Does clearing a cutoff guarantee an interview?

No. A minimum CAT filter is only one part of a programme’s shortlisting process.

Can a high overall percentile offset a low section?

Not when the programme requires a separate minimum in every section.

Are CAT 2026 marks-to-percentile figures confirmed?

The examination has not yet taken place as of October 7. A numerical forecast must be labelled as an estimate.

Can I use last year’s IIM cutoff?

It can be historical context, but verify the current programme and batch policy before making application decisions.

CAT 2026 Cutoffs: Qualifying Percentiles and IIM Calls

Last verified: 7 October 2026. This is an independent preparation guide; applications, admit cards and official notices are available through iimcat.ac.in.

Three different meanings of cutoff

A minimum qualifying percentile determines whether an application can pass a stated CAT filter. An interview shortlist is a later selection decision. A final admission offer follows the programme’s complete process. Mixing these stages produces misleading claims such as “this percentile guarantees an IIM”.

Term	How to use it
Overall minimum	Check the total-percentile requirement for your category
Sectional minimum	Check every section separately; an overall score cannot replace this
Interview shortlist	Read the complete selection method and profile inputs
Final offer	Check interview, assessment, verification and offer conditions

Verified example: IIM Ahmedabad PGP 2027–29

IIM Ahmedabad’s published domestic policy uses CAT 2026. Its minimum overall/each-section percentiles are: General and EWS 95/85; NC-OBC 90/80; SC 85/75; ST 75/65. For PwD candidates in those groups, the corresponding pairs are 85/75, 80/70, 75/65 and 65/55. These are programme-specific minimums, not assured interview calls.

Why sectional requirements matter

Consider a fictional programme requiring 90 overall and 80 in each section. A candidate with 96 overall but 76 in DILR fails that stated sectional filter. This is an illustration, not a prediction of any institute’s shortlist.

Maintain a tracker with one column for each section. If a mock reveals a persistent weakness, address it even when the overall result looks strong.

Marks and percentiles answer different questions

A percentile describes relative standing, not the percentage of marks scored. Do not assume 90 percentile means 90% marks or that a fixed raw score guarantees the same percentile in another year.

Before CAT 2026 is held, a marks-to-percentile table is an estimate. If using a historical comparison for practice, label its examination year, source and whether it uses raw or scaled scores. This guide does not present an invented 2026 conversion table.

Build a shortlist you can verify

Create a row for each programme, not simply each institute name. Save the official policy and its batch year before interpreting a number.

Programme and admission batch.
Category and applicable disability provisions.
Overall and all sectional minimums.
Academic or other initial eligibility filters.
Shortlisting formula and separate final-selection formula.
Application route, deadline and required documents.
Policy link and date checked.

Turn the policy into a preparation target

Treat published minimums as screening rules. They do not reveal a universal safe score for a future applicant pool. Use mocks to improve question selection, accuracy and consistency across sections while keeping several suitable programmes in your application plan.

After results, update the tracker with your actual scorecard and each institution’s shortlist announcements. Avoid buying a guaranteed-call prediction based only on one percentile.

Sources and verification notes

Official sources were checked on 7 October 2026. Later dated notices take precedence over the original bulletin where a deadline has changed. Study plans and worked examples are editorial guidance, not official exam rules.