As per the official notification, 15% of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. 27% of the seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes candidates belonging to the “non-creamy” layer (NC-OBC). Up to 10% of the seats are reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) candidates.
When and where will CAT 2025 result be released? (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna/ representative)IIM Kozhikode on December 24 released the CAT 2025 results on the official website, iimcat.ac.in. The exam was conducted on November 30, 2025, with 2.58 lakh candidates appearing. Last year, the CAT result was declared on December 19.
The CAT 2025 provisional answer key was published on December 4, followed by the final answer key on December 17, 2025. Though media reports suggest that the results may be announced between December 28 and December 31, however, we are in touch with the IIM Kozhikode team to confirm the update.
For more updates on CAT 2025, including answer keys, normalisation, result date, and IIM selection process, check the IE Education portal.
Once the CAT 2025 results are declared, the focus will shift to the shortlisting process for the next stages of admission. The Indian Institutes of Management will begin evaluating candidates based on their respective selection criteria.
CAT 2025 scores are allowed to be used by listed non-IIM member institutions. A list of such institutions is provided on the CAT website.
As per an update posted on the official website, CAT 2025 result will be out on December 24. " Login link will be available from 24th Dec 2025, 6 PM" - reads the message.
The official website for IIM Kozhikode is iimcat.ac.in
Check below the top five institutes for management according to the NIRF Ranking 2025:
1. Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
2. Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
3. Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
4. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
5. Indian Institute of Management Lucknow
IIM Bodh Gaya offers the following courses in Post Graduate Programmes in Management (PGP):
MBA, MBA (Digital Business Management), MBA (Hospital and Healthcare Management), Executive MBA (EMBA)
The CAT 2025 result website is iimcat.ac.in. The convenor of CAT 2025 had earlier urged the MBA aspirants to use only the official website — iimcat.ac.in — for all CAT-related activities. This is the sole authorised portal for the exam and has been consistently publicised across official channels, including leading national newspapers, the CAT convenor said.
The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, provides financial aid to students in need of assistance. All Post Graduate Programme (PGP) students with an annual household income below INR 800,000 are eligible to apply for financial aid. In addition to the financial aid, which is provided purely based on financial need, PGP students also receive several merit-based or merit-cum-need based scholarships.
IIM Kozhikode is expected to announce the CAT result 2025 anytime soon. The CAT 2025 score is valid only till December 31, 2026. The CAT scorecard will be made accessible on the official website, iimcat.ac.in.
Once the CAT 2025 results are declared, the focus will shift to the shortlisting process for the next stages of admission. The Indian Institutes of Management will begin evaluating candidates based on their respective selection criteria.
The QA section in Slot 3 was widely regarded as the most challenging across all three slots of CAT 2025. With 22 questions and a heavier focus on multi-step arithmetic and algebra, many students found the section demanding under time pressure. Estimates show that even 5–6 correct answers may be sufficient for a 90 percentile, reflecting the steep rise in difficulty.
Across Slot 1, Slot 2, and Slot 3, CAT 2025 maintained a moderately difficult profile, slightly tougher than CAT 2024. VARC remained relatively consistent and accessible, but DILR and QA stood out as the most challenging sections. Preliminary calculations indicate that scoring 25–27 net correct in Slot 3 may place a candidate around the 99 percentile mark.
Slot 3 was moderate to difficult, with many comparing it to CAT 2024 in overall pattern but slightly tougher in certain sections. Students said VARC was manageable, DILR required steady effort, and QA turned out to be the most demanding part of the exam.
Based on estimates, candidates achieving around 6–7 correct answers in QA may fall near the 90 percentile mark, whereas 10–11 correct answers could align with the 99 percentile range.
As per the official notification, 15% of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. 27% of the seats are reserved for Other Backward Classes candidates belonging to the “non-creamy” layer (NC-OBC). Up to 10% of the seats are reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) candidates.
During the IIM CAT answer key objection window, a total of 187 objections were received across all three sections, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA), covering all three shifts of the examination. The largest number of objections - 113 - were received in the first shift of QA. However, only one has been accepted.
IIM Calcutta conducted the CAT exam last year on November 24, 2024. The provisional answer key was released on November 29, 2024, for the CAT 2024 exam. The CAT centre received 405 objections across three sections and three exam shifts. The final answer key was released on December 17 with the CAT 2024 final result announced on December 19, 2024.
IIM Indore will follow a three-stage selection process based on CAT 2025 scores – academic performance in Classes 10 and 12, work experience, and performance in the personal interview (PI). At the shortlisting stage, IIM Indore has continued its heavy emphasis on Class 12 performance, which carries a 25 per cent weightage, compared to 10 per cent for Class 10.
The application fees for the Common Admission Test (CAT) have risen by 31 per cent since 2021. On the opening day of the Winter Session of Parliament, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi raised a question to the Ministry of Education regarding the steep hike in CAT application fees. Owaisi informed the Lok Sabha that, as compared to CAT 2024, there has been an approximate increase of 5 per cent in the application fee of CAT 2025. This year’s exam was conducted on November 30, in three slots and was hosted by IIM Kozhikode.
Read More | CAT exam application fees rise 31% since 2021: Asaduddin Owaisi
The CAT 2025 test comprised the following three sections:
Section I: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Section II: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Section III: Quantitative Ability (QA)
Read More | CAT: Section-wise strategy for VARC, DILR and QA
Initial student reactions from test centres suggest a paper that was “manageable but slightly more difficult” than last year’s Slot 1. This year’s test comprises 66 questions across Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). As per the marking scheme, candidates will receive three marks for each correct answer, lose one mark for every incorrect answer, and face no penalty for unattempted questions.
When it comes to advancing in the corporate world, few decisions carry as much weight as choosing between a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). On the surface, both seem similar, they aim to build business acumen, leadership skills, and professional networks. Yet, the differences lie in their structure, recognition, and career outcomes.
Read More | PGDM Vs MBA: Course structure, career opportunities, & more
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode, has not announced the CAT 2025 result date, however, following the past trends, the result will either declare by the December-end or early next month.
India is home to several other premier business schools, both autonomous institutes and management departments of reputed universities, that consistently rank among the best in the country and offer excellent placement opportunities. Here’s a list of some of the top non-IIM business schools in India.
1. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (DMS IIT Delhi)
2. XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur
3. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (SJMSOM)
4. Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurugram
Read More | 10 non-IIM MBA Colleges in India: Check Ranking & placements
The official website of CAT 2025 is iimcat.ac.in. The Convenor of CAT 2025, Prof PN Ram Kumar of IIM Kozhikode had urged MBA aspirants to use only the official website — iimcat.ac.in — for all CAT-related activities. This is the sole authorised portal for the exam and has been consistently publicised across official channels, including leading national newspapers, the CAT convenor said earlier.
CAT 2025 was held on November 30. The registration for CAT 2025 started on August 1.

The CAT 2025 score is valid only till December 31, 2026. (Source: File)
In the previous admission cycle, the final answer keys were released on December 17 after the conclusion of the objection management process. The objection window had remained open from December 8 to December 10, during which the CAT Centre received 187 objections across the three sections and three exam shifts. Prior to this, the provisional answer keys and individual response sheets were made available to candidates on December 4, allowing them to review their responses and raise challenges with supporting documents, if required.