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Top MBA Colleges with Sectional Cut-off

MBA colleges with sectional cut-off include top IIMs and other renowned B-schools in India. Check the list of top MBA colleges with sectional cut-off and overview of CAT score vs percentile.
authorImageShivani Kumari8 Mar, 2025
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MBA Colleges with Sectional Cut-off

MBA College with Sectional Cut-off: Top MBA colleges like IIMs set sectional cut-off to create the merit list for GD/PI rounds. The CAT sectional cut-off refers to the minimum score a candidate must achieve in the CAT exam to qualify for the next selection stages at various B-schools.

After the CAT exam , IIM releases the CAT result online. Following the result announcement, each participating institute, including IIMs, publishes its overall and sectional cut-off score on the official website. Candidates must meet both overall and section-wise cut-off scores to get selected by their preferred institute.

MBA Colleges with Sectional Cut-off Overview

The expected minimum qualifying cut-off for the CAT 2024 exam is expected to vary depending on the institute and category of the candidate. For General category candidates wanting to enter top IIMs, the cut-off may range from 95 to 100 percentile. However, for new IIMs, the cut-off is expected to be slightly lower, ranging between 95 and 97 percentile. In addition to the overall cutoff, candidates must also meet sectional cutoffs. The following table presents the expected CAT sectional and overall cut-offs for top IIMs:
MBA Colleges with Sectional Cut-off
College VARC QA DILR Overall
IIM Ahmedabad 70 70 70 80
IIM Calcutta 80 75 80 85
IIM Bangalore 80 75 75 85
IIM Lucknow 85 85 85 90
IIM Kozhikode 75 75 75 85
IIM Bodh Gaya 73 73 73 94
IIM Vishakhapatnam 70 70 70 82
IIM Amritsar 80 75 75 90
IIM Kashipur 73 73 73 94
IIM Jammu 72 72 72 91
IIM Raipur 73 73 73 94
IIM Nagpur 73 73 73 94
IIM Shillong 75 75 75 85
IIM Ranchi 73 73 73 94
IIM Mumbai 80 75 80 85

Top Non-IIMs Accepting Sectional CAT Cut-off

Besides IIMs, other MBA colleges also consider the CAT sectional cut-off to select deserving candidates. These colleges typically have CAT cutoffs that range from 70 to 99 percentile, depending on the institution's ranking. While some of the top non-IIMs may require candidates to secure a cut-off of 95 percentile or higher, others accept students with a lower score. The following table presents the CAT cut-off for top non-IIMs:

Non-IIMs Accepting Sectional CAT Cut-off
Top MBA College CAT Cut Off (Percentile)
FMS, Delhi 98-99
SPJIMR, Mumbai 95-99
IIFT Delhi 95-99
JBIMS, Mumbai 96
IMT, Ghaziabad 95-97
IMI, New Delhi 90
MDI, Gurgaon 97-99
GIM Goa 85
XIM, Bhubaneswar 91
TAPMI, Manipal 80
K J Somaiya, Mumbai 86
IFMR, Chennai 80
FORE, New Delhi 85
MICA, Ahmedabad 80
IRMA, Anand 80
XIME, Bangalore 70
LIBA, Chennai 70

Also Read: Non IIMs Colleges Accepting CAT Score

CAT 2024 Sectional vs Overall Cut-off (Expected)

The CAT cut-off provides a rough estimate of the scores required to secure admission to top MBA colleges. However, candidates must understand that the actual cut-offs may vary each year based on multiple factors like difficulty level of questions, seats available in colleges, previous years’ scores, etc. Based on the CAT 2024 exam analysis , it is estimated that a score of 106 will correspond to a 99.9 percentile. The table below outlines the expected CAT 2024 sectional vs overall cut-offs detail:
CAT 2024 Sectional vs Overall Cut-off
Overall Score CAT Percentile (Cut Off) VARC Score QA Score DILR Score
106 99.9% 48 48 36
89 99.5% 44 32 32
80 99% 40 28 28
71 98% 36 24 25
57 95% 30 19 19
49 90% 25 15 16
40 85% 21 12 13
36 80% 19 10 11
31 75% 17 9 10
29 70% 15 8 9

Factors Determining CAT Cut Offs 2024

The CAT 2024 cut-off percentiles for MBA and PGP programs at various institutes are influenced by a range of factors. These include the following:
  • The difficulty level of the exam influences cut-offs. With tougher exams leading to lower cut-offs and easier ones resulting in higher cut-offs.
  • A larger number of applicants appearing for CAT 2024 may lead to higher cut-offs.
  • If more candidates perform well in the exam, the cut-offs are likely to increase.
  • Previous year trends are crucial to predict and determine the cut-offs for the current year.
  • The total number of seats available at each institute also influences the cut-off, with more seats potentially lowering them.

Importance of Sectional Cut-Off for Selecting Candidates

Sectional cut-offs play a crucial role in the admission process for top management institutes like the IIMs. Unlike the overall cutoff, which measures a candidate's overall performance, sectional cut-offs assess candidates’ proficiency in specific sections of the exam, such as DILR, VARC, and QA. This approach ensures a well-rounded evaluation of candidates and maintains a balanced student intake.

Here are the notable significance of considering sectional cut-off for MBA admissions:
  • Encourages Balanced Preparation

Sectional cut-offs encourage candidates to focus on all sections equally rather than excelling in just one or two. This approach promotes a more comprehensive preparation strategy, ensuring candidates have a thorough grasp of verbal ability, DILR, and QA topics.
  • Ensures Efficient Skill Assessment

Different sections of the CAT exam evaluate distinct abilities of candidates, such as analytical thinking, problem-solving, and language proficiency. Sectional cut-offs ensure that candidates are proficient across various sections, which is crucial for succeeding in rigorous MBA programs.
  • Aligns with Real-World Business Scenarios

MBA students are expected to be versatile so they can learn to handle various business challenges. Meeting sectional cut-offs reflects a candidate’s readiness to tackle diverse scenarios. Determining CAT score vs percentile analysis helps candidates set their target score and prepare efficiently for the upcoming CAT exam. PW MBA Online Coaching aims to help aspirants strengthen their CAT preparations and excel with their target scores. Join PW MBA Coaching Class to access regular live lectures, updated DPPs, doubt resolution sessions, and mock tests with performance analysis.

Top MBA Colleges with Sectional Cut-off FAQs

What is the CAT cut-off for non-IIMs?

CAT cut-off for IIMs is expected to range from 94-100 percentile. Besides the overall cut-off, candidates also need to meet the sectional cut-off set by various IIMs.

What is the minimum sectional cutoff for CAT?

The minimum sectional cut-off for CAT is expected to be 70 across all three sections.

Which IIM has lowest cutoff?

IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, and IIM Ranchi are expected to have the lowest CAT cut-off.

Does SP Jain consider sectional cut-off?

Yes, SP Jain considers a sectional cut-off to select deserving candidates.

Do sectional marks matter in CAT?

Yes, sectional cut-off is a crucial factor considered by CAT accepting institutes to select candidates for their MBA programs.
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