IIM Sectional Cutoffs: Minimum CAT Scores for Each Section

The 'BLACKI' group—comprising IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Kozhikode, and Indore—maintains some of the most stringent sectional requirements in the country. For the General/UR category, IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) traditionally sets its sectional cutoff at 70 percentile for VARC, DILR, and QA.

While 70 might seem low for an institute of its caliber, it serves as a baseline; the overall cutoff for IIMA usually hovers around 99 percentile. In contrast, IIM Bangalore (IIMB) often requires a higher sectional threshold, frequently setting it at 75 or 80 percentile for each of the three components. This ensures that every student admitted has a balanced intellectual profile and isn't solely carried by a high score in one specific area like Mathematics.

IIM Calcutta (IIMC) has historically been slightly more lenient on sectional scores compared to Bangalore, often settling at the 75-80 percentile mark, but it places a massive weight on the overall CAT score during the shortlisting phase. IIM Lucknow (IIML) and IIM Kozhikode (IIMK) generally follow a similar pattern, with sectional cutoffs ranging between 75 and 80 percentile. IIM Indore is unique because it places significant weight on Class 10 and 12 marks, but it still maintains a strict 80 percentile sectional requirement for the General category.

If you find your VARC score lagging, you might need to target IIMs that prioritize QA/DILR or look toward the New IIMs where the sectional requirements are typically lower. We recommend cross-referencing your sectional scores with historical data available on our domestic colleges listing page to see where you stand.

The sectional cutoffs vary dramatically when we move from the General category to reserved categories. For the NC-OBC (Non-Creamy Layer Other Backward Classes) and EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) candidates, the sectional cutoffs in the top IIMs usually drop to the 60-70 percentile range.

For example, while a General candidate might need an 80 in DILR for IIM Bangalore, an NC-OBC candidate might be eligible with a 65 or 70. This relaxation is designed to ensure a diverse cohort while maintaining a minimum academic standard that ensures the candidate can handle the rigorous MBA curriculum.

For candidates in the SC (Scheduled Caste) category, the sectional cutoffs often sit between 45 and 55 percentile across most IIMs. ST (Scheduled Tribe) and PwD (Persons with Disabilities) candidates often see the most significant relaxation, with sectional cutoffs sometimes as low as 35 to 45 percentile. However, even with these lower thresholds, the competition remains high within the respective categories.

It is a common mistake for reserved category students to ignore sectional preparation, assuming the low cutoff makes it easy. However, if an SC candidate scores 99 percentile in QA but only 30 in VARC, they will still be disqualified from most IIMs because they failed to meet the 45-percentile minimum. Use our CAT College Predictor to input your specific category and sectional scores to see the filtered list of institutes where you meet the criteria.