OBC-NCL, SC and ST CAT Cutoffs: What One IIM Shows, and What It Does Not
There is no single CAT cutoff for reserved categories. Each institute sets its own, after the result. For example, IIM Indore’s shortlisting cutoffs in the 2025 process, as listed by Cracku, were 90 percentile overall for General and EWS, 80 for NC-OBC, 60 for SC and 45 for ST and PwD. Treat that as one example of how the gap works, not as a number that applies to other colleges or to 2026.
One institute, the 2025 process
| Category | Each section (QA, DILR, VARC) | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| General | 80 | 90 |
| EWS | 80 | 90 |
| NC-OBC | 70 | 80 |
| SC | 55 | 60 |
| ST | 40 | 45 |
| PwD | 40 | 45 |
These are minimums to be considered, not the scores that actually won seats. The same source lists the lowest percentile of admitted candidates for the 2024–26 PGP batch: General 92.92, EWS 92.5, NC-OBC 80.44, SC 68.93, ST 52.3 and PwD 52.72. Admitted candidates sit above the cutoffs, which is why a cutoff on its own is a poor guide to your chances.
What stays the same for every category
Percentile is still ((N − rank) ÷ N) × 100, and it is calculated against everyone who appeared, not only your category. Section minimums apply on top of the overall figure, so a strong overall score can still fall short if one section is below the line. If you are unsure of your section scores, how normalisation changes your marks explains why your raw marks and your percentile differ. For eligibility and reservation rules (the minimum graduation marks and the share of seats for each category), read the CAT notification on the conducting IIM’s site; they are set there, not here.
What this means below the IIMs
Most MBA colleges that take lower percentiles do not publish a separate category cutoff for each group. They set a band, run an interview, and apply reservation through their own policy or the state’s counselling rules. For a realistic shortlist, use the percentile band pages and confirm the category policy with each college: 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70 and 70 to 80. Reserved-category candidates around 80 to 90 can also look at the 80 to 90 band, which covers several IITs and newer IIMs.
What we will add
Once the IIMs publish their CAT 2026 shortlisting notices after the result, we will replace this example with the current category cutoffs for each institute we cover. Until then, no site can give you a 2026 number. Here is what is known about the result date, and why a smaller applicant pool does not guarantee lower cutoffs.
Questions people ask
What is the OBC-NCL cutoff for CAT 2026?
There is no official 2026 figure yet. As an example of the pattern, IIM Indore’s published shortlisting cutoff for the 2025 process was 80 percentile overall for NC-OBC, against 90 for General and EWS (as listed by Cracku; check the institute’s own document). Each IIM sets its own.
Is there one CAT cutoff for SC and ST candidates?
No. Every IIM and every other college sets its own, and they change each year. The example table on this page covers one institute only.
Do private MBA colleges have separate category cutoffs?
Many accept CAT scores within a single band and handle reservation through their own admission criteria and state rules. Check the college’s brochure for its category policy.
Where do the official category cutoffs come from?
From each institute’s admission policy and shortlisting notice, published after the CAT result. The conducting IIM’s CAT notification sets eligibility and reservation categories; individual colleges set their own cutoffs.
Sources & methodology
IIM Indore cutoff and admitted-percentile figures are as summarised by Cracku (the 2025 process, CAT 2024 basis; PGP 2024–26 minimums). They are not verified against the IIM’s own document. No figure here applies to CAT 2026.