HT Syndication
New Delhi [India], December 10: The Common Admission Test (CAT) was conducted on November 30th, 2025, and over 2.5 lakhs students attempted the exam and are eagerly awaiting the announcement of CAT 2025 results. On 4 December, IIM Kozhikode released the draft answer sheet, and the objection window closed on December 10, 2025. The answer key challenge process is now complete. Candidates are wondering, "When will the CAT 2025 result be announced?.
According to the official CAT 2025 notification, the CAT result 2025 will be released in the first week of January 2026. But the past five-year historical trends say otherwise. The results might be announced in the period between December 22-29, 2025. Over the years, CAT results have been announced primarily in the final 10-12 days of December.
Why Your CAT 2025 Result May Release on Dec 19-20 or Early Jan 2026?
The official document clearly states that information related to CAT 2025 results will be tentatively available starting from the first week of January 2026. With respect to the notification, the final scorecards of the candidates will be available on the CAT official website. In the first week of January 2026, candidates will receive their final scores via SMS.
However, the last 5 years, on the other hand, recorded the following interesting trends:
* CAT 2024: Results released on December 19, 2024
* CAT 2023: Results announced on December 21, 2023
* CAT 2022: Results announced on December 21, 2022
* CAT 2021: Results released on January 3, 2022
* CAT 2020: Results announced on January 2, 2021
CAT results are released either during the last 10-12 days of December or the first week of January. Initially, students expected the release to occur on December 19 or 20, following past answer release trends, yet the most reliable estimate is December 22 2025, to January 5 2026.
CAT 2025 Timeline: From Exam Day to Result Day
The journey from exam day to result day involves several important steps:
* November 30, 2025: CAT 2025 exam conducted in three slots across multiple cities
* December 4, 2025: Provisional answer key released by IIM Kozhikode
* December 8-10, 2025: Objection window opens for candidates to challenge answers
* Mid-December: Expert panel reviews all objections and finalises the answer key
* December 22-29, 2025, or First Week of January 2026: Expected result announcement date
* January 2026 onwards: IIM shortlist announcements and interview calls begin
How to Download Your CAT 2025 Result
Once the results are announced on the official website iimcat.ac.in, downloading your scorecard is a simple process. Here's what you need to do:
* Visit the official CAT website at iimcat.ac.in
* Look for the "CAT Login" button and click on it
* Enter your CAT User ID and password that you received during registration
* Navigate to the "Scorecard" tab in your dashboard
* Your CAT 2025 result PDF will appear on the screen
* Download and save the scorecard for future reference
* Take multiple printouts, as you'll need them for various college applications
Important tip: Make sure your registered email address and mobile number are active, as you'll receive notifications about the result declaration through these channels.
What Information Will Your Scorecard Contain?
Your CAT 2025 scorecard is not just a single number. It contains other information that will be important for your MBA admission process:
* Your overall CAT score out of the maximum marks
* Overall percentile showing your rank among all test-takers
* Section-wise scores for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability
* Section-wise percentiles for each of the three sections
* Your category (General, EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwD) and corresponding category rank
Understanding your percentile is very much required because this is what IIMs and other B-schools use for shortlisting candidates. A percentile of 90 means you performed better than 90% of all candidates who took the exam.
How CAT Normalisation Works: A Simple Breakdown
The CAT 2025 exam was conducted across three slots, and the difficulty varies across slots. To maintain fairness, IIM Kozhikode applies a normalisation process. If your slot was more difficult, your score will be adjusted to match the difficulty level. A higher normalised score would be given to those who performed well in that session
What's Next After Your CAT 2025 Results
The journey for admission to the MBA program at your chosen college officially begins upon receiving your exam score. Once you receive your CAT percentile, several things start happening:
* Immediate Step: First, use online college predictor tools to check which college you will get based on your percentile. This will help you aim at different IIMs and B-schools based on your score.
* IIM Shortlisting Process: IIM will begin preparing to shortlist interviews, and MBA admission 2026 candidates will be invited to interviews. The popular IIMs tend to publish their students' list by January 2026.
* Selection Rounds: The shortlisted students will additionally be required to take a Written Ability Test, a Group Discussion and lastly, a Personal Interview. Most IIMs consider the CAT score, academic performance in Class 10 and Class 12. They also ask about work experience and diversity factors.
* CAP Process in New IIMs: The baby IIMs follow a Common Admission Process (CAP) in which you need to register separately after attaining the minimum cutoff percentile.
Predicted Cutoffs for Leading IIMs in 2025
The cutoffs change every year. However, students can typically expect:
* IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta: 99+ percentile for the General category
* IIM Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore: 97-99 percentile range
* Other established IIMs: 95-97 percentile range
* Newer IIMs: 85-95 percentile range
These are simply cutoffs to get called for an interview. The WAT/GD-PI round and academic profile are essential if you want to be selected.
Important Reminders Before You Check Your Results
Visit the official CAT website regularly. Check your email inbox too. The only way to check the scores will be online, and there will be no option offline.
Avoid comparing your performance with others until you get your actual percentile. The normalisation process can significantly impact final scores. What seemed easy or difficult to you might not reflect the same in normalised scores.
Keep your CAT login credentials and password safe and accessible. You'll need them repeatedly during the admission season ahead. Once you download your scorecard, save multiple copies both digitally and in print.
Start researching B-schools now and understand their specific requirements for your projected percentile range. This preparation will save you valuable time later.
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