IIM Sirmaur 2026 Expected CAT Cutoff: Percentile for All Categories

IIM Sirmaur 2026 expected CAT cutoff for General category is 90–92 percentile, based on verified CAT 2024 and CAT 2023 data; NC-OBC students need around 72–75 percentile, while SC and ST students require approximately 52–56 and 38–42 percentile respectively.

IIM Sirmaur shortlists students for its MBA 2026–28 batch using CAT 2025 scores. The institute applies both an overall percentile threshold and sectional cutoffs in VARC, DILR, and QA. Official CAT 2025 cutoffs are finalised at the CAP Directors’ meeting in mid-January 2026; the figures below are expected estimates derived from three years of IIM Sirmaur’s official admission policy data.

• Expected General category cutoff: 90–92 percentile in CAT 2025, based on the CAT 2024 cutoff of 92 and CAT 2023 cutoff of 94.
• NC-OBC: Expected 72–75 percentile; EWS: Expected 68–72 percentile.
• SC students need approximately 52–56 percentile; ST and PwD students need around 38–42 percentile.
• General, EWS, and NC-OBC students must also clear a sectional cutoff of 70 percentile in each of VARC, DILR, and QA.
• Shortlisted students attend a Personal Interview (PI) at IIM Sirmaur; CAT score carries 30% weightage in the final composite score.
• IIM Sirmaur reserves seats for female students and accounts for diversity factors during shortlisting.

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IIM Sirmaur 2026 Expected Category-wise CAT Cutoff

The table below shows the expected IIM Sirmaur 2026 cutoff for each category, projected from three cycles of verified admission data. These are estimated figures; official cutoffs will be published after CAT 2025 results are declared in January 2026.

IIM Sirmaur was established in 2015 in Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. As a newer-generation IIM, its General cutoff sits in the 90–95 range and has shown year-on-year variability. The General cutoff dropped from 94 in CAT 2023 to 92 in CAT 2024; the expected range of 90–92 for CAT 2025 reflects this stabilisation. Reserved category cutoffs have remained unchanged across three consecutive cycles, pointing to a fixed floor set by IIM Sirmaur’s admission policy.

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IIM Sirmaur 2026 Expected Sectional Cutoff

IIM Sirmaur requires you to clear minimum sectional percentiles in all three CAT sections. A high overall percentile does not compensate for missing a sectional threshold — all three must be cleared independently. Expected sectional cutoffs for CAT 2025, modelled on the CAT 2024 pattern, are below:

General, EWS, and NC-OBC students share a uniform sectional bar of 70 percentile per section. Students with a sectional weakness — particularly in QA — should treat the section cutoff as a separate target, not an afterthought once the overall percentile goal is met.

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Previous Year IIM Sirmaur CAT Cutoff Trends

Three cycles of official IIM Sirmaur cutoff data provide a reliable benchmark for your CAT 2025 target. The minimum overall percentile required for PI shortlisting in each category is shown below:

The three-year data reveals a clear pattern: reserved category cutoffs at IIM Sirmaur are perfectly stable across all three cycles, while the General category oscillates between 92 and 94. Targeting 93–95 percentile as a General student gives a safe buffer above the expected minimum of 90–92.

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Factors Affecting IIM Sirmaur 2026 Cutoff

The official IIM Sirmaur 2026 cutoff is announced only after CAT 2025 results. Several variables can shift the final figure above or below the expected range:

• CAT 2025 paper difficulty: A tougher exam compresses top-end scores and can lower the required percentile threshold for a given raw score band.
• Total registered CAT 2025 test-takers: More competition at the top percentile band can nudge the effective cutoff upward even if the published minimum stays the same.
• IIM Sirmaur batch intake for 2026–28: An expansion in approved seats creates more shortlist slots and may reduce the qualifying bar; a smaller intake raises it.
• Gender diversity reservation: IIM Sirmaur maintains dedicated seats for female students, which can result in different effective cutoffs for male and female applicants within the same category.
• Application volume from high-percentile scorers: A spike in interest from very high scorers compresses the functional cutoff beyond the officially announced minimum percentile.

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IIM Sirmaur 2026 Selection Process After Cutoff

Clearing the CAT 2025 cutoff is Phase 1 of IIM Sirmaur’s two-phase admissions process. The final merit list is built using a weighted composite score across multiple components:

1. Phase 1 — CAT Shortlisting: Students who meet both the overall CAT percentile and all three sectional thresholds are shortlisted for PI.
2. Phase 2 — Personal Interview (PI): A face-to-face interview by IIM Sirmaur faculty assessing communication, motivation, and domain knowledge. Some cycles include a Written Ability Test (WAT).
3. Final Merit List: Composite score computed from CAT score, PI performance, academic record, work experience, and diversity factors.

CAT score carries a confirmed 30% weightage at IIM Sirmaur, per the institute’s admission policy. The PI (40–45%) carries more weight than the CAT itself, meaning students who clear the cutoff but score near the minimum can still secure admission through strong interview and academic performance.