CAT (Common Admission Test) holds the title of being the most prestigious, tough and popular competitive exam. The total marks of the CAT exam 2025 will be 204. The marking scheme of CAT 2025 will include a +3 marking scheme for every correct answer and -1 for every incorrect answer. TITA questions will have no negative marking. Moreover, there will be 0 marks for the unattempted questions too. This is the only top-level management exam in India that considers multiple factors like 10th marks, 12th marks, graduation stream and marks, work experience, gap year, etc, along with the CAT score to shortlist the deserving candidates for admission into the 2-year full-time residential MBA programme. Like, you will see that the best IIMs in India give less weightage to the CAT score in comparison to the other key parameters.
Students with a 1-3 gap year after graduation often assume that there’s no chance for them to get into the top business schools in India. In this blog, we will reveal the hidden truth behind this assumption. You will know if a gap year will affect your chances of getting admission into the full-time MBA programme offered by the IIMs in India. In addition, we will also brief you on how you can increase your chances of getting selected by them, along with a proper justification.
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CAT 2025 Selection Criteria For Top MBA Colleges in India
CAT 2025 will take place on 30th November 2025. Your ultimate aim should be to crack it with a 99.99%ile and qualify for the GD-WAT-PI round. Your performance in these rounds will get you points, which is another factor to shortlist the meritorious candidates for the IIM MBA full-time programme. Successful clearance of these rounds will lead to the reflection of your name in the final merit list after analysing the other factors like academic qualifications, past work achievements, gender (male/female), reservation category, etc. Key pointers about the most common aspects that are essential for the CAT 2025 selection criteria are as follows:
CAT Percentile: Firstly, IIMs will check how much an individual candidate has scored in the CAT exam. They will evaluate your sectional score in the QA, VARC and DILR along with the overall CAT percentile.
10th/SSC Examination Marks: Every B-school provides a different weightage to the 10th grade marks or equivalent CGPA.
12th/HSC Examination Marks: Differs for every IIM in India. These marks are used in the subsequent stages of the selection process. It varies across different MBA institutions. If you have a low score in the 12th grade, compensate for it with a high CAT score.
Graduation Marks: IIM Calcutta, FMS Delhi don’t consider graduation marks in the initial selection criteria of the CAT 2025. Similarly, you will have to check the weightage given to the graduation marks by the IIMs and Non-IIMs in India.
Work Experience: Again, we have FMS (Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi), which doesn’t give major attention to professional achievements. It’s like candidates, even with zero work experience, have the chance of pursuing an MBA from this renowned business institute. On the other hand, we have IIM Bangalore, which gives extremely high weightage and extra points to those candidates who showcase their professional achievements.
Extra Curricular Activities: It doesn’t hold any direct weightage in the shortlisting criteria asserted by the IIMs. But, IIMs will allocate extra points to candidates who have done professional courses like CA/ICWA from a notable educational institute. Doing any other kind of 10+ courses will not help you get bonus points in the former shortlisting process. Though you can highlight them in the interview round. Explain to the selection panel and let them cross-question you in a detailed manner. Impressive answers will get you extra points in the PI round, which will result in significant advantages and admission into the B-school of your choice.
IIM Bangalore Selection Criteria: Detailed Explanation For CAT 2025
Let us explain to you the IIMs shortlisting criteria. If you look at the evaluation parameters below, you will see that a gap year plays no role in the initial or the final selection criteria. CAT aspirants must aim to clear the CAT 2025 with a high percentile to get a call for the interview round. You can easily get a call from IIM Bangalore if you have a remarkable CAT score, excellent academic qualifications, and work experience, even with a 5-year gap.
In the initial stages of the selection criteria, a gap year plays no role in selecting the best candidates. A proper bifurcation will be done from all three sections of the CAT 2025 to evaluate the candidates. Those 55 CAT score points will be allocated to you after assessing your performance in the CAT exam. Also, the gender diversity criteria will be used to evaluate the candidates in the pre-PI stage and not in the upcoming stage.
IIMB Initial Selection Criteria
| Major Components | Weightage (Points) |
| CAT Score 2025 | 55 |
| 10th Grade Score | 10 |
| 12th Grade Score | 10 |
| Graduation Score | 10 |
| Work/Professional Course | 10 |
| Gender Diversity (Female Candidates) | 5 |
CAT Score 2025 Bifurcation: Initial Selection Stage
| CAT Exam Section | Quantitative Aptitude(QA) | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
| Points (Every Section) | 15 | 19 | 21 |
The weightage of the CAT score 2025 is almost less than 50% or more in the final selection criteria. In the majority of the cases, IIMs and other B-schools give less weightage to the CAT score in this stage for selecting the candidates. There are only a few B-schools that allocate 50-60% weightage to the CAT score in this round. Here’s a catch, too. You can easily convert to these renowned B-schools with a low academic score. The PI round holds approximately 40% weightage, which is a significant change for the candidates.
As soon as you enter the interview round, you will be responsible for providing impressive answers to the PI’s questions. The interview committee will cross-question you on various questions related to your personal profile, career goals, extra-curricular activities, etc. Now, if there’s a question about “Tell me about yourself,” then you will have to explain your schooling, graduation, etc. Candidates with a gap year will also have to share about it. This is where you will have to justify your gap year. Common questions asked from the students with 1-3 gap years after graduation are mainly about how they utilised their gap year.
If you’re a student with a gap year, the first question will be about what you did during that period. Don’t get nervous or freak out. If you do so, you will feel demotivated throughout and will not answer the remaining questions confidently. In total, these 40 points will be given by judging candidates on 7-9 questions. Don’t worry, if you couldn’t share a proper explanation for the gap year or spoke less about it. You can still get approximately 30 marks by addressing questions about your graduation subjects, general awareness or solving a complex puzzle. Just stay confident and have a positive personality, even if you can’t answer one question correctly. Prepare for CAT 2025 vigorously for now, and after clearing it, you can commence your preparation for the interview rounds.
IIMB Final Selection Criteria
| Major Components | Weightage (Points) |
| Personal Interview (PI) | 40 |
| Written Ability Test (WAT) | 10 |
| CAT Score 2025 | 25 |
| 10th Grade Score | 5 |
| 12th Grade Score | 5 |
| Graduation Score | 5 |
| Work/Professional Course | 10 |
CAT Score 2025 Bifurcation: Final Selection Stage
| CAT Exam Section | Quantitative Aptitude(QA) | Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) |
| Points (Every Section) | 6.25 | 8.75 | 10 |
CAT 2025: 5 Smart Strategies For Sharing Proper GAP Justification
Let us explain about the opportunities through which you can demonstrate your gap year appropriately to the interview panel. Here are some of the popular platforms that will help you to justify your long gap after graduation.
Upskill Through Online Course: Do 1-2 courses from the industries that interest you the most. Take actual learnings from those courses. Be prepared to answer every type of question from that certification course. Don’t just complete it to get a certificate. Do courses from Finance/Marketing/Data Analytics/Excel and gain industry-relevant abilities.
Search for Career Goal Clarity and Self-Reflection: You can take this time to introspect on your strengths, career vision and how an MBA course from a top-tier B-school can be aligned with it. Address the interviewer that you were seeking clarity on what you wish to achieve in your professional life.
Explore Your Favourite Hobbies/Interests: Explore any interesting field like Music/Business Strategy/Content Creation/ Entrepreneurship, etc. Relate your interest to a business perspective. Imagine how you can use your MBA degree to bring a massive transformation in that field. Address these points to the interviewer.
Join an NGO for a Social Cause: Candidates get a lot of time to prepare for the GD-WAT-PI rounds after the entrance exam. Become a part of a Non-Profit Organisation after you clear the entrance exam, alongside preparing for the interview. Make an effort to contribute significantly towards a good cause that will leave a positive impact. State your efforts in the interview.
Is it Necessary To Provide a Proper Explanation For Your Gap Year?
Candidates with a gap year who manage to score 99.75%, 99.5% in the CAT exam, along with a spectacular sectional cut-off, get the opportunity to appear for at least 10-12 B-school interviews from all across India. Do make a note that, if you have a gap year, there will be one question around it. Give your best shot to get 40 points. Such candidates will definitely get the opportunity to apply and appear for interviews conducted by old IIMs, new IIMs (JAP Process), FMS Delhi, SP Jain, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, etc. Unfortunately, if you couldn’t explain your gap year in the first interview, then learn from it. Assess your performance and make notes for improvement. Watch mock interviews and toppers’ strategies (with gap years) to curate a good answer before you appear for the interview with the next B-school to pursue an MBA course.
Final Words
You now know that a gap year cannot stop you from getting admission into the top MBA colleges in India if you’re able to justify it with valid experience and a statement. CAT aspirants can do online certification courses on MS Excel, Lean Six Sigma, etc, to justify their 1-3 gap year in the personal interview round of the CAT 2025. For showcasing additional skills, you can also participate in NGO volunteering opportunities, which will leave a remarkable first impression in front of the interview panel. Furthermore, do remember that your CAT score in 2025 and your performance in the GD-WAT-PI rounds will also play a crucial role in the final selection.
Henceforth, utilise these 35 days to the fullest and showcase your best performance to hit 99.99%ile in the CAT entrance exam. Do remember, even if you have a gap of 1-3 years after graduation, you can still secure a seat in the top MBA colleges in India with a high CAT percentile. So revise vigorously, practice daily assignments while maintaining a perfect balance between speed and accuracy. This strategic approach is enough to make it to the top IIMs in India, like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, etc. At the end, remember that a higher CAT percentile, along with a powerful performance in the PI round, will land you at IIMs or any other B-school that fits your long-term career goals and aspirations, despite having a 1-3 gap year after graduation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which top MBA college in India doesn’t ask for work experience?
There are B-schools like FMS Delhi that give less importance to work experience. If you don’t have work experience but have scored 99.99%ile in the CAT exam, exhibit excellent past academic records, and performed well in the interview, then FMS Delhi will definitely call you for the personal interview round.
Is it possible to get into IIM Bangalore with a 5-year gap?
It’s possible only if you fulfil certain parameters like a high percentage in the 10th grade examination, 12th grade examination, graduation, a high CAT score, work experience and proper gap justification. Along with this, you will also have to crack the GD-WAT-PI round with an amazing score and then only you will get an interview call from IIMB.
How many points do female candidates get from IIM Bangalore?
A minimum of 5 points is given to the female candidates during the initial stage of selection. These points are only applicable for the pre-PI screening stage and are not computed for the next stage. It’s done to support women’s education and provide them with a bright future. There are ex-alumni like Vineeta Singh (IIM Ahmedabad), Falguni Nayar (IIM Ahmedabad), who have inspiring success stories and have set a new benchmark for the other female candidates.
How can I give a proper explanation for the Gap Year?
Upskill yourself by doing online certification courses from Udemy, Coursera, Shaw Academy, etc. Inspect your career pathway and find out your future career goals. Take up a hobby from an interesting field like music/painting, etc. You can also try your hand at developing a business strategy or exploring the field of entrepreneurship. If interested, you can also work for an NGO and contribute towards a good cause for improving society.
What is the CAT 2025 final selection criteria for IIM Bangalore?
IIM Bangalore comes under IIM ABC. It ranks at the #2 position in the NIRF Ranking 2025. The highest weightage is given to the Personal Interview (40 marks). CAT score weightage is 25% in the final shortlisting stage. 10% weightage is given to the Written Ability Test (WAT) and work experience individually. For educational qualifications like 10th grade marks, 12th grade marks, and graduation marks, you will get 5 marks each.
