Private MBA colleges in India are free to decide their own reservation policy and declare individual CAT 2023 cutoffs for SC, ST, and OBC candidates. Check all details about the cutoff for MBA colleges, requirements, and reservation formalities for private MBA colleges right here.
- CAT 2023 Cutoff for Top Private MBA Colleges for General …
- CAT Reservation 2023 Highlights
- CAT 2023 Category-Wise Cutoff for Top Private MBA Colleges
- CAT 2023 Cut Off: Score vs Percentile
- CAT Previous Years’ Cutoff vs Percentile
- CAT Qualifying Cut Off vs CAT Final Cut Off
- Factors Determining CAT Cutoffs for 2023
- How to Apply For Reservation in Top Private MBA Colleges
- Documents Required to Apply for Reservation in Private MBA Colleges
- Faqs

Clearing the CAT 2023 Cutoff is a hurdle that every MBA aspirant wants to clear. Apart from the IIMs, the CAT scorecard is also accepted by many top private colleges in India for Master of Business Administration courses, such as XLRI, JBIMS, MDI, SPJIMR, NITIE, IMT Ghaziabad, and more. Only the candidates who clear the CAT 2023 cutoff criteria set by specific institutes will get a shot at admission. The average CAT cutoff for MBA colleges like XLRI and MDI is 94, for SPJIMR - 92, and for NITIE - 95.
The CAT 2023 cutoff released by private colleges is different for candidates belonging to different categories. Due to the reservation available in some private colleges, the cutoff for admission for reserved category candidates is much lower than that for unreserved seats. However, for standalone MBA colleges that do not offer any reservation, the cutoff will be the same for all of the candidates. The CAT cutoff for MBA colleges is expected to be released in the second week of January 2024. Candidates will have to refer to the CAT 2023 notification once it is released to know more about the CAT reservation policy.
In this article, we are going to discuss the CAT 2023 expected cutoff for top private MBA colleges for general, SC/ST, and OBC categories. We have also mentioned the CAT cutoff for MBA colleges in 2023 to help you get an idea of this year’s cutoff trends. Now, let's explore the topic of category-wise CAT cutoff for MBA colleges in more detail.
Also Read:
CAT 2023 Application Form | CAT 2023 Improtant Dates |
CAT Previous Year Question Papers | CAT 2023 Preparation |
CAT 2023 Cutoff for Top Private MBA Colleges for General Candidates
The anticipated CAT 2023 cut-off percentiles for General category students seeking admission in prestigious MBA institutes (non-IIMs) are listed below.
CAT 2023 Cutoff for Top Non-IIM MBA Colleges
Here is a list of the top Non-IIM management institutes that accept CAT scores for MBA admission. Check out the expected CAT 2023 percentile cutoffs for the colleges in the table below.
Institute Name | CAT 2023 Percentile |
95+ Percentile | |
98+ Percentile | |
99 Percentile | |
Institute for Financial Management & Research (IFMR), Chennai | 80+ Percentile |
95-97 Percentile | |
80+ Percentile | |
97-99 Percentile | |
National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai | 97+ Percentile |
99+ Percentile | |
SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai | 95-99 Percentile |
85+ Percentile | |
94+ Percentile |
CAT Reservation 2023 Highlights
Reservation will be provided to the candidates during CAT 2023 admissions by IIMs as per the government norms & the reservation policy that is provided below:
- 15% for Scheduled Caste (SC)
- 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST)
- 27% for Other Backward Classes (OBC)
- 5% for Person with Disability (PWD)
- 10% for Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
CAT 2023 Category-Wise Cutoff for Top Private MBA Colleges
Given in the table below is the category-wise CAT cutoff for some of the top private MBA colleges accepting CAT scores based on CAT 2022.
College | Category-Wise CAT 2022 Cutoff | |||
General | SC | ST | OBC | |
97-99 percentile | 93 percentile | 93 percentile | 93 percentile | |
96 percentile | 96 percentile | 96 percentile | 96 percentile | |
96 percentile | 96 percentile | 96 percentile | 96 percentile | |
95 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | |
91 percentile | 91 percentile | 91 percentile | 91 percentile | |
90 percentile | 90 percentile | 90 percentile | 90 percentile | |
86 percentile | 86 percentile | 86 percentile | 86 percentile | |
95-99 percentile | 85 percentile | 85 percentile | 85 percentile | |
85 percentile | 85 percentile | 85 percentile | 85 percentile | |
85 percentile | 85 percentile | 85 percentile | 85 percentile | |
80 percentile | 80 percentile | 80 percentile | 80 percentile | |
80 percentile | 80 percentile | 80 percentile | 80 percentile | |
75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | |
70 percentile | 70 percentile | 70 percentile | 70 percentile | |
75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | |
70 percentile | 70 percentile | 70 percentile | 70 percentile | |
75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile | 75 percentile |
CAT 2023 Cut Off: Score vs Percentile
Candidates can refer to the range of CAT 2023 scores vs CAT percentile, to evaluate their performance in the entrance exam and assess their chances to be shortlisted to pursue an MBA course in MBA colleges accepting CAT scores:
Percentile | Score-VARC | Score-DILR | Score-QA | Overall Score |
99.5%ile | 44 | 35 | 40 | 101 |
99%ile | 34 | 26 | 36 | 96 |
98%ile | 32 | 28 | 30 | 90 |
95%ile | 32 | 20 | 29 | 81 |
90%ile | 29 | 17 | 26 | 72 |
85%ile | 24 | 15 | 20 | 59 |
80%ile | 20 | 12 | 15 | 47 |
CAT Previous Years’ Cutoff vs Percentile
In order to obtain a comprehensive idea of the CAT scores needed to get into their selected institute, candidates need to grasp how CAT Score vs Percentile works. From CAT 2017 through CAT 2021, the table below compares CAT marks to percentile:
Percentile | Marks in CAT 2021 | Marks in CAT 2020 | Marks in CAT 2019 | Marks in CAT 2018 | Marks in CAT 2017 |
99.9 | Overall raw score: 120 VARC: 56 DILR: 47 QA: 45 | 131 | 196 | 192 | 208 |
99.5 | Overall raw score: 100-110 VARC: 50-55 DILR: 35-45 QA: 40-44 | 115 | 170 | 170 | 183 |
99 | Overall raw score: 100 VARC: 37-39 DILR: 27-30 QA: 40-42 | 102 | 157 | 155 | 173 |
95 | VARC: 32-35 DILR: 25-27 QA: 31-33 | 77 | 120 | 125 | 139 |
90 | VARC: 28-30 DILR: 21-23 QA: 25-27 | 63 | 90 | 110 | 121 |
85 | 55 | 87 | 90 | 103 | |
80 | 49 | 75 | 80 | 98 | |
90 | 36 | 57 | 62 | 83 |
CAT Qualifying Cut Off vs CAT Final Cut Off
CAT exam applicants must understand the differences between the two CAT cut-offs, which are important factors in the admissions process. There are two different kinds of cutoffs: Qualifying CAT cutoffs (IIM eligibility cutoff) and Final CAT cutoffs (IIM call cutoff). The differences between the two have been listed in the table below:
CAT Qualifying Cut Off | CAT Final Cut Off |
Also known as the IIM eligibility cut off or IIM shortlist cut off, it is the minimum mark requirement which determines whether an applicant will be invited to an IIM interview (for the WAT/GD-PI phase). | Also referred to as the IIM call cut offs, it is the minimum percentile score established by the IIMs for the purpose of shortlisting candidates for the WAT/GD-PI phase. |
The candidate may still not be chosen for the WAT/GD-PI round despite meeting the qualifying cut off. | Meeting the final CAT cut off does not guarantee admission for the applicant. |
Before the CAT results are announced, the qualifying cut off is set. | After the announcement of the CAT results, the final cut-off is determined. |
Each management institute publishes the qualifying CAT cut off percentiles along with their announcement of the admission requirements and selection process for that academic year. | No IIM or even other top MBA institutions formally publish the final CAT cut offs. |
For all IIMs, the qualifying CAT cut offs remain over 90 percentile, with IIM Ahmedabad's qualifying cut off remaining above 80 percentile since 2016. | For all prestigious IIMs, the final CAT cutoffs continue to be as high as 99+ percentile, and for new IIMs, the cutoff is 95+ percentile. |
Sectional and overall cut offs are included in the qualifying CAT cutoffs. | Sectional and overall cutoffs are included in the final CAT results. |
Category-by-category, the CAT cutoff is fixed by the IIMs. The cutoff is high (90 percentile) for general category students and low (70 and below) for reserved category candidates. | The category-specific final CAT cut off is set by the IIMs. The CAT Cutoff is higher for general category male engineering students than it is for students in reserved categories. The CAT cutoff is also lower for female candidates and those without an engineering background. |
Factors Determining CAT Cutoffs for 2023
Each institute's CAT 2023 cutoff percentile will vary depending on a number of variables. Below are a few of the crucial elements:
Level of difficulty of the CAT 2023 exam
Number of candidates who took the CAT 2023 exam
Number of candidates that passed the CAT 2023 exam
Seats available at a specific institute
- Institutional ranking across all of India
How to Apply For Reservation in Top Private MBA Colleges
Private MBA colleges have a common application process for reserved and unreserved seats. The only differences are:
- Candidates applying for reserved seats have to submit additional documents as proof of their category.
- Reserved seats have a lower cutoff as compared to unreserved seats.
Following is the application process is given in a bit more detail.
Step 1: Candidates must visit the official website of the college and create an account.
Step 2: Log in to the application portal and complete the application form. Make sure to select the correct category as per your documents.
Step 3: Upload all of the required documents, pay the application fee and submit the application.
Documents Required to Apply for Reservation in Private MBA Colleges
Candidates who select any other category than 'General' or 'Unreserved' will be asked to upload supporting documents for their claim. Candidates must obtain their caste certificate only from a Competent Authority such as the DM, City Magistrate, Collector, Sub-Divisional Officer/Development Officer of the candidate's residing area. More details can be found in the following articles.
Documents Required for MBA Admissions: Application Form, Scanned Images | How to Apply for Category Certificates (SC / ST / NC-OBC / PWD / EWS) for CAT |
If you have any queries, you can post them on the CollegeDekho QnA Zone. For any help regarding admissions, fill out the Common Application Form (CAF) or call our helpline number 18005729877.
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