |
70 | 65 | |
65 | 60 | |
60 | 50 | |
65 | 55 | |
55 | 40 | |
60 | 40 | |
54 | 40 | |
54 | 40 | |
54 | 40 | |
54 | 40 | |
45 | 35 | |
54 | 40 | |
54 | 40 | |
60 | 50 | |
54 | 40 | |
55 | 30 | |
70 | 65 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
IIMs have a prescribed SC ST quota for the SC and ST category candidates. 15% and 7.5% of the total IIM seats are reserved for the candidates from SC and ST categories.
IIMs have a total of 538 seats reserved for the SC and ST category candidates. The number of reserved seats for a particular IIM varies depending on the batch size and total seat matrix.
The IIM cutoff for SC and ST candidates ranges between 50-70 CAT percentile. This is the qualifying cutoff at which the candidate is eligible to apply. The selection is based on the overall assessment of the candidate’s profile.
IIM has different scholarship programs for different candidates. SC category candidates studying in IIMs are also eligible for a scholarship of up to 1.5 Lakh in the second year.
On Question asked by student community
HELLO,
With an overall 98.54 percentile ( QA/DILR 97.55, VARC 94.89) and strong academics 9/9/0, you have a good profile. As a B.Tech candidate you can expect calls from :-
Hope this will help you !
Hello aspirant,
Your kid has a good profile even in the general category with a BTech from IIT Delhi, three years of excellent job experience in a leading industry, and a 96 percentile in the CAT. He has a strong chance at reputable MBA schools like IIM Shillong, IIM Udaipur, IIM Trichy, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and others, depending on interview performance and profile match, even though the top IIMs often require higher percentiles.
Thank you
Hope it helps you
With an overall CAT percentile of 82.71 in CAT 2025 as a general category candidate, along with section-wise percentiles of 80.56 in VARC, 75.81 in DILR and 84.56 in QA, your chances at top IIMs are limited, as most older IIMs usually shortlist general category candidates at much higher percentiles. However, this percentile still keeps you eligible for admission calls from several Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges across India, especially those that consider overall performance, academic background and work experience along with CAT scores. You can expect calls from institutes such as IMT Nagpur, IMI Bhubaneswar, FORE School of Management (some programs), TAPMI Manipal (borderline), Great Lakes Institute of Management (Chennai or Gurgaon for PGPM/PGDM variants), K J Somaiya (depending on cut-offs), GIM Goa (through CAT or other exams), and state-level universities that accept CAT scores. Additionally, many good private universities and autonomous B-schools consider candidates in the 80–85 percentile range and conduct their own GD-PI rounds. To improve your chances, you should apply widely, prepare well for interviews, and highlight your academics, work experience, certifications and extracurricular achievements, as final selection is not based on CAT score alone.
All the best.
With an overall CAT 2025 percentile of 82.71, you are unlikely to get calls from the IIMs (including new or baby IIMs), as most of them generally shortlist candidates at 90+ percentile, even after considering category and profile factors. However, this percentile is still quite decent and opens doors to many good Tier-2 and Tier-3 MBA colleges in India that offer solid academics, reasonable placements, and good industry exposure.
At around 80–85 percentile, you have a strong chance of getting shortlisted by institutes such as IMI Bhubaneswar, IMT Nagpur, IMT Hyderabad, XIME Bangalore/Chennai, TAPMI Manipal (borderline, profile-dependent), IFMR GSB Krea University, FORE School of Management (certain programs), GIM Goa (specialised programs), LIBA Chennai (borderline), K J Somaiya Institute of Management (profile-based), Great Lakes Chennai/Gurgaon (PGDM – profile matters a lot), and Welingkar Mumbai (especially through profile + GDPI). Many reputed state universities and private institutes like PUMBA Pune, Delhi School of Management (DTU – if accepting CAT that year), BIMTECH (some programs), NDIM Delhi, ITM Navi Mumbai, and Jaipuria Institute of Management campuses are also realistic options.
Your sectional percentiles (VARC 80.56, DILR 75.81, QA 84.56) are fairly balanced, which works in your favor, as several colleges apply sectional cut-offs around 60–70 percentile. Final selection will depend not only on CAT score but also on academic background, graduation marks, work experience, diversity factors, and GD-PI performance. If you have work experience, it significantly improves your chances at colleges like Great Lakes, FORE, IFMR, and Welingkar.
In summary, while top IIMs are not achievable at 82.71 percentile, you can still secure admission into reputed mid-tier MBA colleges that provide good ROI and career growth if you perform well in the GD-PI process. It is advisable to apply broadly, focus on profile-based institutes, and prepare seriously for interviews to convert the best possible calls.
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.
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