This year, the CAT 2025 exam will be held on November 30, 2025 conducted by IIM Kozhikode. The official CAT 2025 notification announcing the exam and registration dates 2025 has been released at iimcat.ac.in website. The CAT 2025 registration cum application process will start on August 1, 2025 and end on 13th September, 2025.
The work experience and academics weightage in CAT 2025 play a significant role at the time of final selection in top IIMs and other B-schools, differing across institutions.
- The academic marks normally consist of Class 10th, 12th, and graduation marks with a weightage of around 5% to 15% in the final composite score in most IIMs.
- IIM Bangalore gives 15% to academics (5% each to 10th, 12th, and graduation), whereas IIM Calcutta provides about 6% under the academic diversity area (non-engineers, CAs, etc.).
- The work experience carries 5% to 10% weightage, with the majority of IIMs providing maximum weightage to individuals with 24–36 months post-graduation experience.
- IIM Calcutta gives a total of 8 points to the candidates with 31–36 months of work experience, and IIM Bangalore gives 10% weightage for work experience, keeping in view both quality and duration.
Whereas the CAT score is the largest contributor with the weightage of 40–60%, but academics and work experience can contribute towards enhancing the overall profile of the candidates. In the 2025 Batch, IIM Nagpur experienced over 60% of the students with work experience.
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CAT Academic Marks Weightage
The academic marks consist of Class 10, 12, and graduation marks, which collectively contribute 10–30% during shortlisting at IIM, especially for top IIMs like Calcutta, Lucknow, and Kozhikode.
- IIM Bangalore assigns 50% weightage to the marks of class 10, 12, and graduation.
- IIM Ahmedabad uses a balanced Academic Rating (AR) with 20–35% weight, favoring uniform school scores but allowing moderate UG marks.
- IIM Calcutta emphasizes a high school record (≥80%) but does not expect high graduation marks, with 45% of the students having <80% in graduation.
- IIM Lucknow has an even approach with 20% academic significance, maintaining the overall uniformity.
- Of the new IIMs, Indore is school-heavy (~76% emphasis on 10th & 12th), whereas Kozhikode provides 45% weightage to class 10 marks and 12th.
Overall, the top IIMs reward consistent academic performers
| IIM | Academic Weightage | CAT Weightage | Work‑Experience | Other Factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | 20–35%* | 65% | 5% | Gender/diversity (~0%) |
| Bangalore | 50% combined (10th, 12th, Grad) | 40–55% | 8–10% | Gender ~5% |
| Calcutta | ~44% | 56% | 8% | Diversity ~2% |
| Lucknow | 20% | 60% | - | Gender/academic diversity ~20% |
| Indore | 76% (10th + 12th)** | 20% | - | Diversity ~4% |
| Kozhikode | 45% (10th + 12th) | 45% | - | Diversity ~10% |
| Udaipur / Trichy | ~20–30% | 50–60% | 5–10% | - |
What is the weightage of work experience in CAT?
Work experience generally contributes 5-10% or 5-10 marks across the shortlisting criteria at the top IIMs. IIM‑B, Lucknow, and Calcutta offer a specific leverage, especially when the candidate has a strong CAT score along with a strong academic profile.
| IIM | Work Experience Weightage |
|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | ~5% |
| Bangalore | 10% (pre-PI), then 5 marks (post-PI) |
| Calcutta | 8 marks (final selection) |
| Lucknow | Up to 10 marks |
| Kozhikode | ~5–10 marks |
| Others (Indore, Shillong) | Varied (5–20 marks) |
CAT Work Experience Scoring in IIM Bangalore vs Ahmedabad
At IIM Bangalore, the work experience carries 10% weightage during the Pre-PI stage, calculated as:
In the post PI stage, this is scaled to 5 marks and multiplied by a quality factor (0.25–2x) as per the relevance of the role, thus prior strong experience can draw up to 10 marks. IIM Bangalore thus places equal emphasis on duration and quality.
At IIM Ahmedabad, work experience is a part of the Application Rating (AR), contributing up to 5 marks using,
AR accounts for 35% pre-PI and 15% post-PI, but experience isn’t separately evaluated later. Ahmedabad uses a fixed, duration-based model, without quality scaling.
| Feature | IIM Bangalore | IIM Ahmedabad |
|---|---|---|
| Max Marks (Pre‑PI) | 10 | 5 |
| Cap Duration | ≥36 months → 10 marks | ≥36 months → 5 marks |
| Computation | Linear (months/36) | (months – 11)*0.20 |
| Post‑PI Adjustment | Quality factor up to 2× | No separate adjustment |
| Composite Weight (Pre‑PI) | 10% of total | Part of 35% AR |
| Composite Weight (Post‑PI) | Up to ~5% refined by quality | AR part (15%) |
CAT 2025 IIM Lucknow Selection Criteria
In CAT 2025 IIM Lucknow Weightage has been updated. The score of CAT exam will have the weightage of 30%, Academics 10%, and Work experience 5% (experience under 6 months will receive 0 marks).
Work experience is scored as:
Pre-PI (WAT-PI Shortlisting Stage)
The Pre-PI shortlisting in IIM Lucknow, the CAT score will hold the highest weightage at 60% making it the primary selection factor. The marks of class 12 and graduation will contribute 10% each, with scores normalised across boards and subjects (Candidates with high academic consistency, especially those above 90% in Class 12, will have an advantage)
Work experience has 10% weightage, considered only if the candidate has 6+ months by July 31, 2024, and is scored incrementally. Additionally, 5% each is for gender and academic diversity, for the female and non-engineering applicants.
| Component | Weightage (%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CAT Score | 60% | Scaled relative to the highest CAT score |
| Class 12th Marks | 10% | Normalized score |
| Graduation Marks | 10% | Discipline-based normalization |
| Work Experience | 10% | Only considered if ≥6 months (as of July 31, 2025) |
| Gender Diversity | 5% | Bonus for female applicants |
| Academic Diversity | 5% | Bonus for non-engineering background |
| Total | 100% | Used to shortlist for WAT-PI stage |
Final Selection (Post-PI Stage)
In the Post PI stage, final selection at IIM Lucknow, the PI holds the weightage of 40%, focusing on the personality and communication skills. The CAT score weightage will drop to 30% from the previous stage, while Class 12th and Graduation marks contribute 5% each. Work experience has 5%, with the quality of experience potentially considered. The WAT holds 10%, assessing written skills, and 5% is reserved for gender and academic diversity.
| Component | Weightage (%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CAT Score | 30% | Lowered from 60% in Pre-PI |
| Class 12th Marks | 5% | Academic performance is considered again |
| Graduation Marks | 5% | Added separately |
| Work Experience | 5% | Quality of work may also be assessed |
| WAT (Written Ability Test) | 10% | Conducted along with PI |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 40% | Most heavily weighted final-round factor |
| Diversity (Gender + Academic) | 5% | Similar to pre-PI |
| Total | 100% | Used to finalize the admission offer |
Which IIM gives less weightage to academics?
IIM Indore generally gives less weightage to academic performance (10th, 12th, and graduation scores) as compared to some other IIMs.
IIM Indore gives more weight to the CAT scores and other factors like work experience.
The IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow also give less weight to academic scores, but this may vary each year based on the number of applicants.
| IIM | Graduation Weightage | Academic Weight Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Indore | 0% | Extremely Low |
| Calcutta | 0% (shortlisting) | Very Low |
| Kozhikode | 0% (shortlisting) | Low |
| Other IIMs | ≥10–45% | Moderate to High |
Which IIM gives more weightage to work experience?
The newer or baby IIMs like IIM Sirmaur, IIM Mumbai give more weightage to the work experience up to 20 marks, making them highly favorable for candidates with strong professional backgrounds.
Other IIMs like IIM Bodh Gaya (16), Sambalpur (15), and Shillong (14) also prioritize work experience, but in their selection criteria.
The mid-tier IIMs like Raipur, Nagpur, Trichy, and Udaipur offer around 10–12 marks, while IIM Ranchi gives 7.
This shows that the candidate with 2-3+ years of work experience can have leverage of getting admission into these IIMs.
| IIM | Max Work Exp Weightage |
| Sirmaur | 20 |
| Mumbai | 20 |
| Shillong | 14 |
| Bodh Gaya | 16 |
| Sambalpur | 15 |
| Nagpur | 10 |
| Trichy | 10 |
| Raipur | 12 |
| Ranchi | 7 |
| Vizag | 10 |
| Udaipur | 10 |
Weightage Distribution for IIM Shortlisting Criteria (New IIMs)
The table outlines the weightage assigned to various aspects during the shortlisting process for different IIMs. Factors such as 10th, 12th, graduation marks, work experience, CAT score, gender diversity, and academic diversity contribute to the overall evaluation. Each IIM emphasizes different criteria, with the CAT score often holding the highest weightage.
| IIM's | 10th | 12th | Graduation | Work-exp | CAT | Gender Diversity | Academic diversity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Kashipur | 10% | 10% | 10% | 5% | 60% | 5% | - |
| IIM Raipur | 10% | 10% | 10% | 20% | 40% | 10% | - |
| IIM Ranchi | 10% | 10% | 10% | 15% | 40% | 10% | 5% |
| IIM Rohtak | 20% | 10% | -% | -% | 60% | 10% | -% |
| IIM trichy | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 50% | 5% | 5% |
| IIM Udaipur | 10% | 10% | 4% | 10% | 60% | 6% | - |
| IIM Amritsar | 10% | 5% | 5% | 15% | 60% | 5% | - |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 5% | 5% | 5% | 16% | 50% | 5% | 14% |
| IIM Nagpur | 10% | 10% | 20% | 10% | 40% | 10% | - |
| IIM Sambalpur | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 30% | 5% | 5% |
| IIM Sirmaur | 10% | 10% | 20% | 10% | 45% | 5% | - |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 50% | 10% | - |
Weightage Distribution for IIM Shortlisting Criteria- Old IIM’s
| IIM's | 10th | 12th | Graduation | Work-exp | CAT | Gender Diversity | Academic diversity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 10% | 10% | 10% | 5% | 65% | - | - |
| IIM Calcutta | 20% | 10% | 20% | 8% | 40% | 2% | - |
| IIM Bangalore | 10% | 15% | 15% | 10% | 50% | - | - |
| IIM Lucknow | - | 10% | 10% | 10% | 60% | 5% | 5% |
| IIM Indore | 34% | 40% | - | - | 20% | 6% | - |
| IIM Kozhikode | 20% | 15% | - | 5% | 45% | 5% | 10% |
| IIM Shillong | 10% | 10% | 15% | 5% | 60% | - | - |
| IIM Jammu | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 40% | 10% | 10% |
IIM CAT Selection Process: Weightage of Academics and Work Experience
IIM selection criteria for class 10, class 12, graduation, and work experience is provided below. Changes, if any, announced by IIM for the 2025-27 admissions will be updated here.
Weightage of Class 10 Marks
| Class 10 score (in percentage) |
Rating score : A |
|---|---|
| Less than or eual to 55 | 1 |
| 55-60 | 2 |
| 60-70 | 3 |
| 70-80 | 5 |
| 80-90 | 8 |
| More than 90 | 10 |
Weightage of Class 12 Marks
| Science Stream | Commerce Stream | Arts Stream | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score in Class XII (in per cent) | Rating score: B | Score in Class XII (in per cent) | Rating score: B | Score in Class XII (in per cent) | Rating score: B |
| Less than 55 | 1 | Less than 50 | 1 | Less than 45 | 1 |
| 55-60 | 2 | 50-55 | 2 | 45-50 | 2 |
| 60-70 | 3 | 55-65 | 3 | 50-60 | 3 |
| 70-80 | 5 | 65-75 | 5 | 60-70 | 5 |
| 80-90 | 8 | 75-90 | 8 | 70-85 | 8 |
| More than 90 | 10 | More than 90 | 10 | 85 | 10 |
Weightage of Bachelor’s Degree Examination
| AC-1 | AC-2 | AC-3 | AC-4 &AC-6 | AC-5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score(in percent) | Rating Score: C | Score(in percent) | Rating Score: C | Score(in percent) | Rating Score: C | Score(in percent) | Rating Score: C | Score(in percent) | Rating Score: C |
| Less than or equal to 55 | 1 | Less than or equal to 50 | 1 | Less than or equal to 55 | 1 | Less than or equal to 60 | 1 | Less than or equal to 50 | 1 |
| 55-60 | 2 | 50-53 | 2 | 55-60 | 2 | 60-65 | 2 | 50-55 | 2 |
| 60-62 | 3 | 53-55 | 3 | 60-65 | 3 | 65-70 | 3 | 55-60 | 3 |
| 62-65 | 5 | 55-57 | 5 | 65-70 | 5 | 70-75 | 5 | 60-65 | 5 |
| 65-70 | 8 | 57-63 | 8 | 70-80 | 8 | 75-85 | 8 | 65-75 | 8 |
| More than 70 | 10 | More than 63 | 10 | More than 80 | 10 | More than 85 | 10 | More than 75 | 10 |
Weightage of Work Experience
|
Work Experience in Month (as on July 31, 2020) |
Rating Score D |
|---|---|
|
Less than 12 months |
0 |
|
Greater than or equal to 12 months and less than or equal to 36 months |
0.20*(Number of months of work experience - 11) |
|
Greater than 36 months |
5 |
IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cut off 2025
The official cutoff has not been released. As per the previous years' trend, the expected IIM Ahmedabad CAT Cut off 2025 will show a balanced approach to admission. The General and EWS candidates will require at least 70 percentile in each section and 80 overall, whereas the NC-OBC and Transgender candidates are expected to require 65 in each section and 75 overall. For SC and PwD (non-ST), the cutoff will be 60 in each section, 70 overall, and ST/PwD-ST candidates are going to need 50 section, 60 overall.
| Category | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension percentile rank (PVARC) | Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning percentile rank (PDILR) | Quantitative Ability percentile rank (PQA) | Overall percentile rank (PT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General, EWS | 70 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| NC-OBC-cum-transgender | 65 | 65 | 65 | 75 |
| SC | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| ST | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
| PwD (General, EWS, NC-OBC-cum-transgender, SC) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| PwD (ST) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
IIM Calcutta Calculation of Scores
The method of allotting points for class 10 and 12 percentages based on aggregate scores is mentioned below:
| Class 10 (marks in %) | Points | Class 12 (marks in %) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥80 | 10 | ≥80 | 15 |
| ≥ 75 and < 80 | 8 | ≥ 75 and < 80 | 12 |
| ≥ 70 and < 75 | 6 | ≥ 70 and < 75 | 9 |
| ≥ 65 and < 70 | 4 | ≥ 65 and < 70 | 6 |
| ≥ 60 and < 65 | 2 | ≥ 60 and < 65 | 3 |
| < 60 | 0 | < 60 | 0 |
The composite cut-off score is used for short-listing the candidates for the PI stage in each category. The number of candidates shortlisted for the PI stage would be the discretion of the institute and would depend on the number of seats available.
IIM Work Experience
Work experience after graduation is acknowledged for points. IIM’s doesn’t count the experience gained during internship/apprenticeship/articleship/training/project work, etc. The institute offers a maximum of 8 points depending on the length of service which is shown as x in the following table.
| = 0 | if x<=6 |
| =x/3 | if 6 < x < = 24 |
| =8 | if 24 < x < = 36 |
| = 26-(x/2) | if 36 = 48 |
| = 2 | if x > 48 |
The final merit list will be generated out of 90 based on other factors mentioned in the table below:
| Components | Weightage | |
|---|---|---|
| PGP and PGP- SM | PGP ABM | |
| Common Admission Test (CAT) | 30 | 35 |
| Academic Performance (12th + Graduation) | 5+5 | 5+5 |
| Gender Diversity and Academic Diversity | 5 | 5 |
| Work Experience | 5 | NA |
| WAT | 10 | 10 |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 40 | 40 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Final selection Criteria after Personal Interview- Old IIM edition
| IIM's | CAT | WAT/GD | PI | Academic Diversity | Work ex. | Gender Diversity | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | 25% | 10% | 50% | 15% | - | - | 100% |
| IIM Calcutta | 30% | 8% | 48% | 6% | 8% | - | 100% |
| IIM Bangalore | 25% | 10% | 40% | 15% | 10% | - | 100% |
| IIM Lucknow | 30% | 10% | 40% | 5% | 10% | 5% | 100% |
| IIM Kozhikode | 35% | 20% | 35% | 10% | - | 100% | |
| IIM Shillong | 30% | - | 40% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 100% |
| IIM Jammu | 40% | - | 30% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
100% |
Point to note-IIM Shillong and Jammu does not have WAT or GD process, But be well prepared for PI process as they had more weightage in other things.
Final selection Criteria after Personal Interview- New IIM’s edition
| IIM's | CAT | Profile | PI/WAT | Work ex. | Gender/Academic diversity | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Kashipur | 42% | 18% | 40% | - | - | 100% |
| IIM Raipur | 42% | 35% | 23% | - | - | 100% |
| IIM Ranchi | 40% | 30% | 30% | - | - | 100% |
| IIM Rohtak | 60% | - | 20% | - | 20% | 100% |
| IIM trichy | 50% | 10% | 25% | 10% | 5% | 100% |
| IIM Udaipur | 60% | 25% | 15% | - | - | 100% |
| IIM Amritsar | - | 10% | 70% | 10% | 10% | 100% |
| IIM Bodh Gaya | 40% | 12% | 30% | 6% | 12% | 100% |
| IIM Nagpur | 45% | 10% | 25% | 10% | 10% | 100% |
| IIM Sambalpur | 30% | 45% | 25% | - | - | 100% |
| IIM Sirmaur | 45% | 10% | 25% | 10% | 10% | 100% |
| IIM Visakhapatnam | 25% | 12% | 48% | 10% | 5% | 100% |
Point to note- IIM Indore Does not have a fixed selection process, with its criteria changing yearly, making it more unpredictable.
IIMs Shortlisting and Admission Criteria
Candidates have to know that a high CAT percentile does not guarantee a ticket to IIMs or FMS Delhi. One needs to fulfill all the criteria added by the committee this year. It is compulsory for all the aspirants to qualify in each 3 sections individually. The overall 99 percentile will not yield the expected result if a candidate does not qualify in each section, but if a candidate scores 94 percentile and qualifies each section his probability of getting admission will definitely increase.
Less Weightage to CAT Score
- IIMs and FMS have decided to give low weightage to CAT scores, as they have shifted their focus to candidates’ other essential skills.
- Now IIM Lucknow, Calcutta, Ahmedabad have decided to give more weightage to Communication skills (verbal and written), academic profile, and work experience.
High Weightage to Academic Profile
- Excellent performances at Class 10, 12 and graduation level can compensate for lower CAT percentile as high weightage will be given to overall academic profile.
- Further, preference will be given to the candidates from Commerce, Arts, or any educational discipline other than engineering background.
- This does not mean engineers will not be admitted but preference will be given to commerce students.
Work Experience
- IIMs give almost 5-10 percent weightage to the candidates who have quality work experience in their respective fields.
- It is informed that work experience of fewer than 6 months is not considered.
- Aspirants can mention their internship as a work experience as well. If any candidate has worked with any NGO or contributed in any social cause are advised to mention it as their work of experience, it shows their potential as a leader.
Here are some of the benefits of having work experience for CAT 2025:
- It can help you develop your soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
- It can give you insights into the business world and help you understand what you want to do in your career.
- It can help you build your network and make connections with professionals in your field.
- It can give you a competitive edge over other applicants who do not have work experience.
Note: Work experience can be a valuable asset for your application. Some B-schools give more weightage to work experience, so it can help you improve your chances of admission. If you do have work experience, be sure to highlight it in your CAT application. Explain your job duties and responsibilities, and discuss any relevant skills or achievements you gained from your experience.
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